"Reina? Do you think you can have those papers we discussed earlier filled out for me by the end of the day? I know we have until the end of the week, but I want them done early. Stay late if you have to. It won't affect your pay." Rhianna said.

"Reina?" Nicole asked me. "Can you do the dishes tonight? I know it's my turn, but I'm going out with Steve. Oh, and you should probably just tell my work I won't be there."

"Reina!" My mother demanded of me. "When are you coming to visit your poor mother?"

"Reina, Jazz is being harassed by some blonde guy who won't leave. Can you get rid of him for us?" One of my club girls requested.

"Reina? Reina?"

"What?" I demanded. "What do you want?"

"I'm sorry." Rob was taken aback. He had just run across the parking lot of Marie's Grocers yelling my name as I was loading groceries into my Taxi, and was bent over, out of breath."I just wanted to know if you were free to hang out this weekend. Not even a date if you don't wanna. Just as friends."

"I don't know if I can. I have so much work to get done for my jobs and if I don't get it done it could be really bad. I'm actually shopping on my lunch break right now and really need to get back to work"

"Where do you work again?"

"At Imagination Station as a receptionist in the day time and Chic on Dic as a manager at night." I checked my phone. I only had twenty minutes to take these groceries home and get back to work. Actual lunch could wait, but this conversation needed to wrap up and fast.

"Chic on Dic?" Rob giggled. "Hmmm I wonder what goes on there?" he said sarcastically.

"None of that actually happens there, Rob. And if it did, I would kick out any man forcing that on any of my girls," I glared.

"Wow. Have you ever had to do that?"

"More often than you think..."

"I can't even imagine Scary Reina."

"Well, hopefully, you'll never have to see her."

"Yeah. Hopefully." There was an awkward pause. "Well," Rob started up again, "I guess that's a no on the hanging out. See you around, Reina."

"See you!" And I hopped into the cab, urging the driver to move faster and faster towards my home.

"You're late." Rhianna, my boss, was sitting at my desk with her feet up, staining my papers.

I checked my watch. My lunch break was over at two and it was two oh one so yes, technically, if we were counting seconds, I was late, but it was inevitable. I knew better than to say that to Rhianna, however, as she didn't take sass from any man, woman, or otherwise.

"I'm sorry," I said instead.

"Good. You can make up for it by getting yourself a nice, black, lacy bra for work. That plain tan sports one you always wear isn't professional looking enough. It's always sticking out above your shirt as it's clearly too big. We have to present a mature looking front to our competitors and potential buyers which are mainly males. Are you an elementary school girl? No. You aren't. How are you supposed to impress a man without any cleavage. And while we're at it, you need to lose the leggings under your skirts as well. Entirely childish."

"I'm sorry?" I asked, completely appalled. "But what exactly does this have to do with my being late?" And it's not really any of your business what I wear to work as long as I'm following the dress code, which, I am, I thought. And it's not like she even pays me enough to afford these things. That's why I wear the leggings. My skirt is too short.

"It's only hurting you, darling," she said, babying me. "If you aren't dressed right, how do you expect to do your best work here for me? And you wouldn't want me to have to lower my high standards to keep you, would you?"

"No."

"Good. Then after work today, please change your attire for the future. Otherwise, I may be forced to let you go."

"Yes ma'am," I replied, sighing as she stood up and walked off into her office, leaving me to my work. "I don't have time for this!" I whispered. "It's not fair." But I knew I didn't have another choice. And, although we weren't exactly the same size, I knew a place where I could ask for help.

"Nicole?" I called out. "Are you in?"

"Yeah," she shouted back, peaking around the kitchen doorway, sponge and plate in hand. She was finally doing the dishes. "What's up Ray Ray?"

"Um...I need some clothes and I was wondering if you could help me?" I asked awkwardly.
"Yeah, sure. Let me just finish this and I'll be right in." She nodded at her soapy hands.

"It's ok," I smiled, "let me come help you."

"So, what are these new clothes for? Is there a cute new guy at work?" Nicole asked as we scrubbed away.

"Actually, it's for my boss," I replied slowly.

"Oh," Nicole said, obviously surprised. "I thought you worked for Rhianna."

"I do," I said carefully.

"Then why are you changing your look for her? You already have the job. You don't need to impress her."

"I guess.... She said she's going to fire me, though, if I don't stop wearing leggings and get a new bra."

"She's seriously giving you shit about your bra? Another woman is giving you shit about a bra. Really?" Nicole dropped her plate in the sink with a combination of horror and shock. She planted her soapy hands on her hips and glared at me. "Reina. Don't you ever let another person boss you around about your bra. Your underwear is your business and nobody else's. Ya hear me?"

"I do," I reassured her. "I also don't want to get fired."

"Yeah, no. This isn't healthy Reina. You need to get out of this job."

"It's fine, Nicole. It's fine. I want to do this."

"Promise?"

"I promise." But I wasn't sure if that was the truth.

After we'd gone through Nicole's extensive closet finding new clothes for me to wear to work, Nicole declared that she had a surprise for me.

"We need a girls night," she said suddenly. "Just the two of us. No men, no friends, just us girls."

"Um... I'm not sure I—"

"Yes, you can Ray Ray," Nicole interrupted. "You've been working your little butt off for weeks on end. Taking you out for a night is the least I can do to thank you for all you do for me."

"Ok," I said, desperately wanting to agree. "But I have work tonight."

"Just call out," Nicole said, with a wave of her hand. "Tell them that you're really sorry, but you're totally exhausted and need a break. After all, it's just for the one night."

"I guess so," I agreed, although I was sure she was forgetting that the only reason we were able to live like we did was thanks to me and my hard work. Walking into my bedroom, I pulled out my phone and punched in the numbers. I took a deep breath before clicking the call button.

"Hello?" A man's voice that I did not recognize answered the phone .

"Hi, this is Reina Grakowsky," I said as professional as I could. "I'm supposed to be working tonight from nine to close, but I need to call out."

"Ok, no problem," the man replied. "Reina, you said?"

"Yes."

"Alright, thanks for letting us know." He hung up and I stood there in silence, letting the beeping fill my ears to remind me to hang up myself.

"All set?" Nicole asked, peeking her head around the door.

"Yeah, I think so," I replied, pushing down all my anxieties. "So, where are we going."

"Well," she started. "I was thinking we might try out that new club that just opened up?"

"Really? I work at a club! You had me call out of work just to do something I already do every night?"

"No, silly." Nicole laughed and ruffled my hair. "Not a strip club. They play music here. And don't worry, I'll be paying for everything tonight." She snatched the cash I was slipping into my wallet out of my hand and put it back in my safe. "You really don't have to worry. Tonight is just a night for us."