Dreamy Woman

Lauren drives home with the box of trinkets in the trunk. Why did they fire me? It’s like that man just showed up and took my job. What did I do to deserve this? she thinks.

She arrives home, sets the box on her desk, and crawls into bed to take a nap.

She pushes through the doors of her high school gymnasium. A light from the ceiling shines down in the corner of the room where a blonde girl stands. Lauren walks toward her, but the room starts filling up with water. She slips and falls and the next thing she knows she’s underwater. She tries to scream to the girl, but she can’t hear her. Bubbles only form and sound doesn’t travel through water very well.

In the next dream, she’s jumping on a trampoline and one of the trampoline’s legs collapses. It leans and she rolls out of its exit flaps. With no injuries, she stands up and spots a girl in the woods. She chases after her, but fire ignites around her. Unaffected by it, she keeps running, but the girl disappears.

Lauren wakes up drenched in sweat. She breathes heavily. And now there’s a girl. Will a woman appear in my life and ruin it?

Sweat drips down her back as she rolls out of bed. She takes a shower, changes into pajamas, and looks for jobs online. Such is fate, must not delay the inevitable.

Lauren applies for a secretary job at a nail and hair salon downtown.

She receives a call from them a few days later. She’s hired on the spot. She had thought about applying to beauty school and this is a good step forward.

She walks into the salon for her first day, Monday. The head hairdresser sits at the front desk.

“Hi, I’m Lauren. I’m here for my first day as the new secretary.”

“Great, just come behind the desk and I’ll show you how everything works,” the head hairdresser says.

“I can’t wait. I’m a fast learner.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m Mandy, by the way.” She juts her hand out for a handshake.

Lauren shakes her new boss’ hand.“Nice to meet you, Mandy.”

“Now, when someone calls, you pick up the phone and say, ‘Color Me Impressed, this is your name speaking. Do you have an appointment?’ Then if they say, ‘Yes, this is their name just confirming my appointment for this date and time.” You then look on the computer, go into the calendar app, and look at that date and time. And if they’re in there, say, ‘Yes, we have you in at that date and time.’”

“What if they don’t have an appointment?”

“If they don’t have an appointment, then ask them what days they have available. Say things like, ‘I can squeeze you in on Friday’ or ‘We have limited spots on Thursday.’ ”

“Okay,” Lauren says as the phone rings.

Mandy and Lauren look at the phone. “Answer it. Remember what I just taught you.”

Lauren picks up the phone and answers, “Color me Impressed, Lauren speaking. Do you have an appointment?”

“Yes, I’m just confirming my appointment for tomorrow at three,” replied the client.

Lauren opens the calendar application on the computer and checks the appointments tomorrow. “What’s your name?”

“Martha.”

“Martha, yes we still have you in Friday, October first at three.”

“Good, see you then.”

“Have a good day.”

“Good job, you even said the customer’s name after they said it. You’ll do great here. Now, I have to supervise the hairdressers. Oh, and if anyone comes in, check their appointment on the calendar app and ask them to wait until the hairdresser is ready.”

“Thank you, I’m so excited about this job.”

“Call me over if need anything.”

A woman with blonde hair enters the salon and walks up to the front desk.

“Welcome to Color Me Impressed. Do you have an appointment?” Lauren asks.

“Yes, today at two for Debra.”

“Let me take a look — Yes, have a seat, Debra.”

Lauren looks up and spots the blonde woman, she’s curvy and voluptuous. Is that the woman from my dreams? She’s older and more-, her thoughts were interrupted by a hairdresser calling Debra up.

She couldn’t help but stare at her.

She got back to work and continued to answer the phone and update the calendar application.

About an hour later, the blonde woman appeared in front of her and said, “Hey, if you ever want to get out of here and work for me. Give me a call.” She hands her business card.

“This is my first day, but okay I will,” Lauren replies nervously as she grabs the card.

Debra aka the blonde woman winked at her and walked away.

Artoni Clothing Stores, should I call her? It’s a great opportunity, but I just started this job.