Boss Lady

Interlude

"Sana Bianchi, we are rich bitches. Again! The marathon and you running it on your periods was an epic idea. The sales numbers along with the new collection have broken all the past records. ", my sister claimed. She was laughing like crazy. Our fortunes had almost doubled in the short time since the rally. Weirdly enough, it had not a strict business decision. But Jules didn't need to know that. After all, I had an image to keep.

She laughed so hard that there were tears in her eyes.

" Shit! Girl, we really did it. Sana, we proved everybody wrong!", she exclaimed.

Some days, I could hardly believe my good fortune. We had started as two girls with nothing. Today, we had the world.

"This calls for a party, Sana. We need a huge fucking party, with unlimited wine and all our girls. God! We worked so hard, we overcame impossible odds, we are finally here. I can't believe it.", Jules repeated.

" Believe it. And about the party...", I smiled an evil smile.

"Holy shit! What are you planning?!", she asked bouncing around my office.

"Mónaco.", I whispered.

"This. Is. Going. To. Be. Epic.", she almost shouted.

"We will be hosting our Christmas gala and fashion week at Monaco. This is our day, Jules. It is our greatest triumph as entrepreneurs and women. We will inaugurate our next store at the billionaire's playground."

She hugged me tight.

"Not bad for a girl from slums, eh?", she said darkly.

" Not bad at all.", I agreed.
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"Ma! I am busy right now.", Josh shoeed me away.

I pulled his ear. He growled.

He was sitting on my chair rocking back and forth.

" What are you doing?", I asked him curiously.

"I am making a list of all the complaints I have against you.", he said sullenly.

" Really! Do tell.", I said bending on my knees to sit in front of him.

"You didn't take me to Disneyland as you promised. You have been so busy that we couldn't do the maths problems together. Plus, you didn't have time to listen to the new poem I learnt for you.", he said sounding distressed.

I sighed. Of course, Josh had every right to be mad at me. I couldn't choose myself without neglecting him.

"Forgive me, cariño. I promise I will go and talk to Father Hernández and make time for me to be at your Spanish lessons.", I said kissing his tiny head.

The struggles of motherhood and my job were relentless. I could bear it some days simply because of my gritting stubbornness to not take failure for an answer.

I held his warm hands in mine.

"Will you come to my football game tomorrow?", he asked softly.

" You know that I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Football was our little ritual. Every kid went with his dad but Josh loved going with me. It was our little joke, me cheering for him from the stands in his jersey. I had never felt more eager to shout than watching him play. In truth, I knew nothing about football rules except that I had played it as a kid with a coconut shell instead of a ball. It was brutal and  unforgiving and when I had played with boys twice my age, I hadn't won without carrying adequate bruises. Sports awakened a thirst to win and that fueled me in the boardroom. So, it was a bit of a guilty pleasure watching my son play.

"Now tell me that poem you learnt."

I had approximately fifteen minutes before I would have to rush to a board meeting. I needed to eat something because I hadn't been able to grab anything before my eight o'clock. But, I could always eat later.

"La plaza tiene una torre,
La torre tiene un balcón,
El balcón tiene una dama,
La dama una blanca flor"

Josh recited in his musical voice, Antonio Machado's poem.

"Ha pasado un caballero-", he stopped when Tori came in.

" Miss Bianchi! I- oh! I am so sorry for disturbing you.", she stuttered when she saw Josh sitting on my lap.

She appeared flustered and clearly panicked. I set Josh down clutching my forehead.

"I will be back in a minute, sweetheart.", I said placing him on my chair. He nodded quietly.

" What is it now, Tori?", I asked beyond annoyed at the interruption. She looked contrite but there was also sadness in her face.

"Andre... Andre has passed away."

My breath caught in my throat. The most respected fashion journalist in the world and my mentor was gone.....

I clutched Tori's hand for support. Andre had been one of the first endorsers for Boss Lady. His support had meant the world to me ten years ago.

Andre de Costa embodied fashion more than any man I knew. The world of fashion had taken a heavy loss today but more dear to me was the personal loss.

André and his wife Simone had lived in New York all their life. He jokingly called the city, the mitochondria of the haute cotoure.

There was no doubt that I had to go.
"I need to go New York. Make the arrangements as soon as possible and ask Stella to pack an overnight bag.", I commanded.

Tori started to leave.

" What about Josh?", I asked her.
"We'll take care of him, don't worry.", she said.

"I want to declare a holiday tomorrow in his memory. Notify everyone."

"Yes, boss."

I went back inside my office and saw Josh pacing about anxiously.

" Did something bad happen?", he asked, his voice small.

I sniffled.

"Yes baby, uncle Andre....he....is.... he is gone."

His bottom lip quivered at my distress. He stroked my hair as I hugged him tightly.

"Don't cry, ma.....he is not gone. He is heaven now...maa. Father Hernández says, those who love us always watch over us."

I shook my head and rubbed my eyes.

"You're right.... Joshua. He is in a better place."

Andre had been battling lung cancer for years now. His habit of smoking those Cuban cigars had taken a toll on him. But he was so good-humored all the time, that it was difficult to deny him his guilty pleasure.

"Mommy has to go, baby. I am so sorry, I couldn't listen to your poem.", I said pinching my eyes shut.

" That's okay. Aunt Stella and I will record a video for you so you can watch on the plane. Now go!", he said pushing my shoulder gently.

And so I did with his permission.
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