“Evelyn.” Anna said.

  “Yes, I’m coming.” I stood up from the table and followed them.

  The three of us walked through the hallway that took us back to the club. But unlike this morning, there were a lot more people here now. They looked like construction workers. They were walking around the club, taking down one of the walls, which looked like a fake wall, like it was just a building kit. And on the other side was another section that almost doubled the size of this space.

  “What’s going on?” I asked Anna.

  “Ahh, you don’t have to worry about that. It’s just getting ready for the evening.” Anna replied and continued.

  “For the evening? What’s going on tonight?”

  “It’s a club, Evelyn, what do you think? There are a lot of people coming today, so we’re taking down the wall to make room for everyone. But you don’t have to worry about that. That’s Henry’s business. You’ll be with me on the other side.” What a shame. For some reason, the mention of a party and lots of people made me want to be here tonight, but Anna must have had other pns for me.

  So we continued past the bar, where I didn’t see James, until we finally came to the door that led to Henry’s office. He opened the door and closed it behind him without a word.

  “And what are we going to do now?” I looked at Anna and she just gave me a look as if it should be obvious.

  “Look at you, Evelyn. That dress is beautiful, but not enough for someone in your position right now.”

  “Well…I don’t have anything else.”

  “Then follow me.” She turned and continued down the hall to another door. She opened them and there was something like an office and on the other side of this room was another door. She opened it as well and what I saw was something like a huge wardrobe. And there was everything, and I mean everything. From rge formal dresses to pajamas. It was like walking into a small clothing store.

  “Wow.” That was all I could say.

  “Do you like this? Come on, we’ll find you something. You need to get ready for the evening.”

  “Evening? But I thought we weren’t going to a party.” I asked, confused.

  “You’re right about that, Evelyn. But, if there are a lot of people on this side, that means my side will be full too. And since you’re going with me, you can’t look like this.” Anna smiled and started looking through every type of clothing there was.

  I didn’t know what to do, so I just stood there and waited. It wasn’t long before Anna probably found what she was looking for. It was a pin white shirt. She came over to me and pced it on my chest and looked me over.

  “Yes, that’s it.” She turned and continued looking through the next section of the wardrobe.

  “Anna, may I ask you something? When it’s just the two of us here.” I said a little hesitantly.

  “Of course dear. What do you need to know?” Anna continued to pick up clothes without looking at me.

  “I would like to know a little more about what will happen here what kind of pce this is when I start working here, and what the retionship is between you and Henry and so on?” I started to ask questions directly.

  “Those are quite bold questions, Evelyn.” She stopped searching and turned to me. “But you’re probably right that you should know everything that goes on here. I’m more surprised how you can live in this city and not know at least something. Where are you from, anyway?”

  I just looked at her and said nothing. “Let me guess. You don’t know, do you?”

  “Well…” I didn’t know how to answer that.

  “That’s okay. Everyone here has secrets.” She smiled and continued to browse.

  “Yes, I already found that out, but you didn’t answer me.” Anna stopped and looked at me again.

  “And which question should I answer first?”

  “Let’s start with you and Henry.” Anna looked at me directly but finally turned and continued.

  “Okay, if you need to know that much. I’ve known Henry for over a decade and we’re pretty close, I practically raised him.” Anna said. “He was just like you. He was a nobody my husband chose as his repcement. Just like you are now.”

  “Your husband?”

  “Yes, the old bastard who built all this.” And she pointed around.

  “Well…”

  “Before you start.” Anna stopped me and pced more clothes on my body. “No, not this. Go on.” And she turned again.

  “Well, your husband…”

  “I don’t want to talk about him. Ask me something else.” She stopped me again.

  I stopped for a moment to think over some question. “Then you and the girls. I couldn’t help but notice that the girls don’t like you, they’re almost afraid of you, and let’s not even start talking about Henry.”

  “Of course, they don’t like me. I’m their boss.”

  “Yes, but this is something more.”

  “Evelyn. Since you’re my repcement, I’ll tell you something. Making friends and having good retionships doesn’t pay off in this business, and you can bet on that. I can’t forbid you from doing it, but you’ll regret it in the future.” And I saw something on her face that she tried to hide, but only for a moment.

  She looked at one of the clothes she had picked out and came back to me. It was a woman’s bzer with a belt around her waist. She looked me over again and just nodded her head and continued

  “Then what about me?” I asked one question, the answer to which probably interested me the most. “Why do you treat me differently than the other girls? Why did you introduce yourself to me as Anna but everyone else calls you Madam?”

  “Because you’re my repcement.”

  “I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

  “Well, it’s the only reason you’ll get.” I couldn’t push her any further. I could see her mood beginning to change.

  “Okay, one st question.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “Since I’m working directly for you now, which means I won’t be at the bar anymore, what will my job be?”

  “You’ll be like a second me. You’ll go everywhere with me and you’ll learn. And I never said you wouldn’t be at the bar anymore. If you don’t need to be with me anymore, you can go to James and work.” She replied, coming over to me with what looked like a skirt that had obviously been paired with a bzer earlier.

  “Great, now only underwear and we’ve got everything.” She smiled, and I just looked at her and surrendered. Very well.

  So I followed Anna to the back, where were some drawers. She opened one and looked inside.

  "Anna, who's is all of this anyway?"

  "This? That's my personal wardrobe."

  "This is all yours?" I was surprised. "I thought this was for all girls."

  "Well, sometimes when I need more space, I give some dresses to girls, just like that dress you have on yourself."

  "This is yours as well?"

  "Yes, and since it's perfect for your figure, the rest of my clothes should fit you too." She smiled.

  I wouldn't say it was perfect. Practically it was my body that helped a lot with clothes and their sizes.

  "So if you want something to wear, just come here and pick something up."

  "I... I don't know what to say, Anna."

  "You don't need to say anything. Now put this on." And she threw on me everything she chose. Even underwear and high heels.

  And so my new outfit for the evening was chosen.

  Hextille