Sold With the Bed!

When Lucy left the ladies room ten minutes later, she found her friend Ruby carrying expensive golden sheets out of the storage.

"Ruby?"

"Lucy you wouldn't believe it. A wealthy customer is here."

"Already? How long have they been here?"

"She's been here for ten minutes now"

"She? "

"Yes, it's a wealthy woman. She wanted to see the expensive bed and buy these luxury covers"

"What are you talking about?"

And so Ruby told her friend the whole story.

"Take me to her"

When they reached the bed, Dahlia was nowhere to be found. They searched the whole complex and didn't find her. There didn't seem to be anything missing so they concluded that the customer must have found something displeasing and left.

A while later, the VIP customer came.

A tall man with broad shoulders and a striking appearance. His dark hair matched his dark eyes the colour of midnight. He wore a fine suit which seemed to be tailor made as it fit his body perfectly. Lion head cufflinks shone at his wrists. He had an air of severity about him that made it difficult to look him in the eyes.

His whole being was wrapped up in an aura that screamed:danger.

He strode into the shop and stopped. He looked around with an indescribable expression on his face.

It was something akin to displeasure but also with a of hint curiosity and disbelief.

He had never seen so much pink and fluff in one place. There were pink pillows, pink linen, pink curtains and even pink carpets. It looked too much like a shop for baby girls. He honestly didn't know what to think.

His friend owned this shop. It had been his idea to visit and purchase something.

"Maybe your sleeping habits will improve" were his exact words.

Well, Aurora has always been fond of sleeping, he thought with a chuckle.

He rang the little bell at the counter.

Lucy and Ruby rushed to the counter to receive the customer.

They found him near the window his face turned away from them. He was holding a small snow globe. It looked delicate in his large hands. Lucy had to stop herself from taking it from him lest he break the fragile thing.

She cleared her throat. He turned around.

It was as if a gush of spring breeze had blown the girls. They squealed in delight and tugged at each other's skirt.

He stared at them unblinkingly. He was used to this kind of reaction from the opposite sex. Whenever they saw him they'd poke each other and exclaim at how handsome he was. There had only ever been one bold woman who had said it to his face. Only one woman.

He was growing tired of it all but like Aurora said his looks couldn't be helped and neither could their reactions.

So he waited for the two girls to calm down.

Finally Lucy cleared her throat and made an attempt at professionalism.

She reached for some documents.

"Excuse us, it's just been a while since we last had a customer of your caliber, Mr...?"

She looked at the document.

"Arnold. Mr Arnold Mallory"

"Just Mallory please"

"Certainly, pardon me"

"I'm here for a bed. Please show it to me"Arnold was growing impatient. An hour more in that lala land and he might truly pass out.

"Right. Follow me. Ruby, man the counter" Lucy ordered.

Ruby tried not to let her disappointment show as she looked away.

The bed stood on top of a raised platform. From a distance it looked very impressive and very much like what he needed.

"May I touch it?"

"Yes go ahead if you please" Lucy smiled.

Arnold proceed up the short flight of steps with Lucy at his heels.

He sat at the end of the bed, bounced on it then lay down.

"So much comfort and fluff. A person could get lost in here and you would never know"

Lucy smiled and said," According to our boss, every bed in our shop is blessed by a goddess of sleep. I believe that she is in this bed too. "

Arnold scoffed," Hah, only Aurora would say something so ridiculous and expect it to make sense"

Lucy didn't understand so she remained silent.

"How much is it?"came the question.

"A million"

"A million? For a bed? Can I pay in installments" he nearly shouted. What was this person doing? Was he being ripped off right now?

"No" She blinked. Installments? She looked him up and down.

Surely you should never judge a book by its cover. Suddenly he wasn't so impressive after all.

He reached into his pocket and took out a small mobile phone.

"Excuse me, I have to make a call"

She waited. She watched as he seemed to have a heated discussion with whoever was on the line.

It seemed as though the outcome was not in his favour for he called out from beneath the steps.

"I'll take the bed. I brought my own transport. I'll have the men come and take it. Come settle my bill"

Lucy nodded and was about to leave when she noticed a bump on the sheets. She tried to smooth it out. It wouldn't disappear so she lifted the linen to take a look. She stifled a scream.

There, in the beloved King's Comfort bed, was a foot. A slender, feminine foot.

She looked for the face and found it, hidden somewhere in the bed.

She recognised it immediately. The villanous customer.

"Oh, what to do, what to do?"she thought to herself.

"I don't have all day. Come along now"Arnold called out once more.

"I'm coming"she called out back.

This was upsetting...but maybe it was a good chance to teach her a lesson. She should just sell her off with the bed. Let someone else deal with her for once.

With this resolve she properly spread the bed and covered Dahlia completely.

"A million is too much to transfer right now. I'm having problems with my bank. I'll write you a check. Give it to your boss. I'll leave my phone number in case he has any complaints to make."

Lucy would have loved to argue but the expression on Arnold's face right then meant that it would probably not bode well for her so she simply nodded. The men with the moving truck took the bed away.

She stood at the door and watched them leave.

Good bye trouble. So long.

She smiled smugly.

"I wonder how this story will go?"she thought quietly to herself.