The monthly meeting of the Small Business Owners Association at the New York Public Library had already been going for a good ten minutes when Hilda Suarez sashayed into the room. She could tell at a glance that she was in the wrong place with all these old men in suits and middle aged women with their football-helmet hairdo's.
"More like hair-don'ts," Hilda snorted to herself as she confidently flicked her own teased up tresses.
Okay, definitely not her style, but if she wanted to learn about how to keep books for a small business and how to get onto the SBOA's insurance plan, she'd better stick around. There had to be somewhere to sit where she wouldn't have to worry about catching the suffocating stuffiness that seemed to pervade the room.
"Hilda," a voice hissed at her from the left, "get your hot self over here." She smiled at that and looked toward the sound, only to see Betty's friend Gio moving his jacket from the chair next to him and looking at her hopefully. Okay, at least he wasn't boring - stupidly in love with her sister, maybe, but not boring. Putting on a friendly smile, Hilda walked over to sit with the sandwich guy.
"Didn't expect to see you tonight," Gio said. "Let me guess, Egg salad?"
Hilda smiled and nodded. Indeed it had been Henry who sat her down on Sunday afternoon and explained to her that now that she was an entrepreneur, it was only good sense that she learn more about running a small business. He and Betty had given her an account log and a book of blank receipts tied up in a hot pink bow. Henry showed her how to set them up for Hilda's Beautilities, but he didn't want her to fully rely on him to take care of the paperwork side of the business, because in March he'd be going back to Arizona. He also gave her a flier about the Small Business Owner's Association and had circled tonight's meeting. Here, he said, she could learn more about owning and operating her salon, and possibly do some networking, whatever that meant.
Up front, a speaker was talking about how to go about securing a small business loan. Hilda was hardly listening, though, rather more interested in checking out her manicure and reminding herself to stop by Ricky's on the way home for some new nail colors. Gio, on the other hand, was sitting forward in his chair as if the man were disclosing the secrets to finding the lost mines of the old west, nodding, laughing along with the lame jokes the guy threw in to keep the audience awake.
"You take this business stuff pretty seriously," Hilda said, "As always, the man with a plan!"
"Yeah, shh, let's talk about it after, okay?"
Hilda sat up and straightened herself – nice of him to assume she'd have time to talk after. She had some expenses to rack up under the category of Supplies!
About a million years later, the guest speaker finally wrapped up his lecture and everyone was invited to mingle, network, and help themselves to refreshments at the front table.
"Ooh, refreshments! Do you think they have any martinis or maybe a sea breeze up there?"
"Nah," answered Gio, "It really isn't that kind of party; mostly coffee, stale crackers and dry cheese. But if you have time for a real drink, there's something I'd really like to talk about with you."
"Oh boy, here it comes," thought Hilda. Aloud she said, "If you're going to try to get me to help you break up Betty and Henry, I am not interested."
Gio laughed, "Now, what kind of a jerk do you think I am? Do I seem like the kind of guy who'd invite a woman out for drinks to talk about her sister?"
Hilda sighed, "Well, I admit that it hasn't ever happened to me before, but I suppose there's a first time for everything. Okay Gio, buy me a drink and tell me what's on your mind."
Shorty's Tavern isn't what anyone would call a hot spot in midtown Manhattan, but it offered one thing that Gio was looking for – somewhat private booths in a subdued atmosphere, where people could actually have a conversation without having to shout over the crowd and the music. As the two of them sat down, Gio ordered a tall glass of whatever local microbrew they had on tap and a sea breeze for the lady.
Grinning at Hilda he said, "Now, about Betty…"
Hilda rolled her eyes at him but allowed him to continue.
"Your sister was the first human I met when I started working the sandwich cart over at Mode. The rest of the people there are a bunch of weight-obsessed robots, making the most obnoxious requests, hoping they could find a meal that had no calories, no carbs and no fats. I don't know how any of them make it through the day without passing out from starvation. Whatever, y'know, as long as they were willing to pay for it. Betty, by being completely normal, got my attention."
"So of course you fell madly in love with her."
"Nah, I don't think that happened really. It was just nice to see a friendly face around there, somebody who could take a joke and wasn't ashamed to eat ham and mustard on rye. Anyway, any fool can see she's all about the Egg Salad on White."
"Yeah, and you know, I really thought it was just about being a couple of nerds together till I saw him dancing last week, with his shirt off… muy caliente!"
Gio laughed, "Okay, okay, we can't all afford a Bowflex machine, right? Down girl!"
"Really, it's given me new insight to my sister – I never thought she'd really care whether a guy had a hot bod or not, all that inner beauty yadda yadda."
Gio nodded, "But when I see the two of them together. It's more than them being nerdy and it's more than Henry being buff. Those two are in it for the long run. So, since I am not a fool and since it was just a mild attraction for me anyway, this is what I wanted to say to you: You said that I upped my game when Betty was around. I say, maybe it was just because I was more comfortable with her, because I know her better than I know you."
"Yeah, so?"
"So, what do you say I get to know you a little better, Hilda? Because, honestly, you are much more my type than your sister ever was."
"Hmm," Hilda answered, "we can get to know each other as friends, and maybe see what happens from there. Just remember that I'm wise to you, so don't try to use me in any sort of game you might be playing."
"No games, I promise," Gio smiled, "but maybe I'll see what I can do to make the prospect of small business ownership more interesting to you. Did you fill out those papers you picked up tonight?"
"Nope, I'm gonna hand 'em over to Henry. After all, what's the point of having an accountant in the family but to have him fill out… well, I guess he isn't really in the family yet."
"No, but you and I both know he will be someday."