Chapter 4

The instructions at the back of the brochure had insisted that the visitors not wear any makeup on arrival and that they should dress casually and as much alike as possible as Gemini's and Miss Levres personally wanted them to relax and really enjoy their special day. So in soft pink cotton skirts and white cotton sleeveless blouses Jane and Sharon got into the car for the 10-minute drive.

Gemini's was located in the now almost deserted 'downtown' area that had suffered from urban sprawl, the original shops gone west as the out of town malls undercut them, both on price and variety. The address was one such defunct outlet with large shop front, the window blacked out and the company logo and name in white across it. The 3 floors above that presumably had been living quarters for the owners and storage were now boarded up as were those of the other remaining shops in the block. One side of Gemini's was a 'bar', the sort where nubile young women dance, not around their hand bags but poles, the pink neon sign reading 'butter lies', the 'f' having died and not been replaced. The other side was a dingy looking bookstore whose racks of second hand books looked like they had not been perused for years, the few customers that did frequent it preferring the curtained off area at the back.

"You ready, Honey?" Sharon asked as she parked the car on the opposite side of the road. Jane smiled thinly and got out of the car, crossed the street with her mom and entered Gemini's.

The inside of the building was exactly what Sharon had been expecting, all concealed lighting and pictures of beautiful pairs of women in similar short depth of field pictures to the one on the front of the brochure. The reception area was sparsely furnished with a desk and 2 steel framed chairs in front.

"Welcome to Gemini's." A voice said and Jane and Sharon both turned to the desk and saw a young woman in a white short sleeved dress that zipped up the front and had red piping around the neck and sleeves. A name badge on her left breast informed the world that she was Candy Albright. Receptionist. "Please take a seat and we will go through the paperwork, tedious I know but essential all the same." Candy continued with a warm smile indicating the chairs in front of her desk. After taking their names and checking the appointments book Candy passed apparently identical pieces of paper to Sharon and Jane and explained that it was their contracts for the day.

Sharon glanced at the close type and knowing she really had no choice as she needed the $5000 to 'do a runner' with Jane, signed it and passed it back to Candy. Jane would have liked to spend a little longer reading the details but followed her mothers lead and signed and passed it over. With a warm smile Candy said "Thank you. Now if you would please wait here." She stood and left mom and daughter sitting in an awkward silence.

"May I add my own special welcome." A warm English accent said behind them. Sharon and Jane both turned in their chairs to face the owner of the voice. Dressed similarly to Candy stood a woman whose name badge bore the title 'Amanda Levres. Owner'