Read Online Transcendence by C. J. Omololu - Free Book Online

door is already locked and the CLOSED sign is in the window when I get to the store, so I knock as loudly as I can. Kat has worked at the shop for over a year, but I’ve only been here acouple of times. It’s one of those places that doesn’t have much on display, but you know that the few pieces that are here cost way more than you can afford. The owner designs everything from shoes and bags to dresses and scarves, and everything is laid out and lit with tiny little ceiling lights like you’re at an art exhibit. I never come into places like this if I can help it.
    “Sorry,” Kat says as she turns the key in the lock on her side and swings the door open. “I’m cleaning up in the back. Come on in, I’ll just be a minute.”
    The store smells like flowers, and thumping music is playing softly in the background. A woman with long, wavy dark hair is bending over a glass jewelry case, rearranging some necklaces in a velvet-lined tray. She’s thin, and has on one of the flowing, sleeveless tops that hang on a wall rack along with dark blue skinny jeans and high-heeled red shoes. Every finger holds a ring that is larger and more colorful than the last one, but she wears almost no makeup that I can see. She’s one of those women who can leave the house wearing only a paper bag and make it look like the height of fashion, and because Kat talks about her incessantly, I know it’s Francesca, the owner.
    “How old is she?” I whisper just loud enough to be heard over the music.
    “Twenty or twenty-one,” Kat says. “Somewhere in there. She was still going to design school when her father gave her the money for the store.” Her eyes soften, and I can tell that Kat practically worships her boss. “She’ll make it to the top of the fashion world before she’s thirty, guaranteed.”
    Francesca smiles and walks over to us. “Katherine, you shouldbe done here,” she says with an accent that is vaguely European but impossible to place. She smiles at me. “Go and have a marvelous evening with your friend.”
    “My sister,” Kat corrects. “This is Cole.”
    “So glad you came to see our store,” Francesca says, giving me an air kiss on both cheeks.
    “Thanks,” I say glancing around. “It’s really nice.”
    Francesca puts both hands on my shoulders and looks me up and down. “She has a fantastic figure,” she says to Kat, as if I’m not even in the room. “That new tunic would look amazing on her. With some leggings and that new necklace Drew just finished, the one with all of the gears. Ooh! And those gold heels we just got in.”
    Kat laughs. “Those aren’t really Cole’s style,” she says. “Besides, didn’t you sell the Clockwork necklace this morning?”
    Francesca puts a finger to her lips and smiles. “That’s right, I almost forgot. Got a great price for it, too.”
    As they look me over, the bell on the front door rings and a guy comes in carrying a white paper sack. It’s obvious from the casual way he walks across the showroom floor that he isn’t a customer, and after depositing the bag on the front counter, he approaches Francesca from behind and grabs her around the waist. He looks like he’d be right at home on one of those fifty-foot-tall Calvin Klein billboards in Union Square.
    “So what are you two looking so happy about?” he says, nuzzling Francesca’s neck. He has a smooth Australian accent that goes perfectly with his short blond hair and white teeth.
    Francesca squeals and pretends to swat him on the arm. “Onlythat I sold one of your most expensive pieces,” she says, turning to kiss him on the mouth.
    “Oooh, nice,” he says, pulling back to look at her. “Good thing I stopped at the cupcake shop after I picked up your salad. You deserve an extra commission today.”
    “If you two are done…” Kat steps in. She’s smiling like she’s only joking, but I can tell that there’s more going on here.
    Francesca kisses him hard on the mouth. “Mmm. Yes. So