Joey couldn't wait to close up. He called his girlfriend when no one visited the store for the last fifteen minutes. He assured her that he would make it to her apartment in time for some special moments together. As soon as he hung up, Joey stood still and waited at the front counter. The store remained empty. Everything had grown silent. The hectic work hours in Yorba Linda had passed. The diverse apparel for both males and females stayed perfectly still on the racks and shelves. The twenty-one-year-old employee checked the time on his smartphone. Only ten minutes remained until the work hour would officially end.
He looked out the windows at the front of the store to see several inhabitants exiting the parking lot in their cars, ready to end the Friday on a positive note. The sky grew darker and the street lights grew brighter. The slow progression of each action didn't bother Joey at all. He had been used to being the only one at the local clothing store until the very end of the day. Now, he could only wait. He only had his girlfriend in his thoughts. With a gorgeous woman like her, Joey wouldn't dare to do anything else other than to pay her a visit and spend the rest of the evening together. Just two ordinary citizens joining each other after a hard day's work.
Joey started to check the weather on his smartphone, but the sound of the front door opening made him put away his smartphone and treat his next customer with respect. He brushed away a few strands of his blond hair from his face and received a good look at the man who walked in the store. The customer looked to be at least twenty years older than him. He wore a black business suit with a blue shirt beneath his coat. His face showed no sign of facial hair anywhere, and his tall stature made him look like he belonged in a typical romance novel.
Joey cleared his throat. "Welcome. How can I help you?"
The customer gave him a little smile and spoke with a smooth baritone voice. "I'm looking for something that'll be perfect for my wife."
"Are you looking for a specific dress?"
"It just has to look good on her."
Joey nodded. "I'll show you where to find some."
He led the customer to the section in the store where the more luxurious dresses had been put on display on mannequins. He waited while the customer examined the various black-colored dresses that had been hung on a garment rack.
Joey could tell that the man belonged to a wealthy foundation. His refined demeanor and overall charisma seemed like something that people would normally find in the more affluent neighborhoods of Yorba Linda. Joey started to wonder where this man currently resided in this city, or anywhere in the north side of Orange County for that matter.
The customer rubbed his chin. "If only my wife were here. I'd have to see if any one of these would fit her just fine."
Joey replied, "I'm assuming that this is going to be a gift."
The customer looked at him with eyes suitable for a more magnetic draw. "You're correct. She's the kind of woman who deserves something like this."
"I understand."
The customer kept his eyes on the young employee. Joey thought nothing of it at first. But as soon as the customer eyed him from top to bottom, it felt correct to be just a little suspicious.
"Is there something wrong, sir?"
The customer asked, "What's your name?"
"My name's Joey."
"I'm Roland. It's nice to meet you."
Joey decided to follow along in what sounded like a casual conversation. "So have you been living in Yorba Linda for quite some time?"
Roland gave a slight nod. "I have for the past decade or so."
"That's good."
Roland still kept his eyes on the blond-haired man. "How about you?"
"Oh, I live in an apartment several blocks from here. It's small, but it's comfortable."
Roland finally looked away and spotted something on the shelves near the garment rack. He chose a piece of clothing that had been folded neatly on a pile. He unfolded it, and it revealed to be a sleeveless black turtleneck top.
"I didn't think I'd come here to buy another one, but I'm sure it's not illegal to change one's mind."
Joey chuckled. "No, it certainly wouldn't."
"She never wore something like this, but I don't think it would hurt for her to try something different."
Joey didn't say anything else. He watched as Roland took a sniff of the turtleneck top.
"It smells just fine."
Joey was about to say something, but stopped when Roland trapped him in the same assessment as before. The customer gazed at something underneath Joey's head.
Joey asked, "Is there a problem?"
"Oh, there's no problem. None whatsoever."
"I'm asking you because I'm feeling a little uncomfortable when you're staring at me like that."
"I don't mean to frighten you. It's just that you look almost exactly like my wife."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Both of you share the same height, the same slim form...and the same blue eyes. The only difference is your blond hair is short, while my wife's is long."
Joey tried to smile, but failed. "I'm not sure if I should feel flattered or offended."
Roland kept calm. "I do apologize if I'm giving you the wrong impression. I'm not saying that you look like a woman, but I can't help but notice the similarities."
He rose up the black turtleneck top in front of Joey. "As a matter of fact, if you wore this right now, I'd almost mistake you for someone else."
Joey chuckled nervously. "Really?"
With the sole exception of being a few inches shorter than Roland, Joey couldn't comprehend the resemblance between him and a woman that he knew nothing about. He was certainly short and slender, but not enough for him to share more feminine features.
"I wouldn't say that I'm the girly type."
Roland replied, "You don't have to be."
His smile didn't look innocuous any longer. "Let me see you put this on."
