The heels made an angry, clicking noise on the floor.
As the newly promoted branch manager, Ena Rios knew the sight and sound of a fuming customer all too well. In an exclusive spa like this where exorbitant fees were charged, nothing less than perfection was expected and complaints from high maintenance members came with the territory.
It was Hollywood, after all.
She flashed her customer service smile as the furious client approached her in the lobby. But this was no ordinary client. This client was a world-famous actress; one of many that frequented this spa.
“Good morning, Ms. Meryl,” the manager said, trying to smooth things over to pre-empt the oncoming storm. “How are you today?”
Hopefully a disaster would be avoided, she thought. A receptionist was behind the desk and a few other people were waiting in the lobby.
“May I have a word with you in private?” Ms. Meryl replied, with a perfectly shaped eyebrow raised, as much as the botox allowed.
This thin, middle-aged actress was tall and flouted her statuesque figure in a small black dress that had been paired with high-heels. The actress was blessed with having a piercing gaze. It was the kind of look which made movie scenes special.
Ena kept composure. “I’d be happy to see you in my office”
“If only the feeling was mutual.”
“Right this way, then.”
Grateful to avoid an explosion in the lobby, Ena led the famous client down the hall. This was no ordinary spa. The lighting had a special blend of brightness and darkness, creating a serene atmosphere. Soothing music played quietly in the background.
Before making another turn towards the office, the actress stopped in her tracks.
“Let’s talk here instead,” Ms. Meryl said, pointing to a vacant spa room. “I need to discuss my body, not business.”
Ena nodded. “Very well.”
They went inside a private spa room, which was complete with massage tables, stones, and a variety of scented oils. The place was gorgeous and was designed to feel like a luxurious getaway, which it was. Before either of them could get comfortable, the actress got straight to the point.
Lifting the front of her skin-tight dress, Ms. Meryl shimmied her hips above her thighs and exposed her bare pussy. The outer skin looked inflamed with mild redness, where a Brazilian wax job had been performed the day before.
“I’ve been getting waxed for decades,” Ms. Meryl fumed, while showing her pussy. “I’ve been a loyal customer to this branch for nearly 10 years. Do you understand? Sorry if I’m being a bitch right now, but this has NEVER happened before.”
Using a critical eye, Ena gazed at the inflamed skin around the actress’s vagina. Before switching career paths, she was a Chemistry major at a top tier university and had worked in a lab for a few years. She knew the telltale signs of burns or allergic reactions.
“You’re right, it’s unusual,” Ena said, bending down for a closer look. “Did you put any new lotions or cream yesterday? It’s possible that you created an adverse reaction to the hot wax.”
“Blaming me, I suppose.”
“No, not at all. I’m only suggesting that…”
Ms. Meryl shook her head and interrupted, “I’ve been getting my pussy waxed longer than you’ve been alive. To answer your question -- no -- I didn’t use any lotions or creams. In fact, I didn’t even wear anything underneath my skirt.”
“Hmm. Interesting.” Ena kept her eyes on the issue, thinking of a solution.
“Do you know what the only difference was?”
“What is it?”
“You have a new employee,” Ms. Meryl said, as if playing the role of a detective who solves crimes, as she did on a tv show years ago. “Her name is Christine. She looks like she’s in her early 20’s. I knew something was wrong when I felt a slight, stinging sensation around my clit during the wax job, but she said to ignore it.”
There was certainty in the actress, like she had known this all along.
“I’ll have a word with her,” Ena replied, trying not to sound disappointed in the new employee.
“Do that. Better yet, bring her in here. I know how to tame new employees who are terrible at their jobs.”
The last thing Ena wanted was for the new employee to be chewed out by such an intimidating actress. Especially when that new employee was a nepotism hire. The fact was, Christine was the CEO’s daughter. Any confrontation would reflect poorly on Ena’s performance as manager.
“Please make yourself comfortable while I inquire,” Ena said, putting a smile on things. “Then I’ll see what I can do about adequate compensation. Perhaps a free full-body massage is in order?”
Ms. Meryl thought for a moment, then purred, “Hmmm… I like the sound of that.”
“Wonderful. I’ll be right back.”
***
Briskly heading down the hall, Ena Rios quickly thought of how to approach the new employee. Dealing with the CEO’s daughter would make things more difficult, as the boss was truly a tyrant in this line of work.
Ena went to the backroom and found the young woman she was looking for. Employees were going in and out of the room, prepping towels, wax, and various scented oils. As manager, she wasn’t entirely surprised to see the new girl casually socializing with a busy employee.
“Christine, can we talk in my office for a moment?” Ena asked.
“Yeah, sure boss,” Christine beamed.
They stepped into the office and closed the door. With time of the essence, it was straight to business.
“So here’s the situation,” Ena said. “Ms. Meryl is in a spa room and she says that her vagina is burning, as in, the skin around her crotch has turned red. She says that you performed a Brazilian wax on her yesterday, and that she felt a stinging sensation during the procedure.”
“Oh, that…”
There was a blushing expression on the new girl’s face. You don’t have to be a psychologist to understand that look of guilt, of being caught red handed.
In her brief experience as manager, Ena never had to deal with incompetent employees, until now. This place was run like a military warship, and now her leadership abilities were being tested in the most delicate of ways. Especially since firing this new employee was out of the question.
“What is it?” Ena asked, taking a deep breath to stay calm. “Just be honest and tell me. I need to know how to fix this.”