She gave me a shy smile but nodded.
It took me almost an hour to get to the store, yet another perk of New York: the traffic.
Even though I’d been here countless times, the sight still took me by surprise whenever I walked through the doors. There was something calming about this place, something that warmed the edges of my heart.
This was our first-ever store. I still remember when it was no bigger than a shoebox. Now, it’s a sprawling three-story space, fully furnished and thriving. The walls were painted a warm cream, with paintings and statues lining the length of the room.
Sometimes, I liked to enter the store and walk around like a customer, seeing it through their eyes. I wanted to experience the same nostalgia they might feel, the sense of wonder I felt when I first started. No matter how bad my day had been, spending a few minutes here always made it better.
“Miss Adira, hi!” Lacy, the store manager, rushed up to me. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“It was a last-minute decision, I assure you.”
She was wearing an Ankara dress—the same one I had gifted all the managers for Christmas last year.
“You look amazing,” I said, and she did a mini twirl. “How’s business today?”
She grimaced slightly, about to respond, when a girl suddenly approached us. She looked genuinely frightened and a little out of place. Leaning in, she whispered something to Lacy, causing her to frown.
“Is everything okay?” I asked.
Lacy forced a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. You can wait here.”
“I think I’d rather go with you.”
She pursed her lips but nodded.
I followed Lacy to the section of the store where we kept our Ankara outfits. The girl gestured toward a middle-aged white woman standing in the middle of the aisle before scurrying off.
Lacy exhaled deeply, then walked up to her. “Hi, ma’am. I was told you were having a bit of a problem.”
“Thank goodness they finally sent someone new. That other girl was acting like an idiot.”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t insult our employees,” Lacy said, clasping her hands together. “But I apologize if her service was poor. How can I help you?”
“Well, the imbecile couldn’t understand that I just wanted this animal print in a color blue-”
“It’s not an animal print.” I cut her off and she turned to me with narrowed eyes.
“Who are you? I was talking to the manager.”
“I’m Adira,” I said, holding out my hand. “I’m the owner. You can talk to me now.”
Her frown deepened, and her face turned an impossible shade of red. But she quickly realized I was her only option. Folding her arms in what I assumed was meant to be an I’m superior stance, she fixed me with the meanest look she could muster.
It was honestly laughable. Try growing up in a home with Mr. and Mrs. Arogundade, and you’ll learn the true definition of mean looks.
“As the owner, perhaps it’s time to hire more competent people. None of them have been able to do what I asked It’s not a difficult task. Maybe if you all stopped hired competent people instead of yourselves-”
“Ourselves?” I asked, my brows raising in amusement. “Now what do you mean by that?”
“Don’t try to pin this on me. Everyone in the store looks the same. I can’t even tell the difference between you both.”
A humorless laugh escaped me and I forced myself to breathe deeply through my nose before I said something I’d regret.
“At this moment, I think I’d ask you to leave.”
She had the audacity to look shocked. “Excuse me? You can’t do that.”
