Simone listened indifferently to her guest chattering in the living room. The mother of her daughter’s classmate was clearly overjoyed that Simone, the wife of a successful businessman, had invited her over for coffee. The guest had evidently put a lot of effort into preparing for this significant occasion. Her shiny, synthetic top and slightly worn faux leather pants were proof of that. Simone had only ever seen the woman in worn-out jeans and loose T-shirts. Simone’s eyes were drawn to the tasteless set of costume jewelry, including oversized earrings, a necklace hanging down to her chest, and a bracelet that clearly bothered the guest. Out of nervousness, the woman kept talking, spewing out uninteresting information that Simone knew she would have to remember, at least partially.
“We popped over to England for the weekend,” the guest said with a slightly superior tone, playing her part. She glanced sideways at her hostess to see if the comment had landed.
Simone smirked, and once the guest wasn’t looking, she rolled her eyes. Yeah, “popped over.” She knew perfectly well that for the accountant and her teacher husband, this little trip had cost more than they could afford. In fact, they’d probably be paying for it for months. Still, it was flattering how hard her guest was trying. The accountant couldn’t have been more obvious about wanting to get in Simone’s good graces. She was presenting her sister’s wedding in Birmingham as if it had been some kind of luxury event. Luxury, really? Simone’s gaze lingered on the guest’s worn nylon socks. Simone knew that the sister was a teacher who had moved to England with her family in hopes of a better future. The woman washed dishes, and her husband, who didn’t speak the language, worked on an assembly line at a detergent packaging plant. Some bright future! Simone didn’t even notice her lips curling downward.
“One day we should go to that new café on the main street,” the accountant suggested. “Apparently, they make amazing coffee creations,” she gushed.
“The Italian one?”
“Yes. What day works for you?”
Simone’s mind instantly ran through a mental reel, imagining herself, the elegant diva, appearing in the tiny café with her scruffy sidekick. She could see her newly minted friend gulping down a foamy coffee and then wiping the foam mustache off with the back of her wrist. Maybe she’d even ask for some cheap Linzer cookies, which would crumble everywhere, leaving crumbs all over the place.
Simone gently patted the accountant’s faux leather-clad leg.
“Why don’t you come over to my place on Friday afternoon instead? We can cozy up in the upstairs lounge where we won’t be disturbed. I’ve had some excellent quality teas brought in from South America. It’ll feel much better to stretch out on the couch in this chilly weather. That way, we can talk without interruptions,” she cooed sweetly to her guest.
The accountant’s lips parted slightly in happiness. She hadn’t expected to become close friends so quickly with the mother of the wealthiest child in the class.
“What a lovely bracelet,” Simone said, fighting back her disgust as she touched the hideous piece of jewelry. “I bet it was very expensive.”
“Oh yes…” the guest stammered, blushing from her little white lie. “I got it in London.”
“We should go to Dubai for a few days to shop for jewelry sometime. I think you’d love it,” Simone jabbed with a smile at the “little liar.”
“What a great idea,” the accountant replied with forced enthusiasm and a strained smile. “My husband will definitely agree. He loves traveling. In a few weeks, he’s popping over to Switzerland with his friends.”
Simone’s face remained impassive at this latest lie. She knew that the husband occasionally went on sick leave and went to Switzerland. Not with “friends,” though—he went to work as a handyman at villas. He earned twice his monthly salary in a week.
Simone let out a deep sigh as she closed the door behind her new “friend.” Now she could finally sign up for that financial administrator course her husband had been nagging her about. She’d have someone who would happily and freely help her pass the exams.