Jul 18, 2023
Fashion Roulette CAS Challenge by @mickimagnum
🌺🌻🌼FLORALS🌼🌻🌺
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Fashion Roulette CAS Challenge by @mickimagnum
🌺🌻🌼FLORALS🌼🌻🌺
As soon as Harvey left the room, Anna breathed a big sigh of relief.
“It’s ok, they’re gonna bring the cake out soon. Pretty sure we can head home afterwards,” Marcus told her. “It’s been a long night.”
“You haven’t even got a clue, man. Just wait until I fill you in on everything. But not tonight,” she promised.
Chandra, who had also spent a lot of energy tonight, was already feeling a big headache settling in.
Approaching them, she asked, “What’s the strongest thing you guys have here. Make me three of those.”
“You got it,” Marcus got to making the drinks. “And hey, the party’s almost over.”
“Can’t wait until it is,” she grumbled. “I think I want to sleep for a week after today.”
As the duo headed outside, they were met by Chandra who had stepped out of the room for only a few minutes.
Seeing the smiling couple, she realized she should not have stepped away even for a second.
“Harvey? Josie?”
“Hey, C, how come you’ve never told me you had such an adorable niece?” Harvey smiled, hugging Josie like they’ve known each other for ages.
“Oh, well...” Chandra stumbled on her words.
“It turns out real gentlemen do exist after all, auntie. Harvey here just saved me from potentially getting a nasty injury, so we’re gonna go have a nice chat outside, alright? Toodles!” Josie beamed.
“Oh, yes... of course! You two have fun,” Chandra smiled weakly.
Sure, they seemed charmed with one another for now! But how long would it last?
The fallout from this would be of epic proportions, she knew, but at this point, there was nothing she could to stop them hanging out with one another that won’t make her look like the bad guy.
“You want to make sure your gains are well offset in a way that profits you. Have you considered purchasing a plane?” Janis asked.
“A plane? It could be useful, but most of my shipping is done over a boat or on truck, if it’s in the country,” Eddie considered the idea.
“True. But you ship construction supplies all over the place. You could use a private plane. Then, take the maximum depreciation on it, offset your overall income.”
“You’ve got a point,” Eddie nodded.
“Hmm. And with a plane, once it’s a business asset, you can rent it to your friends at a reasonable price. Income plus expenses. You follow?”
“Indeed!” Eddie laughed. “Any more advice?”
“Oh, honey,” Janis laughed. “Ask me when we’re more in private.”
She glanced over to the others at the bar.
“But I will say this - a good trust attorney can save and make you millions,” she winked.
“Speaking of good attorneys, can you point me towards one? And towards a good CPA?” Chandra asked. “I’m ok if they charge biting prices.”
“Dear, I’ve just the people in mind for you,” Janis smiled. “I will give you all the details. But say, isn’t your sonny going to join us for your day, Eddie?”
“He should be in soon.”
“Won’t lie, things were certainly easier when I didn’t have to get chewed out by my doc over a little extra sugar,” Eddie agreed. “Or by my attorneys, for not following some obscure regulation that shouldn’t even affect my business.”
“Oof, what is it this time?” Janis asked.
“They’re saying I didn’t pay my license fee for doing business in in Louisiana,” Eddie harrumphed. “I don’t even have business there!”
“Wait, Eddie, but didn’t you have that big shipping contract with a Louisiana company?” Donna recalled.
“Oh, come on, it was a one time transaction.”
“For over a million, Uncle Eddie,” Chandra chuckled. “You know they won’t let it slide.”
“See? I’m telling you, things were easier in the past.”
Yes, Chandra agreed. In the past, one could grease the right pockets and the government would never have looked twice at Eddie’s business.
Times have changed, indeed.
“You just have to be smarter over this sort of thing,” Janis shook her head.
“Care to elaborate?” Chandra perked up.
The elders and Chandra took up the space in the little nook of the club to get some privacy and discuss matters of interest without interruption from others.
“I really hope this place is to your liking, Uncle, Eddie,” Chandra told him. Honestly, this club was not her first choice, but the reservation for her original option fell through the same way as the original caterer and bartender.
“Oh, don’t fret, darling,” Eddie reassured her. “It is very cozy here. I love the ambience.”
“That’s great,” Chandra breathed a sigh of relief.
“It is nice. But I do wish the bartenders would pay more attention to how much some of the guests are consuming,” Janis tsked. “It wouldn’t do for the guests to get alcohol poisoning.”
“Oh, Janis, I’m sure we drank much more than that when we were their age,“ Eddie chuckled. “I know I sure did.”
“Yeah, and you’re lucky you’re still here with us,” Janis shook her head.
“They haven’t reached the point where they have to think about those things yet,” Donna smiled. “I admit I’m a bit envious - things were so much easy back when we were younger.”
“I’m confident it won’t be a fluke. You’ve always had a sharp head on your shoulders,” Eddie reassured Chandra. “I’ve always known you’ll go far in business.”
“Thank you, Uncle Eddie.”
“You do have quite the knack for these things, my girl,” Janis nodded. “Just like I did when I was your age. I’m definitely giving you my attorney’s details. Say, how is your firm doing with investors?”
“We aren’t public yet,” Chandra admitted. “But I’m hoping to get there.”
“I think we could do well if we combine our business strategies. Don’t you, Eddie?” Janis asked.
“Oh, yes, you two would be an absolute powerhouse together,” the man agreed. “And if it comes to that, I’m not opposed myself to putting in some capital.”
“Oh, Janis, Uncle Eddie, that is the highest praise coming from you two,” Chandra did her best to hide the glee from showing on her face. This was the whole goal of hosting Eddie’s birthday party, of course.
“Yeah, sounds like a plan,” Harvey nodded, somewhat absentmindedly. Looking at him, Eddie got the idea that the pregaming his son did before coming here was of a serious nature.
“Harvey! It’s been ages!” Chandra greeted her old friend and school mate. “How’s life treating you these days?”
Better than it would have had she followed through on her original plan to introduce him and Josie, she was sure. But he didn’t need to know that.
He briefly glanced towards where Josie was embroiled in a half-argument with Maria, wondering what that was all about, before turning back to Chandra.
“I’m good, you know me. How are you, C? By the way, red is totally your color,” Harvey complimented.
“Oh, you’re a charmer. We should catch up sometime. I feel like we haven’t properly spoken since school,” Chandra laughed.
“Yeah, it’s a pain. So much stuff to do all the time. I’m stuck at the club almost around the clock lately,” Harvey grumbled. “Is it the same with your firm?”
“Oh, you know it. The hustle never stops. But it’s paying off. The profits have spiked after the last quarter.”
“Congratulations! I think this calls for some kind of celebration,” Harvey proposed.
“I’ll celebrate when the spike proves to not be a fluke,” Chandra told him.