Reno Gabrini: A Family Affair by Mallory Monroe

Author:Mallory Monroe [Monroe, Mallory]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Austin Brook Publishing
Published: 2015-11-16T23:00:00+00:00

“What can brown do for me?” Oprah said with a smile as the UPS man entered Champagne’s carrying a small package. “I can think of a hundred things, and every one of them requires a bed.”

Trina smiled as she continued to stand at the computer behind the counter and review their latest acquisitions report. She co-owned Champagne’s with Gemma Jones-Gabrini, the wife of Reno’s cousin Sal, and Oprah was their new store manager.

“Hello, Mr. Postman,” Oprah said gaily. “Is it me you’re coming to see?”

The UPS man smiled as he approached the counter. “If your name is Katrina Gabrini, it is. But since I know Mrs. Gabrini, I’m pretty sure it’s not you I’m coming to see. But it’s nice to see you.”

Oprah laughed. “Same here,” she said, and extended her hand. She was a young, smart, attractive African-American woman with the kind of understated charm a store owner loved. “I’m Oprah Davenport,” she said as they shook. “I’m Mrs. Gabrini’s new store manager. Nice to meet you too.”

“How it’s going, Dave?” Trina said when she looked up from the computer.

“Perfect now that I’ve met perfection,” Dave said with a grin as he handed her his electronic signature interface to sign. But his eyes were on Oprah. “You’re the first Oprah I’ve met,” he added. “Other than the real one, I mean. Not that you aren’t real.”

“Right, yeah?” Oprah said with a smile. “My mom just loves her. I was born in Chicago twenty-one years ago and my mom didn’t hesitate to give me a name everybody would recognize as a name that belongs to somebody else.”

He laughed.

“The story of my life!” Oprah added.

While they continued to shoot the breeze, Trina opened the small package Dave handed to her. When she saw that it was a newspaper clipping, she was intrigued. She also saw a DVD inside. But as she read the clipping, and realized what it was about, her puzzlement turned into confusion that turned into pure horror. Her heart fell through her shoe. Her change was so pronounced that even Dave saw it.

“Are you okay, Mrs. G.?” he asked her.

But Trina was too floored to respond. She looked around as if she was lost.

“What is it, boss?” Oprah asked.

“I’ve got to,” Trina started saying, but didn’t finish. Then she grabbed the package, along with her keys and phone off of the countertop, and began leaving. She hurried back, and grabbed her purse. “I’ve got to go,” she said, and hurried out of the door.

Dave looked at Oprah. “She looks like she saw a ghost,” he said. “But that can’t be. I don’t deliver ghosts.”

He and Oprah laughed, but Oprah was concerned. The stability of her boss meant the stability of her coins. Oprah was highly concerned.

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