It's All About That Tiffany's Blue

The first sin is now crossed off the list. The Fixer had six more sins to choose from. It was tempting to just close their eyes and stab at a name randomly, for the ordered mattered not in the overall scheme of things. It seemed completely unsettled until The Fixer’s eyes flicked over the date, February the 13th. Shaniqua it was then.

Shaniqua had been born Tonya Peacock, changing her name as soon as she left the rural backwater she had been born and raised in. Tonya, or Shaniqua, as she preferred, was a walking, talking cliché, not the sort to ordinarily take more than ten minutes of The Fixer’s time. Or however long it took to have a brief chat and transfer a certain amount of money into a bank account.

Nearly everyone had a price, and ofttimes it was less than the Fixer was authorized to pay, leaving clients with a little more in their pockets which made for good repeat business dealings. However, in this instance the young side piece was pushing and pushing, apparently refusing to be content in her current circumstances. Shaniqua had dreams you see, and perhaps what others would only term as delusions.

Jonathon was old money, and in his world, having a kept side piece had an element of respectability and acceptance. His wife, Lila, in fact, viewed it as expected. They had been in love, or perhaps that was lust, once upon a time, but as that had faded, other things and people occupied their time, and their attention. If truth be completely known, she had her own number of dalliances. Theirs was, they would share with their closest confidants, an open marriage.

Whilst this was a private agreement, publicly they were happily married. They attended parties, galas, and the other assortment of events people of their ilk were expected to attend. They looked good together and still enjoyed each other’s company, just not monogamy.

Usually Jon picked better. Sure, Shaniqua was classically beautiful, long legs, a wonderful figure, coupled with the best chest augmentation money could buy, however she wasn’t the smartest cookie in the jar. Which brings us around to delusions and her sin. Envy. Shaniqua wanted what Lila had, the whole package. It didn’t matter that she wouldn’t be accepted amongst the blue blood set. The sad truth was she thought they would all fall at her feet in welcome. She had no understanding of the charity work or committees Lila was involved in. She saw only the dresses, the jewelry, the house and the events. She wanted the paparazzi chasing after her, and she would get it, damn it.

The event that triggered The Fixer’s engagement in this problem had been the Metro Gala, held a mere two weeks earlier. Shaniqua was desperate to go, to be seen, and when she had suggested Jonathon take her, he had laughed in her face. Shaniqua decided to show him. She knew if she turned up, he would be happy to see her and pick her instead of Lila. To this end she manipulated a young man from a good family into taking her.

Jonathon had been pissed, heatedly angry, when he had seen her there. That heat though was nothing compared to the blast of ice Lila became on noticing Shaniqua approaching Jonathon. She had put her hand possessively in the crook of her husband's arm, and kissed his cheek whilst staring directly into the younger woman’s eyes.

If this selection had been about wrath, then Lila might well have been a good candidate, but it wasn’t.

Jon turned his attention from Shaniqua and deliberately kissed Lila deeply before escorting his wife to the bar.

This stunned Shaniqua, she truly hadn’t expected such a response, she belonged in this world after all, she was pretty, looked stunning in clothes he had bought her, and would photograph well on his arm. This was her birthright.

Though Jonathon had not spoken to Shaniqua since that night, she hadn’t given up. She had called, messaged, and even tracked down his work email and sent long missives to him. Her communications were full of apologies and fantasies about how if they made up she would forgive him for spurning her in public. She insisted they were soul mates and as such she was a far better match than Lila. She knew she was born to be married to him, and she deserved him, she loved him better than Lila did.

Jonathon shared all this with his wife, who contacted The Fixer.

A quick little B and E netted diaries, journals filled with writings of the same nature as the messages she had sent Jon. More disturbingly perhaps was the way she wrote herself into Jon’s life and Lila out. The way the last few entries were worded, left The Fixer with the nagging feeling Shaniqua’s envy of Lila was close to putting Lila at physical risk. The woman was as green with envy, as the contacts she wore, made her eyes look.

When The Fixer had looked into those eyes on the day they first approached her, they saw something a little off and knew money would never fix this problem. A more permanent solution was required. They spoke to Shaniqua as a reporter looking for a story, saying they’d noticed something between her and Jonathon and was there anything she wanted to say. She had blinked and smiled, saying not at this time, though she did have some dirt to cast on Lila. The Fixer had to laugh at her ineptitude, though gave her credit for going for the hatchet job.

In the end the plan had come from Shaniqua herself. It was very simple really, and when she had left a pleading voicemail, the plan became set in stone.

February 14th dawned. Shaniqua jumped out of bed and raced through the shower. Before dressing she studied herself in the mirror, happy with what she saw and danced into her kitchen to make some coffee. The doorbell rang and she almost missed the bench when putting her coffee down. Practically skipping to the door, she yanked it open.

The delivery person looked at her with bored eyes and muttered ‘Delivery for Shaniqua.’

She practically squealed her ‘Yes, yes,’ response. Signing the handheld computer thing she all but snatched the package wrapped in non-descript brown paper. Her heart sank a little as it wasn’t the colour she’d been expecting, but half a second later she knew it was fine, he was just being discrete before Lila was removed from the picture.

Slamming the door in the courier’s face she stood just inside and started ripping at the brown paper. As soon as she saw the flash of that special shade of blue, her heart soared, Tiffany’s. She was almost hyperventilating as she tore the box open. A spring was released and white powder flew out, covering her face, getting in her nose and mouth.

Coughing, she wondered at the cruel joke, and why Jon had done such a thing. It was her last thought as her airways closed up and she slumped against the door.

The courier heard the thump, straightened up from tying their shoelaces, and sauntered back down the corridor. They sent a quick thumbs up emoji to the untraceable phone they had provided Lila with. As long as she followed the plan, ten seconds after receiving the message the phone should be smashed to pieces, to be discarded into bins around the city.