[MONDAY]

Every Monday, the owners of each companion house would meet at “The Artisan's”, a popular coffee shop in Rose Hills. As the owner of the first companion house in Paradise, Natasha had a stake in each house that followed and a monopoly on the business overall. Scattered through Paradise were five distinct companion houses. The other owners were:

“Big” Bonnie Matthews... Inara and Inda Whitfield... Emilio Montenegro... and Kiki Stafford. Though Kiki herself was rarely present these days, spending most of the year back in her beloved hometown of London. Bonnie, who was also a ring holder in the syndicate, was Natasha's "best frienemy", a complex blend of friendship and rivalry that often left their personal relationship tangled in the threads of their professional competition.

While Bonnie's business tactics were notoriously cutthroat, Natasha often opted for a softer approach. Despite their vastly different personalities, however, the two women had somehow managed to forge a lasting bond, one that weathered the storms of their professional rivalry and remained strong despite the inevitable tensions that arose from their competing interests. Inara Whitfield co-owned her companion house, Utopia, with twin sister Inda, but Inara was the only one willing to venture out. The twins were known for their eerily porcelain skin, which they protected zealously. In fact, Inara's weekly meetings with the other owners were her only extended exposure to the sun, and even then, her guard shielded her with an umbrella.

Utopia, unlike the other companion houses, was a distinctive cluster of Roman-inspired buildings, exuding exclusivity with its strict client intake - only a select few gained access each year. Emilio's establishment stood out as the city's only male-only companion house, drawing clients from around the world with its ironclad discretion. Natasha and the others knew little about Emilio's past and even his Spanish accent was rumored to be fake. He was truly an enigma, and that mystery became part of his appeal.

“Sorry I'm late, chicas, I had important business,” Emilio said, rushing to take his seat.

“What's got you so flustered this morning?” Natasha asked with a chuckle.

“The new faces, of course. The casting room is being used every day this week,” Emilio said with a huff. “Casting,” Bonnie repeated in a sarcastic tone, “might as well call it ‘Backshot Boulevard’ - that's all that be goin' on in there. A bunch of pretty boys auditionin’ for Brokeback Mountain: Deluxe Edition.” The other women chuckled while Emilio became flustered. “Not all of us thrive on vulgarity, Bonita.”

“Truth lives in the gutter of vulgarity, Emilio,” Bonnie shot back. “No matter what it is, Emilio has a point: there have been more candidates this year,” Inara chimed in. “Have you chosen yours yet? I was thinking about having Frankie sponsor Andrea Hallett,” Natasha said.

“Her deal is as good as done as long as she does well during initiation. Even if she stumbles, she’s young. Plenty of seasons left.” Inara said.

Bonnie leaned back, her rings catching the sunlight. “Halletts came up outta nowhere. Fastest rise I ever seen.”

Natasha tipped her head toward Inara. “All thanks to our porcelain princess here.” Inara waved the praise away, but her eyes sparkled behind her sunglasses. “Mia Hallett was too exquisite to waste on lesser houses. Of course she belonged at Utopia.”

The others groaned in unison.

“Modest as ever,” Bonnie scoffed. “We mustn't forget our Hallett men; if you all recall, it was I who discovered Gigi,” Emilio said. The others nodded in agreement. Giovanni Sr. and his wife Mia had six children together, with their three eldest sons already companions. Giovanni Jr., “Gigi”, had been the pioneer, but no one spoke about him in-depth as his time as a companion had a somewhat tragic end.

The subject quickly changed and as their Monday meeting slipped back into its usual lively rhythm, the group laughed and traded barbs over fresh coffee. For all their rivalries and secrets, these gatherings kept Paradise’s companion houses connected in their own unique way. Natasha smiled knowing that - drama and all - their meetings were something remarkable.