For a moment he thought he'd misheard her.
"I'm sorry," he answered, "I think I misunderstood what you just said."
She was as serene as could be, coolly replying, "Which bit didn't you understand?"
Adrian laughed to try and cover his embarrassment, sure that he had got things wrong again, and realizing that he would appear foolish and give her yet another chance to mock him when he questioned her words, but nevertheless he had to ask.
"Did you just say that you want to turn me into a woman?" he said almost apologetically, waiting for her roars of laughter once more.
But this time her face remained impassive, and there was no hint of mirth at all.
"That's right," was all she replied, and she waited for his reaction.
He went to laugh again, then he saw the look on her face and he realised she was serious, and he wasn't sure whether he was in the presence of a lunatic or not.
"You have to be joking!" was all he could say, spelling out the words slowly as the shock of what she had just told him hit home.
Geraldine lit another cigarette, then nonchalantly blew a ring of smile as she calmly answered, "I never joke about a business proposition! You heard me right the first time. I want to turn you into a woman! Because that's what my special kind of client wants, a girl with something extra!