Helen Parr slid back in her sleek leather chair with a happy sigh, stretching her arms over her and resting her hands behind her head as she leaned back into its soft padding. Across from her, stirring a steaming cup of hot tea with the tip of her cigarette holder, sat the diminutive figure of Edna Mode, who stared down at her cup in deep thought. She stopped stirring and took a small, cautious sip from the edge of the cup and placed it gingerly on the coaster. She kept her eyes on it as she addressed the airily smiling woman across from her.
"That all sounds very exiting, darling. I'm glad the outfits worked out well. I suppose I'll be seeing more of you from now on, that make me very happy." She pursed her lips put her cigarette holder to her mouth in contemplation. "Jack-Jack will pose a problem, yes? I will work on a suitable design for his powers." Her eyes narrowed on Helen suddenly, causing the brunette to flinch slightly.
Helen leaned forward slowly. "E… are you okay? You're acting kinda…stressed out or something."
Edna jumped, her small hands nearly dropping her cigarette. She picked up her tea again and took a sip. And put it down again. She dropped her head down, her eyes on the floor. Suddenly she leapt to her feet.
"I'm just so very, very happy to be working again, darling!" She grinned widely, her large front teeth sticking out cartoonishly. "It's been years -years!- since I've been able to design anything of any use. Supermodels…bah!" She bit the tip of her cigarette holder and plopped herself back down on the edge of the large chair. Helen smiled sheepishly.
"Well, I think your work with the models was beautiful, E." She said softly with her southern drawl as she rubbed the back of her head, her arm stretching just a few inches past its normal length. The small woman snorted.
"It's all crap. Not worth anything. Not at all like designing for Superheroes." A devilish grin played across her lips. "Now that is a challenge worthy of my time." Helen blushed.
"Now, E. I don't think that…oh my god, is that the time?" She bolted out of her chair, "I-I have to go, I'm sorry E. Bob is taking us out tonight." She giggled. Edna remained motionless for a moment.
"That's lovely, dear." She hopped down from her chair and started to walk Helen to the door. "You will have to come by again. Soon."
"Oh, of course, Edna. I'd love to." She smiled sweetly as she the large door slid shut behind her with a clang. Edna stood silently for a long moment, hugging her arms to her chest protectively. She sighed and punched in the pin to reset the door's alarm in a mechanical pad on the wall. She noticed the light had dimmed. It had been later than she had anticipated. She walked down the hallways aimlessly, the grand structure towering over her small form, making her look even smaller. Making her feel smaller.
Edna took a puff on her cigarette as her feet pattered along.
"Well, that was nice," her expression remained blank as she spoke to the empty space around her, "She should come by more often. She really shouldn't wear that shirt though, it's terrible. Terrible. She should let me put together a wardrobe for her; she's much too pretty to be wearing that junk. Much too pretty…" As her voice trailed off, her walking slowed until she came to a complete stop. "A goddess. And so happy; always smiling nowadays; so excited. So much life. I wish…" Her face reddened darkly and she jumped slightly, as if she had startled herself, and clutched her head in frustration. "She's married! Married! With children! I thought I had settled this years ago!" Her fist collided against the wall with a splintering crack. She recoiled in pain and dropped to the ground heavily, leaning her back against the wall and breathing heavily. She felt her eyes going out of focus as her mind drifted. She noticed her still lit cigarette on the carpet, stretched her foot out, and crushed the life out of it. The woman then brought her legs up into her chest and rested her head on her knees in a fetal position. She sighed deeply.
"Hell. Here I am even talking to myself."
She snickered.