Title: Tiffany Blue
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Daniel/Betty; Nigel included
Disclaimer: I do not own Ugly Betty or its characters
Summary: Nigel from Tiffany & Co. ponders the decline in sales from Daniel Meade.
Author's Notes: This was written for the Holiday Fic Challenge at uglybettyfic over at LiveJournal; the prompt was to feature the mysterious Nigel from Tiffany's. Please keep in mind that this was written before the episode featuring Sofia's rings and the card holder.
Tiffany Blue
There were many things to love about being employed by Fifth Avenue's Tiffany & Co., including the ten percent associate discount, early notification of sales and product releases and the hefty commission. The thing Nigel Landsgrave loved most was the wealthy customers; they in addition to the biweekly salary allowed for Nigel to have all the furnishing he was now accustomed to.
Nigel, aged 53, was a gay man brought over from the Mother Land of England thirty years ago with the promise of bigger and better things. Those bigger and better things were put on hold though, as he struggled to get his bearings in the harsh streets of Manhattan. Accustomed to life as a, gay "queen," Nigel was used to getting whatever it was he wanted and rarely had to do anything to get it; with that in mind, Nigel gracefully entered the offices of Tiffany & Co. on 5th Avenue and 57th Street and asked for a job. When asked for qualifications, he was able to list none other than his sexuality.
When the interviewer looked at him with a mixture of amusement and disbelief, Nigel set out to show the man that he was more than qualified for the job. He stated that as a gay man he was more in tune to the minds of females than an average man, and thus, would be beneficial to the staff in helping both sexes: helping women decide what looked best on them and helping men pick out gifts for the woman or women in his life. Quite frankly, he knew what matched, what looked good and most importantly, what sold. Within a minute, Nigel was hired.
He started out low at first, working as a sales representative, making only a biweekly salary. He then worked his way up to the counter, helping unsure customers choose the right bracelet, earrings or in some cases, engagement ring. Because he was great at his job and received rave reviews, Nigel worked his way up to the top, helping rich customers shop for whatever it was they desired. In many ways, he shopped for the rich and now, thanks to the increased commission, he lived like the rich, although not obscenely so. Nigel was able to afford his luxurious penthouse suite in the heart of Downtown Manhattan, throw lavish parties with only the finest bottles of wine and Cristal and other splurges he was positive only came from the commissions of the rich.
And because of his newfound wealth, he was able to continue improving his skills as the liaison between the manufacturer and the rich. With time, he was able to build a small fortune and a network of clients that hired him outside of his day job to help them placate a number of people: wife, acquaintance or even mistress. With this extra source of income, Nigel was able to portray himself as a first class businessman, and thus, increasing his worth and reputation. The parties he threw had come to be ways for him to meet the obscenely rich, who would in turn be impressed by all that Nigel stood for and thus, hire him to work for them. It was a never-ending chain, which Nigel was only too happy to be a part of, as he really had come to love his wealth.
It was his reputation as a smart and discrete businessman that attracted Daniel Meade, playboy extraordinaire. Contracted to help Daniel with the women in his life, Nigel was to keep mum about the women involved and the jewelry purchased. Nigel was only too happy to comply because a happy customer was always a good customer. For his discreteness, Nigel was rewarded with a monthly income separate from that of his Tiffany & Co. and a hefty holiday bonus.
Daniel Meade, so far, was Nigel's favorite customer in the last thirty years, for Daniel provided Nigel with the most income.
The calls came sporadically at first when Daniel was not employed by his father. Daniel requested diamond studs to be shipped to whichever woman he was last with, letting Nigel know that there was really no emotional connection with the women. Really, the studs were just a parting gift the women knew to expect. Although encased in a Tiffany's box, there was nothing more impersonally than diamond studs, however costly they may be, for they never came with a card or note. No, the small blue case was hand delivered to the random women and that was all they got; no note, no explanation, nothing.
After he was hired as editor in chief, the calls to Nigel increased tenfold, as Daniel began placing orders for heart shaped necklaces. These necklaces, although expensive, were always of the generic kind, never engraved, never signed. Again, Nigel knew that the relationships Daniel was partaking in were of a superficial nature. Although these necklaces were a step up from the diamond studs, they still were impersonal and accompanied by nothing.
Around early October, Nigel received a record number of calls, all with the same request. Nigel could only assume that Daniel was overwhelmed with work and taking refuge with only what he knew: sex. It was funny though, how Daniel seemed to keep to the same set of women during this time, as Nigel recalled the many names on the list of women who were to receive the necklaces. Did these women not notice then that they had three pairs of the same necklace or were they too caught up in the idea of Daniel Meade? Nigel just assumed the latter; to these women, it did not matter that their only worth was between their legs, as to them, Daniel was quite worth just that one night.
Once he had gotten the feel for running the magazine, the requests started coming less frequently with only a few for random trinkets: a bracelet or two, some earrings and the like. However, all these purchases were to be sent to the same women: an Amanda something. Was Daniel finally turning into a one-woman man? Nigel had too much knowledge in the field to know better and therefore, concluded that he would be back to making the hefty sum he was used to, as Daniel picked up more women.
One more request came in for the trademark Tiffany & Co. heart necklace, but this time it was different; it was accompanied with an apology card. However, it was sent back, so Nigel assumed that maybe there was at least one woman who was not interested in Daniel's wealth and name. At the same time, Nigel did not think the woman was interested in Daniel. So even with the return of the necklace, Nigel did not really lose hope that he would lose his most exuberant client. He did however lose hope when the requests for the trinkets completely stopped.
Around Christmas time, he did receive a call from Daniel, but that was a yearly occurrence, as his mother's gifts were bought from Tiffany & Co. Still, despite the lack of calls, Nigel was hopeful that Daniel would return as his number one spender.
And then, the call came. It was mid July and Nigel remembered sitting at his desk, waiting for on a call from an antiques jeweler reluctant to sell his Tiffany's lampshade. The call, however, was far too disappointing, as Daniel ordered only one trinket. Only this time, it couldn't be called a trinket; his choice this time, was the trademark heart bracelet. It wasn't that he switched from necklace to bracelet that was so shocking, it was the fact that he was having it engraved.
To B, with all my love, D.
And with those seven words, Nigel's entire world fell apart, as he knew Daniel Meade was getting serious and the decline of trinket sales was the result of his faithfulness to B, whoever she was. Nigel knew Daniel was serious for two very obvious reasons: 1) he purchased a gift that he had previously only given to his mother and 2) it was engraved. No longer was the jewelry requested a blank slate of metal, but rather, sentimental words, meant only for the lovers to know.
The next request came around Christmas time, but did not come via phone, fax, email or any other form of impersonal communication, but rather, direct from the mouth of Daniel Meade. If Nigel was not shocked by the mere presence of Daniel, he was shocked merely by the item he had requested.
Your finest diamond Legacy engagement ring Nigel.
Another seven words and Nigel's world fell completely apart. Who knew this B was the one to get Daniel to change his ways and get him to settle down? Although, he assumed that Daniel was the one ready to settle down, as he was here taking the steps to ensure himself a safe and secure future.
Moving behind the counter where the engagement rings lay, he asked, "So, who is the lucky lady?"
Never had Nigel seen a smile so wide or proud, as he saw on Daniel Meade's face and with that smile, he simply replied, "Betty."
And with that one name, Nigel knew that B, or Betty, had stolen Daniel Meade's heart and was there to stay. So even though he would face a heavy dent in his pocket, he was happy for the sacrifice, as it meant the true happiness of two lovers. After all, there were holidays and birthdays to be contended to, not to mention an entire wedding.
The End.