9. The rehearsal
It's okay to have humiliated the meddling Stuart at full radio broadcast, while Luna cheered and I was smiling in the arms of the sweet Leni, sheltered by her soft skin and the smell of her strawberry perfume.
But it's not okay that I lied.
Well, it's a half lie, actually. Mizu-chii hasn't confirmed that she will be here on the day of the parade. And I didn't even ask her to participate in the event! The weight of the conscience became greater every minute, and the journey back home, adorned by the cheerful comments of my sisters and Stuart's faint farewell, became eternal.
So, when I got home, I flew to the computer and wrote a message for the japanese girl:
Hi, Mizu-chii. Is it possible that you visit Royal Woods as soon as possible?
Leni has organized a very colorful fashion event for this Saturday
and she wants you to be present.
I will wait for your valuable answer.
Lincoln Loud.
I sent it, and then checked the mailbox. Over and over again. I started thinking: I hope she reads it soon. I know she keeps an eye on her mail. Will it reach her cell phone? If not, she will read it at night. What if she has other plans? She said he would have these days off after her fashion show in Chicago. And Chicago is near!
I was already starting to get anxious. I needed to distract myself. So I started to review the site visits and comments. Some of them already mentioned the visit of Jerome Delmar to Royal Woods. "Will Delmar be present?", "Delmar will like your designs", "You look hot in that bikini baby mama" (I deleted that one), "I hope you impress Delmar with your talent" ... Thanks to our enthusiastic followers, I also remembered the reason for this whole plan: to impress a Canadian designer who would be here by chance.
I decided to go down to watch TV with the girls and then to sleep. The next day was going to be heavy: we had a dress rehearsal.
After noon, my sisters had been preparing a simulation of the catwalk that would be put for us at the mall, using a few rugs on the backyard of the house. They had not achieved anything else: the three models couldn't agree on the order of appearance, and Lola, in particular, insisted on being guaranteed that the lights were on the left side, to highlight her best angle.
The rest of my sisters were sitting on the grass, waiting for them to fix their problem. Disappointed, I took a seat next to Luan, who saw the sad scene, without enthusiasm, located next to a cooler.
"Apple juice?", she asked.
"Please"
She passed me a can. The sweet, cold liquid eased a bit of the bitterness I had brought in since last night.
"You should talk to them. I tried it and it didn't work. That's what happens sometimes when I want to be taken seriously", confessed my comedian sister.
"And what do I tell them? I've never been able to with the ego of one... Less I can with three".
The fight cloud that had formed between Lola, Leni and Lori dissipated thanks to the roar of a motorcycle.
"Sorry for the delay. I hope I haven't ... Well, I did arrive too late", Stuart commented when he saw the three of them with wild hair and black eyes.
Lori smiled while releasing one of Leni's locks: "Oh... Hi, Stuart! We were literally waiting for you. Don't you want to go to the room for a while?"
"-No thanks, Lori. I would be more grateful if you could fix yourself and help Leni look radiant again. How do you feel, beautiful?"
"Happy that you come to help us! You too, right, Lola?" Leni answered, releasing one of the elegant twin's ankles. This one ran towards the meddler.
"Stu! Can I call you Stu? They say you're an expert in beauty events. What do you think about the lighting being on the left side? Truth that makes everything look more beautiful?"
"We'll see that, little miss. Now let's see. What are those old carpets?"
"A simulation of the catwalk. It was my idea!" Lana exclaimed.
The guy's tone towards the girls became rougher.
"And where will the public be located? Where will the dressing room be? Have you already calculated how much time each of you'll have to change clothes? And who will be the makeup artist ? I hope it's someone..."
"It will be our mother" I said, before I was going to say something that would upset me.
"Oh ... That's okay, I'm glad we'll have Rita's help. Likewise, Lincoln, I'm glad we have a Japanese model. Where is she? She should be present in something as serious as a dress rehearsal.
Dang it.
"She's in Chicago, at a fashion event. She will be soon with us!"
"Chicago? Yes, there was an important event these days. And then Montreal ... What's her name?"
"She calls herself Mizu-chii".
He went silent for a while.
"Anyway... Let's start! There's a lot to organize, ladies".
They all looked afraid of his attitude. In silence, they began to follow all his indications. He defined the order of the models, the disposition of the audience, gave his opinion about Luna's music (he made changes to it), put Lynn and Lana to place chairs from the dining room and appointed Luan as a master of ceremonies. Lisa took notes of what he recommended. He dedicated himself to training Lori's walking style, since Lola is an expert. He never said anything bad to Leni: instead, he called her "beautiful" constantly.
"I need seriousness, girls! This event must be perfect. The reputation of the beautiful Leni is at stake. Lola! No matter the lighting, you must put yourself there!" The meddler said sternly, pointing to one end of the fake catwalk, and with no one expecting for that, a toad with a bored expression jumped on top of his hand.
Lana let out a shriek of emotion.
Stuart glanced at his hand, and let out a cry almost as a child, scaring the toad, as he nervously moved away and wiped his hand with a pastel-colored handkerchief. We all laughed, and that didn't fall for him.
"Okay... Since you don't want to give seriousness to the subject, I'll do it. Do you know why I train them so passionately? Since I saw Leni's site, I remembered a girl from around here. Not as pretty as her, but just as passionate. She dreamed of being a great model, and her opportunity came when she was invited to an event. 'Sweet story', you surely think. Well, it would have been that way, if she had taken her modeling training seriously after the invitation. Confidence and happiness invaded her naive heart, and what do you think? In her moment of glory, she stumbled and tore her clothes in full parade, in front of distinguished people, family and friends. What will become of her now? I think she worked at a movie theater, and then at a gelato shop. Not as a model! Do you want that for Leni, Loud family?
We are all silent. I caught sight of Leni, and she seemed to feel worse than the rest for what Stuart told us.
"Let's go on. I must leave before six".
They went back to the general rehearsal. I was unnecessary, so I went to lie down on my bed for a while and try not to think about the japanese girl.
An hour later, watching the roof, I heard the motorcycle start. Then I heard my sisters come in and talk without enthusiasm. I went down slowly to the living room. There were all the girls, in silence. Some sitting on the sofas and other ones lying on the carpet. Lily walked happily towards Luna, who took her in her arms with a feigned smile.
Leni got up from the floor when she saw me, and without uttering a word she ran towards me and pulled me up by the arm.
"Something wrong, Leni?", I asked.
"Linc ... Help me. Look at them! I don't like that they are so worried. And did you hear what Stuart said? It's for me, and he's right".
"Look, Leni ... We are helping you because we want you to fulfill your dream. Of course it's hard, but it's not for you to worry about. Seriously, we need you to remain happy! Your joy is infecting us all!"
"They are worried right now! I want them to be happy now, laughing, as when that little leapy frog appeared in Stuart's hand! That happy!
"Leapy frog? Well, there is something we can try. We'll make a call".
It was fast. In an hour, when my sisters began to go to their rooms to wait for dinner, someone knocked on the door. It was mom who attended.
"Good afternoon, are you Miss Leni Loud?" asked an employee.
"It's me!", my sister shouted as she pulled me by the arm towards the door.
The sound of a machine caused my sisters to see through the windows towards the backyard.
And what they saw was a colorful bouncy castle enlarging in less than a minute.
"Holy moley!", Dad exclaimed from the kitchen, dropping a pan.
"What 's the reason for this nonsense? Surely Lincoln has something to do", Lori protested as she went down to the backyard.
"Not only me. This is a gift from Leni to you", I said, and she greeted her with a little embarrassment.
"I'd like to know the reason for this bizarre structure in our yard", Lisa said, touching the mattress beneath the castle with her finger. I took her with both hands and placed her up suddenly.
"Find it out yourself, super genius".
After a few seconds paralyzed, she gave a few short leaps. With a smile, she confessed: "This feeling has always been comforting to me".
Lynn and the twins didn't hide the excitement, while Luan said: "Well, I guess it's time for some hassle in the castle! Get it?"
"So what are you waiting for? They will take it away tomorrow, let's have fun right now!" I told them at the top of my lungs, and they reacted with a cry of joy as they ran up. Leni took Lori by the arm, and unlike her, she took me by the hand.
Our parents took a seat next to Lily for watching us bounce like marbles. Luna shouted "Jump, go ahead, jump" while Lola and Lana laughed in the air holding hands. Luan laughed and rose while holding the skirt with one hand, unlike Leni, who just didn't care and extended her arms. So we all spent time until nightfall, forgetting all the stress that day caused us and stopped thinking about what we expected tomorrow: Leni's would-be big day.