Duo paces back and forth as Hilde changes into her dress. He contemplates the situation that is upon him.
"She has to be here on business. Why else would she be here?" He says to no one but himself. "If you come in, then you
must know what this place is. How else could you find it? It's not like there is a big sign or anything!" Duo stops to
think about the girl's words. "Maybe they have another meaning? Ah! I don't know!" He throws his hands up in the
air. Duo takes a seat on the stool that sits in the middle of the room. ("She's not like the usual. God . . . I hope she's not
a
"Duo?" Hilde says in a nervous voice. Duo has his back to her and smiles.
("Ah. A sweet girl.") He laughs softly and turns to her. When he takes one look at her, he can't help but laugh.
"That bad?" She says as she looks herself over. Duo shakes his head and walks up to her.
"I always thought dresses were meant to go with the woman, not against." He places his hands on her shoulders and he can feel her stiffen up. "Are you all right?" He says to Hilde who is blushing. She nods but doesn't say anything. The dress, is a spaghetti strap that graceful dips midway down her back. The skirt starts off tight on her hips and lightly puffs out. That's how the dress should look. Hilde's however is . . . well, in short words: is a blue mess.
"Can you fix it? I'm a Bride's Maid and the wedding is in four days." She says with a nervous laugh.
("A Bride's Maid huh? Maybe she does know what I do.") The grip on her shoulders tightens as Duo leans in closer. His hot breath on her ear makes Hilde turn red and become light headed. Duo lightly laughs as he can feel the warmth from her blush on her cheeks.
"Please fix it." She says softly, her voice a mix of uncertainty and desire. To Hilde he is about the most attractive guy in the world. He puts Peter and all the other guys she has ever had a crush on to shame. So having him so closes to her is stirring up emotions that she has sworn to never feel until her wedding night!
"Anything you say . . . " He whispers in her ear. Hilde is so distracted by the fact of their closeness that all she does is nod not knowing why she was nodding until . . .
"AAAAAAA!" Hilde pushes Duo away and backs against the wall, covering her right ear with her hand. "I'm not like my mother!" She says quickly.
"What?"
"I'm not like that! What type of girl do you think I am?"
"I'm sorry . . . " He says coming closer to her. Hilde slides away from the wall and rushes past him.
"Sorry?" She says, placing her hands on her hips. "For . . . for . . . kissing me?" She says in a stunned voice, yet Duo could detect something else in her voice. He can hear it in her heavy breathing. "What type of Tailor are you?"
"I'm sorry Miss. I guess I got some mixed signals." Duo says in his defense. He can't take her anger seriously because her voice betrays her harsh words. He smiles knowing that he had her for a quick moment. ("Besides, she has to have some knowledge of the work I do.") The anger that suddenly filled her blue eyes makes him think . . . ("Shit! She doesn't! But . . . but . . . how . . . I mean . . . Shit, I'm screwed!") It's his turn to be nervous, as he laughs. Duo rubs the back of his neck, not knowing what to say next.
"MIXED SIGNALS?" She yells. Duo flinches at her voice. This time there is only anger ringing. "Well I am sorry if I gave you 'mixed signals' mister! Now tell me . . . "
Ring . . .
Both stop and look to the room that Duo had come out of a while ago.
Ring . . .
"Hold on one moment." He says as he enters the room. Once in, Duo closes the door part way, to see what she is going to do.
"Hello?"
"Duo darling!"
"Dorothy." He says coldly. "Can you call back . . . I'm in a bit of trouble."
"Really? What did you do to her?"
"What? You . . . you know her?"
"Yes darling, my friend and I sent her to you."
"Why? Why didn't you tell her the truth about me? She thinks I'm a real Tailor for God's sake!" He yells in a whisper.
"Duo, she just broke it off with her boyfriend. They were going to get married and everything!"
"So?"
"So . . . It's your job to 'cheer' her up. To get her mind off of Peter. I will take care of the expenses so don't worry."
"But . . . She should know that . . . "
"Hilde would never go with it! And you specialize in comforting women. I mean, look at Relena. I have never seen her so happy! She was just like Hilde, but Hilde is a bit more on the extreme side . . . " Duo sighs as Dorothy goes on and on about Relena and Hilde's problems.
("Dorothy is right. I did help Relena when her guy left her . . . yet she did know about me.") Duo looks toward Hilde. ("Ah, hell. She's cute. Why not?")
"Dorothy, I'll do it."
"You will?" She says in an upbeat voice.
"Yes, but this will cost you. I am lying to her. And you know how I hate to lie!"
"Sure. Anything! Just make her happy again. A depressed Hilde is not a fun Hilde. Bring her back to her old self."
"Oh, I'll do that. And much more. Bye." He laughs as he hangs up the phone.
"Look." Says Hilde in a bold voice, hands on her hips. "I don't have time. I need to be at work in twenty minutes ok? So I will forget the whole thing if you can get my dress fixed in two days!"
"Sure." He says happily. ("Good, this will make my work easier.") "Let me take some measurements and you can be on your way."
Short Time Later . . .
Duo puts down his notepad with her measurements on it and goes over to the phone. Just then a woman walks in wearing a tan trench coat.
"Duo?" She says sweetly.
"I'm in the back. I'll be out in a bit, so make yourself comfortable." The woman laughs and pulls out a whip before she takes off her coat. Duo takes a deep breath upon hearing the whip crack. He dials a number.
"Hello?"
"Dorothy, if this is going to work, I need to know everything and I mean everything about Hilde." Dorothy laughs and relays the information to him.
