Title: Start Anew
Author: Sweet Piglet
AN the First: I'm sorry, I get dates confused easily, and what with school and all, I just get befuddled. I have much sorrow. This chapter is dedicated to my reviewers from the North, Courtny and Lee.
Banana_Split My story is sad, isn't it? Well, that personally is my favorite kind. I like teen angst stories. Yeah, she should have woken up early, but who would have guessed Mary Anne would have been gone by then?. . . Eye of the Jedi Thank you for saying so, and here is the next chapter!. . . SCKX Myriah was wearing black because she had gone punk/Goth/whatever. I was trying to point out that no matter how things seem to change, some things never do (hence Myriah's smile being mentioned). . . BalletPrincess *lip curl* Thank you, thank you very much. . . Katerina Mwah-ha-ha-ha. Yes, I am evil. I've always wanted to make a cliffhanger. It was very "All My Children" of me, wasn't it? And again, thank you. . . Christy Well, thank you. I like to mess around with people's mind, make Johnny them Depp think is what a I hot want hot them hot to pirate think., you know?. . . With Love Thanks a bundle! I fully hope that this thing continues forever. . . Lee No problem, as long as you do review. And you have a well enough grasp on the language, considering that you were most likely raised speaking French. I took three years of Latin, and for the most part, I can do the whole amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant bit. Oh, and I can say "You are an ugly tree.". . . CNJ Yes, well, hindsight is always 20/20. I just wish that it wasn't too late. Well, actually, I don't or else I wouldn't have a story, but you know what I mean, right? Everything will be okay in the end, I guarantee. . . Courtny Yes, Mary Anne is a bit out of character, but as grumpy skipper pointed out, I put a little of me into my characters to make them appeal to me. . .
[2 years]
"Hello, Ms. Kishi. How lovely to see you again! What can we here at Lord and Taylor help you with today?"
"Well, you see-" Claudia stalled, racking her brain for the personal shopper's name. Reba? No. Jessica? No. Rebecca? Yes! "You see, Rebecca, I've got a gallery opening this Friday. My black-and-white collection?"
Rebecca nodded, confirming that she had heard about the opening. Duh, Claudia thought to herself, Everyone has heard of the opening. It is the biggest thing to hit this town since the deep-dish pizza.
"Anyway, the reception is going to be a black and white ball. So, I was thinking of wearing a white gown. Strapless, with a flowy skirt. I guess I'm looking for something that looks like a wedding dress, but isn't, you know what I mean? Something that I can maybe get some rosettes sewn onto the bottom of?"
Nodding eagerly, Rebecca said, "Let me take a look at what we have, and I'll be back soon. Would you like a drink? A Sidecar? A Cosmopolitan? A Manhattan?"
"Considering that we're in Chicago, I don't think that a Manhattan would be a proper drink," Claudia joked. "Besides, I want to keep a clear head so that I can pick out the most perfect dress. I think that I'll stick with a cranberry juice."
"I'll have someone bring that to you straight away, Ms. Kishi," Rebecca said, then started to walk away.
"Rebecca!" Another personal shopper scurried up to her. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but Ms. Spier just called. She just finished her lunch at Sbarro's, and is heading up here now."
"I can't take her," Rebecca said, flustered. "I'm helping Ms. Kishi now."
"Well, what do we do? She's your client."
Rebecca bit her lip. "When she gets here, ask if it is all right if Vicki and Jo Anne help her with her shopping today."
"Do you think she'll be okay with that?"
"She'll be fine with it," Claudia heard herself speak up. "Mary Anne is easy going, and I'm sure she'll understand if Rebecca is with someone."
The two personal shoppers were amazed. "You mean to say that you know Mary Anne Spier?"
"Well," Claudia said slowly, "We went to high school together, so I suppose that you could say that I know her." Satisfied at hearing that two of their most prominent customers were acquainted with one another, the personal shoppers went about their business.
What Claudia didn't tell them was how well she knew Mary Anne Spier. They had grown up together, lived next door to one another for thirteen years. They had gone shopping for junior prom dresses together in Hartford. And then they had fallen out. All because Kristy had convinced them, herself and Stacey and everyone else, that Mary Anne would change her mind once they started leaving her out of stuff.
And then Kristy changed her mind, and they realized what they had done. They all realized how stupid and mean and cruel and ignorant and just plain selfish they all were.
But it was too late. Mary Anne had gone off to New York City, and that was the last anyone in Stoneybrook had heard of her for five years. Until her screenplay, Woven, was nominated for and won the Academy Award for best screenplay. Everyone in town was glued to the screen that night. One of their own had made it big, like she had said she would.
That was not the last time Claudia had seen Mary Anne on TV. She was on some show or another, talking about her life, and about how Woven was based on the life of a friend of hers.
A friend of hers. Suuure. The screenplay was about a girl in a small town, who got drunk for the first time in her life, got pregnant, and when she desperately needed her friends, they were nowhere to be found. Sounded like Mary Anne's own life to Claudia.
And suddenly, in the Chicago Lord and Taylor, Mary Anne appeared, wanting a personal shopper. She, it appeared, spied Claudia at the same time Claudia spied her. Instead of the normally calm, cool, and collected Mary Anne that was always on TV, a confused Mary Anne was staring at Claudia, most likely wondering how she had had the bad luck to stumble upon someone she never wanted to see again.
Claudia had to say something. "Mary Anne, I-"
"Are you ready to look at some of the gowns, Ms. Kishi?" interrupted Rebecca. "Oh, Ms. Spier. You're here already. I'm terribly sorry, but I'm already helping Ms. Kishi. But Vicki and Jo Anne are ready to help you find a nice suit. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," said Mary Anne faintly. "I understand."
Rebecca beamed. "Ms. Kishi said you most likely would. I understand that they two of you knew each other at school?"
"Yes," said Mary Anne, shooting a look at Claudia, "We know each other."
"How wonderful! Well, Ms. Kishi, if you follow me, I have a number of lovely gowns that would look absolutely stunning at your opening."
"Right away," said Claudia, and stood and began to follow Rebecca to the dressing rooms. She looked over her shoulder, and saw Mary Anne standing where she was, watching her. Mary Anne quickly averted her eyes. Once again, the last Claudia saw of Mary Anne, she had been walking away from her.
And she was as alone now as she had been then.