How About a Cup of Coffee?
Chapter 8
*
The sun peered incessantly through the curtains. The ball-headed blonde rolled over, turning away from the offensive rays. She smiled in her sleep and sighed softly.
"Oh Endymion…" she said softly.
As if a siren had gone off, Rei's eyes snapped open and her body shot up off the floor. Her senses were on the alert—the name that Serena had whispered so softly had ripped her out of a dead sleep—and set off alarms in her system.
Realizing it was useless to try to sleep again, she got up out of her sleeping bag and wandered into the kitchen. There she found Ami, sitting at the counter and drinking a glass of milk.
"Oh, hello, Rei." Ami looked up from the newspaper she was reading.
"Hey Ames. What are you doing up so early?"
Ami smiled gently. "I couldn't sleep. All night long I had dreams about a palace, shrouded in mist…" she trailed off, uncertain and embarrassed. "When I woke up, it was no better—I had a splitting headache—that's why I'm drinking the warm milk—to take with some aspirin." She took another sip of the milk and picked up two capsules on the table, and, swallowing them, looked back up to Rei.
"Oh, and it's not that early. It's nearly 8 o'clock, and we have to get to work soon. I just couldn't bring myself to wake them."
The blue-haired woman watched as Rei got a funny look in her eye and leaned out the doorway to the kitchen, hanging onto the doorframe for balance, and shouted—
"YOU GUYS! WAKE UP! IT'S 8 O'CLOCK!"
She turned back to a stunned Ami, a satisfied smile on her face. "They're up."
***
Mina stood at the door dutifully, looking at the line of presentable women before her. "You have your briefcase?"
"Check."
"Check."
"You have your dress, Lita? Maura said the seamstress was coming today."
"Check."
She turned to her cousin, "you have your coffee?… Serena?"
"What? Oh—no, we're going to hit Starbucks on our way there."
Mina frowned. "Are you sure you have enough time?"
Serena waved her hand dismissively. "Sure, sure we do."
Danyelle, who was going into work late, looked dubiously at Mina, and the group in front of them. "If you want say so." Then she looked at the clock behind her. "If you want, I'll call Ally and tell her to have your drinks ready, so all you have to do is run in and pay…"
***
Four women were running full-speed into the high-rise entrance to the Shields Modeling and Co. Well, actually, one woman was, and she was dragging another one behind her. As they entered through the thick glass doors, an elderly woman at the reception desk called out, "Morning Ms. Kensington!"
And Rei called over her shoulder, "Morning, Miss Maura!" She looked back at Lita and Ami, who didn't have quite so far to go and therefore, didn't have to rush like she and Serena did. "We have to go—see you guys at lunch?"
"Okay!" They chimed.
She dragged the petite blonde over to a poorly lit hallway, littered with gum wrappers and dirty ashtrays. There, she pushed open a heavy metal door—leading into a totally transformed hallway.
The carpet was a plush red, with a commercial flower design on the center and edges. Rei led Serena to an elevator with gold plated doors and pushed the single 'up' button on the wall.
Finally, she had time to breathe. "Uh Rei? …Where are we?"
Before she could answer, the doors opened and the stepped into an equally decorated elevator.
"Welcome to the Express Elevator." She hit the 'close door' button. "Going up."
***
Andrew was going over the flight list with Darien. "So the full crew—models, seamstresses and caterers—will be on, and Mina will lead as your star model."
"Are you sure you don't want to come, Drew?"
Two women burst through his office doors cutting off Andrew's response.
Rei smoothed her skirt down nonchalantly and said, "We're here… and I'll take your work on my desk." She walked out, and Serena made move to follow her, but Darien's mocking voice stopped her.
"Ms. Cohen? Please—by all means—stay. We're going give you a tour of the building today."
She blinked a few times and smiled weakly. The only sign that he was getting to her was the fact that after he spoke, she lifted her frappuchino and took a long drag.
***
"And over here, we have the fittings—it's right next to the dressing rooms—very convenient." Darien brushed his hands briskly and looked at the 'numbed' blonde standing next to him. "That about covers it, Serena, so if you want to take a break for lunch—I'll see you at my office in 45 minutes for a test run."
"Test run?" She asked, having perked up at the mention of lunch.
He laughed. "Yes—we need to see how you fare on the catwalk."
***
Author's Notes:
Being that we didn't have these last chapter, I'm combining them for this one.
Yes, I know this was a short chapter. It's meant to be. I wanted it to be short for effect. If all goes well, maybe I can get chapter 8B out by tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully, we'll be in Milan by Saturday. *grins evilly* And boy, will that be ever so much fun.
Also, I'm not inserting a disclaimer anymore. You got one in the beginning—consider that for all the chapters, okay?
In 7B—the song I used was –as if you didn't know—Bootylicious, By Destiny's Child. I don't own the song. Or the lyrics. Which I got online.
Feedback is godlike. To review is like the extra push for me to keep going.
If you're on my mailing list or want to be on it, don't worry; I just haven't organized it yet. If anyone new wants to be on the list and isn't send me an email.
Ok. That's all for now.