THE OBLIVIOUS MODE

By Yih

Chapter 9

"This one or this one?" Stephanie Gentler, a customer referred to me by the redoubtable Paris Gellar-Richmond, asked while she held up two decidedly different dresses. Stephanie was like her married surname, gentler and sweeter than many of the socialites I normally dealt with. I also had no idea why she hired me either. It was a waste of good money for someone to stand at attendance offering advice, but then the truly rich never knew how to spend their money wisely lucky for the poorer members of society.

"I think blue is more your color," I remarked, giving my honest opinion. As Logan used to tell me all a time when he was being cheeky, I didn't know when to keep my mouth shut even when it was for my own good. He said it was my honesty that made me special. "It brings out the blue in your eyes."

She held up the dress to her voluptuous body. Stephanie had the body type that even having children, she still looked great. Even more, she was au natural. Her personal beauty which had never gone under the knife, as she had confided in me, was refreshing.

"You don't think it makes me look fat?"

I hid a smile. There was some vanity about her, but much less than the likes of Madeline or Louise. "While it's true that black does make a person look slimmer," I gestured at the slinky gown, "I think the blue flatters your complexion much more. I also like the cut better."

Thank you, Logan for his fashion tips while strolling through Bloomingdale's. Without them, I'd have been one lost kitty. Odd though that my best friend wasn't the least bit gay even though he showed far more fashion sense than me—and I was getting paid for my job!

Stephanie pursed her lips together as she seriously contemplated the blue gown. It gave her the look of a cute Chinese goldfish. I liked Stephanie to work for her again without a much thought. It didn't hurt that she was far easier than Paris, and her children were far from bratty. I also had the feeling she was going to pay generously.

"I think I agree," she finally stated. "I'll wear the blue tonight." She gave me a tremulous smile and confided, "I never know what to wear. I always have this feeling that I'll choose the wrong dress or say the wrong thing. Do you know that I once went to a party and wore the very same dress that another lady was wearing? I was mortified!"

On cue, a horrified expression was on. "That's terrible."

"It was truly embarrassing," she rehashed. "What was even worse was when a friend of mine confided to me that I was wearing a dress so last season." That was another unforgivable sin in the world of the New York elite. "I was glad then," she smiled without contrite, "that I wasn't the only one to wear the dress."

And she had humor, another thankful attribute Stephanie had that the others lacked. I smiled as she expected me to. To have to pretend acquiesce to all that was said wasn't as difficult for Stephanie's benefit as it was for the others. It didn't feel so much as if I were playing the role of someone else. If I were 25 years older, perhaps Stephanie and I might be friends rather than employer and employee.

"Have you gotten all the arrangements done for my luncheon tomorrow?" she inquired. It was one of the only real assistant jobs she had for me. I had had to call around town to make sure that everything was going smoothly and make some last minute arrangements that had fallen through. Her regular assistant had been sick, and I was the regular one people called when their normal assistants called in sick or if the work became too much for a single person to handle.

"Everything's done," I responded. "If there are any problems, you can always call me tomorrow and I'll try to rectify it. But everything should run smoothly."

"You are a life savior," she remarked cheerfully. "I didn't know what I was going to do when Anna called in sick. I can't do anything without her, you know. I've only had her for the past 6 months, but I can't imagine ever doing anything without her. But you are rather remarkable yourself. Why is it that you aren't a regular assistant to someone?"

Stephanie had a tendency to chatter overmuch, but her voice wasn't nasal or graining to the ears. It wasn't a voice I couldn't tolerate. I could stand it, especially if it meant that I might have some excess spending money. Excess money was ever in short supply. But while I might let the chitchat go in one ear and out the other, I couldn't ignore questions.

I could have said that no one had asked, but that wasn't true. Paris or Louise would have hired me fulltime, if I let them. I didn't want to work fulltime for either of them. It would have driven me mad in a month. It was enough to work a day or two per week for them. "I like picking my jobs," I answered honestly. It also gave me the chance to set aside considerable time for writing when I wasn't in a writing drought as I currently was.

"It seems like such an instable way to make a living."

It was. I constantly worried about money, but having a 9 to 5 job held no particular appeal to me. I had done that enough summers between my years at college to know that a set schedule held no appeal to me. If anything, the thought of a regular job to go to 5 days a week was more of a fear than the thought of being without money. I was lucky enough not to have to worry about being out on the streets if I were unemployed thanks to Logan.

I didn't even have to work if I didn't want to. He'd already said he was more than willing to support me through the completion of my first novel, however long it took. But I wasn't about to let him do that. It was bad enough that I was living with him as a basic charity case. There was no need to compound and take even more advantage of him than I already was. I felt guilty enough.

"It is, but it lets me choose my jobs," I responded with a small smile.

Stephanie returned the smile good-naturedly. "So is there anyone special in your life?"

My first thought was a resounding no. It was a bit bitter too, considering that I had finally worked up the courage to contact Jake and he hadn't bothered to return my calls for the past three days. A day was okay. Two days, I could excuse. But three days was a bit much. He was deliberately ignoring me, and wasn't he the one that had reassured me that we would remain friends despite this breakup?

I was about to answer her when the intercom interrupted me, "Mrs. Stephanie, there's a gentleman by the name of Logan Huntzberger at the door wanting to know if Miss Gilmore is ready to leave for their engagement?"

"You can send him up, Gretchen," she replied. Turning her attention back to me, Stephanie mused, "I suppose that answers my question, doesn't it?" I could only smile weakly. "How long have you been dating Logan, Rory?"

Not only was Stephanie talkative, she also was quite curious. Her inquisitiveness was gleaming in her golden eyes. Normally, I wasn't enthusiastic about baring my soul to anyone but there was something very endearing about her. Maybe it was because she was easy to talk to? "I'm not…"

Again I was interrupted, this time by the arrival of Logan and Gretchen, Stephanie's formidable housekeeper. "Mr. Huntzberger," she introduced, "Mrs. Stephanie." She bowed her head formally and ducked out of the room to return to her duties. I had a feeling that Stephanie heavily relied on Gretchen's opinion, and I was hoping that I had made a good impression on Gretchen.

"Good afternoon," Stephanie greeted him pleasantly, offering her hand. "It's nice to meet Rory's young man, and such a handsome one at that."

There was only the slightest hint that Logan had been taken by surprise. His left eyebrow had risen in an oh was that so manner? But other than that, there was no other indication that would draw contradiction to Stephanie's belief that Logan had to be my special someone. I could have reversed her misconception; however, it wasn't as if I was going to be working for Stephanie much. Her real assistant was just sick, after all. I was a temporary aide.

"Hello," Logan responded, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips to brush a light kiss, "the pleasure is mine."

"You are one lucky girl," Stephanie remarked.

I could see a glint in Logan's eyes that definitely wasn't good. He was going to enjoy playing this up if I wasn't going to stop him. He grinned then and whatever annoyance I felt melted into goo. Logan was looking rather devastating today. Then again, he almost always looked overwhelmingly too good to be true. It wasn't fair. I never looked that good--- I frowned--- did I ever look good?

"I suppose I shouldn't be keeping you from your engagement with your young man," Stephanie murmured. "I guess I can handle everything from here." She gestured to her checkbook. "How much do I owe you for the day?"

I bit my bottom lip. I worked for $30/hour. "$180?"

She nodded and began to write the check with a flourish. She folded it and handed it to me. "Thanks for all your help today, Rory. I certainly couldn't have gotten through the day without you. I'll definitely keep your number if I ever need someone to run any odd or extra jobs for me."

This time my smile was genuine. "I enjoyed working for you," I responded sincerely. "Feel free to call me anytime."

"Thank you for letting me steal Rory away from you," Logan drawled in a casual yet grateful manner. "And I must say that it was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I've heard much about you from Harold, and everything that he says about you is true." Stephanie flushed with pleasure. "You ought to come to more of his business functions with him; they aren't as tedious as you think."

She nodded as if considering. "You are right, I should. I do attend when I can, but I do have a lot of charity functions that I must deal with in my spare time. I did attend more in my younger years, but I haven't gone to many recently and look what I've missed!"

"A lot," Logan added teasingly, holding his hand out to me. I took it, not being given much of a choice since Stephanie was gazing at us with an expectant air. "Now you must pardon us as we make our exit, Mrs. Gentler."

"Please do," Stephanie stated encouragingly.

"Have a good evening, Stephanie."

"I will dear!" she exclaimed. "You two dears have a good night!"

TBC…

A/N: Ah yes, the appearance of Stephanie, which was too good to pass up. She's married to Finn or Colin, whichever you want ;p. Lala. Comments as always is very much my cup of tea!