Disclaimer: I own nothing but the scenes of Karen's life, and if I had the time, I'd be inventing my own characters to use, rather than borrowing someone else's and getting no money. Alas, I do not, and so I make nothing, but thrill in putting these characters through my own imagination!
A/N: Karen may get a little OoC as the fic goes on, but at least I'm warning you, and I'm sure the circumstances and context make it alright! I hope.
Summary: Sometimes there's something behind you and you're just waiting for the time when it catches up with you, it affects every scene of your life, and yet no matter how bad, you wouldn't change it because of the things it brought you. Karen reflects as her 'something' catches up with her. No POV's this time, and flashbacks.
Please enjoy! And thanks again to Mars for beta-ing it! This one's for you because you were the first to read it and the first to laugh!
Let the Covers Fall Away
I'm trying to remember why I was afraid
To be myself and let the-the covers fall away
Guess I never had someone like you
To help me fit in my skin
(Naked, Avril Lavigne)
She'd waited a few months, gotten herself back on her feet, and enjoyed the closeness of her family. Then the children had gone back to school, Stan, though he'd tried to make more time for them, spent more and more time at work, as the business expanded, the profits rolling in, and she'd found herself alone with a staff of thirty and a surprisingly empty house. It had seemed obvious at the time. Never one to do charity work, or even to host charity events, she'd decided to find herself a new hobby; work. Looking back, she wondered why she'd really tried to make an impression in those interviews. Before, she'd felt that what she was, was enough, she'd never bothered trying to sell herself by faking, but it had taken a while to build her self-esteem back up again, she owed her 'Poodle' for ultimately bringing her back to her previous self. Whether he knew it or not, his constant comments on her clothes, his obsession with her body and his regular compliments had made her believe in herself again. But there was one interview she couldn't help but remember, as unlikely as it was; she'd been hired by the interviewer. Of course, she would have remembered the moment she met Grace even if she'd never seen her again, no one forgot that hair or those clothes. And when one met Grace, not long after they met Will and her meeting had been no different.
: flashback :
"Miss Karen you're meeting is in forty minutes, if you don't move soon you'll be late, and I'm not going to sit here listening to your whining all day." A few moments later a slightly flustered Karen flew down the steps coming to stand in front of her maid.
"You look here, you work for me; that means I make the rules, and if I say you will eat dog food, you will, if I say you live outside with the rest of the animals, you do and therefore if I tell you that you'll listen to me moan, you will without any complaint. Capheche?"
"Watch out for glass in your bed Lady!" Though the words were spoken roughly, a small smile tugged at the maid's lips. She'd never change her employer for anything, and she was just so happy to see things returned to what passed for normal in the family. She'd hated seeing Karen ill as much as everyone else.
"Oh Rosie, I love your little jokes Honey, they always break the mood. How do I look?" Karen spun around slowly showing off her dark blue pencil skirt and jacket, beneath which she wore a pale blue shirt; the first few buttons undone just enough to show some cleavage, but not to seem provocative. Most would sneer at her asking her maid for fashion advice, but then she never usually worried what other's thought.
"Sophisticated and smart, as always Miss Karen." Rosario smiled at the slight blush on the other women's cheeks. Karen was getting better at hiding her emotions, but she hadn't managed to disguise them all, not yet anyway.
"Let's not forget rich Honey!" Karen grinned at her maid, before moving to the door, looking calmer than she had before. "I should be back before five; Olivia needs taking to her dance class. Oh, could you see that Mason does any homework before he snacks, he keeps getting distracted and I'm worried about his education, that school doesn't seem to be teaching them anything!"
"Relax, he's only six, now go before I have to sling your sorry ass out of the door!"
"Yes Sir, right away Sir!" Another grin and salute and she disappeared out into the hallway, her custom made heels clicking on the flooring, leaving a bemused Rosario in her wake. She loved messing with her head, it was so much fun.
:kw:
The Puck Building at 295 Lafayette loomed large before her as she stepped out of the Limo, and began walking towards the location of Grace Adler Designs. On the way up she considered how she was to act, because it would be an act after all. The elevator ride seemed to take forever, and yet she still hadn't decided on a façade by the time she reached the right floor.
A quick look at her Rolex told her she was exactly on time, and she knew she couldn't wait around much longer. Deciding to just go by what this Grace Adler did, Karen approached the office door with slight hesitation. It was strange how much this job of assistant to an up and coming designer appealed to her.
She knocked on the door and receiving no answer stepped cautiously through. The office was smaller than she'd expected; a large table took up most of the space just off the centre of the room, with two smaller desks at different ends, one of which she suspected was for the assistant. Fabrics of every colour and texture covered all available surfaces, making it obvious that the designer had only just moved in. All that was missing from the room was the designer herself. There was no noise in the office, save the occasional whirring of the computer and her own breathing, nothing to indicate that there was anyone else in the vicinity.
If she were anyone else, Karen would have thought she had the wrong date or time, but she wasn't anyone else, and Rosario never got an appointment wrong, so she'd just have to wait until Miss Adler showed up.
Unsure where to wait, Karen finally decided on the chair beneath the first desk, it being the only one with less than three swatch books on it. Just as she sat down, having moved the books to stand in a rather precarious pile, the shrill ringing of a phone filled the silence of the room, causing her to jump in surprise, and instinctively reach for it, momentarily forgetting where she was.
"Hello, can I help?"
"Erm…Hi, I'm looking for…hang on is that Karen, Karen Walker?" The voice on the end of the phone sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it, she did know a lot of people though, and not all of them were the kind you wanted to know.
"Depends on who's asking." Karen replied, her voice hesitant.
"It's Michael, you know, we met at Dan and Bev's get-together last summer for Shirley's opening?" Michael sounded quite excited to speak to her, and as he continued she suddenly placed him, he was actually someone she did want to know. Rich and powerful in the right circles.
"Oh hey Honey! How've you and Jules been?"
"Oh we're good. You and Stan doing well? We haven't seen the two of you much recently, you missed one hell of a party the other month, Francine bought out a chain of private businesses and doubled her value!" Karen realised that if she were to tell anyone what had actually been going on in her life, now would be the time to start, but she found that she didn't really want anyone else to know, it was private and personal, and she didn't want it to be the gossip of those circles.
"Oh, well Stan's been busy with the business, those millions don't make themselves, well actually they do, but…" She trailed off, giggling loudly. "Now what can I do for you Mike? I'm guessing you had a reason for phoning."
"Oh, right, yeah, I was actually looking for a designer to do the new country house, I thought I was phoning a new designer to find out if they knew anyone bigger, but I guess I hit the wrong numbers." Figuring that if she could show that she'd already gotten a client, it might give her interview a little boost, Karen was quick to reassure him, not knowing that Grace Adler had been standing in the doorway almost from the start of the call.
"No Honey, you've got the right number; Grace Adler Designs right?"
"Yeah, that's the one, hey, so you work there then?" Michael sounded confused, and she wasn't surprised, no one expected her to work, she didn't need the money at all, and she'd never shown an interest before.
"Well not exactly Honey, I'm waiting for an interview, but this designer does appear to be up and coming, I mean there's loads of fabric and colours here, and what she's done with this place is amazing. Really there's no need to look any further!" She lied through her teeth, looking around at the cardboard boxes and the cracking walls.
"Well okay then, if you can vouch for her, tell her I'll expect her at five o'clock Monday morning to discuss the place. You remember where we are right? Don't be a stranger yourself, bring Stan by sometime, and we'll make it a party. Speak soon."
"Yeah bye Honey!" As the dialing tone reached her ears, she placed the receiver back on the cradle and begun a hunt for a pen and paper.
"Here you go." A female voice spoke from beside her, and placed both items in front of her.
"Oh, thanks Honey." Karen said without looking up. Suddenly she jumped realizing she'd been alone only moments ago. "Wait… what… how?" Unable to finish a sentence, she settled for staring in shock at the red head.
"Hi, I'm Grace Adler, I'm assuming you're Karen Walker." Grace held her hand out in front of her, a small smile on her lips. She liked this woman already, there was just something about her, the name seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't place it.
"Oh, um yeah that's me, nice to meet you." Karen chuckled nervously as she accepted the hand shake; she wondered how much the woman had seen.
"So, was that someone for me, or do you already have yourself listed here?" Grace laughed at her own joke, and Karen felt the tension within her dissipate.
"Oh no Honey, that was for you, an old friend of mine actually, and he wants to meet you Monday to talk about decorating his country house. Actually you could probably work on his town house flat and Georgian mansion, because if they're still like the last time I saw them, they could really use some work!"
"Wow, you have been busy. Who is he?"
"Oh sorry; Michael Howard." Karen said standing up, not knowing what reaction the words would inspire.
"The Michael Howard? The Millionaire?" Grace watched the brunette in disbelief, if she'd really managed to get him as a client, there was no way Grace was going to hire anyone else as an assistant.
"Multi-millionaire, yeah Honey, that Michael." Karen replied honestly, not quite understanding what the big deal was, but then again, she'd seen the Clintons after they'd drunk a little too much, so not a lot fazed her anymore.
"WOW! I mean WOW! You know, I think we can just do away with the interview, it only wastes time anyway; you're hired! Welcome to Grace Adler Designs, call me Grace and I think we'll get a long great!"
"Oh that's great Honey! Call me Karen, when do I start?" She couldn't believe it had been that easy, she hadn't even had to be someone she wasn't. She couldn't wait to tell the Stan and the children, and Rosie wouldn't have to listen to her moaning tonight after all.
Grace opened her mouth to answer, when the door slammed into the wall and a tall man in a suit came bursting in, cutting her off.
"You left this in the apartment Gracie! I swear, if I didn't dress you myself you'd come out in your pajamas!" He handed Grace a bright green handbag, and turned back to the door, seeing Karen for the first time. They both stood looking at each other for several seconds, unsure what to say or do, until Grace broke the moment.
"Oh Karen, this is my best friend Will Truman. Will, this is my new assistant Karen Walker." Karen extended her hand in greeting, but Will watching her in shock.
"Karen Walker, the Karen Walker, the one married to Stanley Walker?"
A large smile crept over her face as she thought of her husband.
"Yeah Honey that's me, you know Stan?"
"Everyone knows Stan Walker; he's the owner of a Multi-million company! His face and name are all over the city! Wait, if you're his wife, why are you working for Grace, you guys are loaded!"
Grace once again looked star-struck and Will was still standing staring, his mouth hanging slightly open. Karen could tell it would be fun working here.
"I don't know Honey; I guess I just wanted something to keep me grounded and busy."
The two seemed to accept that, and Karen settled in to watch as the two of them began finishing each other's sentences, they were the perfect example of an old married couple. If one of them wasn't gay that is.
: end flashback :
tbc.
Hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will be up when I get some reviews! ;) I've got the next three already written, so I just need the incentive to post them! Thanks for reading and please review! Oh and the ':kw: ' thing is only there because wouldn't let me have a bigger gap than one line between those sections!
