Chapter 40

"Come! Enjoy yourselves, amis!" Yuri Sing encouraged her guests---her closest and dearest friends. "Help my Bentley and I celebrate our engagement."

"Here's to the future bride and groom!" Sly proposed, after obtaining a pair of flutes of champagne for himself and Carmelita. He lifted his glass, and waited for the others to do the same. "Here's to my pal Bentley and his very lovely fiancée…our own Yuri! Congrats, you two lovebirds!"

"Cheers!" the others exclaimed merrily to the accompaniment of the clinking of many glasses. That was the first of many toasts to the happy couple that evening…to be for sure!

A light repaste was then provided---to counteract the effects of the expensive champagne---for her guests' enjoyment. Then, they all gathered about in the chateau's great room, all congregated about the cheery fire that graced the fieldstone fireplace and hearth. Upon a loveseat, Yuri rested her arms about her Bentley, who leaned back against her, a contented smile on his face. "So, babe," he mused in a cozy, yet thoughtful voice. "How are you feeling? I mean, after all of this and you being in your condition and all?"

Yuri smiled at his concern. It was one of the things that so endeared him to her, his sincere concern about her…not just her physical well-being, but also her mental and emotional well-being as well. "I feel…I feel simply wonderful, cher," she told him, her smile providing him with assurances of the veracity of her claim. "Our children are similarly content as well. In fact, I do believe they are sleeping right this moment."

Bentley leaned forward then turned to face his lady love. He reached out a tender hand to place it on her slightly distended abdomen, wonderment in his eyes. "It's still so…well, amazing," he said softly aloud. "I mean that we're about to become parents before too long." Bentley then paused, then smiled adoringly at Yuri. "I never would of believed you could ever get any lovelier than you usually are, babe…but, you are. You've got this glow, sweetie…like you're an angel or something."

Yuri smiled, feeling very angelic indeed just then. "Oh, Cher…you are what makes me feel so beautiful," she told him. "Your love and your care for me…what girl would not thrive with such care, no?"

Bentley grinned. "Okay, I'll buy some of that," he admitted, then laughed, "but, it sure doesn't hurt that you were so amazing to begin with, babe."

Yuri giggled softly, then leaned over to kiss her fiancée's lips once, then twice. "As much as I enjoy your company, cher," Yuri pointed out, "I am being unfair to our friends…who wish to share your company too, oui?"

"I suppose," Bentley acceded reluctantly, then smiled. "Hey, look…before too much longer, we'll be able to be together forever, woman. So…I guess I owe my friends some of my time, yeah?"

"Of course you do," Yuri agreed, nodding. "As I should pay some attention to my friends, Naomi, Svetlana, and Maria."

Bentley got to his feet, then pressed Yuri's left hand to his cheek for a long moment. "There. I'll be around if you need me, babe," he told her.

"Go with my love, cher," Yuri returned, her still blue eyes warm as she regarded her Bentley. Yuri's eyes were still following him when she felt someone plunk down beside her on the loveseat. Yuri turned, her exquisite eyes curious…and then promptly smiled as she saw it was Kitty who now sat beside her. "Ah, mon petite! So, mon ami, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Um, yeah…I am," Kitty agreed, but then leaned wearily back against the plush cushions and groaned. "What a night, huh?"

"Ah, oui…it certainly has been, petite," Yuri said, agreeing.

"D'uh," Kitty laughed, softly slapping her own forehead. "What a dunce I am! Here I am complaining about being overwhelmed to the woman who's just been proposed to."

Yuri giggled softly. "That is quite all right, cheri," she posed a moment later. She then turned to Kitty, curious. "So, mon ami, what prompted you to want to sing at Le Bistro Bourgeot, hmm?"

Kitty smiled, having anticipated that question popping up again. "To be blunt, Yuri…I need the cash. Look, my salary at Interpol isn't by any means extravagant. I mean, it pays my bills…but, doesn't leave me a whole lot more, if you catch my drift…"

"Understood, Kitty," Yuri answered, prompting Kitty to continue.

"So, I thought…what can I do to earn some extra cash? Well, I know I can sing…heck, I've been singing since I was a little girl. So, I figured when you took us all to Le Bistro Bourgeot, and I saw they didn't have much in the way of entertainers…well, I took a chance and asked." Kitty then grinned, then laughed, and kicked her feet in excitement once. "Ooh, but I was stunned when he hired me on a part-time basis, Yuri!"

"You were really quite good, petite," Yuri complimented her. "Jean-Pierre says he received many inquiries as to when you would be singing next."

"That's great!" Kitty replied, smiling in satisfaction. "I mean, it'll be Christmas soon, remember, and in case you haven't noticed…I've a whole lot of people I need to buy presents for."

Yuri smiled, nodding. "Oh, I understand, Kitty dear," she said. "I do indeed." Yuri then stared off a bit dreamily into space, her concentration waning.

Kitty smiled over at Yuri, noticing her attention wavering. "You're still kinda shocked by everything, aren't you, hon?" Kitty mused, though happily.

Yuri grinned in reply. "Oui, I am, cheri," Yuri explained, her black hair tossing. "Am I that obvious, though?"

Kitty grinned cleverly. "Well, sport, let's put it this way, hmm? Yuri, in case you're wondering…you're still wearing that black wig and those neat blue contacts," Kitty pointed out.

"Mon Dieu!" Yuri exclaimed, her hands flying up to feel her hair. She then grinned a bit foolishly and snatched the wig off of her head. She thought a moment, then grinned again and slipped it over Kitty's head, partly askew. "I am…oh, dear…well, I can remedy that soon enough, eh?"

Kitty watched Yuri to proceed to carefully remove her concealing blue contact lenses from her eyes…one at a time. Kitty then tugged the silly dark wig into place, then theatrically tossed her new-found long locks over her shoulders, giggling softly.

Yuri, her eyes their mysterious green-gold hue again, smiled cleverly at her smaller friend. "Ah, but you look tres manufique with that long hair, cheri," she opined, which only caused Kitty to scowl.

"Nice try, but…uh-uh, Yuri," Kitty countered, pulling the wig off in a hurry.

Yuri could but only sigh. "Ah, very well…I'll concede the argument for the moment, petite," she graciously told Kitty. Oh, but if that girl would just grow out her lovely blond hair…what a charming woman she would be! Alas, Yuri knew, that would only happen when Kitty willed, no sooner.

Kitty smiled. "It's a lot easier when you accept the inevitable, isn't it?" Kitty pointed out with a grin.

Yuri ignored her, then a moment later, pressed on with her questioning. "So," Yuri continued. "Katherine Stordahlen?"

Kitty blushed hotly a moment, her cheeks going pink. "Er, um…er, well…you see, Stordahlen is my father's last name. I ordinarily only use it as a middle name, while I use my mother's name, Petro, as my own last name. As for Katherine…well, that's the name I was given when I was born. Needless to say, I didn't much like it. So, when I turned eighteen years old, I had it changed to my nickname, Kitty…which I much prefer."

"I see," Yuri answered carefully. She could sense that Kitty didn't wish to elaborate on that apparently sensitive subject, and so the two lapsed into a comfortable silence.

It was over a minute later that Kitty pulled herself out of her own reverie and looked over to Yuri. She frowned slightly as she watched Yuri staring intently at something. Kitty blinked, then wisely followed the path of Yuri's soft yet intense gaze. It was then that she realized that Yuri was gazing at none other than their very pretty friend, Svetlana…who was chatting animatedly with her new-found beau, Sean. "Okay, Yuri," Kitty chanced. "What's going on between you and Svetlana?"

"Eh?" Yuri replied distractedly, then blinked as she discovered---much to her own embarrassment, of course!---that she had missed Kitty's question entirely. "Pardonnez moi, cheri…what was that you said?"

Kitty grinned. "I asked what's going on between you and Svetlana. You've been staring at her for a minute or so now. So…what's up with that?" Kitty pointed out.

Yuri blushed softly, then laughed ruefully. "Oh, nothing really," she returned. "Only I am frustrated, Kitty. Our Svetlana…she is as stubborn as an army mule, that one is."

Kitty blinked at that, then giggled at the preposterous analogy. "C'mon, Yuri! Svetlana? I find that hard to believe," Kitty scoffed with a smile.

"Oh? You do, do you?" Yuri countered, leaning over to look Kitty in her big blue eyes. "Then, mon petite, allow me to explain the situation, oui?" Yuri then proceeded to inform Kitty of how her best model had decided to retire. And, then she added in increasingly frustrated tones how she and Naomi had been waging a contest of wills with the little Ukrainian tigress, trying to convince Svetlana to taking the model position. "…but, does she listen? Non! Ooh, that girl can be so frustrating at times!"

Kitty blinked repeatedly, her mind now awhirl. "Svetlana? As a model? No kidding, right?" Kitty demanded, though politely.

"Of course, petite," Yuri championed. "Have you not noticed how lovely she is? How photogenic? She would boost C'est Sing's sales tremendously…if I could only get her to co-operate, that is…"

Kitty pondered that a moment, then nodded her head. "Yeah, I suppose she could at that…I mean, she'd be a natural," Kitty mused, then paused to direct her gaze at Yuri. "So, why hasn't she taken the job already?"

"Fagh!" Yuri growled in fond frustration. "Svetlana…she feels that she is not beautiful enough to become a model…if you can believe that!" Yuri sighed, then continued. "Kitty, mon cheri….I have tried to convince her otherwise, as has my Naomi, as well as our Maria…why, we have even tried to get her Sean to convince her, ah…but, all to no avail."

Kitty nodded, thought for a while, then finally smiled over at Yuri, reaching over to put a hand over Yuri's own. "Well then…I suppose that I'll just have to have a little talk with her later," Kitty mused aloud. She then got to her feet, and then turned to her friend once more. "Yuri, I'll talk to you in a minute, okay? I've got something I need to do."

Kitty then made her way over to where Naomi sat beside Murray, her head leaning against his shoulder, smiling. "Yo, Naomi!" Kitty announced, making Naomi open her eyes in surprise. "Hey, girl, do you think I could steal a couple minutes of your time?" Kitty asked.

Naomi frowned a moment, but then nodded. "Give me a moment, would you, cher?" Naomi asked Murray.

"Sure, go ahead," Murray replied with a grin. "I'll be right here when you're done."

"Merci, Murray," Naomi purred, and then rewarded him with a kiss on both cheeks, which left Murray grinning. She turned and followed Kitty over to a deserted corner. "Now, you scamp…what is it?" she demanded with a wary smile.

Kitty grinned at Naomi's tone. "Don't worry, I won't keep you away from your main squeeze for long, Naomi," Kitty assure her. "Look, I was talking with Yuri, and she told me about your little 'problem' in trying to convince Svetlana to become C'est Sing's newest model."

"Ah, she told you of this, did she?" Naomi questioned, eyeing Kitty warily. "Or, did you somehow overhear one of us speaking, hmm?"

Kitty gave Naomi an indignant look. "She told me…I promise!" Kitty pledged, holding her hand up, as if swearing an oath.

"Very well, I believe you, mon ami," Naomi replied with a smile. "Go on then…"

"Well," Kitty continued, her smile growing each time she spoke. "I sort of figured that what with my own set of rather impressive persuasion skills, I could, well, try my hand at trying to convince our model-to-be the error of her ways, so to speak. If you'll agree to let me, of course."

"Of course," Naomi parroted, thinking to herself. "Hmm. I don't see any reason why you could not," she admitted after a long moment's debate. "No one else has been able to make any headway with her."

"So…that's a 'yes' then?" Kitty asked, hopefully. "Because, all I need from you is your permission and, viola, C'est Sing will have themselves new model."

Naomi frowned, reconsidering. "You are certain you can achieve this aim of yours, cheri? That you can convince her?" Naomi asked rather dubiously.

"Hey," Kitty pointed out then, "if not for my convincing skills, would you of been---only a moment ago---been playing kissy face with Murray, girl?"

Naomi blinked, then blushed and finally sighed. "Very well then," she acquiesced. "I will give you my permission to try. But, you will be nice about it, do you hear? If I should hear of you upsetting our Svetlana in any way, I shall make you rue your actions. Believe it." Naomi's clear amber eyes brooked no compromise…she meant what she said---exactly.

Kitty gulped reflexively, and paled just a bit a moment. She then nodded solemnly. "Don't worry so much. I'll treat her with kid gloves, I promise! You just go and inform everyone that they're to do their utmost to help me in this, okay? If Svetlana is as stubborn as you all think her to be, I gonna need all the help I can lay my hands on, sport."

"Oui, I will inform the others of your request, cheri," Naomi agreed, nodding her head, then dashed off as only a cheetah could.

Kitty waited in the corner a long while as she watched Naomi flit around the room to whisper instructions into everyone but Sean and Svetlana's ears. Naomi completed her rounds, then sat down primly beside her Murray once more. She then nodded to Kitty, her eyes reiterating Kitty's promise to treat Svetlana well. Kitty framed her thoughts, took a deep breath, let it out…then moved over to talk with their own resident beauty, Svetlana. Kitty smiled as she finally moved before where Svetlana and Sean now sat. "Hey, you two…er, mind if I take a seat here with you?"

"Of course, Kitty," Svetlana replied politely, smiling as gave Kitty some space to sit down on the other side of her. "Please, sit. Now, what can we do for you, hmm?"

"Thanks, guys," Kitty answered, then smiled and sat down. "Now, as to what you can do for me…well, funny you should ask that particular question, Svetlana…"

No doubt about it, Kitty thought to herself, his was going to be so much fun!