Chapter 591: Beaulieu Manor

Saturday, March 4th, Morning

In the dying moments of the early morning, it found several women in the West Range of Beaulieu Manor. The youngest woman stood on a platform while the oldest one was looking on at the fitting. The most senior woman turned to look at the redhead sitting off to the side.

The oldest woman, a brunette starting to show her gray streaks because she needed to dye it, held up a piece of chalk. The redhead looked at her and tilted her head.

"Bobbi, make the adjustments," Brooke said.

"You usually do that," Bobbi-Lee said.

"It's your design; your eye should adjust it," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee looked at Brooke, "You always do this," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I'm feeling generous," Brooke said.

"Can we hurry up? I have a game to get to," Keni said from the platform.

Bobbi-Lee shook her head, took the chalk, and started to look over Keni. With a careful eye, one that Brooke trained and developed, Bobbi-Lee walked around studying the dress that Keni was wearing. Bobbi-Lee would often walk over and adjust things, a piece here and a thing there.

Brooke studied her protege as she looked over the prototype dress. Watching Bobbi-Lee make adjustments, Brooke nodded. Over sixteen years of working together, Brooke nodded. Bobbi-Lee has come a long way.

"Mom," Keni said.

"Yes, Keni?" Brooke replied.

"Why am I here doing this? Sawyer likes this, not me," Keni said.

"One, because I need you to. Two, I've not been able to nail down Sawyer to talk to her. Three, you're roughly the same size as the woman buying it," Brooke said.

"How much longer do I have to stand here?" Keni asked.

"Until we're done," Brooke said.

"Mom," Keni said.

"Keni!" Brooke said.

"Am I done yet?" Keni asked.

"You just asked that question," Brooke said.

"That's how bored I am," Brooke said.

"Keni," Bobbi-Lee said calmly.

"Yes, Bobbi?" Keni asked.

"Tell me about your podcast," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I'm currently listening to a podcast on how the Men-in-Black keeps Big Foot a secret," Keni said.

"Why would they do that?" Bobbi-Lee asked.

"The Big Foots are aliens whose home world had an ecological disaster, so they moved here to a similar climate. The Men-in-Black protect them as part of a treaty agreement," Keni said.

"I see. Does that count the Yeti as well?" Bobbi-Lee asked.

"Yes, they are, but come from a different part of their home planet," Keni said.

"I did not know that," Bobbi-Lee said.

"Yeah, they are peaceful, unlike the grays, who are more militant," Keni said.

"Okay," Bobbi-Lee said, stepping back and looking over Keni. She walked around the younger woman. With a nod, she stepped away. "Brooke?" Bobbi-Lee asked.

Brooke stood up and walked around Keni. She nodded and made a face here and there. "Looks good," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee nodded, "Keni, you can change out of this; just please be careful and hang up the dress," she said.

"Thanks, Bobbi," Keni said, got off the platform, and headed for a changing room.

Brooke looked at Bobbi-Lee. "You were good with her, got her to stop fidgeting," Brooke said.

"I had one big advantage," Bobbi-Lee said.

"What's that?" Brooke asked with a shrug.

"I'm not her mom," Bobbi-Lee said.

Brooke smiled, "Good point, but you somehow got through to her," she said.

"I just let her talk about her interests," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I did understand a word she said," Brooke said, dejected.

"Me either, but I just let her talk," Bobbi-Lee said.

Brooke sighed, "Keni is the one child I've always struggled to connect with. I thought it would be Tucker, but no, it's Keni," Brooke said.

"Keni is her own person; I don't know how else to say it," Bobbi-Lee said.

"Maybe, some insight, please," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee looked around, then sighed, "Keni has four older sisters; on the surface, it's hard to tell their personalities apart; they all have a similar look, so Keni wants to stand out," she said.

Brooke nodded, "Never thought of it that way," she said.

"Yeah, it's her being rebellious," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I see," Brooke said.

"That's my take," Bobbi-Lee said.

"You have two sisters; how did you three handle that?" Brooke asked.

"Easy, Kayla wasn't raised with us, and she's blonde. Also, Kelly and I are six years apart, plus it's easy to tell us apart," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I see your point," Brooke said.

"Anyways were both tall redheads, but Kelly got lucky she isn't a ginger," Bobbi-Lee said.

"Your family does have a lot of redheads in your family," Brooke said.

"Yeah, a lot of recessive genes," Bobbi-Lee said.

"I think that dress is coming out great," Brooke said.

"Thanks, but I think it looks better on Brett than Anya," Bobbi-Lee said.

"You're biased," Brooke said.

Bobbi-Lee shrugged, "Yeah, maybe so," she said.

Keni came of the changing room and looked at Bobbi-Lee and Brooke. "Okay, the dress is hanging up in the room, and I'm getting ready for the game," Keni said and left.

Brooke and Bobbi-Lee looked at each other and shrugged.