Fluff
The dresses appear on Twitter at ManhattaniteNYC as well as on Pinterest under that name as well for your viewing pleasure.
A Wonderful Sting (David P Leverett)
Bandit wanted to apologize for biting, even though it clearly was Helena's fault, but he didn't dare leave his crate. He could tell from the fuss she was making over the innocuous injury that she wasn't approachable. Thankfully, he thought, Myka seemed to be calming her down.
"Helena, you have to let me at least look at it. I'm sure it's not serious. He has all his shots?" Vanessa asked, deciding right then and there she could have been a very successful pediatrician.
"You don't mean his saliva…?" Helena asked, wide-eyed at the thought.
"Well, there wasn't much fabric between you and his teeth, so he got flesh," Vanessa said and Helena shuddered.
Helena's selection of black lace cheekini had proven to be a poor choice to do battle in. "Just let her look," Myka said, gently pulling Helena to face her. She didn't think the wound was deep, nor warranted medical attention, but considering the wedding was in days, she wasn't taking any chances.
"The indignity of it all," Helena said, closing her eyes as Vanessa discretely checked the patient. Myka took Helena's hands and pulled them into her, kissing them.
"Wow, he's got some set of teeth…..," Vanessa remarked without thinking.
"Doctor!" Helena yelled and Vanessa suppressed her laugh. Helena jumped a little when the doctor applied the antiseptic and antibiotic creamed bandage.
"This from a woman who performed her own surgery to remove God knows what on herself," Vanessa said of the Brit. "Nice stitching, hardly a scar," the doctor admired Helena's work when she removed the honing device herself.
"Are you quite done?" Helena asked, not caring to have her derriere be a medical showcase.
"Yes," Vanessa said, smiling at Myka. "Now I would change that in the morning. It's not serious, but it is going to be tender given its location."
"Don't you even want to see the attacker? Shouldn't you test him? Draw blood? Something?" Helena protested.
"Did you bite him?" Vanessa asked.
"No, but not for lack of trying," Helena remarked with displeasure.
Myka thanked Vanessa for the emergency visit as she walked her to the door. "I'll tell them flu shots," she said of the press, waiting outside.
Myka came back to the patient who was more upset by her defeat than her wound. "Come on, we'll go upstairs and I'll take care of you," she said to Helena, soothing more than just her pain.
By morning time, Myka had not only managed to get Helena to forget her wound, but the Brit also had one of the most peaceful sleeps she had in a long time.
"This is going to be very inconvenient," Helena complained the next morning when she attempted to sit down and found it painful. Myka had diligently changed the bandage, placing the lightest kiss near it when she was done.
"I think you should change this hourly," Helena suggested.
"I'll tell you what," Myka said, getting dressed. "I'll do my best to keep you distracted today."
Helena would have loved the idea, but thought Myka would be too busy with work and the details of the wedding to follow through so she expressed her doubt. "Right."
"You don't think I can do it?" Myka asked, noticing the cynical tone, and feigning surprise.
This time, Helena caught on faster that the game was afoot. "No, I am the CEO, darling. I'm not easily distracted. I have a razor sharp focus at work and there is little, if anything, you can do to divert that."
"Really?" Myka said, accepting the playful bait.
"Sad, but true," Helena said, pretending like she didn't care.
"OK, Wells, you're on. I bet I can dismantle that razor sharp focus by noontime," Myka said, her hands on her hips.
"Can't be done," Helena said, putting her nose up at Myka as she walked past her.
It was not the best morning for the game to start, given all the couple had to decide, but Myka wasn't backing away from Helena's challenge.
"He won't come out of his crate," Leena said of the dog. "What happened?"
"As best he shouldn't," Helena yelled to him from the hallway. "That blasted thing bit me."
"Are you ok?" Leena asked Helena and then turned to Myka. "She …didn't…bite him back, did she?"
"Why does everyone question whether or not I bit the dog?" she asked Myka, who assured her it was nothing.
The discomfort was clear on Helena's face as soon as she got in the car and Myka took her hand and caressed it. She texted Eileen to please get a soft cushion for Helena to sit on. Eileen went through the office looking for one and found it in Mrs. Frederic's office.
"Can I borrow this?" the young woman asked.
"Of course. For what?" Irene inquired.
When she explained that Myka asked her to put it in Helena's office, Irene wondered if her boss was okay. She texted Myka who responded that Helena was a little... sore. Myka took Helena to her office to make sure she was okay. Irene walked in to see Helena sitting down carefully in her chair.
"Are you ok?" she asked her boss, then looked at Myka.
"Bandit bit her," Myka said, biting her own lip.
"What did you do?" Irene asked Helena, assuming the dog had provocation.
"What did I do?" Helena repeated. "I am the victim here. That beast took it upon himself to attack me."
"You were just sitting there and he bit you?" Irene asked.
"Well how the bloody hell could I be sitting there if he bit me where I sit?" Helena questioned logically.
"She …was on the floor," Myka tried to explain and the HR Director decided that was more than enough information.
"You're failing already," Helena reminded Myka of her quest to distract.
"Right. Okay if you ladies will direct your attention to the screen," Irene said, placing her tablet down on Helena's desk. "These are the dresses Ms. Styles sent over."
"Oh wow, they're beautiful," Myka said of the samples pictured there. She and Helena had decided they both wanted to wear dresses and wanted them to complement each other.
Now all three women leaned into the screen to view the dresses. "Do you have any thoughts about the style?" Irene asked.
"Oh Helena, that would look beautiful on you," Myka said of one of the dresses. The smile on Myka's face appeared just thinking of how beautiful Helena would look in the backless gown that was formfitting to the thigh and then flared out.
"That's the one," Helena said, staring at how Myka's eyes were sparkling.
"What about this one for me?" Myka asked. Helena looked to see what she already knew would be Myka's choice. It was a lace top with white bodice and taffeta skirt to the floor. It was beautiful.
"I think it would be a fortunate dress to be your choice," Helena said.
"Well, that was easy," Irene said, sitting back. "Mr. Generis is preparing the final guest list. I have asked Eileen and Claudia to come in when I'm done so that you can ask them your special request. The arrangements are all in motion," Irene reported as she got up to leave.
"Looks like we're going to make this happen after all," Myka said, breathing easier.
Minutes later, there was a knock at the door and the two young women came in. "The Park is all set, boss," Claudia reported, thinking this was a meeting to update Helena.
"Good. Now Ms. Donovan, Miss Sullivan, Myka and I have something important to ask you," Helena said, smiling.
"Would you both do us the honor of being our bridesmaids?" Myka asked and Eileen jumped out of her seat and clasped her hand. "YES!" she said, looking down at her motionless girlfriend. "Claud?" she said, seeing the worried look on her face.
The whole thing made Claudia uncomfortable. She was more than happy to coordinate anything Helena and Myka wanted, but this was a little too out in front for her. She had images of walking down a long aisle in a poufy dress and a halo of flowers in her hair. It would be nothing short of torture. Helena read her dear friend's face immediately. They had spent many a long night shoulder to shoulder working on projects for Helena not to know what this young woman's tastes were.
"You are more than welcomed to wear a tuxedo of your choosing," Helena assured her and Claudia let out an audible sigh. "And if you wouldn't mind, joining me on the altar rather than walking….," Helena added.
"YES!" Claudia finally agreed, jumping up and hugging Myka. "I'm really honored," she said, hugging Helena and then getting filled up. This was too much emotion for the techie who coughed and said she had to check on …..something. Eileen smiled and took her hand as they left.
It wasn't until they were outside that Eileen noticed the frown on Claudia's face. "Come in here," Eileen said and the two walked into her office. "What's the matter?" she asked because she could sense Claudia was not just taken with emotion, but bothered.
"Nothing," she lied and then looked at Eileen whose expression read that there was and she knew it.
"OK, suppose this changes everything? I mean, it's great that they're getting married, don't get me wrong. I love Myka, there's no one else for Helena. But suppose it changes things?" Claudia said, moving around the room, unable to stand still.
Eileen watched her carefully. She knew exactly what was going on. The time Claudia spent alone with Helena when they were creating the android was the happiest she had seen her girlfriend. Eileen often thought that Claudia had more in common with Helena than she did. They had a special bond and right now, Claudia was feeling threatened that might change.
"Helena will always….," Eileen started to say, but Claudia was embarrassed that she would even address such a ridiculous and selfish notion.
"Sure, I know that," Claudia said and said goodbye.
Eileen tried to say something, but Claudia was out the door. There was only one person who could get past the walls the woman was putting up. But if she went to Helena about this, Claudia would find out and be upset. How was she going to get around that?
"We really are very good at this," Myka boasted thinking of all the things they were checking off their list.
"Maybe we should work together more often," Helena teased and Myka took her hand and played with it. Helena had been standing and slowly started to sit back down when Myka held onto her hand and slowly placed her lips on Helena's index finger, enveloping the tip, and sucking on it. Helena sat down, her eyes fixed on the gesture. Helena hadn't flinched.
"Feel that?" Myka asked when she removed her finger.
"Yes," Helena gasped.
"Good. I'd say I'm pretty good at distracting you," Myka smiled and Helena realized she hadn't felt anything else.
"Maybe," Helena said, not wanting Myka to give up trying.
"Right," Myka said, knowing she had done quite well.
Just then the office door opened and Eileen appeared. "Ms. Wells?" she said coming in and pacing.
"I'll come back," Myka said and kissed Helena goodbye.
"I'm sorry to bother you," Eileen said and Helena's expression confirmed that she was. "Sometimes, when something happens and everyone is really happy that it's happening, there could still be some ….concern that the thing everyone is happy about happening, could change things," Eileen said and could hear that she was rambling.
Helena had learned from Myka that when people are incoherent and annoying her, there was still a message that she should try to get. The genius knew that look. It was one of concern for a loved one.
"Very well," Helena said, granting her unspoken request.
"Thank you," Eileen said sincerely.
Moments later, as Helena visited the 16th floor, she spied the object of her mission. "May I see you in your office?" Helena asked Claudia who detected the tone immediately. Her boss sounded troubled.
"Ms. Donovan, I am concerned that staff members might feel uncertain about things now that Myka and I are getting married," Helena started.
"Why would they think that?" Claudia asked, curious about who these people were.
"They might feel that my attention to various projects will not be as focused," Helena fabricated.
"Oh, yeah, they could I guess," Claudia said, identifying with the unnamed individuals.
"Yes, well I think it would be comforting to those people if you and I made it clear that things will continue to move along on schedule," Helena suggested.
"You and me? You and I? How?" Claudia asked, very interested.
"Well, for one, you and I have a lot of work to do on Sui's future programs. I think it would be good if people knew that we are already scheduling that upon my return. It might be good for you to give Miss Sullivan a heads up that you could be quite busy working with me, so that she knows," Helena recommended.
"We will? Yes, I will. That's a good idea. I'll tell them. I mean her," Claudia rattled off.
"Good," Helena said, smiling at her friend. "And thank you for agreeing to stand up there with me. I don't mind telling you, I'm getting a little nervous," Helena laughed quietly.
"No problem, Boss. I'll be right up there with you," Claudia beamed.
"I am counting on that," Helena said.
Helena said goodbye and left, as Claudia bounced around doing an impromptu cha-cha in her office singing "I'm working with Helena, yes I'm working with Helena." Her mood had changed completely.
"What is that about?" Irene asked, hearing the singing.
"Ms. Donovan is happy to be working with me," Helena summed it up.
"Well, will wonders never cease," Irene commented. "How is your….?" she asked, looking in the direction of the wound.
"It's very well, thank you," Helena lied.
"Try to play nice with him, Helena," Bandit's counselor implored. "You're the adult."
"Play nice with him? Why does everyone assume he is the innocent in this? He …bit…..me!" the CEO stated again. Helena didn't have time to argue with the woman. She stormed into Myka's office to share her discontent.
"Could you explain to me as my Chief Counsel," Helena bellowed as Myka asked if she could call the person back, "….why I need to defend myself against my attacker?"
"You don't," Myka said, and tried to warn Helena not to sit, but she did and shot up out of the seat.
"Oooooww!" Helena said and closed her eyes from the pain. Myka was next to her in a second, holding onto to her.
"Oh I'm sorry, Helena," Myka said, gently cupping her behind without touching the wound.
"Want me to kiss it?" Myka said, close to Helena's ear and completely caught her attention.
"I do!" Helena said, turning to Myka and smiling.
"Practicing for Saturday?" Myka teased, pulling her in to hug her. "Let's finish up all the things we need to do for the wedding ….and then tonight ….I can take care of you."
"Yes," Helena said, thinking she could make any decision quickly right now.
"Flowers?" Myka asked, slowly.
"If you want them," Helena said.
"Helena, are you doing to say yes to anything I ask?" Myka said, knowing the answer.
"Yes," Helena said.
"Well, you have a staff meeting soon and I'm going to make good on my promise to completely distract you. Think you can handle that?" Myka said.
Helena loved it when Myka talked tough. "Ha. Bring your game," Helena said, having heard the phrase.
"You mean – Bring my A game?" Myka corrected her.
"Bring whatever you want. It won't work," Helena said, forgetting all about her injury.
"We'll see about that, Ms. Wells," Myka said as Helena left to prepare for her meeting.
Myka waited for Helena to close the door before she picked up her iPhone and took a short video of something that she would send Helena …at exactly the right moment.