Model Beast
By Thomas Mc
Chapter 12 : The Planning
July 2036
Emily was once again back in New York after a couple of weeks in Fiji. She got a call from Pierre, the day after she got in, asking her to meet him at a local high end restaurant for lunch. Pierre greeted her and, after ordering lunch, he told her that he was in town talking to his American distributors about his new spring line, and getting things set up for the new line's introduction. They got down to discussing the fashion show that he was planning for the end of October.
"I got all the permits and the equipment lined up for the show and I got it set on Halloween like you suggested. I really liked that part of it, getting everyone to show up in costume. I even got permission to use Belvedere Castle. It will make an excellent background and we can set up the changing stations inside the castle."
"That's great, Pierre." Emily responded to him. Inside she felt like fireworks going off. "That's exactly what we did for the swimsuit issue two years ago. The basement is perfect for that." Everything was falling into place like dominoes.
"I decided that I'm going to do the magazine shoot at the same time, during the fashion show." He paused and frowned. "The only thing I haven't done yet is secure the rights to the book for the show's wedding finale. I think the Wells-Chandler Foundation currently controls the copyright to those books."
"No problem." Emily jumped in. "I have a friend who can arrange that for you." She was sure that Charles could get the rights from the Wells-Chandler Foundation since it would allow them to stage their wedding in Central Park like they hoped.
"What about that makeup artist you mentioned?" Pierre inquired, "Is he going to be available to do the Beast makeup?"
"I've already got him lined up and I also have a few local boys that can do the part of the Beast if you need them." She hoped she could get him to accept her 'local boys' for the shoot. This was one of the critical parts of her plan.
Pierre thought about it a minute. "I really haven't gotten to that point yet. If you have some good candidates, I will be happy to consider them. Do they have any modeling experience?"
"Not really but they are very quick studies and they already have the movement and look that I think you want."
"I'll see how things develop between now and then. The males will have to be pretty tall, especially the one that is paired with you in the finale."
~ x x x x x ~
The next day Emily called up her agent. "Marty, I need a really, really big favor from you."
"Sure thing, Hon. What do you want?"
"I need you to somehow arrange for all of the top male models to get lucrative gigs during the last week of October. I know that you represent many of them and have connections to the other's agents. The only thing is, you can't send any of them to Pierre, and I don't want my name associated with any of this."
"I already have a large number of my people booked for that time. That's when the spring lines are introduced. What are you up to, girl? Does this have anything to do with Pierre's spring line show on Halloween?"
"It's a secret. I can't really tell you why I need this, but it is very important to me and I can assure you that it won't have a negative affect Pierre's show."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks, Marty. I really appreciate this."
She hung up the phone. Martin was a very good agent and she had no doubt about his ability to accomplish what she asked of him. He was also a very inquisitive person. She would probably have to spend the next few months fending off his curiosity about the reason for her request.
~ x x x x x ~
It was late August and Emily was again in France, doing a shoot in the wine country, when she got a call from Pierre.
"Emily honey, I've run into a snag and I hope you can still help."
Emily crossed her fingers. "Sure, Pierre, I'll do whatever I can."
"All the best male models are engaged during Halloween. It looks like I'm going to have to use those men that you mentioned when we last talked. I hope you know that I'm putting a lot of faith in you with this."
Emily fought the desire to squeal with glee. "I understand. The men I mentioned are still available and I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
"What about the fit. I won't be able to get back to New York in time to get them properly fitted."
"I'll get that information to you. I'll tell you up front, the men I have in mind are all about six and a half feet tall and well built. I'll try to get their specific dimensions to you as soon as I can. Also I know a couple of tailors that can make any necessary alterations. They're very good and discrete so your designs will be safe."
"Thank-you Emily. You are a lifesaver." There was a definite sound of relief in Pierre's voice.
"Think nothing of it, Pierre." Emily was nearly dancing with glee as she hung up. All the pieces were falling into place.
~ x x x x x ~
A few weeks later Emily was back over at the brownstone talking to Devin's brother, Michael and his cousins, Peter William and Joseph.
"Pierre likes the idea of doing the Fashion show next to Belvedere Castle on Halloween and having the male models made up to look like the beast from Brigit's books. This means that all of you will be able to be there for the wedding that will occur at the end of the fashion show." She swept them all with her gaze. "With your natural grace you will all be able to pull off the ruse as male models with no effort. The job itself will mostly consist of walking up and down the runway wearing the clothes from his new line." She smiled at them. "From the way Pierre described his new line, you guys will look fantastic."
"How many males will you be needing for this?" Jacob asked.
"The last time I talked to him, Pierre said that he has six other top models lined up as well as me. So that means he will need all of you, including you and Charles."
Charles spoke up. "He is going to expect to pay salaries for the male models. I doubt if working for free will pass his accountants. Have you figured out a way to deal with that?"
"I told him that, since the men I got were unknowns, he could pay scale and that you all wanted your salaries to go to the children's wing of Hospital. He actually liked that idea and was thinking of pointing out that the show would be contributing to that particular charity. I thought you would also like that idea as well."
Elizabeth responded. "I think that is a wonderful idea."
Michael spoke up at this point. "What about the makeup people? Won't they notice that we are not using them?"
Emily responded. "I told Pierre that I had found someone that specialized in movie makeup who would do the beast makeup for the men. Anybody could fill that role since he won't really have to do anything."
"You still have to figure out how to slip us into the show in the first place." Joseph remarked.
"We will be using the basement of Belvedere Castle as our changing area. I thought about curtaining off the back area near the tunnel access as the men's changing and makeup area. There are still some details of how to make the switch without anyone else catching on but that shouldn't be too hard. I just need to find some men who already know about you and can pass as unmade-up versions of you."
Peter spoke up at this point. "We may be able to help you there but I don't know if we can find enough helpers that are tall enough."
Emily thought a moment. "We can work with that. All seven male models don't have to arrive at the same time."
"As crazy as it sounds, I think you may actually be able to pull this off." Vincent remarked. "Catherine and I would both love to see you two married in the open daylight."
"There is one other thing. I need to get all of your measurements to Pierre so that the clothes will fit properly." Emily added.
The next hour was spent making sure that she got everyone's sizes down correctly. Then she checked over her list. The next day Emily sent Pierre the general dimensions of Devin and his cousins, along with copies of some of her concept sketches for the stage settings and props.
~ x x x x x ~
Emily had just returned from Florida and she was down in the tunnels relaxing with Devin.
"We have four men that are large enough to pass as the un-made-up males." He was telling her.
"I think we can make it work with that." She thought a moment. "They can show up one at a time and three of them can go out the tunnel and come back around a few minutes later. Hopefully no one will notice anything unusual."
"Have you any preferences in our vows?" Devin asked.
She glanced down shyly a moment. "Well, I, ah I kinda like the ones that were used in Brigit's book. Since the finale is based on that book it seems like the perfect fit." She looked up at him. "What about you?"
Devin smiled at her. "I've loved that book since I was a child, so I like your idea. The vows in that scene do happen to express my feelings perfectly - especially the part about joining our two very different worlds." He grinned playfully at her. "Any thoughts about our honeymoon?"
She smiled back. "Anywhere you want, dear. I only have one condition."
He could sense a strong current of amusement rising in her. "And what is that?" He asked.
Her grin widened. "You have to take me with you."
"I thought that maybe we could go out to the Chandler lake house in Connecticut. It's secluded and it's beautiful out there at that time of year. It's where Catherine and Vincent spent their honeymoon. Mom and Dad also went there for their honeymoon as well as Uncle Charles and Aunt Linda. It's practically a Chandler-Wells tradition. And the logistics of getting there and back safely are well established by now."
Emily laughed. "Far be it from me to mess with tradition. Besides, I've heard about this place and I would like to see it for myself." She turned serious. "What about the priest?"
"Elizabeth has already talked to him and he is OK with the whole covert wedding plot. He even agreed to wear the outfit from the movie."
Emily sighed with relief. "That's great."
They leaned in together and kissed. Soon the wedding plans were the furthest thing from their minds."
~ x x x x x ~
Late October 2036
Emily was with Linda when they had made a little side trip to visit a very old friend of Catherine's, named Nancy Tucker, that was living in a nursing home. Both of Nancy's children had also been there visiting and had just left. They were in the common room when Emily spotted Danny, her overseas security guard, coming in through the main entrance. When Emily greeted him he introduced the two women that had come in with him. One was his 'little' sister and the other was his mother. He told her that he was in town to visit his parents and they were here visiting his senile grandmother; the one that claimed the Creature of Central Park was real. Danny's grandmother was sitting over at a table by herself looking at a fashion magazine. Emily knew from conversations with Danny, that she was around sixty-one but she looked eighty-one.
As they approached, the old woman's eyes opened wide in surprise and recognition. She grabbed the edge of Emily's cloak and stared piercingly into Emily's eyes. "You know don't you? You've seen him."
"Pardon me, who are you talking about?" Emily responded in alarm at the intensity in the old woman's eyes.
"Now, Grams, you need to calm down. You know what the doctor said about letting yourself get worked up." Danny implored as he stepped up and tried to get his grandmother to release her hold on Emily's cloak. Two of the nursing home attendants had also started to close in on their location.
The old woman's eyes bore into Emily like a power drill as she continued to cling to the edge of her cloak. "I know you've seen him. You're wearing his cape." On her face was a look of wild-eyed desperation.
Emily waved off the attendants then indicated that Danny should sit down and take it easy as she settled herself into another chair next to the old woman. Emily smiled at the old woman. "Why don't you tell me about it?" She gently urged her. "You could start by telling me your name." Emily laid her hand on the woman's frail shoulder trying to calm her. "Danny tells me that you already know who I am, so it's only fair that I know your name as well."
The wild-eyed look of desperation faded and old woman seemed to relax as she released her grip on Emily's cloak. "My name is Deborah but everyone calls me Deb." Danny, his sister, his mother and Linda all took seats at the table making it just a bit crowded. A clear-eyed thoughtful look spread across Deborah's face as she drifted back through the years to a time long ago. "I first saw the creature when I was eleven years old back in 1988. Several of us unwanted kids were living with this man that taught us how to pick pockets and then had us work the crowded streets. We had just taken in a new girl named Ellie Peterson and we were starting to become friends. The creature and the woman with him invaded our hideout and they took Ellie away with them. I never saw Ellie again." Deborah's whole attitude softened as she talked. "I saw the creature and that same woman again nearly a year later in an alley near the park late one night. They were chasing this black wino named Rolley. After that Rolley started acting even flakier than normal." She glanced over at Danny and his mother. "Then the year after your mom was born I saw that creature again. Rolley went off with it and I never saw him again either.
Emily placed her hand over Deborah's and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I believe you, Deb." Emily glanced around at the others at the table. "This is for your ears only and the rest of them won't believe me, but this cloak was given to me by the Creature of Central Park, himself." She glanced at the surprised looks on the others faces, then back at the soft smile on the old woman's face. "You understand that the creature is a secret that we must keep to ourselves. We should only speak of him to those who have been lucky enough to have seen him. Danny and your daughter will never believe 'cause they've never seen."
The old woman nodded knowingly as Emily and Linda stood up. "We have to go now but it was a pleasure meeting you."
Danny spoke to her quietly. "I'm not too sure about your tactics, but that is the first time I've seen her smile in a long time, and she didn't get upset like she usually does about the creature." He gave her a quick hug. "Anyway, thanks."
After a quick goodbye and exchange of hugs with Nancy, Emily informed her that Deb had encountered Vincent on three separate occasions and might appreciate a sympathetic person to talk with. Then they headed back to the tunnels.
Continued in Part 13
'Beauty and the Beast' and its characters are owned by Witt-Thomas Productions and Republic Pictures. No infringement on copyrights is intended. This story is presented merely for the enjoyment of fans. Original concepts and story elements may be used by other authors as long as appropriate credit is given.