"Why do I get the feeling that tomorrow isn't going to be a pleasant day?" Katalina asked Christina as she watched Betty exit the bar, cell phone pressed tightly against her ear. One could only assume that it was Daniel, which meant trouble was following close behind.
The Scot gave a shrug, much more interested in her drink and an older guy that Katalina didn't find attractive in the least bit.
"Have another drink my dark eyed beauty, I've got one more night left here in town. Have another drink of green elixir and we'll have ourselves a little mixer and follow me down," Katalina sang the next day at work. It was a difficult feat, seeing as she had several pins held in between her lips. She was crouched down by the bottom of a dress, removing the pins now that it was hemmed.
"I' seems you hit the nail right on the head, Kat," Chrisitina remarked from where she was standing on a stool, performing the same task around the neckline. Her assistant gave her a questioning look, pins bobbing up and down as she continued her song, humming. The older woman gestured toward the door of the Closet with her shoulder.
In stormed one rather upset Betty. "I can't believe him! How can he be so selfish?" she cried, clearly outraged.
Katalina removed the pins from her mouth and rocked back onto her heels. "Assuming that you're talking about Daniel, I'd have to say the most obvious reason is because he's a-"
"Youngest child type," Christina chimed in to avoid further upsetting Betty. She gave Katalina a look, then continued with her work.
"What'd he do now, anyway?" Katalina asked, sitting down next to the bespectacled assistant. She grabbed a banana off of their work table and proceeded to peel it.
Betty sighed, trying to ease out of her frustrated state. "It turns out that Tuesday was the model that we were going to use for this Red and Black shoot, and that Daniel left a pair of his briefs at her flat. Her boyfriend is the male model that we were going to use, and he got mad when he found out."
"Time out," Katalina said, the banana halfway to her mouth. "You keep saying 'were going to use,' like we're not going to use them any…more…Oh crap."
"Tell me about it," Betty groaned. "So now I have to straighten this mess out or Wilhelmina will use Daniel's mistake against him." She clasped her hands together in her lap.
Katalina frowned. "That's not right. It should be his responsibility. He's editor-in-chief and he's got to start cleaning up his own messes. Especially when they're brought on by his thinking with his…" She waved her banana around for emphasis. "You know…"
Betty cracked a smile, despite her mood. She wasn't sure what she would do without Katalina. But more importantly, she wasn't sure what she was going to do without a model at the moment. She heaved another sigh before getting up. She needed to work quickly if she was going to be able to help Daniel. "Well, I'll see you two later," she said with a wave.
Christina smiled sympathetically after her. "Poor lass," she murmured. She stepped off of her stool and gazed at the dress hanging on the dummy. It was one of the reds. A floor length gown, the back of it dipped down daringly low and ended just at the hip line, met by a sizable bow. She remembered how Katalina had complained that her ass would fall out as she was fitted.
"What?" Katalina asked, feeling her boss's eyes on her. "It's rude to stare," she chided before taking a bite of the banana.
"You are an absolute genius!" Christina cried before grabbing her assistant by the wrist and dragging her towards the elevator. She ignored the younger woman's protests ("Ow! This hurts! I just want to finish my banana!") and didn't bother to explain herself ("Wait, what the hell is going on? Christina!").
As the pair passed the receptionist's desk on Mode's floor, several insults were flung between Amanda and Katalina. Marc, who had been conversing with Amanda, observed, "Aw, you two must really like each other." This earned him a slap on the wrist.
"Christina! Katalina! What are you two doing up here?" asked a rather bewildered Betty. In her arms was what appeared to be an overly large address/telephone book of sorts.
Christina shoved her assistant towards Betty. "Use Katalina," she said breathlessly, and rather vaguely.
The two looked at each other, then at the older woman. "Have you been drinking today?" Katalina ventured to ask.
"No, no, no."
"Do you need me to take Katalina off your hands for a bit?" Betty guessed.
Christina shook her head, still catching her breath.
"This doesn't have to do with anything sexual, does it?" Katalina asked bluntly. Betty sent her an alarmed look. The other girl shrugged. "Hey, as long as we're just standing here throwing random things out…" she trailed off.
"In the shoot," Christina elaborated.
"Use Katalina in the shoot? What are you ta-"
"Do you not recall me saying that I am the least photogenic person on the planet?" Katalina interrupted. She crossed her arms over her chest in a stubborn manner.
"Oh," Betty said, a little slow on the uptake. "Do you really think that could work?" she asked Christina, ignoring Katalina's comment.
"I don' see why not. I mean she's already been fitted for all of the dresses," Christina explained. "All I'd 'ave to do is shorten them a wee bit."
"That still leaves us short one male model," Betty mused, her brow furrowing as she concentrated.
"As long as we're using employees, why not use Daniel? It's his fault we're in this mess to begin with," Katalina suggested, the sarcasm in her voice biting. "Hey wait, I was kidding!" she objected when Betty and Christina looked at each other and nodded.
Betty grinned. "He'll do it. He has to if he doesn't want another disaster on his hands."
"A human being's made of more than air. With all that bulk, you're bound to see him there. Unless that human bein' next to you, is unimpressive, undistinguished you know who...Cellophane should've been my name, 'cause you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never know I'm there," Katalina sang, throwing her hands up in the air.
A/N: Chapter 1 was edited slightly. I made Katalina 24 instead of 22. It works better in my head. Anyway, reviewers are loved and make me write faster.