Chief Interest
"Did you tell her? What did she say? Is she going all 'get your bloody 'ands off my adorable assistant?" Claudia said imitating Helena's accent …..poorly.
"What? Her hands?" Myka asked perplexed. She was still thinking about Helena's hands on her…..
"What did Helena said when you said they hacked into Eileen's file?" Claudia asked.
"Oh…wait, I forgot to tell Helena that. I asked Eileen not to go away from her desk, or Helena or to follow anyone strange I think," Myka said neural connections were disengaging and sending the blood supply somewhere else.
"Myka! She's like a dog. If you tell her to stay there and there's a fire drill, she won't leave. Geesh and you're actually getting some and acting like this!" Claudia complained. "Again, I'm sorry," she said of her terse remark. "I better go up there."
"OK good," Myka said trying to get her brain back on line. She slipped down into her chair. "Work, Myka, do your work,' she said to herself and picked up papers to read and soon found herself doodling hearts on the side of the contract. "I'm hopeless," Myka lamented and then broke out in a smile.
"Hey boss?" Pete said poking his head inside the door. "Is it okay with you if I leave work now? I'll be back to pick you up later."
"Everything okay, Mr. Lattimer?" Helena asked.
"Yeah, just some family business," Pete smiled.
"Remember Mr. Lattimer," Helena said trying to act nonchalant, "We are your family, too."
"Thanks," Pete said and closed the door slowly. "Is she okay? She playing nice," he asked Eileen.
"Oh yes, she's fine. I think it's Ms. Bering's influence. She was so polite when my mother was here!"
"OK, so you guys have a ride, you don't need me?" Pete said and Eileen assured him that she, Claudia and Steve would meet him there.
Pete drove up to the hotel to meet with his mother. She had asked if they could meet before the dinner tonight, she had something important to tell him.
As Pete sat at the window table, Jane explained to him how devastated she was after his father died. How she was depressed and didn't want to go on and only did so for his sake and his sister's. Nothing besides them seemed to matter anymore. When they were off to college and then their careers, the depression set back in. "I was alone in the world, Pete. I loved you kids, but you were making your own paths in the world." She told him how she was at her lowest when she was approached by a man who said he had an interesting job for her. It was a government job, but it came with a great deal of benefits. She could move and leave her life behind her. "I kept the house in Ohio just for you guys for when you came back." "I am part of a very important team, Pete, which takes care of special items from all over the world," she said.
"So you're a docent at the Smithsonian?" Pete asked.
"Not quite," Jane smiled.
The more she tried to say, the more complicated it seemed to get. "Mom, whatever it is, I want to hear it," Pete said.
The tinged guilt she felt was clear on her face. "I should have told you a long time ago, but it comes with a price, Pete," she said.
"Mom, I'm a grown man, I can handle it," he said and tears welled up in her eyes. He was indeed a grown man – a wonderful, caring, sensitive grown man. Jane had done something right.
She took a deep breath and gave him the details. She told him what her job was, that she was responsible for bringing Helena back to the Warehouse, but had no idea he would follow with her friends. "I was in awe of how – not only her One, but all of you just picked up and risked so much to save her," Jane said.
"You put us in that risk?" Pete asked pulling back.
"This was an unusual set of circumstances, Pete. When you choose two people as your One, the Warehouse gets to decide," Jane said.
"You make it sound like it's alive," Pete said back. That was for another day perhaps.
"Pete, in telling you all of this, I am asking you to be my One," Jane said.
Pete stared at her from across the table. This was a lot for him to take in. "I'm not proud of everything I've done, Pete. Sometimes it's just what the job demands of me," Jane said.
"Why did you come now?" Pete asked his mother.
"I wanted to tell you, but I was here on official business. Helena took something from the Warehouse and we were concerned she would use it. I came to get it back, but her friend Myka was very convincing," Jane smiled. "Then when Myka saw the picture of us that you showed her, she put it together and told Helena. Agent Wells, I mean Ms. Wells, called me and told me that she understood what I was going through, but that I should trust my relationship with you to withstand this decision," Jane said.
Pete could have gotten mad, gotten up and walked out of the restaurant and Jane's life. A part of him tossed this around as an option. Pete was made of tougher stuff than that – he really was a 'big picture' guy. And he could see the pain in his mother's eyes. "OK Mom, let's start over. I'll be your One, but no more lies. You have to be honest with me from now on or no deal," Pete said.
Jane reached across the table and squeezed his hands. "Thank you," she whispered.
"One more thing," Jane said swallowing back the tears. "The Regents asked me to recruit that young assistant who works for Ms. Wells. I told them I would at least look into it."
"They want Eileen? As an Agent?" Pete asked.
"As a Regent," Jane answered.
"Listen Mom, you might handle a lot of dangerous things on your job, but trying to take something that my boss thinks is hers – is a suicide mission and I won't let you do it," Pete said.
Jane listened carefully, but didn't share her thoughts. You didn't run away from vetting the next Regent because it might upset her boss. They hugged goodbye and Pete said he wanted to see her at the Mayor's fundraiser tonight. She was hesitant to go, but promised she would come.
Myka rushed home to her apartment and worried when she didn't see Thomas there. Yes, he was in for it – but she worried nonetheless. The doorman on duty assured her he would be there later. She was happy he was okay, but not sure that would be his condition if Helena found him. She was going to meet Helena at the dinner, so there was little chance of that happening. He was a pawn, Myka thought kindly of him. Helena would disagree.
No sooner did Myka get in the door that the doorman alerted her that three people were there for her. Pierre brought up her gown, a woman spread out her makeup kit and a third took out scissors to 'trim and style' Myka's hair. It was like having a day of beauty right there in her living room. Pierre handed Myka a white bag and smiled at her. "This is for …under the gown," he said. Myka went into her bedroom and looked at the beautiful undergarments. Then she looked at the long dress hanging on her door.
"It's a Monique Lhuillier," Pierre said impressed. "I don't know….," Myka said embarrassed to admit she had no clue. Pierre smiled understandingly. "It is Italian, but it has two tone French lace with Spanish tulle overlay. Magnifique!" the tailor said.
"But this ….," Myka said noticing the thigh high split.
"Very sexy, eh?" the Frenchman smiled.
Just then Myka's phone beeped and it was Helena on Facetime. Pierre left her alone.
"Do you love it?" Helena asked of the gown.
"I do, Helena. It's beautiful, but…..," and Myka lifted the dress out where it split.
"You have the legs, Myka. And the height. You will be the most beautiful woman there," Helena said.
"Well thank you, but I seriously doubt that," Myka said seriously. "Helena, I don't think I can wear this …," and Myka pulled out the garter belt and pointed to the slit again and said, "…with that."
"Really?" Helena said and proved once again she was a terrible liar. "Well, I guess you'll just have to go without… anything …underneath," the Brit said and tried not to get lost in that thought. "You do know you'll be sitting right next to me, oui? To my right?" Myka looked and noted the slit was on the left side of the dress.
"You do know there will be other people there, yes Helena?" Myka asked.
"None that I am interested in," Helena said truthfully.
Suddenly Myka realized that someone was in Helena's bedroom with her. A middle aged, balding Asian man with a very pleasant expression, but seemed exasperated when he said, "Perhaps these Helena?"
"Myka -say hello to Mr. Choo, a genius when it comes to designing shoes, but rather impatient when it comes to selecting them to match a gown," Helena laughed.
Myka heard the man throw down the pair of shoes and mumbled to himself. "Helena, is that Jimmy Choo in your room?" Myka wasn't completely oblivious to the names of high end couture.
"A tad temperamental if you ask me," Helena whispered into the phone.
"Thank you, Helena for all of this, " Myka said sweeping the room adorned with her outfit for tonight. "I can't wait to see what it looks like on," she said excited.
"I can't wait to see what it looks like off," Helena said smiling devilishly into the phone. "Mr. Choo, I'm wearing black …for part of the night anyway," Helena didn't let up.
"I will see you later," Myka said embarrassed by the exchange in front of the famous designer.
Eileen went to Claudia's apartment only after Myka was sure she was in good hands. Eileen figured Myka was nervous about her first big event with Helena. "Does she know there are paparazzi and celebrities?" Eileen asked Claudia. "No idea," the more senior staff member said. She was too busy digging in her closet. "Got em!" she yelled and came out holding up a pair of black boots. "I might have to be all foo-foo on top," she said of her fancy dress, but that does not mean my feet have to hurt."
"Oh I love the idea of dressing up," Eileen said and looked at the cocktail dresses that had been delivered to Claudia's apartment. "It's like going to a fancy ball," the romantic said twirling around, holding the dress up to her.
"Does Disney know you escaped?" Claudia asked and then saw the look on Eileen's face. She was hurt by that remark.
"You think I am awfully naive, don't you?" Eileen asked and of course, there wasn't a shred of anger in her voice.
"No, no, I don't. OK, a little," Claudia said and felt terrible. "You're sweet and adorable and I'm sorry."
"It's okay. You have a stressful job," Eileen said thinking that the Techie was dealing with work issues.
Claudia had been snarky to people all day and she was feeling really bad about it. "How do you do it?" Claudia asked her friend.
"Do what?" Eileen asked.
"You always see the best in people," Claudia said.
"It's always there, " Eileen said. "Come on, let's put our dresses on, and get ready."
An hour later, Claudia was decked out in a Jennings Geometric Intarsia black short dress. The geometric shape was done in gun metal silver. She opened the box that she thought would contain the dreaded high heels she would never think of wearing only to find a beautiful pair of Anne Bing black ankle boots….. with studs.
"God, she knows me," Claudia said clutching the boots to her chest.
Then her bathroom door opened and out stepped a vision in soft jade. "I have never worn anything this beautiful," Eileen said of the Anne Taylor silk Georgette Keyhole halter dress with the v-back. It complimented her fair skin perfectly. "Oh I got gold shoes!" she practically squealed.
"Let's go part-tah!" Claudia said grabbing Eileen and going downstairs to meet the tuxedoed Steve. His handkerchief was a combination of jade and black – to compliment the women on his arms.
Pete picked Myka up and stood there, mouth agape at how beautiful she looked. "My God, Ms. Bering, you look…..wow," was all that came out of his mouth, but it was enough to make her blush. They took the short drive up to Helena's townhouse where they sat and waited the conventional thirty minutes while Helena finished dressing.
"My mother and I talked today, Ms. Bering," Pete said while they sat there.
"Oh Pete, how did it go?" Myka asked because Pete always looked as if he had the world on a string.
"It was hard, you know? I mean, my mother has this secret agent kind of job and we didn't know about it? I can tell you because you already know," he explained. Myka reached up and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay with all of that?" Myka asked him.
"Yeah – I mean, it's a lot to take in, but I get why she did it. I think after seeing what you did for Ms. Wells, well that kind of inspired her," he said.
"What we all did for Helena, Pete. We all went out there to save her," Myka said graciously.
"Thanks," Pete smiled back.
And then Myka's attention was diverted to the vision walking down the steps of the townhouse. Helena descended the steps dressed in an original Oscar de la Renta gown. It was black sequined, beaded tulle over a nude contrast underlay. So convincing was the illusion that Pete took a double take. For a second, he thought Helena was only wearing lace!
Myka simply gasped at how gorgeous Helena looked. The high, gathered neckline accentuated her long neck and it tied at the back with the excess falling down the deep v'd back. It was sleeves and Helena was grateful for the warm weather so she didn't have to wear a coat. The contour seams that shaped a formfitting silhouette through her waist and hip, showed off Helena's toned body perfectly. The trumpet skirt flared to the floor from her thigh. Myka wasn't sure how she was moving in something so tight.
She took Pete's hand as she got in the left side of the car and sat next to Myka. "You are a sight to behold," Helena said to Myka who still hadn't spoken, she was so taken with how beautiful Helena looked. Her skin was flawless, her hair was black silk.
"Thank you," Myka finally said. "You look ….my God, Helena," Myka finally uttered.
"As do you, darling. I love this color on you," Helena said.
Myka grabbed at the gown. "I love it too," Myka said of the deep color.
"I meant the one in your cheeks," Helena whispered in her ear.
Myka swallowed hard and tried to compose herself. "I especially love this," Helena said running her fingers along the slit in Myka's dress and touching her bare skin. She leaned in and caught the next gasp before it escaped Myka's lips, tasting Myka's lipstick and licking her own when she sat back.
Between the aroma of Helena's signature Chanel N°5 perfume, the touch of her hand, and that accent that made Myka melt on any given day, Myka wasn't sure she would be able to stand up.
This was going to be one of the best events Helena ever had the pleasure of attending and leaving.
One more should do it no?
Have I said that before?