New chapter up. I'm having trouble with one perspective viewpoint but I have the next few already written and will upload them as soon as I can.

Chapter VIII

Justin eyed the spinning silks and statuesque men and women who wore them. Such colors, such style! This was the center of the fashion world. Anything that graced these hallways was soon spread across Milan, Paris, and the entire world! Who needed study hall anyway?

"Justin Suarez!"

Uh oh. Busted.

"And what, pray tell, are you doing here?"

"Umm, my book report?"

"Try again."

The young boy sheepishly trailed a line with his scuffed sneaker. "I just like it here better than school."

"Well, Justin, I'm sure you have heard that you at least have to have a college degree before you can even intern at Mode Magazine."

He nodded in response. Hilda Suarez had always lectured her son on going to college. Justin suspected that even though his mother was never the book learning type, his unexpected presence in her life pretty much closed that chapter for her.

The stern voice continued on, "Haven't you heard this lecture enough from your mother, you have to hear it from me too?"

Justin replied back cheekily, "Oh, you know you like it. When was the last time you lectured Alexis or Daniel to keep away from working here?"

Claire Meade had to agree with that one. Both her sons had never willingly wanted to work at the magazine corporation, especially alongside their father. Daniel had never even expected to set foot in the building much less inherit his father's reign until after Alex's sudden "death." She knew both sons had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the role. Perhaps Justin was right. It was nice lecturing someone to keep away from the magazine for once.

She gave him an unsympathetic look, attempting to maintain the façade of anger, and led him away towards Mode's grand entrance. "Now now. You may be right, but there is one thing that I can honestly say about my children." Claire paused choosing her words carefully. She had never been the world's greatest mother, but as sure as the botox on Wilhelmina's face, she would pledge that Justin Suarez would not fall into the same mistakes her family did.

"I wished that I'd allowed Alexis and Daniel to grow up with a childhood instead of grooming them to be Bradford's heir as quickly as possible."

It had seemed that one moment, she had two angelic boys, and the next time she looked up from her martini glass, they were all grown up and at each other's throats. Maybe if she took the time to foster their brotherhood rather than shuffling them off to boarding schools as quickly as possible, they would be closer, like a family should be.

"Why should I suffer through my childhood when I know what my future will be like already?" Justin glanced around the smooth sleek lines of the magazine's building already envisioning his place at one of the design tables.

"It's not always fun and games, Justin. How many times have you seen your Aunt Betty come home late at night?"

"That's true, and she's always talking about the boring research she has to do for the articles."

Claire Meade smiled glad she was getting through to the talented young man. "Besides, partying with models and celebrities isn't until you get to my position."

"Oh don't worry. That's going to be sooner than you think." His confident smirk was so endearing, Claire dared not laugh at his presumption.

The pair made it outside to the hubbub that was the heart and soul of New York City. The Meade Matriarch still hadn't gotten used to the fact that she was able to walk freely without an escort. Her time spent in prison was an eye opener. All of the concepts she thought were important in her life before were actually meaningless, and what she neglected before needed to be nurtured now.

One young man in particular.

The matriarch gave a sideways glance from the corner of her eye towards the young Suarez boy. She could picture it, him dressed in a smart suit joyfully approving layouts and discussing the latest imported materials from Europe, provided that he stopped skipping school. Perhaps an enticement of a scholarship to New York's Fashion Institute would tempt him from truancy.

"I'm sure you will, and not to be cliché, but stay in school, Justin Suarez."

Before she could turn to go, it was with great surprise that she found herself suddenly engulfed in the arms of a still growing teenage boy. She didn't even think that Daniel and Alexis had ever hugged her in this fashion. Daniel had warned her once that the Suarezes were huggers, much to her blue blood and high societal shock and horror.

This wasn't so bad though. In fact, it was kind of nice.

"Thanks Mrs. Meade. I won't let you down." He pulled away from her. "And don't be too hard on yourself. You may have made some mistakes, but we all do. Daniel and Alexis should be glad to have you for a mom." With a jaunty spring in his step and one last wave, Justin made his way towards the subway to make his way back to the institution that was public school.

His awestruck companion could only stand there in the middle of the sidewalk in stunned silence. She shook her head, questioning if that had really just happened. Claire wandered back inside, only to encounter two bickering children.

"Mother! Tell Alexis that she can't use that spread for page 12 of the issue, I promised it for Katarina's article."

"Mother, Daniel's being a brat and only said that because he wants to get into her..."

"Language!" she remarked with a dry tone. She prepared herself to return to the peace and quiet (and secret stash of liquor) that was in her office when Justin's words of encouragement echoed back to her. Whirling around, she faced her squabbling children who stepped back in astonishment and fear.

"Daniel, no. You cannot lump an article in just because a writer flashed a flirtatious look towards you. Alexis, word your arguments based on logic and don't attack him personally; it weakens your argument."

The co-editors of Mode magazine stared blankly at the lecturing woman in front of them. Who was this person and what happened to their mother?

She turned to her youngest. "Daniel, stick to the layout that you put together with Betty." With one mention of his assistant, Daniel visibly calmed down and smiled. Claire gloated inside. All it took was his Betty's name to make Daniel stop being a foolish boy. A forward nobody from Queens had captured the eternal bachelor's heart. Her baby turned and rushed off to cancel the changes he had recklessly issued.

"Mom, that was impressive." Claire turned towards her daughter, still stunned by her maternal streak.

Maybe Justin was right. Maybe there was hope for her yet.

As always, much appreciation to all those who read my silly story. Please review.

Grignard