by Adams, Zoe
They had planned a two day gala event. First they would meet with the business professionals for a few hours. Then on day two they would have the hopeful models in tow.
Day three was the actual New Kirk City fashion event.
Chapter 20
Finally the day in question arrived. Del woke up with nerves jumping. He chalked it up to the usual jitters accompanying anything important. They’d prepared best they could, all they could do now was move toward the future.
Del prospered as a farmer. But never had all the nervousness been compressed into one day, actually, twenty minutes. He imagined having one strip of property holding so much tension. He laughed at the thought of one swipe of his tractor being worth millions. The information had a bizarre place in his head and he could understand it.
Thinking of tractors brought up reminders of the coming summer. It would be a busy one. So far, Lady and Del had gotten along great, with his own stress level in check. The next few months would prove another side of their relationship.
But first, Del needed to walk through today. Lady had a lot riding on her fashion show. It directly impacted how happy the summer would be. The opinions rising from the show could be compliments or controversial meddling, but they would last forever.
Del flung his worries aside with the bed covers.
“You can’t get up yet,” Lady said sleepily.
Del sat for a moment. “I’ll be right back.”
He walked to the bathroom. Splashing water on his face helped alleviate some of the worries.
Del looked at himself in the mirror. He looked much different than when he met Lady. His skin no longer had the tan of working outdoors. He flexed his arms and the muscles were losing laborious tone. The six-pack of stomach muscles was much less defined.
He glared at himself and his tall reflection. Trying on pencil thin suits in the last few days made him feel even larger. Lady’s suggestions heavily guided his style. He wondered what she wanted him to wear today.
Del growled at himself in the mirror. Then he smiled. Then he opened his mouth and checked his teeth.
He made a serious face. Tiny lines by his eyes and mouth belonged on a windblown face, not the face staring back at him. He smiled at himself, and the lines belonged where they were.
Del finished up in the bathroom and went back to Lady. It was time to control what could be controlled and let everything else slide away.
They had a small breakfast of fruit and oatmeal. Coffee was mandatory. They ate in silence, with Lady deep in thought. Del couldn’t think of any jokes or subjects to lighten the mood. He wondered if he should make small talk, but for once kept his mouth shut.
“I finally decided what I’m going to wear today,” Lady said out of the blue.
“Oh good.” Del smiled. “That means pretty soon I’ll know what I’m going to wear too.”
He didn’t mean to sound like a cheerleader. It had come out all wrong.
Lady glared at him. “You don’t know how hard this is.”
Del held up his hands apologetically. “Hey, I didn’t mean to sound like that. I just want to complement your attire.”
Lady let down her guard and smiled at him. “I’m sorry. This stress is a lot. I’ll be glad when this is all over, we can escape to the farm. I’m scared to read the paper or any reviews. I don’t want to watch the news.”
She looked at him with troubled eyes.
Del realized he should’ve been talking the whole time. She needed him in so many ways, and right now she needed a friend.
“Don’t worry about tabloids or critics. It’s their job to create controversy.” Del patted her hand.
Lady wasn’t convinced. “It’s their job to boost reputations, good or bad. This is my reputation. It’s my name.”
“Come on. It’s all right.” Del smiled. “If it gets that bad you can always have my name.”
Lady smiled at their inside joke.
She stood up from the table and stretched. “I’m going to start getting ready.”
Del picked up the dishes and soaked them in the sink. He turned the ringer on his phone and there were three messages. His day of assisting Lady had already begun.
He returned phone calls and relayed orders. Thirty minutes later he walked into Lady’s dressing room. She stunned him with style.
Lady transformed herself into a Native American. Except it was totally modern and sexy. Her arms were covered in tight leather. Long brown fringe hung from them and swayed with every movement.
A matching leather halter top covered her chest and most of her belly. Her skirt looked like rabbit skins sewn together. The fur covered crucial parts of her body. Large strips of something bound them together in lateral strips.
A lot of fur had been used and it came to a jagged angle at her knees. The highlight of the outfit was her arms. When she moved, the graceful fringe followed her.
Lady was currently braiding her hair. It had been combed to one side and she tilted her head. She finished the braid and wrapped a piece of leather around it. Then she stuck a feather in the back of her head. It wasn’t straight up, but angled to show on the opposite side of the braid.
“What do you think?” Lady turned around and held up her hands.
“Very nice.” Del gave her the A-Okay circle with his fingers. “How can you doubt yourself when you’re this beautiful?”
Lady shrugged. “People fail all of the time, regardless of beauty. There has to be something else as well. In my case it’s brains.”
“You’re right in your charming way. Now, should I dress like a cowboy today?”
Lady pointed her head toward something leather. “Actually, I want you to dress like a rock star.”
“I don’t know if I can be comfortable without a suit on,” Del teased.
Lady giggled and pulled out some leather pants. “Here. You are wearing these, and only these.”
Del blushed. “What? You don’t want me to wear a shirt?”
“No, you are wearing body paint,” Lady said proudly.
Del nodded somberly. “Funny you should spring this on me at the last minute. How can I argue and stress you out with only thirty minutes until we have to leave?”
Lady laughed at her joke. “Of course you have a shirt. You should have seen your eyes. They got so big and blue. And your long blond hair seems to take on reddish hints of fire when you’re mad. They really reminded me of what a Viking warrior should look like.”
She carefully took a hanger down. It was a button-down shirt with long sleeves. Del could tell the snaps down the front were traditional abalone. There was a collar and cuffs, but that’s where it left all semblance of a cowboy shirt.
Rectangular squares of different colors went halfway down the front and back of the shirt. But where Western shirts had curly q’s and lazy s’s, this shirt was blocky and square. It almost resembled Native American beadwork with horizontal stripes.
The rest of the shirt was light tan. The exact same color as the pants. Del put the clothes on. They fit perfectly. He sat down to put on his socks.
“Oh no you don’t.” Lady shook her finger. “I had someone make you moccasins.”
Del shook his head in wonder. Lady held up the perfect shoes. They had flat, hard soles of loafers, but the top of them was beaded leather. Del put them on and stood up.
He stood in front of the mirror and silently questioned himself. His shoulders felt even boxier than usual. His arms hung long at his sides. Del straightened himself and stepped back.
Well. It was what it was, and he could wear this for a while anyway. Lady didn’t look nearly as comfortable. She swung her arm and the fringe smacked her in the face.
Lady opened her mouth and tried to get the lint from her mouth. She checked the mirror.
“Oh good.” She sighed. “It didn’t ruin my makeup.”
They left their warm and cozy cocoon behind. The day was in full bloom when they drove out of the garage. Something was bidding him forward.
Because of his nervousness, there was no distinguishing between positive or negative. The event was pulling and he was succumbing.
This was just a drive across town. He shuddered to think of what else he would do for Lady. Just then a certain song came on the radio. It sang of walking countless miles just to be with someone.
It was a surreal moment for Del. He put his head to the side as he considered how far he would go for someone.
They arrived at the venue. Del slowly drove through security and right into the convention center. He inched through the room until he reached stall number sixteen. This was the station for Steele Inc. Makeup artists already had mirrors and lamps turned to the most useful position.
Stage hands had arranged closet spaces and racks to one side. Del backed up beside them. He turned off the motor of the van. They sat in silence for half a moment.
Del gently squeezed Lady’s hand. “Are you ready for this?”
Lady nodded, but was looking around and craning her neck to see other competitors.
Del pulled her back to face him. “Hey. Don’t worry about what everyone else has. Just stay focused on yourself.”
Lady nodded. She closed her eyes and received his kiss. She carefully opened the door of the van. Stepping into the room was like a whole other world. People talked and moved with loud importance.
Del walked past long tables. They provided electric sockets every ten feet. This was exactly what Del had been expecting. The canvas wouldn’t be blank for much longer.
A handyman service had been hired to handle the set up. They were carrying mirrors to the tables and adjusting them. Large floodlights usually used for construction were now used as spotlights. The room got brighter and exponentially hotter.
Del removed items from the van and hung them on temporary racks. He started to remove the plastic wrapper from the clothes. A handheld steamer was warmed up and Del straightened a few garments.
Normally he wouldn’t have done these sorts of things, but Lady had already informed him of what he would be doing. He gently cared for her things. Lady had created them, but Del felt like a part of him had been sewn into them as well. After all, he kept her happy and well cared for every inch of the way.
Time was flying by. Beautiful models began to arrive. Women were soon everywhere. Del realized he was living out most men’s fantasies. His eyes moved over the room. The models were changing with no regard to who saw. Del felt like he was in a locker room. But this was a girl’s room.
Del looked for Lady, who stood talking to and directing makeup artists. Del knew he was there to help. He began to retrieve outfits from the van. He called out names on his list. Girls who were not being beautified by liquids, powders, and hair curlers scampered up for their costumes.
“Here you go. This one’s yours. No, wait. You’re Lidia, this one’s yours.” Del doled out the items.
It was a little more hectic in real life. Even though he had done research into fashion events, experiencing it was like its own kind of high. Del fell into the high energy of the situation. He raised his voice and stepped up his game.
“All right, girls. Put on your outfits and try to remember your number in the rotation. Lady will be doing all your final checks, so don’t bother her until she comes to you.” Del grinned.
How could he not enjoy the presence of so much beauty? There was a different air in the room. All of the many soaps, sprays, and perfumes were enough to make anyone dizzy. But there was a busy energy that electrified the whole situation.
Knowing they would have a limited time to showcase everyone added a whole new dimension of energy. It put everyone into a tizzy. Del had already been asserted as Lady’s right hand man. He answered questions and directed traffic.
Staying by Lady’s side required work. She would look to him for phone, lipstick, sewing supplies, or just whatever. Some might consider him a lackey. But this was the most important day of her professional life.
He had showed up for her with as much support as possible. Lady’s ideas were given to a big weeklong fashion event. Other beginners usually didn’t have a big designer name to uphold. Lady’s show would last about twenty minutes. Then another name brand headliner would get their chance at the runway.
She had picked out a piece of classical music to accompany the show. The theme was innocence. The music was supposed to inspire thoughts of butterflies flitting above a gurgling spring of water. Lady wanted her show to be calming on the senses. There was no need to deconstruct the outfits. She didn’t want to invoke questions or drama. She wanted to sell simple and beautifully crafted items.
Lady had made twenty-four outfits. They would add up to a small show. She was relying on them to make a strong impact in a very subtle way. The models weren’t going to go back and forth down the long walk. Instead they would be milling about on the stage.
The minutes ticked into hours. Soon all the preparation and work would be done. Del had seen how hard she worked to get ready for this show. She had borne the stress well. Now she handled the situation like a seasoned veteran.
Del couldn’t help but grin. Not only was he standing beside the woman of his dreams, but she was magnificent.
Lady calmly pinned something to a model’s shoulder.
“All right, now can you please turn around?” Lady studied the outfit in front of her. Then she looked at her face and hair. “Okay. Hair already knows what you will get. Can you please tell makeup that we want you to have lots of blush? And big eyes that look natural. I’ll come over to pick out the lipstick.”
The young model agreed and walked away to the makeup station. Lady looked to the next person in line.
“Oh, you look cute.” Lady admired her creation. “This is just how I saw it. Oops, there’s a string.”
Lady gently snipped the excess thread. Her care placated the model, even if it was only for a short time. She was soon running off for the hair table. Lady stood up straight and looked at Del.
“Wow.” She shook her hands. “This is a lot…”
She left off and didn’t finish her sentence. Del blocked off the line, and put himself in front of the other recipients of her attention.
“What about me?” Del kissed her. “Do you want me to turn around for you?”
“Later,” she reprimanded. “Right now I need the water bottle in your hands.”
She took it and drank with her eyes wide open.
“All right,” she pointed to the line of models, “tell the first girl in makeup her lips need to be nude, then the second should be pink, and the third should be red. Then come back to me.”
Del did his mission for Lady. He liked to do things for her, and if this was all she needed, then things were simple. He could handle it.
Del walked through the busy room. He hadn’t seen the initial need for many of the things Lady insisted on, but now he could. Makeup artists had real barber chairs. They were eye level with their clients as they applied layers of cover up. Del completely believed in making jobs easier. Having the right resources and tools was the most important thing.
Even the makeup brushes for the fashion show were the softest and most sought after products. The well-known studios carried the best lighting.
Money can buy the best. Happiness came with it. But all the money in the world couldn’t calm the scene behind the curtains.
The group was professional, timely, and knew how to take direction. Lady had been prepped her whole life. Del had prepared for months. The models would be ready in fifteen minutes.
Fashion and setting trends had a lot behind them, but Del would have future days to ponder that. He skimmed over the crowd and talked very loudly.
Soon he was just swamped where he stood. He looked for Lady and inched toward her. While Lady did finishing touches, Del could manage and operate traffic. He knew where everyone lined up on the stage.
Del tapped his notepad with a pen. There were notes taped all over the back of it. Other larger schematics were stored on the
inside. The notepad already looked years older, but it only had to last a few more minutes. The group neared the moment of showing.
“Fifteen minutes, everyone.” Del encroached upon a few ideals. According to everyone else there were twenty minutes remaining, but Del wasn’t going to be late.
He ignored questions about time and answered inquiries about fashion. It was a whole new ballgame for him. Del put himself in a position he couldn’t even dream of. If this was the cost of dating Lady, then he was sure he could handle it. Interruptions took up a lot of time. Del ran right up to the last minute of time.
His stomach was full of knots, and his throat had closed up tightly. Lady looked like she felt the same way. She carried her grab bag of tools and it rattled slightly.
They snuck past the curtains and sat in the crowd. Their seats were positioned near the middle of the stage. The room had been blackened. Del could hear the slight jangling of jewelry and swishing of skirts as the models took their places.
Sitting in the dark next to Lady was weird. Del looked for the outline of her face. She was turning her head frantically. Lady was understandably nervous, but she might actually exit the chair.
Del held her hand and stroked it with the other.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, and felt loud in the shuffling darkness. “Everything’s going to be all right.”
The lights came on and the models appeared. They stood semi-static in different positions.
The first feeling Del got from the show was relief. Having the lights come on would alleviate anyone’s concerns, so Del looked for other reassurances.
The very end of the stage had the morning couple. They were dressed in matching pajamas. The girl model wore a long black t-shirt. The male model wore a black tank top. He wore pajama type pants but they were loose and could’ve been for yoga.
Del probably had a dozen of this type of outfit. But not in black. The fabric made it different and desirable. Soft, flowing clothes out of black? They could almost be workout clothes, but the girl’s shirt made it obvious she wouldn’t be lifting her arms. The man’s pants had loose tie strings at the waist and could be lost at any movement. These were clothes thrown on in haste, and would be coming off the same way.
