DESIGN FOR LOVE

by Murray, Bryan

  “And so?” Francine was still curious as to what he had just committed her to.

  “They want to do a complete photo shoot and cover story, you know, local fashion house takes the Big Apple by storm, etc. etc.”

  “And you said Friday afternoon? We’re snowed under, Vince. If we’re going to be ready for Monte Carlo, we haven’t a minute to spare. I can’t give them long.”

  He grinned. “I know you can’t, Princess, but at least give them something, 15 - 20 minutes maximum. It won’t kill you and think of the coverage. Next time we go to the Apparel Centre, those turkeys will sit up and listen!”

  She smiled. “As usual, you’re right. So, where are we?”

  Vince couldn’t wait to tell her. “Well, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since 7.30. Eight orders to date for multiples of different pieces. The pink suit is the big hitter so far.”

  Francine’s mind still somehow switched back to her biggest disappointment in the last exciting 36 hours. “But nothing from Cinclare, I suppose?”

  He patted her arm consolingly. “Let it go, Princess, Who needs them?”

  “I guess you’re right,” she sighed. “So now, where’s the material for the red dress for the finale?”

  Vince’s face clouded over. “I don’t want to talk about it!”

  “In that case, I think you’d better. Spill it?”

  “Verna’s been on and Sorrenstein Brothers have let us down!”

  Francine went cold inside. Only Sorrenstein could get her the dazzling, vibrant red that she needed for her creation. Her whole mindset hinged around the impact of the mesmerizingly vibrant color.

  “What do you mean, let us down?”

  “I don’t know, something went wrong with the dye run she said.”

  “And the bottom line?”

  “It may be at least another week before we get the material!”

  “My, God!” she moaned. “We’ve got to leave for Monte Carlo in eight days!” she was totally devastated. “And what’s Verna doing about it?”

  “Well, firstly she’s embarrassed she made a promise she can’t keep, secondly, she’s threatened the entire staff, including Isaac Sorrenstein himself with instant death if they don’t pull out all the stops.”

  This still didn’t sound promising to Francine. “And thirdly?”

  “The second she gets her hands on the material, she’s promised to personally fly it down, with the bolt of cloth strapped in the next seat on the plane!”

  Francine’s mind was working overtime. “What do you think, Vince?”

  He rubbed the top of his head as if seeking inspiration. “We’re in deep you know what, Princess. I’ve gone over the whole design and cutting plan with Thelma. Even if we worked non-stop it would be a 24 hour job to get the dress completed from scratch and that would also need Karen available instantly for fitting as we go!”

  “Yes, that’s true. And I’ve no idea what her modeling commitments are before we head for Europe.”

  He thought for a moment. “I suppose we could just book her at the daily rate for at least the forty eight hour window from when we expect the material to arrive. Might be pricey!”

  Francine nodded her head slowly. “That’s true, but what choice do we have? I certainly can’t risk a repeat of Dallas with last minute alterations - not with a show like Monte Carlo!”

  Vince nodded. “I agree. So, what do I do?”

  “Call her. Book her if you can and let’s pray that Verna delivers this time.”

  Vince hesitated a moment. “I suppose we could try and find another source?”

  Francine looked him steadily in the eye, the true professional shining through. “It’s no use, Vince. When I saw the Sorrenstein sample, that was it, nothing else would do. If it doesn’t make it in time, the dress won’t be in the Show, I’ll take my chances with the rest!”

  “That’s what I thought you’d say. Just wanted to check,” he grinned. “That’s why I work for you - no compromises, Princess!”

  She hugged him affectionately. “You’ve got that right, Rainbow Man!” they both laughed as phones started ringing again and they pitched into the matters of the day.

  CHAPTER 21

  On a surprisingly cold day in Dallas, Francine dropped Alison off at her private school before stopping by Yvette’s elegant townhouse, ready to take her to the specialist for her final session.

  She walked up to the door and rang the bell expecting to see Yvette ready to leave, all dressed up to face the World, a state of mind that Yvette held firmly in focus each time she stepped out of the house.

  As the door opened, Francine tried to sound upbeat. “Okay, gorgeous, are you ready to…” she stopped in her tracks when confronted by a sleepy-eyed Carl, wearing only a pajama bottom. He blinked at the light, stifled a yawn and smiled sheepishly at Francine.

  “Hi, darling.” was all he could manage.

  Francine suppressed a smile as in the background she caught a glimpse of Yvette struggling into a robe, heading for the bathroom.

  “Oh, my God! We’re late!” Yvette moaned as Francine walked in and closed the door.

  “Okay, you guys,” she grinned and turned to her father, adding with a conspiratorial wink. “Why don’t you get ready, the both of you. I’ll make us a pot of coffee.”

  Carl smiled. “Good idea.” and as he reached the door, Francine whispered. “Hey, Daddy, way to go!” and held up her thumbs.

  He smiled. “Thanks, Baby.” and disappeared into the bedroom.

  Francine was inwardly delighted. It didn’t take a very high IQ to figure out that her parents had spent the night together and the fact that they were back on such an intimate level was the best news she could have had.

  After Carl had hurriedly shaved, dressed and headed for the office, coffee in hand, Francine gave Yvette an inquisitive look. Her mother looked back innocently.

  “Now, don’t say another word.” Yvette began.

  Francine smiled. “The only words I’m going to say are hurry up, sleepy head, we’re late!”

  After waiting in the outer office of the specialist whose surgery was adjacent to the hospital, Francine was relieved to see her Mother come out of her consultation with a prescription in her hand, medication the apparent next step instead of Chemotherapy.

  “So, he thinks the medication will work?” she asked.

  “Apparently so,” Yvette looked relieved if not a little stressed. “I have to try it for thirty days to see what happens.”

  “And then what?”

  “It’s back here for further tests.”

  “Well, at least it’s a start. Come on, darling, I’ll take you home.”

  Yvette gave a sad sigh. “Can’t wait to get there!”

  As they left the doctor’s office, an ambulance came to a stop near the entrance to the Emergency Room. Attendants ran out and gently started to move the occupant from inside. For some reason, Francine glanced more closely at the patient on the gurney as the final shock of who it was hit her. It looked like Helen Cinclare!

  Almost as she put her hand to her heart in shock, a black Lexus roared to a stop behind the ambulance as Gerard, looking pale and worried, climbed out.

  Francine left her mother momentarily and rushed over, concern in her eyes, just as Gerard spotted her.

  “Oh, hello, Francine.” he greeted her nervously.

  “Hello, Gerard. Was that your mother they just took inside?” she asked.

  “Yes, unfortunately - another stroke, I’m afraid!”

  Francine was genuinely saddened. “I’m so sorry, is there anything I can do?”

  He looked at her, those green eyes lacking their normal lustre. “As a matter of fact, there is.”

  “Just name it?”

  He reached in his pocket and gave her his business card.

  “Would you mind calling my office and asking them to let Jeri know where I am?”

  ‘There it goes again!’ Francine thought momentarily, Jeri always seemed somew
here ahead of her. “Yes, of course,” she answered. “And Gerard, please give your mother my regards and tell her I hope she’s soon feeling better.”

  He managed a tense smile. “I will, and thanks, Francine.” He hurried into the hospital in the direction of the disappearing stretcher.

  When Francine got back to the waiting Yvette, the latter looked confused. “What was all that about, darling?”

  “That was Gerard Cinclare’s mother they just took in.”

  “You mean ‘House of Cinclare’ Cinclare?”

  “Yes, they just brought her in after her second stroke.”

  “Oh, my dear!” Yvette looked saddened, but added with a slight twinkle in her eye. “A most handsome man, I must say!”

  Francine tried to downplay the last remark. “I suppose so.” she mumbled.

  Yvette’s quick eye had noticed her daughter’s evasiveness. “There’s no supposing, darling. The man’s a hunk!”

  “Mother!”

  “Yes, and the hunk has the hots for my daughter!”

  Francine’s mouth sagged open. “Mother! Are you nuts? The man’s practically engaged, and besides…”

  Yvette’s keen perception was on a roll. “And besides nothing, Francie. Why are you blushing?”

  Francine found herself suddenly touching her cheek before she dropped her hand quickly to her side, but not before Yvette had keyed in on the body language.

  “Oh, my God! And my baby has the hots for him, too!”

  “Mother!” Francine snapped. “Now that’s enough of this nonsense.” she turned the key in the ignition as the car roared away from the hospital.

  CHAPTER 22

  With less than four days to go to the trip to Monte Carlo, Francine and Vince were still working long hours and living on their nerves as they waited with baited breath for the special material to arrive for the red dress.

  Verna in New York had been literally camping on the doorstep of Sorrenstein’s and the latest news was that the most recent dye run had worked out fine and the material was expected in their warehouse the next day.

  Even so, Vince was still uptight as he spoke on the phone with Verna. “Now listen, sweetie, I don’t care what you have to do, just get your hands on it and either fly down with it or I’ll fly up to get it, it’s that important!”

  “I know, I know,” she sighed. “Believe me, old Isaac is having nightmares about me at the moment, so I feel sure he’ll do anything just to get me off his back.”

  “Okay, we’ll be talking soon, then?”

  Vince replaced the phone and Francine gave a tired smile. “She’s okay, really she is, Vince. Now, what about Karen. Did you manage to get her for a couple of days, it will have to be this Thursday and Friday.”

  “I’m hoping so. Spoke to her agent, woman’s a real witch, but she promised we could have her.”

  “Good, and Thelma’s all set with the cutting and sewing schedule?”

  “Yes, relax, Princess. We’re going to make it!”

  “I hope so,” she replied, looking at her watch. “Can you hold the fort for a while, Vince, I need to stop by the hospital for a brief visit?”

  Vince looked suddenly surprised and concerned. “It’s not your Mom again, is it?”

  “No, not my Mom.”

  Sudden recognition crossed his face. “You mean?”

  “Yes, if you must know, it’s Gerard’s Mom - another stroke yesterday!”

  “Does she know you’re going?”

  “No, but she’s a classy lady and I like her.”

  He smiled knowingly. “As much as you like Mr. Wonderful?”

  She colored up immediately. “Now cut that out, Vince!”

  “I know, I know,” he chuckled. “He already has a girl, etc. etc.”

  “Right, and don’t you forget it!”

  It was almost as if Vince was indeed her inner conscience the way he had the knack of touching the very part of her psyche that was uppermost in her mind. In this case, she had also asked herself if her interest in visiting the frail Helen was just to get another chance to meet Gerard, but she quickly dismissed the thought.

  A frail, sick lady like Helen, with the spark of life and affection, deserved to have visitors when she was under the weather and, what the heck, in spite of her mercurial son, Francine had to admit she really liked the older lady.

  She parked the car outside the hospital as a gray day turned even grayer when a light rain started to fall. It was thus, with a hard to explain heavy heart that Francine finally found the private room where Helen was located. She confirmed with a friendly nurse that Helen had no visitors, that she was fit to receive them and that it would be in order to spend a little time with the patient.

  Having stopped by the hospital florist on the way in, she knocked gently on the door and entered the darkened room with a screen around the bed. As she approached the bed, she could see that Helen was sleeping and breathing relatively calmly. Undecided about wakening the older lady, Francine busied herself washing out an empty vase, filling it with water and putting the fresh flowers in it.

  Perhaps it was the sound of the water running that had awakened Helen as Francine almost jumped in shock when a frail voice behind her said. “How lovely they look. So nice to see you, my dear.”

  Francine spun round and approached the bed, a warm smile on her face. “Hello, Mrs. Cinclare, its Francine.”

  Helen smiled. “I’d recognize you anywhere, my dear. You look lovely!”

  “Well, thank you,” Francine instinctively reached out to hold the frail hand offered to her. “And how are you feeling?”

  Helen gave a brave attempt at a tired smile. “They tell me I’m doing okay, Francine, but I know better.”

  “I don’t understand?” Francine replied falteringly, not sure where this conversation was heading.

  “The light at the end of the tunnel is getting dimmer, and that’s for sure!” Helen continued.

  Francine squeezed the frail hand in hers encouragingly. “I’m sure you’re going to be just fine, Mrs. Cinclare.”

  What Francine hadn’t realized was that the door to the darkened room behind her had opened briefly and a solitary figure was standing there silently in the shadows, listening to their conversation in total silence. Helen continued, her voice frail, equally oblivious to the new occupant of the room.

  “It was so kind of you to visit me, Francine. Ged’s so lucky to have you!” she murmured, struggling to catch her breath.

  Francine was almost at a loss for words. “But, but he doesn’t have me, so to speak, Mrs. Cinclare. We’re just business acquaintances.”

  Helen’s eyes still held enough sparkle to quietly dismiss Francine’s protestations of non-involvement. “If you say so, my dear. But I know my son and he cares for you deeply. I just know it!”

  Francine tried to make light of the older lady’s comments. “Well, if he does, he has a strange way of showing it. But I guess we are at least friends and he’s been very helpful to me this last few days.”

  Once again, Helen managed a feeble smile before being beset by a brief coughing fit. Francine offered her a drink of water and fluffed her pillow. “There we are, now why don’t you rest a while. I’d better be going. I just came by to see how you were doing and to brighten your day with a few flowers.”

  Helen nodded in agreement. “Well, thank you again, Francine, and remember what I told you. He’s a hard man to get close to, but once you do, you’ll never want to let him go.”

  “I’ll remember that. Now please get some sleep. I’ll stop by in a day or so. Goodbye and take care of yourself, Mrs. Cinclare.”

  She bent and gave the pale, feverish cheek a gentle kiss before leaving. As she made to move away, Helen grabbed her hand briefly, a sudden look of urgency in her eyes. “He needs someone sweet like you, my dear. Please take good care of him?”

  Francine smiled. “We’ll see. Now, please get some rest.”

  Helen nodded and closed her eyes as Francine turne
d and left the room as quietly as she had arrived. She didn’t even notice the person behind the screen in the corner, waiting for her to leave.

  As the door closed behind her, Gerard emerged and silently walked over to the side of the bed where Helen was already sleeping. He looked down at her and for the first time there was a moist look in his eyes as first he looked at his sleeping mother and then at the door through which Francine had just left. Almost instinctively, he reached out to touch the fresh flowers, a certain sadness in his glance.

  Francine walked back to her car, overcome with a strange feeling of sadness, almost as though she had perhaps seen Helen for the last time. Health was such a fickle luxury, she reflected, thanking her lucky stars that it appeared, at least for the moment, as if her own mother Yvette may have some short respite from the cancer that seemed to be stalking her very existence.

  She then reflected on the older woman’s words. Did Gerard have even the remotest feelings for her? And what about Jeri? Francine was already becoming more certain by the minute that she herself was perhaps capable of some deep-seated feelings for him, if only things were different. She shrugged resignedly before driving away, thoughts of more pressing matters now rushing back to get her attention.

  CHAPTER 23

  It had been a long, sleepless quest, but finally they had done it. Verna, good to her word, had even flown into Dallas with the material tucked safely under her arm. Francine, Thelma and Vince had worked almost through the night and the next day. Karen had arrived for her first, second and final fitting. Now, as the lovely model stood on the fitting stand in the completed red dress, even Vince had to stand back and stare.

  “Wow” was all that he could manage to begin with. “Now, that’ll get their attention, Princess! Big time!”

  Francine had to admit, it was worth holding out for. Karen looked fantastic. With the sweep of silk over one elegant shoulder across her curvaceous bust line, all accentuated by her golden tan and with the waist and thighs tightly contoured, the split up the side of an equally sun-tanned shapely leg, gave the dress all the combinations of class, femininity and audacious lines, all without being too sexy. In short, it was a real show stopper, exactly what Chris Matlin had told her she needed.