Love and fashion - ebook

Entering the work early in the morning I meet Dorothy. She waits for me and looks a little bit nervous.

– Hello – I say to her. – You look uncomfortable. What happened?

– Hi, I think I should ask you. Last night Brian couldn’t stop bothering me and kept on inquiring whether you were dating someone.

– What? – I get stunned. Well then, he must have seriously taken the fact of seeing me in the company of Steve. Was he jealous? Telling the truth, I am surprised for it was just a visit of a colleague who simply helped me move some things. On the other hand, I must admit I’m glad, because now I know that he really cares for me.

– Come on, you know it’s not true. If I had someone, surely you would be the first to learn about it.

– Well, yes, I know, but Brian apparently saw you with some guy. He complained that you didn’t answer his calls and when he came to your place to see if you were okay, he saw you, as he described it, in a quite bizarre situation.

– Which means?

– You were seeing off some guy who looked like if you were just, you know...

I can’t help myself but burst into a loud laughter. Actually, I remember now. Steve was in a creased shirt and all sweaty. In the end, he was lifting up heavy flowerpots and he might have gotten a little bit tired. But why immediately relate it with the one thing? What an imagination.

– What are you laughing at? – Dorothy asks after a short while. – Do you really mean there was a man at your place last night? Who was it?

– Steve – I answer, still couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

– Are you kidding me? Seriously? He’s not your type at all.

– Of course, he’s not. Last night he was just helping me lift a few things upstairs and he got a little sweaty, and Brian took it for as if we were, you know…

– Aha, so in this case you will have to explain it to him...

– Explain what? – I oppose resentfully. – It is him to conceive weird suspicions. After all he’s neither my partner nor husband so that I would explain anything to him.

– Still I think you do care and I might mention him what really happened, that it wasn’t that way he thought it to be.

– Ok. And speaking of Steve, yesterday he took me to one of these flats where they would shoot the TV series.

– And how did you like it?

– Honestly speaking, I was impressed. Everything was exactly what it had looked like thirty years ago: unpretentious, old-time style, no electronics and quite worn small furniture. And the children’s bedroom made the biggest impression on me. I felt as if I moved back to the times I was a kid. Some toys looked just like mine.

– Awesome. I will speak with him. Maybe he will go there some time again so I could have a chance to see it too.

– But try not to flirt too much as he could think you’re attracted to him – I add jokingly.

– Don’t worry, I’ll leave him to you. I have to go. The job’s waiting.

– Ok, see you at the break.

I walk straight to my place, brew a cup of coffee and get down to work. There is a pile of folders on the desk in which I have selected some nice creations that have caught my eye. A little tedious, but someone has to do it unfortunately. It’s already eleven, I’ve been sitting like that for almost two hours now, I could do with a short break to stretch the bones and refresh the mind. Suddenly the door opens and Steve enters bringing another stack of catalogues to browse.

– Novelties from Italy – he utters at the entrance. – Hello, I hope you won’t hate me for continuous delivering these catalogues. The boss told me to hand them over to you.

The tone of his voice is kind of strange, stand-offish. Looks like something must have angered him, but I don’t want to question him about anything.

– Hello Steve, would you like some coffee?

– No, I’m afraid not, I’m in a hurry as I’ve got a lot of work to do. Maybe later. Thank you anyway.

– It’s a pity. I’ve been poring over the desk since early in the morning and I’m getting bored. I thought I could have a little break.

– All right then, I’ll stay for a while. I’ll drink some coffee and have a little rest. I’ve been busy since morning.

– Such work. You can’t help.

I get up, brew two cups of coffee and give one to Steve. He sips slowly as if he checks if it’s coffee for sure and then he says:

– Listen, I’ve got a private question. What are you doing on Friday after work for I think Friday could be the best?

– The best for what? – I ask surprised. I didn’t expect such a question. Has Steve stopped beating around the bush and offered me a date? I don’t know what to think.

– I’ve been thinking about it for quite long and came to a conclusion that it would be the best if I turn to you.

– But what’s it about? – I can’t wait until he finally spits it out.

– Well then, the thing is that my father is going to retire next week and I would like to buy him a present for this occasion.

– It’s really sweet of you, but still I don’t understand what you want to turn to me with.

– This is the thing. I’ve always been bad at choosing presents or anything like that. I need someone who could give me a piece of advice in this matter and I thought of you. Last year we were looking for something for our boss’s birthday and you suggested the old cigar mouthpiece, do you remember? The boss just loved it. That’s why I think you could also help me make the decision.

– Well yes, but that was a different situation. I’ve known our boss for a couple of years now, I know what he likes and so on. And I’ve never seen your father with my eyes. I don’t even remember you talking about him.

– He’s an ordinary sixty-year-old. If he liked fishing I wouldn’t have any problem and chose something he could find useful. Unfortunately. He used to go hunting, too. However, he stopped a few years ago, I don’t even know why.

– Has he got any hobbies now like model-making or something like that?

– No, nothing. The one thing that comes to my mind is bridge. He just loves to play the game. But the problem is I’m not going to buy him a deck of cards nor a notebook.

– It’s hard to think, indeed. Although… – I pause for a while and notice the gleam in Steve’s eye as if he expected me to come up with something. – Does your father play bridge at home or does he rather go out to a club?

– He belongs to a bridge circle and he goes playing there quite often. Still his friends come to visit him at least once a week and they spend all night over cards and cognac. – He drinks up his coffee and adds with a smile – I was also taught to play. Once they were missing the fourth when I came to visit my father and willy-nilly had to sit down with them. In this way I learned to play this game.

– And what does the room they play in look like? I mean the style. Is it something modern or rather old-fashioned?

– Oh, definitely old-time style. I’ve got some pictures on my business laptop. If they are of any help, I can bring them right away.

– Good idea.

Steve disappears behind the door. What a fellow. At first moment I really thought that he wanted to go out with me on Friday night. This indecisiveness of his is a serious flaw. I guess one can’t be considered a real man if they can’t clearly and definitely express what they want to say. And that’s what Steve lacks.

– I’ve got it – he says happily entering the room with the laptop in his hands. – Look.

We look through the pictures of some family event. In the background I can see the room decor very clearly. The old-time style indeed: there are armchairs with carved oak backs and also an oak minibar with glass door and bottles of alcohol standing against the wall. Even the bookshelves are not simple as each of them has got carved trims. I am only curious whether the furniture is actually antique or rather was produced contemporary and stylised on a rustic style. In the next picture I notice a table with a glass top on which there is a set of porcelain coffee cups.

– Is this the table your father plays cards with friends? – I ask Steve.

– Yes, this is exactly the table, why?

– Oh my God, it just doesn’t match the rest of the room! How could one put a glass table with steel legs like that in such a furnished place?

– My father has collected antiques for many years and successively exchanged the furniture. Apparently, there are still some things left to get rid of.

– All right then, we’ve got the idea for a present. We can have a look at the antique stores and search for an old table to go with the rest. You could print these photographs and we can try to find something on Friday.

– I understand that you agree to help me choose the present.

– You know, favour for a favour. You helped me move the plants, I’ll help you choose the present.

– Thanks a lot. I have to go now as I have things to do. Have seen Dorothy today?

– Yes, in the morning. Why?

– I need to meet her urgently. It’s about the advertising and it’s her cup of tea. Anyway, see you.

– Er… is it something very personal? Cause I have business for her too and I could go with you, if you don’t mind.

– No, not at all. It’s even better as we can need your company.

Steve takes his laptop and we go out of my office. On the way he mentions about the amazing advertisement of our company which has something to do with the shooting of the TV series. I try to ask for details but he says I’m about to learn everything in a while, because this case concerns Dorothy in the first place and he’d like to spare repeating himself. Dorothy seems surprised seeing us both entering her office.

– Hi, Dorothy – Steve tries to sound mysterious from the entrance. – Never guess what I managed to get!

– In what case?

– Promotion of Fish’s Fashion House.

– As far as I know you were supposed to take care of exclusivity for dressing the actors. Then again before each episode there was going to be displayed a spot with the information of the fashion company which dresses them and it was supposed to be our best commercial.

– That, of course, is all done and settled. Yet there is something more. Last week I made friends with one of the producers and offered him a joint venture aimed at advertising the show and at the same time our company. As you may know the show is going on air by the end of this year or at the beginning of the next year. So these are the plans, and as far as I know, these producers are known for keeping the deadline.

– And? – I ask impatiently, fearing that Steve’s really going to get started and we will wait a long time before he comes to the point.

– Because there are fairly well-known actors and actresses engaged in the production, we came to the conclusion that a good catch promoting the film and our company would be common release of calendars for the next year. As for the details, of course, I leave the matter in your hands, Dorothy. For my part, I just have to point out that on each page there will be a photograph of someone from the show dressed by us, the signature of who he or she is and what character they play, as well as the information about the name of the creation and the company, which is about us. As for you, Kate, I’m asking you to create relevant suggestions, both female and male, for each month.

– Only female and male? – I ask.

– And do you happen to know any other sex? – Steve replies sarcastically, wherefore we all burst into laughter.

– No, I don’t – I reply after a while. – I just thought that if the plot begins with the childhood of the main characters, we could also present some collections for kids and teenagers.

– I think it’s a great idea. What do you think, Dorothy?

– Super. When do you need the initial draft? I’ll see the graphic designers and we’ll try to sketch something this week.

– Unfortunately, this is the least pleasant side of the whole thing. I’m afraid, we’ll need the initial draft on Thursday, so you have only two days for it, guys.

– Are you crazy? – Dorothy shouts angered. – If you all cared so much about the time, why are telling this just now?

– Because I learned about it an hour ago myself. The things went so quick. The brainchild of the calendar was born only last Tuesday. It was during my training – Steve turns to me now – that I met this producer. We were about to discuss the details of the commercial spot and other things concerning most of all the finances, when I came up with the idea of the calendar.

– So we are going to face extremely busy days – I interlude. – And we’ll motivate best taking a little break now. The clock has just struck one.

– In this case I will deliver you the whole list of actors and actresses you will take into consideration after the break. Of course, some of them will have to find in the calendar obligatory!

He speaks the last words so firmly as if he were giving a command in the army. Dorothy has a similar impression, so we answer in a chorus “Yes, sir!” and with the smiles on our faces we go out for a break.

– What do you think – I ask Dorothy when we go to the canteen for lunch, – are we going to get along with the actors on the calendar?

– Why not? What is not to go? After all, it is supposedly fixed with the producers, so there is nothing to worry about.

– I mean something else. You know, there can be some confusion and jostling between them for the selection of clothes for subsequent months.

– Oh, I see. You mean that each star would rather present summer collection than the winter one?

– Exactly. Most of them are a little over thirty and I think they wouldn’t like the idea to perform in a fur covering their whole body. I’m sure that every actress would like to reveal as much as possible.

– From the marketing point of view it should be just the way. Calendars with actresses have to attract men’s attention first of all, and that’s why the more they expose their bodies, the bigger success we get on the market. The same refers to the calendars with male actors. We should point out their masculine features, decisiveness, strength, you know what I mean.

– Yes, basically. However, what I’m trying to say is to choose a proper collection for the appropriate person. I mean, what specific collections they are going to advertise.

– It would be best to leave it to the photographer, let him do the job. Just prepare some items for everybody to look through and that’s it.

– I’ve got tens of different items chosen for Susan, in the end it’s what I do. I’m sure she will choose something for the calendar.

– And don’t worry about the rest. Things will work out somehow, one way or another.

***