Chapter 13

LAYLA

As the days go by Macy starts to believe in my abilities and I keep on impressing her as far as I go. I haven't seen Mrs. Johnson on this floor ever since I saw her in her office that day. My list of things that I need to get done every day has become lesser and lesser. I guess Macy starting to trust me.

Every so often she would call me into a meeting that she would have with some magazines and other fashion designers and even sometimes she would let me give an idea or two. But soon she would take me back to my desk just to make sure that I know that I am the new girl.

The day has finally arrived where Laura I will have lunch. Again I am as excited as I was when I was invited to go out with her for a girl's night but that failed miserably. I think lunch will do much better because now we can sit down and talk.

I make my way to a corner Cafe and soon I find a table for us to sit at. I do not wait very long for her when she appears with a hat and sunglasses on. It is clear that she does not want to be recognized and so I wave her over to the table.

"I see you like the cloak and dagger act"

She looks around her making sure that no paparazzi or anyone has followed her and then she takes off her sunglasses.

"You definitely do not know what it means to be famous to you?"

"No, us mere mortals just have these normal plane lives"

I see her laughing and it makes me feel good. The last time I saw her she was very miserable and also very drunk. I do not mind getting drunk every so often but I knew there was something else wrong with her.

"I just want to say thank you for giving me another chance. My bodyguards enlighten me about what I said to you and the things I did afterward which I'm not going to share with you"

I laugh and then I look around her. Then I say.

"Speaking of which where is your bodyguards"

"I kind of tried to ditch them but do you see that black car across the street?"

"Yes?"

"Well, that is them"

"It seems you can not get away?"

She puts down her scarf that was over her head and then she smiles saying.

"I guess that there is a reason why they are called bodyguards. What use would they be if they do not guard me?"

We laugh together and then we order something to eat. We do a little chit chat then ask how life is going and then I decided to go in for the kill.

"So, what is going on with you?"

"What do you mean?"

I watch her fiddling with her fingers and then I say.

"You know that I know you very well and that you can not hide something from me. Why are you not telling me what is going on?"

She sighs deeply and then she says.

"Because it has to do with Jake Anderson and I can not talk about him because I can not trust anyone not to tell the press"

"Well, now that you know that I am just a mere mortal I am sure you can tell me"

I make her laugh again and it makes me feel good. She should know that by now she can trust me with anything.

"You have to swear that you will not say anything because I will not only lose my job but I will be sued as well for every last penny I got"

"You know that you can trust me"

"You see, Jake and I had a little fling..."

"I knew it!"

She almost jumps on me to stay quiet and then I say in a quiet voice.

"Okay, I will be calm. Carry on"

"...and he kind of broke it off before anything really happened. Now there is this constant tension between us and I just do not feel like I want to do what I do anymore. But this saddens me severely because I really enjoyed working for him and I do not know how to end things. I also am not sure if I should"

I never thought that her sadness was to do with her work. I always thought that you could somehow separate her feelings from her work because she always seemed so in control. I was the one that was flaky and never really knew where I fit in. Damn, even today I do not know where I fit in.

"So, you are sad because you do not know how to tell him that you want to leave or you're not sure if you want to?"

She takes another deep breath and then she avoids my eye contact.

"I guess I am not sure if I want to leave..."

I know if there is one thing that can tear you up inside it is not knowing which way to go. I know this feeling very well because that's almost how I feel my entire life. I'm never really sure which way I should go and where I should be.

"Oh, honey I wish that I can give you an answer..."

I put my hand on her arm and then I try to get her eye contact back.

"I guess, no one can make that choice for you. The best advice that I can give you is to take some time and try and look at things from afar. Try to look at everything as objectively as you can. Maybe even make one of those famous lists of yours"

She suddenly looks at me in shock and says.

"I can not believe that you still remember it"

"How can I ever forget? You had lists everywhere. So, why don't you make a pro and con list?"

Suddenly, it is as if a light goes on in her mind. She pulls me in for a hug and then she says excitingly.

"Why didn't anyone tell me to just do that? You have no idea how much I missed you. I forgot how wise you can be sometimes"

I can but only laugh and then I say to her.

"I can not believe you forgot about the lists"

Suddenly the mood of the conversation has changed and she is back to her old self. We talk about everything except her work. I try to stay as far away as possible from that as I do not want her to be sad again. Finally, my lunch hour is finished and we say our goodbyes.

"Thank you for a great lunch, we should really do that again"

"I agree. I think we should make a habit of it"

She laughs and then she put on her hat and sunglasses and scarf. Then she waves and she walks straight to the car still waiting across the street. I stare at her and think to myself how it would be to be famous. But then my thoughts are interrupted by remembering that I need to get back to my new job.