Balance (10 page)

Michael
retorts
,
“Why
would I
ever
dress
like this
?”

“
Wives
and mistresses
will tell their
beauticians
things they won’t t
ell their best friend
. 
Hunky male hairdressers are status symbols to the rich and bitchy.  So honey,
considering how you look in that
disguise
, I’d get used to it.”
Ms. Smith
explains.

Rena laughs, causing Fior
difficulty finishing
her makeup application.

Ms. Smith
addresses Michael a
s he steps out of the studio,
“You have one last outfit.  If you don’t mind, could you please take this
,” holding a garment bag out to him, “
and put it on in that dressing room.
”
She
d
irect
s
him to an open door just to the right of the studio.
 
“
Please wait inside until I
call for you
.
”

Michael, looking apprehensive, takes
the
garment bag
,
steps into the small room and closes the door.

“Rena dear, your face is
stunning
.  We have a little surprise for you.  Did you
like
to
play dress up
as a little girl?”

Rena looks away briefly
,
trying to hide any sign of emotion.  Unfortunately, playing dress up wasn’t an option
for her
growing up
.  Her childhood was not what she
believes
many
would’ve
expected.

Abigail unzips a second
,
longer
,
garment bag hanging on the rack behind Rena.  From the bag
,
she
removes
an
elegant
evening gown.

“I just recently received this one.  I think i
t
should fit you nicely
.”
Ms. Smith offers.

Fior and Abigail
help Rena into the gown,
mak
ing
very few adjustments.  Rena looks at herself in the
full-length
mirror
; an ache rises in her chest
. 
“
It’s beautiful
.
”
She whispers.
 
Turning
her head
to
hide
her reflect
ion
,
she
q
uickly
reigns
in
her
emotions.
S
he turns
to
Ms. Smith
mildly confused,
“Why would
you
need a photo of me dressed like this?”

I
nspecting her from top to bottom
, visibly pleased with
the
ensemble,
Ms. Smith
smiles at Rena
,
“Michael, would you be a
hon
and join us now? …
Because my dear, the best way to gain access to the
wealthy, when most vulnerable, is at social events.  Dinner parties tend to be some of the most effective
venues
for accessing the
E
lite
.”

Michael
emerges
from
the dressing room wearing a
full
tuxedo.

Both women
study him,
Rena
find
ing
him
extremely handsome with his athletic physique, wavy blonde hair
, steel blue
eyes,
and tanned complexion. 
Hiding
any
visible in
dication of
her
attraction,
she
cordially acknowledges his appealing appearance. 
Based on the constant badgering
on
the nature of their
relationship, she’s positive
her
reaction is
being evaluated.

Michael
,
intentionally stepping
well into the ro
om
before looking for Rena
,
provides a more natural
reaction
. 
Finally gazing
upon her, he’s
visibly
stunned.  He had already admitted
to himself
she was
attractive
, but
in
th
is
gown and make up
,
her beauty rises far above that description
.

Rena turns slowly, letting Micha
el examine the entire ensemble.

Her
dark red hair
;
pulled back into three loose braids positioned just above her shoulders, the balance of the length left to
fall
down
the middle of her back. 
A
small diamond and turquoise charm
hangs
from a
chain around
the braid, fastened underneath
.

Her striking eyes brought to enchanting levels by the light touch of liner and shadow.  Her face glows with almost
angelic
light and sheen.

The gown
,
deep purple and
back
less
, with
t
he upper portion
gather
ed
across her
chest
, collected
behind
a
diamond broach
between her breasts,
the accessory held in place
by a spaghetti strap loop
ed
around the back of her neck.
The lower portion falls from under the gathered upper in loose folds, flowing freely, following
the contour of
her
waist and
hips.
The lower hem
,
cut
in a wide arch across her mid-thigh, exposing her toned legs, continues at an angle into
a
wide
sweep,
mid-
calf in the back.
 
The dress follows
and accentu
ates
every womanly curve
of Rena’s
exquisite
body
.

The deep purple strikes a perfect contrast to her
light olive skin,
turquoise eyes and
dark red
hair.

Michael
stops
,
riveted, gazing
at
this vision
.  He know
s
his reaction is being monitor
ed
,
but failing to acknowledge the beauty in front of him would do more damage
,
than not.
  “I don’t think ‘wow
!
’
comes close to covering it.  I’
m assumin
g I’d be going as her bodyguard
…
  I think I’d need a team.”

Rena blushes
, nodding subtly,
mouthing
the words
,
‘Thank you’
.

“
Actually Michael
,
” counters
Ms. Smith
, “
y
ou would likely go as a couple.  Which is why we needed you both dressed. 
C
ould you
both
please
step into the studio for some photos?”

Offering his arm,
Michael waits for Rena to join him
before proceeding into the
next room
.  In heels
, her eyes are just below his
, forcing her to look up slightly into his
face
.  He leans into her ear, just long
enough to whisper,
“
You a
re s
tunning.”

She smiles and continues
with him
into the studio, moving to a marker on the floor in front of
the
green screen
.

Ms. Smith
directing
Rena
before
the camera
,
continues to explain,
“We need some
photos
of the two
of you together, to see if you woul
d pull off a convincing couple.
” Glancing from Michael to Rena,
a smug smile rises,
“
Honey,
I’m pretty sure that concern can be disregarded. 
You two look amazing.  Michael can you please come over here and stand next to Rena.
”

Michael
step
s
to Rena
’s side
, worried he’ll make
her
uncomfortable with this
invasion of her personal space
.

Ms. Smith
considers the two next to each other.  “Let’s see, we need you guys to look like a coup
l
e.  Michael, can you
turn just slightly toward Rena and place
your
right-
hand
at the small of
her back
.  Rena can you please turn toward Michael
, lean in, placing your
left
hand on the back of his near shoulder and your
right
hand on his chest.
  Michael,
with your left hand, lightly
touch
Rena’s cheek, at the jawline.
Yes, yes … that’s it.
Okay, I need you to
gaze
into each other’s eyes,
try
to look like you are very much in love.”

Michael looks down, meeting Rena
’s
gaze, staring into her amazing turquoise eyes.  She smiles at him, not
a forced
smile of
unease
, but a
genuine
smile
,
a heart-stopping smile,
reflecting the comfort of human contact.  He understa
nds, since the invitation she’
s
been alone, with no
one to
trust
.  Since the tryout, he’s
the
only person
with whom
she feels mildly safe.
He smiles
back
,
losing himself
in her
stunning
face and striking eyes.

“Oh my god, that’s it, beautiful.  Hold that. 
Reg
you better be getting this.”
Ms. Smith
exclaims excitedly.

Rena and Micha
el take several photos
, together and
individually.

During
Rena’s
individual shots,
Michael gets an opportunity to admire her magnificence.  As he watches, he can easily imagine
Rena
attending classy parties in the most prestigious local
e
s.
 
He considers, w
hat a
far cry
from yesterday;
when she was
kicking the crap out of a couple overcharged ‘roid
ers.
 
A
vision of Rena
, dressed in this amazing gown,
kicking the crap out of a couple over-sexed pretty-boys
,
pops into his
mind
, causing him to chuckle
aloud
.

Rena and
Ms. Smith
both turn to look at him inquisitively.

Covering his mouth
, hiding a
grin, he comments,
“As enjoyable as this is, I had better get changed.  Rena, have fun.  I’ll see you later.”
Michael excuses himself.
 
He
returns to the
dressing
room and
remov
es
the tux
edo
, replac
ing
it in the garment bag
before
changing into
his workout attire. 
N
o sooner than
he
hangs the
garment bag on the clothes rack,
Waters appears.