Costuming the Band

Home Sweet Home

I sat bouncing my knee on my living room couch. I did not sleep at all due to my nerves and I have opened and repacked my suitcase three times already this morning. A car was coming to pick me up and take me to the airport so all I could do was wait. My mother's voice echoed through my head as I stared down at my outfit. She always told me to dress nice for the airport as you never knew who you were going to run into. I thought this advice was stupid until the day I met Carson Kressley while flying home wearing grey sweatpants and a t-shirt. I picked my favorite pair of black flared jeans and an old Ozzy shirt I stole from my dad when I was little. My grandpa's weathered suede vest finished my outfit and I threw on my Doc Martens as they were one one three pairs of shoes I owned.  

Shockingly I heard footsteps start to come down the stairs. It was my roommate Angie. "What are you doing up so early" I asked her as she tossed her hair into a ponytail and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "You are lucky you did nor wake up Frank." Frank was my dog but Angie and I were practically co-parents. She loved taking care of him on weekends when I had to work. 

"I wanted to see you before you left. You have never left me for this long, what am I going to do by myself for a whole month?" 

"Have over lots of girls and throw lots of parties" I joked as I wrapped her into a hug. "I will be back before you know it and besides you have two scripts due here soon don't you? Work your ass off on those so we can celebrate when I am back." Angie was a script writer and she was good at it. I respected the hell out of her because she actually turned down a job offer with a huge company because she wanted to focus on 'works of higher meaning.' 

"One I am just revising and the other I am half way through but I need your thoughts on it. You always have an interesting take on things" she said pulling out of my hug but keeping ahold of my hands. 

"Girl you saw my films from school, they were trash!"

"You can write and plan and design... you are just not a great DP or Director." She gave me a devilish smile knowing that I agreed with her because I said this all the time. "You love film you are just not great at the tech parts, lucky for me, I need you for the thinking parts."

"I am only 7 hours away you know, it is not like I am moving to the other side of the world. Besides you are an amazing writer I am sure you already have the next Climax or Free Fire just sittin in that brain of yours. Send me your scripts and I will look over them in my free time. And if I forget, because you know I will, please text me until I get you feedback."

"Will do and Molly...calm down. Your hands have been shaking this whole conversation. You are gonna do great and have so much fun. This is no way for an award winning designer to be acting." She loved throwing in that title. If I am being honest the awards I won in the past did not mean much but hell I was fucking proud of them and they did seem to impress employers. 

A knock at our door tore us from our conversation. Realization washed over me that this was it. I looked back to Angie who squeezed my hand and grabbed my bag with her other. "Guess it is time" I say as throw on my backpack and hug Angie one last time. I grab my suitcase from her and head to the door. Before I turn the knob I turn around and look back at Angie. "Hopefully this is not hell and please send me lots of Frankie pics."

"If it is then I will need all the details in a PDF so I can use it as inspo for a piece and will do." 

The driver helped me lift my bags into the back of the Audi sedan and then opened the door to the back seat to let me climb in. I already felt like I was in over my head but I took the 20 minute drive to the airport as time to pull out my notes. In my sleepless night I had done some stalking. Nothing heavy just wanted to try to understand the boys I would be working with a little more. I noted their names and ages and role in the band. Their fan base seemed to be mostly young females so I guess I fit into their target demographic. The style was for sure something I liked. Many times I saw people refer to them as wanna be Zep but as someone who was raised on rock and roll who the hell wouldn't want to be the next Plant.

Once I had gotten to the airport I checked my bag in at the front desk and made my way to security. I knew once I sat down at my gate my nerves would settle and luckily I knew my way around this airport very well after six years of using it to fly home to see my family. Now the Nashville airport was a different story. I had been there once and got so turned around. 

I was not at my gate for long before my name was called at the gate desk. What could this be about? All I wanted to do was just get on the plane and relax for my three hour ride. "Hi I am passenger Molly Johnson."

"Hello, we just wanted to inform you that you have been upgraded to first class so here is your new boarding pass. We will begin letting y'all on in about ten minutes." First class? Why? I had only ever flown first class once and it was a 30 minute ride I took as a kid because they over booked the plane. 

Now I cannot lie, I could get use to first class. Even just the extra foot room was amazing. I snapped a selfie and sent it to Angie to show her my luck before switching my phone to airplane mode and turning on some Adam and The Ants. For the first time in my life I was able to fall asleep on a plane without waking up with a stiff neck. 

Once I collected my bag from baggage claim, I found another driver waiting for me with my name on a sign. I did not take long for us to be in the middle of downtown Nashville, a city I Ioved but only got to visit twice a year. I was over joyed to see we stopped in the art district in front of a cute apartment complex. Usually I stay in those extended stay hotels for work so this was a lovely surprise. 

"Molly you made it safe" I heard from behind me as the driver handed me my luggage. I turned around to see Kenzi making her way out of the building."I hope first class treated you well."

"It was amazing and this place is beautiful."

"Yeah this is the same place the boys live but we were able to sub-let from another resident since you were going to be here for such a short time." I would be staying in the same place as the boys? I am usually one for more of a work to life balance  but with such a short amount of time to get this done maybe it will work out for the best. "Now I do not want to overwhelm you and you have been traveling all day so I will show you to your place and then let you settle in. Tomorrow we will hit the ground running. The guys will be at the studio tomorrow at 9am but knowing them they will be late. We will meet up with them there at noon where I will introduce you to them. We can meet up in the lobby here and head over together since I am staying here too."

I knew that Kenzi was not the boy's manager but she seemed to have such a handle on their schedule. She also seemed to know them so well. I was glad I get to work with her since she knew so much but it made me feel bad that I did not know more about them. 

As I walked into the studio apartment my jaw dropped. It was beautiful and way nicer than the run down townhouse Angie and I shared. It had beautiful windows that lined the wall letting in heaps of sunlight. I placed my backpack on the small two person table set near the kitchen and made my way to the the leather couch that sat across from a flat screen tv. I glanced over at the bed that was positioned against the back wall. It had a hand knit blanket laid across the white comforter and cute western pattern throw pillows. "This place is amazing" was all I could get out." 

"The lady that lives here usually owns an art museum so she has some cool things around the place. She is in England right now setting up an exhibit and was happy that someone was going to be able to keep the vibes of this place in check. Now I will leave you to get settled in. You have my phone number incase you have any questions.  Don't be a stranger! I am just two floors down." 

"Will do! I am probably just going to try to get caught up on some sleep. Is there anything I need to do tonight to prepare for tomorrow?"

"Nope we will start fresh with everything tomorrow." 

"Great! This is all so wonderful, I am so excited"

"Me too, see you in the lobby and you have top tell me where you got that top I love it" Kenzi says as she closes the door behind her. 

I knew now I was for sure in over my head but I this was gonna be fun. All I had to do now was meet the boys.