Ecie & Esme III: Forever and a Day

Ten

'You look amazing in that dress,' Ecie said lying on Emily and Ross' bed in their hotel room. 'It looks so great with your skin tone.'

'Thank you,' Emily smiled. 'I really loved the dress. It was so comfortable and amazing and everyone kept asking where I got it from.'

'What did you say?'

'Jason Wu from Chêne de Pois in LA,' Emily grinned. 'I felt like such a princess for the whole night.'

'I can imagine.'

'I think that if I ever get married I'll wear it, but I'll have it dyed white,' Emily said. 'It so luscious.'

Ecie laughed.

'Anyway,' Emily said. 'Tell me all about the auditions. What were they like?'

'The whole day left like it was some twisted dream,' Ecie laughed. 'I wasn't sure if it was a nightmare or not.'

Emily laughed. 'Why?'

'There were so many girls there,' Ecie said. 'I never knew there were so many girls in LA.'

'How many do you think there were?'

'I would go so far as saying there were about five to six hundred girls in the beginning,' Ecie replied. 'But it's really funny because in the first two hours, that number halved dramatically. By lunch there were about two hundred of us left.'

'What kind of stuff did you have to do?'

'They taught us an eight-count routine and we had to do that in groups of three in front of the judges,' Ecie replied. 'It was mainly just dancing all day and they only played like three songs.'

Emily laughed. 'How nervous were you?'

'Like you've got no idea,' Ecie laughed. 'But Landon as there before I went in and he was so supportive and encouraging. As soon as I stepped out of his car, I knew I was ready to nail it.'

Emily grinned. 'That's awesome.'

'Yeah,' Ecie nodded. 'It was so surreal. I loved every moment of it, but it was grueling and tiring and at the end of it, I wouldn't have minded not getting through.'

'But you did,' Emily squealed excitedly. 'I am so happy for you. How was your interview with them?'

'It went really well,' Ecie replied. 'They asked me what I was doing at the moment and I told them I was tutoring high school kids and that I trained squads. They seemed really impressed then I told them about the homeless shelter I was getting involved with, with my mom.'

'That's so awesome,' Emily smiled. 'Maybe next time Ross is doing some charity work, you should go with him and get yourself photographed so they see how passionate you are about it.'

Ecie laughed. 'Ha. It was funny because a couple girls recognized my surname and asked if I was related to Ross.'

'No way,' Emily laughed. 'Seriously?'

'Yep,' Ecie nodded. 'I never knew he had admirers.'

Emily laughed. 'You'd better not tell him about it though; you know how big his head will expand.'

Ecie laughed.

'So then when do you go back?'

'I'm spending the rest of the summer here,' Ecie replied. 'But it was so great going back home and seeing Rowan. I don't want to sound biased, but he has got to be the cutest thing in the world.'

Emily laughed. 'He is pretty awesome, isn't he?'

'He would do this thing where he just stared a lot and blinked at you,' Ecie gushed. 'Then he'd move his mouth like a little fish. It was so cute.'

'Hey Riley,' Esme smiled. 'Have you seen dad anywhere?'

'He's talking to the tech guys,' Riley replied putting in her earrings. 'I was just on my way down to meet him.'

'Okay,' Esme replied looking at Riley's engagement ring. 'Well then we can go down together.'

'I'll just be a moment,' Riley said. 'You can sit down and make yourself comfortable.'

Esme sat down on a chair and waited for Riley as she rushed about their room getting herself together.

'It's nice that dad found you,' Esme said looking around the suite. 'You're different, refreshing.'

Riley came out of the bedroom with her black Birkin Hermes bag. 'Thank you,' she said. 'It's nice he found me too.'

'We don't hate you,' Esme said. 'It's just another thing added to the pile of an exhausting few years. I know that sounds terrible, but I guess it's sort of true.'

Riley looked at Esme.

'We like you, all of us. Me, E and Ross,' Esme said. 'You're right for dad, you're what he needs.'

'Thank you,' Riley smiled. 'Perhaps we should go down now?'

'Yeah,' Esme got up. 'We should.'

'You know,' Riley smiled as they left the room and went down in the elevator. 'It might settle your dad if you told him. I'm not expecting you all to fall head over heels for me; I'm new in your life. But your dad is constant and he cares so much for all of you. He would never do anything without the backing of you three.'

'I know,' Esme replied.

'Well then,' Riley smiled. 'We've got a busy day ahead of us today. Thank you Esme.'

Esme smiled back at Riley.