Juliet Shadows: a touch of velvet

Chapter 3

6:00pm

It was a flurry of false eyelashes and feather boas. All anyone could smell was the sour smell of a thousand perfume fragrances mushes into one windowless, air-conditioning-lacking room. Someone was having a hissy fit because they were given purple lipstick instead of red. But he was determined to remain positive. This was one of the most important nights of his life. He will go down in history as the greatest fashion designer ever. His name, remembered forever. How it rolled of the tongue: Francis Velvet, world's greatest fashion designer!

All of sudden, his thoughts of his grand name were slice through by a piercing scream that rattled the window pains (if there was any). It was his daughter, Clover Velvet. He ran to her dressing table. About twenty girls were surrounding her, staring in disbelief.

Clover was wear one of his treasured dresses of his new collections. It was a white lace mermaid wedding dress with a unnecessarily long train, also lace. He called it "Face The Lace". He made with his daughter in mind, for her wedding when her boyfriend proposes to her (which he will). It looked wonderful, and contrasted with her honey-blonde hair. Apart from one small thing. It had a massive red wine stain the size of baby elephant across the front, from just below the waist to the 'tail' and the bottom.

Francis's daughter had a mouth open and it seemed unable to close. So did Chole.

She was standing for Lia who was ill. She was only one of the seamstresses that sew the dresses together but she had been given the chance to perform after some valiant act. She was dressed in a satin prom dress with a beaded neckline. A empty wine glass was slightly tilted towards Clover. Francis looked like he was about to blow a fuse. His daughter dress, his favourite dress was now ruined. And Chole is responsible.

Francis looked at his daughter and then to Chole and back to Clover. In his mind, things couldn't get any worse.

Chole gulped as Mr. Velvet advanced towards her.
"What is the meaning of this?" He said his voice like ice, slicing through her hopes and dreams.
"I don't, I didn't mean to sir." Chole voice came out barley a whisper.
"Oh, well that's fine then." Velvet turned round and declared to the room "Go back to the preparations my dears. Nothing left to the matter." Some people scuttled away, happy to be out the explosion radius. Others shifted from foot to foot, part nervous, part intrigued.
"Disperse!" he bellowed and the crowd obeyed. He turned on his heel and looked at Chole "This is not over." and dismissed her with scornful turn of the head.

"The show stars in two hours, my dear people. It shall be perfect. If its not, the one at fault will not last long." He muttered the last with a particularly evil tone.

When Francis Velvet spoke, he meant it.