Story a Day Sept 2018 - Luxurious Bedroom

Luxurious Bedroom

Lara Thompson had just finished one big movie and was starting work on another. After the first film's release, she began receiving death threats. She had also just purchased a mansion and needed help decorating the residence.

I, on the other hand, am a former special agent for an *ahem* unspecified alphabet agency, who now runs an interior design firm. So, Lara's producer and my old boss are apparently old friends, and Mr. Producer convinced my old boss to suggest some personal security for the star; the catch was, that it had to blend in and not be obvious. That was the last thing I wanted to do, but...let's call him "Sir" ... applied just enough pressure (read 'bribed me silly').

And that's why I'm sitting in a car, driven by someone in uniform, with my 'assistant' sitting beside me to run errands and carry my mountain of decorating catalogs and swatches. He wasn't thrilled, to say the least; he thought he should be in charge. I winked at "Sir", leaned over to my assistant and said, "If you are you as a bodyguard, you maybe get to shake a movie star's hand once, when you meet her. As my 'assistant', you get hours of quality time in Lara Thompson's b.e.d.r.o.o.m. All of your friends will be pea-green with envy!"

While the driver opened my door, Michael (well, I can't keep calling him 'my assistant') began unloading the mountain of samples and swatches from the trunk of the car. As I entered the mansion, Lara descended the stairs from the upper floor with a file several inches thick in her arms.

"Oh good," she squealed, "you're here!" Lara got to the bottom of the stairs, gave my right forearm a slight squeeze, and pointed toward the back of the house. "Let's go out to the patio," she continued, "the cook has set out a light snack for us." As we walked through various halls and rooms, she linked her free arm in one of mine, waving the folder in front of us, "I've been doing a little scouting on my own to show you what kind of furnishings I want. Look at this place! It's so empty...and drab!"

We got to a large patio table with food and drink set up on one side. Lara sat down on the other side and motioned to the chair next to hers. "While your sexy assistant gets set up, I can show you what I've been thinking." It was then that I noticed the separate files inside the main binder. Oh, glory.

"I want my bedroom done first. The sooner I have someplace to really rest, away from 'all that' (her hand waved in the direction of Hollywood) the better." She handed me a list stapled to a stack of computer-printed pictures. Then I saw there was a second list in the same folder. "Oh," Lara smiled, "I had my assistant make two copies of everything, so we could each have our own. Isn't that great?!"

"Superb indeed, Miss Thompson," I fibbed, "if only all my clients were such a pleasure to work with." Miss Thompson beamed, "Oh, call me Lara."

Then began the narration:

"First. I want a king-size sleigh bed, like the Bella Veneto, in Brazilian Cherry with the Elizabethan #4 finish. But I also want the spaces upholstered in leather, like the Orleans or Alcalde models."

"Next. The accompanying bedroom suite, with two nightstands instead of one, a mirrored dresser and a tallboy and/or armoire. There's a whole separate closet that is as bigger than some of the apartments I've lived in.

"The floor. Wall-to-wall in the bedroom, I think, instead of area rugs like most of the rest of the house. I just adore the Atelier by Monsieur Christian Lacroix collection at EGE Carpets - something symmetrical, I think, although his 'portrait rugs' are divine."

"There needs to be a chandelier - something like a medieval candelabra."

"I like to support local artists, unknowns, noobs, that kind of thing."

"Are you sure, Lara, that you don't rather need a moving company than a decorator?"

"Oh, no no no no no. That suite is HUGE and there is lots of space that will need filling with ... something. I need your firm desperately," Lara smiled.

Just as Michael was about to sit down, I handed him the sheaf of papers Lara had given me just minutes before, and said, "Well, go and find these things for Miss Thompson, Michael. Half of your work is already done, you lucky young man!" Michael did not look altogether convinced, but nodded and was about to say his farewells, when Lara interrupted.

"Aw," she smiled, "let him stay for a little snack. He needs to keep his strength up." She walked over to him and tested his biceps, and looked up at him, "Impressive. We can't have those turning to mush."