Complex Charm

Chapter 4

There was a knock at her office door. "Ms. Hawthorn, your 9 o'clock appointment is here." 

"Great. Send him in." Charmaine finishes up her last email confirmation for an event as she awaits her wardrobe patient.

Charmaine's solution to the Monday moodiness? Avoiding as many people as possible, including clients. She was able to use the most dreaded day of the week to get her life together: Calendars, wardrobe pulls, meetings with her fellow colleagues on events coming up. The work is done in one day, so the rest of the week is 100% execution.

 As usual, it's all about the clients this Tuesday.  After her 9AM, she has 4 more appointments to complete for the day. Then there are 3 more for Wednesday and Thursday, which would make this week one of her busiest to date. She's a little overwhelmed, but just as excited. This is what she prayed for, and now it's happening. She only wishes she didn't fall for the phrase: "Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life." Doing what she loved required more than the 10,000 hour work rule, and it requires even more work to keep up. But Charmaine wouldn't trade her career for the world. She loves when a client comes back with testimonials on how their last branding event exceeded everything they thought possible. The referrals are flying in so much it's unreal. But again: she prayed for this. She dreamed of helping men and women re-brand themselves, building an honest and professional image for the world. It's real. And it's time to go to work.

She's feeling good about her image today as well- a black turtleneck with bell sleeves tucked into high waist black skinny pants, and her favorite polished oxford shoes. Heels would be too much for all the running she has to do, so this footwear choice gives her the perfectly polished look without too much fuss. She made sure to be an example of how an image influences and grabs attention, otherwise her clients wouldn't have confidence in her skills. But sometimes they are a bit too confident.

"Well, Mr. Barnes- it looks like we need to take up the hem a bit. You said you were okay with no break, correct?" Charmaine stairs into the mirror her client is facing. He locks eyes and smiles.

"Sure, we can bring them up a bit. As long as it isn't too modern. Too many old-heads I have to stand in front of, and they still wear pleats."

Charmaine chuckles. " I know what you mean. They may need that extra fabric in the front."

The accompanying tailor finishes his pinning, and checks for other altering along Mr. Barnes' shoulders. They're all set. "That'll do, Ms. Hawthorn, and we should have these pieces complete by Thursday."

"Thank you, Mr. Alexander, that's in perfect time for Mr. Barnes' upcoming corporate dinner. Are you excited about it, Mr. Barnes?"

"I'm okay about it. The achievement hasn't set in yet, so I guess I'll know when I stand in front of my colleagues in this custom made suit."

"Trust me, you'll look great. I have you scheduled with a great barber referred through our firm, and your shoes arrived today as well. So, everything is going ahead of schedule at the moment."

Charmaine was proud.

"Yes, except..." Mr. Barnes paused.

"Except?" Charmaine hid her confusion well.

"Well, I still haven't gotten a plus one, and I've been trying to ask an interesting... potential prospect for a while now." He turned from the full- length mirror, his face showing a mix of far and insecurity. Charmaine has never seen him look so unsure, but they would always talk about business during his sessions. Never a woman.

"Oh, really? Wow, she must have you wrapped around her finger to not have received an invitation yet. A confident, successful guy like you? I'm sure she'd say yes, so go for it!"