Life After | Trilogy

15

Lauren

Looking up at the Berluti building, I got out of my car and locked the doors. This will be the last time I step foot in this place and I actually hate that. I enjoyed working here but it is what it is.

I walked inside and greeted the receptionist.

"They are ready for you. You can go up now." She smiled

I went down the hall and pressed the elevator button.

"Lauren!"

I turned around and Amy was coming towards me.

"Lauren, wait."

I stepped inside of the elevator and pressed 14. The doors were almost closed but she stuck her arm between them. I sighed and leaned against the elevator wall.

"I need to talk to you." She stepped on

"For what?"

"This company needs you."

"No, you need me. You need me to save your ass because you made a decision out of jealousy."

"I said I was sorry. How many times do I have to say it?"

"I don't really care about that. I've told you that before. I'm not coming back. Maybe you'll learn to stop trying to be vindictive when its not called for." I stepped out of the elevator

"I have kids Lauren please don't do this to me."

"I got five. Your point is?" I looked at her. "What you don't seem to realize is you didn't care that you were taking my opportunity away from me, a mother just like you. But now that it's flipped, I'm supposed to succumb to your pleads because you throw in that you have kids? Just stop. I'm not changing my mind." I opened the door to the office.

"Good morning." The CEO stood up to greet me

"Good morning." I smiled

"So, as you know, you were called in to come and pick up your last payment from us." She spoke. "And we really hate to see you go."

"I know." I sighed. "It's so unfortunate."

"I agree. I went against my gut feeling and sided with my style executive and it didn't end too well." She shook her head. "While you're here, I do want to ask you something." She looked at me

"Ok."

"We are in the motion of hiring a new Style Executive, would you be willing to renew a contract with us after that process has been finalized?"

I sat there thinking about the offer. I really did love the designs that I had with Berluti and I had many more that wasn't released. But I just got contacted by Fendi and I don't know what that contract holds.

I sighed "I'll have to get back to you on that."

"I understand." She nodded. "This is yours." She handed me an envelope. "I hope to hear from you soon." She smiled

"Thank you." I returned the smile.

As I was walking out of the conference room. Amy was standing there waiting. She rushed over as soon as she saw me.

"Did you renew your contract?"

"No." I pressed the button for the elevator

"Really? So you really going to let me get fired?"

"You got yourself fired." I walked onto the elevator after the doors opened

"That's fucked up Lauren! You know this job is all I got." She raised her voice.

"Karma is a bitch." I shrugged my shoulders and looked at her as the doors closed.

3:15 PM

I walked inside the office and looked around. Everything looked so expensive.

"I'm here for a meeting with Sarah." I walked over to the receptionist.

"She's expecting you. I'll take you to her." She stood and walked down the hall. She knocked on a door and then walked inside.

Sarah looked up and smiled. "Lauren. It's nice to see you again."

"You too." I walked over and sat down.

"So I have the contract here for you to look over." Sarah grabbed some papers from her desk. "I think you'll like the terms. I also want to get you in our design studio as soon as possible. Our next season launch is in a little less than a month and I want it to be your debut. Your designs, your models, I want you to shine."

"Really?" I couldn't hide my excitement.

"Yes. You have an amazing talent and I want to see what you can do. But that also means that you would have to get with our designer like today to get your ideas on paper so we'll have enough time to get them made and shipped here for the show in 3 weeks."

"What show?"

"The Fendi Fashion show. We always have one a week before we release the new season of items."

"Wow." I looked down at the contract.

"I know it seems like a lot but I really think you'll like being a part of this company. And since we are racing against time at this point, I want you to go ahead and get your designs going. You can give me the contract later."

"I need some type of paper with both of us agreeing to this, signatures included." I slightly laughed. "No offense but I have to cover my ass at all times."

She smiled. "I see that and I'm glad you think like that. A true businesswoman."

Sarah wrote out a temporary contract and both of us signed it and she gave me a copy. I left her office and went to their studio. I looked around at all of the sketches on the walls.

"EJ should be around here somewhere." Sarah walked off

There was a book laying on the table. I flipped through the pages and the pieces were bomb.

"Lauren." Sarah called me.

I looked up and she was walking towards me with a man at her side.

"This is EJ. EJ this is Lauren."

"How are you?" He smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you. Sarah was talking my head off about you."

"I'm happy to be here." I shook his hand.

"Well come on girl. We got a lot of work to do before this show." He laughed.

I followed behind him and sat in an empty seat at the table. He passed me a new sketchbook and I opened it up to the first page.

"Do you have anything so far?" I asked EJ

"We have a few jackets and shirts but we're looking for all types of items. Just show me what you come up with and we'll go from there."

I nodded and began to let my ideas flow out and I drew whatever came to my mind. It seemed all unclear at first but after about 45 minutes, I had 2 track suits, jeans and a shirt. I flipped my book over and slid it to EJ.

"What you think about this suit?" I asked

He looked at the sketch then looked at me. "This is good as hell." "Sarah!" He yelled. "Come look at this!"

A few moments later, clicks from Sarah's heels could be heard and she appeared behind EJ. He handed her the book and she looked at my idea.

"This is great. And the color ways you have here are amazing. We have to get this in production like now." She laughed "We've been looking to bring an edge to our company and I think you've done it."