Renae

Chapter Fourteen

The competition had been concluded but the hall that was used as well as the surroundings were still lively and still bore the story that something huge had happened.
  
Genevieve and Stella were waiting backstage in the room where  aimed for at first and more than four times of three thousand. We're so lucky, we have to celebrate!!" Genevieve shrieked.
  
"Yeah, I guess so" Renae said.
  
"Yeah, so hurry up" Genevieve said.
  
"Wait, what now?" Renae asked.
  
"Yep, she wants to do it now and she's planning on eating not less than a thousand dollars, that's for all of us" Stella contributed.
  
"A thousand dollars!" Renae exclaimed.
  
"Yep"
  
"Goodness, Genevieve and besides isn't it late already?" Renae queried. "It's already 6:05pm"
  
"Oh come on, 6:05pm is not late and besides it won't take long, it's not like we're throwing a party" Genevieve pleaded to Renae.
  
"Fine" Renae said giving in. "But you'll have to wait a bit for me"
  
"Till when?" Stella asked.
  
"Maybe seven pm"
 
"Okay. But we're not waiting" Genevieve said.
  
"Why not?" Renae asked.
  
"We're going home, we'll either meet you here or over at the fancy new restaurant we're going to"

Renae shook her head and didn't bother puting up a fight. "Fine" she said as she opened the door. She went out and closed the door.
  
"We'd better hurry up, we have to go to both our houses" Stella said.
  
"Yeah, yeah yeah, sure" Genevieve said. "First I have to make a reservation"
  
Stella just rolled her eyes at Genevieve. Genevieve placed the call and reserved a table for four.
  
"Why did you reserve a table for four?" Stella asked.
 
"Just to ensure we spend up to one thousand dollars" Genevieve said.
  
Stella was about to retort when a phone rang. "Is that yours?"
  
"No, it's not" Genevieve checked her purse and then looked around, it was Renae's phone which was on the table, she had a message. "It's Renae's" she picked it up and suddenly an idea popped up in her head.
 
"What's that look on your face?" Stella asked.
  
"Nothing" Genevieve replied evasively. She went to contacts, clicked on a particular number and put the phone on speaker.
  
Ring ring ring the phone sounded to show the call was going through. "Who are you calling?" Stella questioned but Genevieve simply smiled at Stella.
  
"Hello, Renae" a voice said over the phone.
  
"Sorry, Micheal it's Genevieve" she paused and was interrupted by Stella who whispered to her. "What are you doing? Stop it" Stella said but was ignored, she simply shook her head afterwards.
  
"I was thinking" Genevieve continued. "Renae, Stella and I are going out to have a little celebration dinner and I want to invite you. It won't take long"
  
"Um, sure I guess"
  
"Good"
  
"What time and where?"
  
"Seven sharp and I'll text you the address, bye" she said and hung up.
  
"You!" Stella said in a raised voice immediately Genevieve got off the phone. "That's why you booked a table for four, you were planning to invite Micheal all along"
 
"I was wondering where your smarts went to, good it's still there"
  
"Cut it out Genevieve, Renae's not going to be happy about you setting her and Micheal up"
  
"Oh c'mon, I'm not. I just think that since Micheal and Renae performed together, he should also be invited. Don't you think so?" She said and then added with a smile on her face. "If something romantic happens, it's not my doing. But, if nothing happens, oh well, there are other chances"
  
"You" Stella said swinging her purse but it was dodged by Genevieve.
  
"Besides the more we are the closer I'll be to spending a thousand dollars"
  
"So you really want to blow a thousand dollars just for the sake of it?"
  
"Yes"
~~~
  
Stella and Genevieve had just come out of Genevieve's house. "Let's get back to school" Stella said.
  
"It's still 6:35"
  
"So what?"
  
"How about we pick a dress for Renae"
  
"Oh I see" Stella said. "After all we did pick for ourselves, it would be unfair to leave her out"
  
"You're getting the hang of this"
  
Stella and Genevieve took a cab to Renae's address, using a GPS and the address she had given them when they fixed a rehearsal at her house.
  
"We're here" Genevieve said. They both stepped out of the cab, paid him and walked to the door. On getting there, they pressed the bell.
  
A woman wearing a hair net and an apron opened the door. "How can I help you?" She was wearing oven mittens.
  
"Good evening Mrs Stephen" Genevieve recognized her from the time she had dropped her at her home. "Renae's still busy, so we're here to get a change of clothes for her"
  
"Why?" Helen asked, still not letting them in.
  
"We're planning on going out to have dinner, Renae will fill you in on it, we're running out of time" Genevieve continued.
  
"I remember you, you're.." she paused for just two seconds while she thought. "You're Genevieve, right?" Mrs Stephen said.
  
"Yes ma"
  
"Then you must be Stella, right?" She asked turning to Stella.
  
"Yes Mrs Stephen"
  
"Come in. I'm busy right now, Kaitlyn will attend to you" she said letting them in. "Kaitlyn! Kaitlyn!" She shouted.
  
"Coming" Kaitlyn came down the stairs.
  
"I am baking" Helen said. "Would you please attend to them. They're friends of Renae" she said and went back to the kitchen.
  
"So what do you want?" Kaitlyn asked chewing gum.
  
"We would like to pick a change of clothes for Renae. Anything would be okay, blouse pants, skirts but a dress would be best" Genevieve answered.
  
"What for?" She asked again.
  
"We're going out for dinner"
  
"I saw what she wore, there's nothing wrong with it if she wants to have dinner with you guys" she said chewing her gum faster.
  
"Let's just say we want something better"
  
Stella watched as Genevieve and Kaitlyn argued.
  
"Wait a minute, is a potential boyfriend involved?" Kaitlyn asked looking at Genevieve.
  
"Maybe" Genevieve answered unsure of Kaitlyn's intentions.
  
"Why didn't you say so earlier" she said dropping her indifferent demeanor and putting on an excited one. "I'll be right down" she said and then she ran up the stairs.
  
"Great" she said after her. "See she gets it" she turned to Stella.
  
"Whatever"
  
Kaitlyn told the girls that Renae and her mom might not like it if they entered Renae's room so, she brought down different outfits and took them up if Genevieve didn't approve until she brought one that had both their approval. She didn't mind running up and down the stairs for Renae.
  
"I must say Kaitlyn has good taste" Genevieve said to Stella while they were in the cab on their way back to school. "All the clothes she brought down were great, though I wanted something in particular"
  
"Those are Renae's clothes, Kaitlyn could have brought any one down and we would like it if Renae has good taste, which she does" Stella said.
  
"Yeah, but everyone has some clothes that others might consider tacky in our wardrobes even I, besides she guy worthy clothes..."
  
"Just stop okay. Let's just have a quiet ride back"

~~~
  
Stella and Genevieve got back to school around 6:45pm but Renae was still occupied.
  
"I told Micheal seven or I'd hate to get there and meet him waiting" Genevieve said fretting after waiting for five minutes"
  
Meanwhile Renae was still running errands for Miss Blane.
  
"Renae, thank you dear. You should get going now." Miss Blane said as Renae was packing up the fabrics used for the decoration batch by batch into the store room.
  
"But I'm not done yet." She said. She looked down. The linen was packed in big bundles and there were still forty left outside. Ten were just outside the store making fifty that were to be put in the store.
  
"I'll do it myself."
  
"But they're–"
  
"They're much. I'll get someone else to help. You have a dinner to go to."
  
"Genevieve told you right?"
  
"Just go." Miss Blane said smiling and pushing her out of the door. "Hmmn, what a good child." She said coming out of the store for some fresh air. She closed the door and looked at the ten bundles just outside the store's door. She sighed and set out to work. "As for the remaining forty, I'll get a student to bring them in tomorrow." She said.