Love II

10

Paris

Noreen was excited about going to a fashion show.  She had seen them on television and in the movies.  Like everything that has happened since she met her stepfather and will happen, she never believed her life could be so exciting.  When they were seated at their table, she looked at the people around her.  The buyers and fashion writers were next to the runway.  Their table was at the end of the runway.  The waiter brought the champagne, but he brought sparkling cider for Noreen.  Jon gave the toast, “To our honeymoon.”

Nancy, Noreen and Tony repeated the phrase.  They each touched the others’ glasses.

“Who is that lady in the black suit?” Noreen asked Jon.

“Which one?”

“The one with the big black hat.”

Jon paused to look at the person.  He turned to Noreen.  “I don’t know.”

“But you have to know.  You know everyone!”

Jon looked at Nancy.  He raised his eyebrows.  “Where did she get that idea?”

“I don’t know.”

Jon beckoned to one of the young assistants.  When he came to the table, Jon whispered in his ear.  Noreen watched the assistant go to a table to talk to a man with rust colored, curly hair.  He looked toward them.  He nodded then rose up to walk toward them.

“Mr. Thornton, what can I do for you?”  He extended his hand, which Jon shook.

Jon introduced him, “Murray Averman, this is my wife, Mrs. Thornton, her daughter and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Bartolo.”

“Mrs. Thornton, Mr. and Mrs. Bartolo.”

“Tony, switch seats with Noreen.  Murray, sit next to Mrs. Bartolo and tell her who everyone is.  Noreen, ask away.  HE knows everyone.”

As Noreen switched chairs with Tony, she noticed another chair was placed there for Murray Averman.  She asked him the question Jon couldn’t answer.  After a couple of queries, Murray took over and pointed out many noted people.  Noreen felt as if she was in heaven.  She had heard or read of many of the names she was hearing.

Suddenly the lights dimmed and brightened.  Murray said he would have to go back to his table, the show was about to start.

As soon as the lights had dimmed and the spotlight shone on the podium, the narrator was announced.  Everyone at the table, except Tony, knew the name.  Noreen watched the parade of models she had seen in photographs, magazines and on television walk towards her in their outfits.

Noreen asked Tony to change places with her.  She wanted to be able to comment on the outfits with another female; her mother.

There were print play clothes.  Dresses had three-inch borders of cadet blue on the top with one-inch straps and on the bottom, the flowers were pink and light pink; green borders had yellow and red flowers.  The models paraded with street dresses of solid colors of gold, light blue, raspberry, and melon.

Nancy saw Jon leave the table.  He didn’t say a word to her and had sent no message.  She returned her attention to the runway.  When he returned, Jon sent to Nancy, Angel, tell Noreen to go to that man in the white.

Nancy leaned to Noreen’s ear.  “Do you see that man in the white, on the right?”

Noreen looked in that direction and nodded.

“You are to go to him.”