E & J

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destinie21
destinie21
594 Followers

"It's the principle of the whole thing D." She sighed, "She's all like, 'Call me Ms. Baptiste' and 'I want your office' as if she's MY boss!" Evelyn fumed as she tried to keep her voice even.

"But what if she can get us Garner? That new restaurant...it would be a BOON! Think about it sweetie," he said trying to reassure her, "She's obviously crazy but at least she's got connections. If we get Garner and do a good job with him, imagine what other gigs we'll get? Pretty soon you'll be able to move into a bigger place and everyone will have their own office right? She's just a little...eccentric is all."

Evelyn sighed, feeling herself acquiesce. "I know it's just that..."

"Listen," he said, "Let her think she's getting her way. An office is nothing if she can get us this big job. Besides, you're still the boss."

But was she? Of course she was what was she thinking of? Sure it was little bit unorthodox for Jerusalem, no make that Miss Baptiste to demand her own office before she had done so much as 20 seconds of work but unorthodox or not it looked like this woman was going to land them one of the biggest contracts D&C had ever had. Evelyn figured Donnie was right an office was just an office, so why was she so damn angry? Jerusalem smiled to herself as she listened to the man on the phone, she was sure Evelyn was out there fuming.

*****************

It was no secret that every designer in the city wanted to land a Garner project, Jerusalem had gone to trade school with his very spoiled eldest child. Jerusalem had come to school on a partial scholarship and worked her ass off for the rest of the money it hadn't been fun to dorm with a rich girl especially one who planned to live on her father's money for the rest of her life. Chloe Garner had been going to school for fashion design while Jerusalem completed the interior design program. At first Jerusalem had been ready to unleash a lifetime of inequalities and resentments on the girl but her contempt all but disappeared when she realized that she could use her roommate and others like her to make connections she might never make once she got out there in the rat race.

What had started out as nothing more than a social climbing venture had actually produced some meaningful friendships and those the relationships that didn't pan out into actual friendships became at the very least plausible business contacts. Throughout her time at school Jerusalem had seemed to be the life of every party and appeared on every scene, she was a good student and dead serious about academics but she had a wild streak that made the other kids want to be around her. She was everything that they weren't supposed to be wild dark and rebellious. They didn't realize a lot of what they saw was an act.

In her Freshman year she had walked into the studio in the middle of a private assembly being held for the intern selection. Design students from the fashion and interior design programs were required to intern before they graduated and the most prestigious firms and design houses had a private selection of students to pick from, students that had been handpicked by their professors for the honor, students with impeccable grades as well as a stunning portfolios. Jerusalem had the grades and she sure as hell had the portfolio what she didn't have was the extra year of schooling, the thing was that students weren't even allowed to put in their applications for the internship program until they were sophomores.

She supposed it had something to do with new students not getting overwhelmed by the work load and such but Jerusalem knew she could handle it what's more she knew that she was qualified and saw no point in wasting a year that could be spent learning about the inner workings of what was to be her trade.

She marched in and tossed her portfolio in front of them all. The dean of students was there and had become familiar with Jerusalem for her academic excellence as well as her somewhat marred reputation. The girl hadn't been in trouble, no not ever quite in trouble, but trouble lingered around her, or at least the dean thought so. When she walked in and tossed her work on the table the dean called her by name causing Jerusalem to whirl in the direction of the summons. The dean had meant to thwart the girl's plan but only served to call attention to her even more so. Every eye in the room was on her when the dean moved to pick up the leather bound portfolio that had landed and flipped open. Before he could lay a finger on it, a hand snapped out and grabbed his wrist. The hand was attached to the arm of a woman known only as Duchess. It was unclear if she was actually a Duchess or had been named Duchess by a mother with delusions of grandeur. Jerusalem knew who the woman was, hell everyone in the room and a good deal of the world outside the room knew who this woman was.

She was one of the leading interior designers in the States and was actually a European import. Her real trade had been antiquing. She'd made a modest income on the antique shop she'd opened and would have lived and died, happily in her small village if fate hadn't reared its head. Her cousin, Phillip who happened to be very rich and equally as insufferable requested that she decorate his summer villa that he'd just had built. He was new money and very concerned about appearing as such so he had hired his cousin to fill his home with antiques.

Duchess for her part had tried to explain that she dealt in antiques not interior design, not to mention the fact that all the antiques in her humble little shop wouldn't even fill the downstairs of the great hulking mansion he'd built. Phillip as usual didn't listen, and after he doubled the ridiculously high offer he'd already put on the table plus added a couple thousand pounds to the furniture allowance he'd given her she decided to give it a whirl. She was still unable to fill the house with quality antiques just because of the sheer size of the abode so instead she picked colors for wall paper and patterns that would complement the few really good pieces she used for each room. The rest of the space was filled with more modern furniture with smooth sleek lines and curves.

The blend of old and new mixed with classic colors and muted tones worked famously. So well in fact, that when Phillip's jet setting friends came to visit his new summer "cottage" she received more than one phone call asking for her to decorate their homes. Phillip was proud as a new father since he could claim all the credit for discovering his very own cousin. Never mind that his aim had been to use her to make him self look more prestigious than he really was.

Duchess had taken the money she made from Phillip and a few of his friends and opened up her very first interior design office , and the rest was as they said history. She had built an empire on word of mouth an empire that had been growing for the past fifteen years. This woman had her name on everything from sheets to candles and was forever expanding. There'd been talk of Duchess designing her very own furniture line but that could have been rumor, but with the Duchess you never knew. The dean of students removed his hand quickly from the woman's grasp. Duchess flipped through Jerusalem's portfolio without letting sound or expression betray her attitude, when she had finished looking at the last sketch the woman turned to the dean.

"Thank God she showed, where the hell were you hiding her? Are you telling me I sat through 45 minutes of mediocrity when I could have decided in a moment if this girl had been here on time?"

With that she shot a sharp look at Jerusalem as if to let her know lateness was not at all acceptable. The dean mumbled and the taller woman asked him to repeat himself.

"I said the thing is she's not supposed to be here at all, she's only a freshman." The man looked like a little boy in trouble as he said this, he was just a finger snap from blushing like a school boy.

The woman looked at Jerusalem cocking her head to the side as if contemplating her then she smiled, a wide sure smile.

"Oh she'll do nicely."

And just like that Jerusalem Baptiste landed the most sought after internship, plus she was only a freshman to boot. Her name was suddenly reverent and she was the stuff that legends were made of , from defying the dean to having the Duchess hand pick her to being the youngest intern in the history of the school. Her friends could hardly believe that she'd done it, but then again it was Jerusalem so you never could tell what she'd do. Whatever it was though you knew she'd do it well. Jerusalem wasn't all that surprised she'd known she was ready but she was shocked that her plan or lack there of had worked.

She wanted to explain to her friends and those who marveled at her courage and such that it didn't take much to be courageous when you had nothing left to lose. And if there's one thing Jerusalem had a lot of it was nothing. Snapping out of her reverie Jerusalem said her goodbyes to the man on the other end of the line and stood. She'd set up an appointment with him for the following afternoon and she had no doubt that she...no they would land the job. As she walked to the door she almost smiled to herself but not quite. She wasn't sure why she wasn't happier exactly. She had the office and she'd made her point, she had connections but she didn't feel victorious when she walked out of the office and saw the easy camaraderie of Evelyn and Donnie, they were looking over some fabric samples and talking in hushed tones. She just felt sort of petty.

She had been in their presence for less than an hour and she could tell if either of them had landed a deal they'd celebrate and congratulate each other not rub it in the other's face or make them feel bad about not having been the one to close the deal. She started to walk back into the office confused but Evelyn spotted her.

"How'd it go?" her voice was tight and Jerusalem couldn't tell if it was from residual anger over the office or if it was the anticipation of the answer she was about to give.

"We have a meeting tomorrow at 12:37"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow "12:37?"

Jerusalem shrugged. "He likes to set meetings at weird times. He's eccentric."

"Psst that's fancy talk for crazy." Donnie piped in with a stage whisper. Evelyn laughed but Jerusalem just rolled her eyes.

*** * *

Evelyn had wanted to go to the meeting with Jerusalem but that was another thing Jerusalem had insisted on her doing things her way. Donnie and Evelyn waited at the office impatiently for Jerusalem to return. At around 4:00 p.m. she sauntered in as if she were a movie star, wearing big shades and a white pantsuit. Evelyn rolled her eyes and Donnie snickered. Jerusalem said nothing, she just went straight to "her" office.

Evelyn gave Donnie an incredulous, "Do you believe her?" look. Then she marched right into the office behind Jerusalem. Jerusalem was sitting behind Evelyn's former desk with her feet up, legs crossed at the ankle. Her white heels pointed toward Evelyn as she asked,

"Do you know how to knock?"

Evelyn grimaced, "Uhh, the door was open?"

"Oh." Is all Jerusalem said lifting her shades.

"Well?" Evelyn said crossing her arms.

"Well?" Jerusalem said pulling out a cigar from the purse that rested on the desk. Evelyn tried not to betray her anger. This woman was intolerable! And was she smoking a stinky cigar in her personal office...well, the office "formerly known as" hers?

"What are you doing?" Evelyn couldn't help herself from asking.

"Garner gave me some Cubans..." she said blowing smoke, "You promise not to tell the authorities right?" She said smiling at Evelyn. It was the first smile Evelyn could ever remember Jerusalem giving. Suddenly she forgot about the cigar smoke and remembered why she came into the office in the first place.

"How'd it go with Garner?"

"Great, we're going to Tahiti this weekend."

Evelyn gave the woman a confused look, "You and Garner?"

She looked up at Evelyn, blowing perfect smoke rings, "Of course not he's already there. We like you me Donnie. I hope you have your portfolio ready. Some presentation slides...possible proposals..."

Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, "What?"

"We're staying at his place there...I need to buy a swimsuit..."

"What?" Evelyn said frantically, "This weekend? When?"

"We are due there by Friday evening. We leave the following Sunday. I hope you don't have any plans next week. Anyway, he's arranged to have us flown there."

"Jerusalem, we don't even have a whole week to plan our proposal...we haven't seen the place...we haven't..."

"Blue prints, pictures are all in my briefcase." Jerusalem casually said.

"So we have to start working now!"

"I don't know...I'm pretty tired." Jerusalem put down her feet and sat up in the chair, "I'll leave everything with you and you and Donnie can start on it."

"What?" Evelyn scoffed, "You can't be serious?"

Jerusalem stood up to leave, "I'll see what you guys are working with in the morning, goodnight." And with that she left.

Evelyn had to use every ounce of her will power to restrain herself from throwing the full weight of her body against the woman and proceeding to ring her damn neck. She couldn't believe this shit.

Evelyn and Donnie worked until eleven o' clock, throwing ideas around and making sketches. Then they came in the next day bright and early to work on the project, but they had already found Jerusalem there pouring over blueprints and looking at the work they've done.

"Well, well, well," Jerusalem said, "I guess when a proposal is due it's the norm to just come in whenever you want to."

"It's eight a.m." Evelyn fumed. "You have no idea how long we were here last night."

"Listen Miss Thang," Donnie said shrugging off his vintage leather jacket, "I've got bed head and a bad attitude, so please don't piss on me this morning."

Evelyn noticed how Jerusalem seemed taken aback at first before smiling. "Well, I was just joking around Donnie, I've actually put on some coffee."

Donnie? Evelyn thought to herself. Did she just call him Donnie? Donnie tried to shrug this off,

"I'm sorry Ms. Baptiste, I just..."

"I guess we should be getting to work. Right Ms. Masters?" Jerusalem said glancing at Evelyn.

Evelyn smoothed back her hair and sighed. "This is going to be a long day."

She was right it was a long day and by the end of it she had a pounding headache. It didn't help that Donnie and Jerusalem were now thick as thieves. She knew it was petty but she felt like demanding that Donnie not talk to Jerusalem. Why was it that Jerusalem made her feel alienated? She couldn't understand why the camaraderie or even basic comfort level wasn't there with Jerusalem. And to top things off Evelyn thought she must be absolutely exhausted because once or twice she caught herself leaning in a little closer to catch the other woman's scent or she'd find herself looking at the Jerusalem's fingers and wondering...wondering thoughts she wouldn't let her mind think.

It was 11 o'clock when they began packing up to leave and all of them looked like they'd put in 12 hours plus, and they had barely breaking to eat the lunch. Well really only Donnie and Evelyn looked absolutely tired. Jerusalem's red pinstriped suit was a little rumpled looking but otherwise she looked fabulous. Evelyn felt like mussing the woman's hair and running off like a naughty school boy. Instead of acting like a child Evelyn shook off her feelings and locked up before they all left.

The next few days flew by and there barely seemed to be enough hours to complete all the work and prepare for a trip half way around the world, but by Saturday evening the proposal was as ready as it would ever be and safely packed in a leather bound portfolio. Evelyn was in her bedroom finishing some last minute packing. She too was as ready as she'd ever be for this trip. She hadn't been quite sure what all to bring, she'd packed some summer business suits of course and a few conservative sundresses and a couple of pairs of nice sandals, she'd even purchased two new bathing suit and thrown in her standard black bikini as an old standby.

It was insurance really because she was almost sure she'd never have the guts to actually wear the barely there red bikini she'd bought on the spur of the moment. Sure the swim suit looked great on her and that felt good especially since she was nearing her thirtieth birthday, actually it felt more like she were hurtling uncontrollably in the abyss of non youth, but still the cut of material left her virtually naked and she doubted she'd be able to wear it with confidence even if she was thousands of miles away from her ordinary life.

With everything finally packed and the work all done she, showered and slipped into a brief lavender nightie before all but falling into her bed. Thankfully she found that both her mind and body were absolutely exhausted after the high stress and very busy week. She was able to sleep peacefully without her thoughts running over themselves in her head as they did when she was awake. Evelyn wasn't often confused and so the confusion she felt was a new and unwelcome annoyance. She wasn't that surprised that she was attracted to Jerusalem The older she got the more she realized that she'd always felt a certain emotional attraction to women, which was why she had almost no female friends. The attraction made her uncomfortable but it didn't really surprise her, what was shocking was the intense physical attraction that she felt.

Evelyn had noticed women before, of course she'd written it off as surface admiration when she knew that it was more than that, but with Jerusalem it was impossible to excuse the feeling as anything but lust. The woman's presence actually excited Evie in a very real and very carnal way. That's what had her confused, the fact that she couldn't dismiss or shake the attraction.

The past week had been hellish too because she'd be forced by constraints of time to work closely with the woman she'd very much have liked to avoid. Plus she couldn't even retreat to her own office to sulk about the situation. Donnie had noticed something was up but had stopped asking when she'd snapped at him to mind his damn business. Jerusalem as per her usual virtually ignored Evelyn which both annoyed and relieved her.

As Evelyn drifted off to sleep, Jerusalem sat in her own apartment sipping a drink and thinking. She had packed days ago not that she'd had much to pack just a few brief swimsuits and a handful of scandalous sun dresses. She packed a couple of suits and such for good measure but doubted that she'd even have occasion to wear them. Jeff wouldn't care if they showed up in ripped jeans and tank tops so long as they were confident in their proposal could back it up with some good work.

She knew their work was better than good so she wasn't riddled with nerves like Donnie and Evelyn, she also had known the man for years so despite his money and his influence she didn't feel the least bit intimidated. This was as much a social visit as a business venture any way, Chloe had insisted that her father fly them to the vacation home in Tahiti when she'd heard that Jerusalem was the one making the pitch.

Jerusalem and Chloe were unlikely friends who probably wouldn't have known each other at all if they hadn't been thrown in the freshman dorms together. Freshman weren't allowed to have private rooms or apartments so they were stuck together. They hated each other at first in the way that girls usually hate each other, without much basis and a whole lot of petty venom. When they had gotten past being thrown together by circumstance they slowly became friends. Jerusalem stopped resenting all the things that were essentially Chloe's birthright.

destinie21
destinie21
594 Followers