Time to face the world

Seven days passed and Meegan spent the majority of it in a crying depressed haze. Until this particular morning. She woke with a clarity in her mind that startled her. She showered on her own, also a first in over a week, and dressed carefully, even plucking a few stray eyebrows, arranging her hair just so, and applying meticulous make-up.

With a little help from Rachyl she dressed in a black corset, black ankle length leather skirt, and a black leather shrug. She completed the outfit with knee high leather boots and took herself and Rachyl into work. Well the cab driver drove, but still the sentiment is the same.

The majority of the morning was spent speaking with her employees and catching up on the enormous pile of work on her desk. She needed to draw her spring line, but she was in the mood to plan a party. A big party and so she called Rachyl into her office.

Rachyl 18 years ago
Everyone seemed so happy to see them two of them together. Well maybe not 'together' but back again both at the office. The smiles and "welcome back" were almost overwhelming.

Five hundred emails... Almost eliciting an expletive, she shook her head and dug into the work on her desk...

Until Meegan called her in. Dill was almost ecstatic to see her, too, and she sat in the chair.
"Hi."
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan perched on the edge of her desk and smiled at Rachyl, a real actual smile.

"I want to throw a party. A big giant one. Any ideas?"

She loved to spring this kind of stuff on Rachyl. She was amazing at thinking on her feet and usually had great ideas. Dill put his paws on her thigh again, and she obligingly scratched behind his ears. She was going to have to break him of this again. She really didn't like him on her clothes.
Rachyl 18 years ago
Rachyl felt her eyebrow arch as Meegan spoke. "Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's?"
Meegan 18 years ago
"Christmas, definitely Christmas. Down Dill." The dog pushed himself off and layed at her feet, content to touch her in that way for now. He had missed his mistress, though the man that had taken him had a big yard. He liked the yard, he hoped to have a yard soon.

"I want something big, really big."
Rachyl 18 years ago
Rachyl couldn't help but smirk at Meegan's enthusiasm. "I can't picture big right now, outside of sleigh rides, reindeers, Secret Santa, huge tree, lots of presents, mistletoe..."

She blinked and tilted her head. "Okay, maybe I'm starting with the base ideas... somewhere to start, right?"
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan wrinkled her nose. That wasn't it at all. "No I was thinking bigger, outside of Gothic-ah."

She put a finger to her bottom lip and tapped it softly.

"I know!" She all but shouted. "A gala, a charity gala!"
Rachyl 18 years ago
"A charity gala, huh." Rachyl was intrigued. This could definately be interesting. "I'm interested, though for the life of me I don't know of any charities in Nachton outside of the Salvation Army..."
Meegan 18 years ago
"We have a Children's Hospital." She was all together excited. Meegan moved around to sit at her desk and pulled a pad of paper to her. "Ok let's see. We'll have it to benefit the hospital, unless you can think of another charity. I need to get stuff for...A silent auction. hmm." She started writing, scribbling every thought that came to her, people to call.

"There's a ball room at the Convention Center, remember that's where that Halloween thing was? We should have it there. Oh, with a fashion show, yeah."

She was scribbling furiously, hoping she'd be able to read it all when she was done. Yes, this was going to be fun and just the therapy she needs.
Rachyl 18 years ago
"Childrens' Hospital? That's certainly a good idea."

Rachyl rested her chin in her hand, and her elbow on the chair's arm. A sparkle lit up in her eye, and she asked, "You mean there's no kids-only charity in Nachton? I would think they'd call it Nachton Benefits Infants, Toddlers, and Everyone Small... or NBITES!"

She pursed her lips tightly, shoulders quivering, trying to hold down her laughter.
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan looked up from her paper, and stared at her friend. Then burst out laughing.

"Oh my God Rachyl, that is so wrong."

She let her pen drop to her desk and enjoyed the good belly laugh from Rachyl's obvious joke.

"We should start one, and call it that. I think it would engender a great deal of support, don't you?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, she tore the top sheet from the pad and started making a list of names. Rachyl was going to be on the phone all afternoon, but then again so was she.

"Thanks, sweety, I needed that." She handed the list to Rachyl. "Get what you can out of those people. Most of them will try to be all, "Well we can give a basket." Do not fall for it. Tell them if they want to donate the minimum is three hundred. Okay?"

She tapped at her computer and brought up her name and numbers dealy and smiled at Rachyl. "Don't worry, they'll donate just be firm with them."
Rachyl 18 years ago
Rachyl laughed with Meegan, it always made her feel so good to make her friend laugh.

She took the list of names when handed them and started the calls.

One of the folks she contacted said to her,
"But it's not even Thanksgiving yet! How can you be asking for money now?"

She calmly, logically responded, "The same way you set your alarm for the next day. Because the next day is coming. And soon, tomorrow will be the day of the Nachton Childrens' Hospital Gala Event, sponsored by Gothic-Ah Fashions. The same way you put money in the bank for a rainy day. Why you put money into a 401k or a pension fund. Because the future is coming, and the children, to borrow a cliched phrase, are our future."

That person donated a thousand dollars.
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan spent the next few hours on the phone. Her first call had been to procure the use of the Ballroom, and to solidify a date. Once that was done she called the printer and ordered invitations with a promise of a disk containing her guest list. She then joined Rachyl in the calls to solicit donations from the people in her rolodex.

By the time they was finished she had enough cash and material donations to run a huge silent auction, pay for the entire evening, and give a large check to the hospital, with out anything in the auction selling. She was very very pleased.


"Now I just have to decide who's going to cater the thing."
Rachyl 18 years ago
"Well, you always have had more of a taste for the culinary than me, hence more experience with the restaurants in town, so you'd probably be best to deal with the food."

A beeping sound came from Rachyl's office. "Speaking of food, it's lunchtime. Where're we going?" She grinned, then flushed slightly as her stomach rumbled noisily.
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan looked at the clock and her stomach growled. "Want to hit the deli across the street or go for something more sit down and order?"

She'd deal with the caterer after lunch, when her decision wouldn't be swayed by her empty tummy.
Rachyl 18 years ago
"I wouldn't mind something sit-down-and-order, like Chinese or something. I'm definately not in the mood for salad or sandwiches today."

The meals at the Mansion had been pretty much soup, salad, and sandwiches, or any combination of the three... And Rachyl was slightly tired of the three S simple foods.
Meegan 18 years ago
"Oh there's that little hibachi place around the corner. That sound good?"

Meegan saved the stuff she had open on her desktop and set her voice mail to away, and dug in her drawer for her purse. She gave Dill a treat from the jar on her desk and grabbed her jacket as it had been windy all day.
Rachyl 18 years ago
Rachyl arched an eyebrow and gave a wry smile to Meegan. "You're forgetting I'm virginal in all things oriental food. So whatever you think I'd like, lead on."

It was moments like this that gave Rachyl an extra spin of "ooooh wow" when with Meegan. The moments where she was about to be introduced to something completely new, that she would definately try. Whether she liked it or not. And if so, then great, she added a new dimension to herself. But if not, well then at least she could say she tried it.

Within reason.

She too grabbed her windbreaker and purse, and took Dill's leash as Meegan closed up her office.

"Since it's your idea, and you know where it is, lead on dearie."
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan gently took the leash from Rachyl and dropped it back inside the office.

"Dill can't go." She went inside the room with him and gave him another treat, taking the leash off. "Sorry, boy, they don't allow pets and it's too cold for you to wait outside." She gave his head a scratch and locked up her office.

"Sorry I should have said something. I only give him treats when I have to leave him. It's a signal that I'm leaving and he can't go, but I'll be back."

She waved at some of the people in the office as she passed and shrugged her purse on her shoulder.

"Come on let's go corrupt your virginal tongue."
Rachyl 18 years ago
Regarding the treats, Rachyl said sadly as she watched Dill curl up on his bed, "Yeah you'd think I'da noticed that after four months here?"

Turning off her light, she said to Meegan as they entered the elevator, "After we get done with Chinese food, we can start on Greek, French, oh and I overheard Marcia in Accounting say there's a great Fondue place that just opened up out on California Boulevard."

She was silent for a moment then turned to Meegan, and leaned into her, whispering conspiratorially. "What's fondue?"
Meegan 18 years ago
Meegan bit her lip to keep from laughing, her poor sweet Rachyl was so deprived. "It's melted cheese you melt stuff in. They also have hot oil you can cook your own meats in and warm melted chocolate for dipping fruit for dessert. We'll go for dinner."

The made it to the restaurant and were shown to a table. Meegan ordered chicken and shrimp with an appetizer of vegetable tempura for the both of them and handed the woman the menus back. When their plum wine and water was served Meegan turned to Rachyl.

"I think we should buy a house."