Meegan smoothed the rich black satin of her full petticoated skirt, as the elevator took her and Rachyl up to the third floor. She looked up at the mirrored surface to be sure that her alternating black and blue paneled corset was straight. She smiled at Rachyl's reflection and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She'd left her long hair down and flowing in pink-orange waves down her back. The corset left her shoulders and upper chest and neck bare. She'd accented her creamy skin with a black choker with a nickel-sized saphire at her throat.
They exited the elevator to the industrous noise of the third floor. The cubicals assalted her vision for yet another day. She'd have to ask legal how their bids for three different buildings on the Strip were going. The three they'd chosen were zoned for office and/or production and would fit her needs nicely. It would also get her people, all of her people into real offices, and not these holding pens.
They greeted the people they saw and headed to their offices. Rachyl to make coffee and Meegan to check e-mail. An intern knocked on her door as she sat down. Dill had been left at home as he prefered to hang out in the yard then come to the office, she didn't blame him.
"Yes," She looked up, processed the face infront of her and came up with a name. "Jill."
"You have three large boxes in receiving, that were delivered with a letter from you not to open them. I was told to ask you what to do with them."
Meegan jumped up from her desk a broad smile on her face. They were here!
"Have them taken to the first floor conference room. Then I need you and two others to put the room into configuration B."
"Yes, Ms. Masters. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Not at the moment."
Meegan rushed out of her office as Jill went off to complete her tasks. Meegan hadn't asked if she was working on something, she figured the girl would have said something, or not, they were all pretty much ask-how-high types. She entered Rachyl's office, her excited features composed into mormal workday seriousness.
"I need you to scedule a mandatory all staff meeting at three in the first floor conference room."
"Ok. What's up?"
Meegan picked up the folder in a bin marked with her name and glanced over her shoulder.
"Three o'clock."
Grinning as she pretended to study the folder's contents, Meegan left the office and headed downstairs after placing the folder on her desk, and picking up a small black duffel. She had no idea what was in the folder.
Gothic-ah's New Line ((private))
Seven came sooner than Meegan had expected and she woke to an empty bed. She moaned softly as the scent of coffee wafted to her and got closer.
"Ah, you're up."
Meegan moaned again and pulled the covers over her head. Had she really planned on going to work like this? She was never brilliant at four in the morning. She heard the soft thunk of a mug being set on the side table and suddenly she was no longer covered.
"Rach!" She squeal as her butt was pinched and flipped on to her back to glare at her attacker.
"Why did you reset the alarm? Rough night."
Meegan scrunched her face at Rachyl and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Rachyl handed her the steaming mug full of black liquid. She inhaled deeply and took a scalding sip.
"Dreams woke me at three-ish. I stayed up for a bit, made some plans, e-mailed myself, then came back to bed. I figured I should get three more hours instead of two." She sipped again, moaning as the hot liquid slid down her throat.
"What kind of plans?"
"I..." She gave a playful smile over the rim of her mug. "Have a date."
Rachyl lifted one perfectly sculpted eyebrow and let a smirk curl half of her mouth. "Oh really?"
"mmmhmm. I'm having drinks and dinner tonight." She sipped again, sighing as the caffeine started to tingle her system.
"With whom?" that little smirk was still on Rachyl's face and it made Meegan's smile deepen.
"Connie." Rachyl let out a breath and swatted playfully at Meegan's leg. She got up from the bed and went to turn on the shower. Meegan gulped at her coffee, set the mug on the side table and joined her lover in the bathroom. Their shower took a lot longer that either had had in mind and they didn't make it into work until almost ten.
Meegan
18 years ago
Meegan
18 years ago
She stopped by the ladies room on the first floor and changed into jeans, a purple Gothic-ah logo t-shirt, and socks and white and purple sketchers. She left her dress hanging in the bathroom, pulled her hair into a purple scrunchie at the base of her neck and entered the conference room. Two men and Jill were moving chairs around so that they were in two columns with six row of twelve, facing the small catwalk. They glanced up at her, Jill doing a double take, and went back to work. She approached the three large boxes that were large enough that you could put three of her stand up in them, and each Meegan would be able to turn a circle. She giggled at her imagery, and took the box knife she'd pilfered from Jacob's desk, out of her back pocket.
She slit open the tape on all three boxes and put the closed knife back into her pocket, she'd need it again shortly. The boxes wort of un wound from their contents leaving a big pile of card board and twelve pregnant mannequins. Their headless bodies freaked her out a bit, but she shook it off. The interns had finished and were heading out the door. She quickly sifted through names and found one.
"Brett, could you two big strong men, take all this cardboard out of here and into the docking bay, there's a box crusher out there. Thanks."
As she started cutting plastic off the dummies the two men took the boxes out for her. Jill had paused in the door way.
"Need anything else, Ms. Masters?"
"A vacuum cleaner, please."
Meegan went back to her merry work as the girl left to retrieve a vacuum cleaner. After about twenty minutes of cutting ripping and tearing she had the black cloth encased fake bodies free from their packing plastic. It had cost her more to order them pre-assembled, but she didn't mind. It saved her time and effort. She then began to move the things around to place them on the cat walk so that each could be seen when lit properly. She grinned and giggled as she worked, humming Bad Religion under her breath.
The anticipation of this was killing her. She wanted to shout it to the mountain tops, it had been far too long since she'd done something like this for her company. She enjoyed the challenge of it. Though it would mean another full line of designs every quarter, she was determined to do this. When they were all in place she moved to the light panel and began to test the spot lights, she had to tweak a few bodies, but it was perfect. She quickly programed the lights to work in a pattern that would dim and brighten each light one at a time every sixty seconds. This would give her enough time to briefly introduce each piece. At the end all the spots would come up along with the floor lights. She turned on the rooms full lighting and went to the back storage closet.
Over the last few weeks she had been having each piece fabric matched and sampled as she designed them, and then stashing the samples in this closet. She pulled out three of the plastic bags, figuring that was a good number to work with at a time. Each piece had been sampled in a true six, since she had used herself as a fitting model. It was an awkward size, but would do for now. Eight was prime, but she didn't want to bring in more people than she had to, and there was no way she could even hope to be an eight. Meegan had been and always would be a true to measurement, size six, had been since she was seventeen. She liked it that way.
She worked for over three hours getting the pieces fit to the mannequins. These particular guys, were basically dressmakers dummies, no head, arms or legs. Just a torso from the neck down with a basketball like protrusion in the front. It took some finessing to get everything to look right, along with the prop tools that had come in the boxes. Bars that held pant's legs open, or skirts straight, or sleeves down.
Around one Rachyl had finally called her cell phone to find her. She had let her know that the meeting was set and that she was leaving for lunch. Meegan asked her to take a long one and bring her something simply and not messy back. When Meegan was finished with the last dummy, she turned off all but one haze light over the chairs and the blood red lights along the walls. It wade for a very dramatic effect and the dummies were difficult to make out. All one could see was the fact that they were there. No detail presented itself and Meegan smiled brightly. This was going to be fun.
She called up stairs to make sure Rachyl was still out and grabbing her dress out of the ladies' room she hurried up stairs and into her private bathroom. She disrobed quickly, stuffing her dusty sweaty clothes into her duffel. She'd had to vacuum the floor, that and all the other work had made her sweaty. She looked at the small clock in the bathroom. 2:04, plenty of time.
She showered in less than five minutes and dried quickly. She ran product through her hair and dried it into the same long flowing waves. She quickly applied her make up identical to before her shower. Dark lined eyes, dark red-black lipstick, and a white glitter on cheeks and eyelids. It was a rather dramatic look. She dressed quickly, emerging from the bathroom to find a very unhappy Rachyl standing outside the door, arms crossed, right hand fingers tapping on her left arm.
She slit open the tape on all three boxes and put the closed knife back into her pocket, she'd need it again shortly. The boxes wort of un wound from their contents leaving a big pile of card board and twelve pregnant mannequins. Their headless bodies freaked her out a bit, but she shook it off. The interns had finished and were heading out the door. She quickly sifted through names and found one.
"Brett, could you two big strong men, take all this cardboard out of here and into the docking bay, there's a box crusher out there. Thanks."
As she started cutting plastic off the dummies the two men took the boxes out for her. Jill had paused in the door way.
"Need anything else, Ms. Masters?"
"A vacuum cleaner, please."
Meegan went back to her merry work as the girl left to retrieve a vacuum cleaner. After about twenty minutes of cutting ripping and tearing she had the black cloth encased fake bodies free from their packing plastic. It had cost her more to order them pre-assembled, but she didn't mind. It saved her time and effort. She then began to move the things around to place them on the cat walk so that each could be seen when lit properly. She grinned and giggled as she worked, humming Bad Religion under her breath.
The anticipation of this was killing her. She wanted to shout it to the mountain tops, it had been far too long since she'd done something like this for her company. She enjoyed the challenge of it. Though it would mean another full line of designs every quarter, she was determined to do this. When they were all in place she moved to the light panel and began to test the spot lights, she had to tweak a few bodies, but it was perfect. She quickly programed the lights to work in a pattern that would dim and brighten each light one at a time every sixty seconds. This would give her enough time to briefly introduce each piece. At the end all the spots would come up along with the floor lights. She turned on the rooms full lighting and went to the back storage closet.
Over the last few weeks she had been having each piece fabric matched and sampled as she designed them, and then stashing the samples in this closet. She pulled out three of the plastic bags, figuring that was a good number to work with at a time. Each piece had been sampled in a true six, since she had used herself as a fitting model. It was an awkward size, but would do for now. Eight was prime, but she didn't want to bring in more people than she had to, and there was no way she could even hope to be an eight. Meegan had been and always would be a true to measurement, size six, had been since she was seventeen. She liked it that way.
She worked for over three hours getting the pieces fit to the mannequins. These particular guys, were basically dressmakers dummies, no head, arms or legs. Just a torso from the neck down with a basketball like protrusion in the front. It took some finessing to get everything to look right, along with the prop tools that had come in the boxes. Bars that held pant's legs open, or skirts straight, or sleeves down.
Around one Rachyl had finally called her cell phone to find her. She had let her know that the meeting was set and that she was leaving for lunch. Meegan asked her to take a long one and bring her something simply and not messy back. When Meegan was finished with the last dummy, she turned off all but one haze light over the chairs and the blood red lights along the walls. It wade for a very dramatic effect and the dummies were difficult to make out. All one could see was the fact that they were there. No detail presented itself and Meegan smiled brightly. This was going to be fun.
She called up stairs to make sure Rachyl was still out and grabbing her dress out of the ladies' room she hurried up stairs and into her private bathroom. She disrobed quickly, stuffing her dusty sweaty clothes into her duffel. She'd had to vacuum the floor, that and all the other work had made her sweaty. She looked at the small clock in the bathroom. 2:04, plenty of time.
She showered in less than five minutes and dried quickly. She ran product through her hair and dried it into the same long flowing waves. She quickly applied her make up identical to before her shower. Dark lined eyes, dark red-black lipstick, and a white glitter on cheeks and eyelids. It was a rather dramatic look. She dressed quickly, emerging from the bathroom to find a very unhappy Rachyl standing outside the door, arms crossed, right hand fingers tapping on her left arm.
Rachyl
18 years ago
The day was extremely busy so far. But every time Rachyl stopped into Meegan's office to drop something to sign, go over, approve, trash, or whatever, the designer was missing.
It was normal, Rachyl realized; it was the second week of March and Spring designs were due. So maybe she was setting up a display...
She'd heard the shower when she returned to her office. Meegan's had been strangely empty since they'd come into work, and Rachyl was beyond worried, moving on to the unhappy part of "you didn't tell me where you were." The shower stopped; Rachyl stood and wandered over to Meegan's private bathroom. A strange thought occurred to her as she waited: of all the places in their combined offices they'd been naughty, they'd never done it in Meegan's private bathroom.
That almost-positive goal-making thought evaporated as Meegan exited the bathroom. Rachyl felt a tapping and realized she'd crossed her arms and was waving her fingers rhythmically. She stopped, and uncrossed her eyes, the sudden realization of both arms crossing and the tapping annoying her, so she dropped them to fold in front of her belly.
"Feel refreshed?" She hoped her voice wasn't too full of scorn or anxiety.
It was normal, Rachyl realized; it was the second week of March and Spring designs were due. So maybe she was setting up a display...
She'd heard the shower when she returned to her office. Meegan's had been strangely empty since they'd come into work, and Rachyl was beyond worried, moving on to the unhappy part of "you didn't tell me where you were." The shower stopped; Rachyl stood and wandered over to Meegan's private bathroom. A strange thought occurred to her as she waited: of all the places in their combined offices they'd been naughty, they'd never done it in Meegan's private bathroom.
That almost-positive goal-making thought evaporated as Meegan exited the bathroom. Rachyl felt a tapping and realized she'd crossed her arms and was waving her fingers rhythmically. She stopped, and uncrossed her eyes, the sudden realization of both arms crossing and the tapping annoying her, so she dropped them to fold in front of her belly.
"Feel refreshed?" She hoped her voice wasn't too full of scorn or anxiety.
Meegan
18 years ago
"Yes thank you." She gave Rachyl a bright smile, and slipped passed her. She wasn't going to tell her lover a damned thing. It was her right as the boss, thank you very much. She deposited her bag in her office, picked up a purple folder from her desk and turned around to find Rachyl in her doorway.
"Come on, or we'll be late for the meeting. It is mandatory."
The silence on the floor was unnerving, it invoked some very unpleasant memories. She waggled her eyebrows at Rachyl, pushing her unease down and heading toward the elevators.
"Come on, or we'll be late for the meeting. It is mandatory."
The silence on the floor was unnerving, it invoked some very unpleasant memories. She waggled her eyebrows at Rachyl, pushing her unease down and heading toward the elevators.
Rachyl
18 years ago
"Mandatory? Where was the memo? The shockingly neonic elevator flyers? The email?"
She was rambling on about it and remembered that one little postit Meegan had left on her monitor a week and a half ago, and she'd looked at it funny. "Huh?" and emailed about it.
"Oh. Right. Today. Three pm. Yeah."
She extended her arm to Meegan and walked to the elevators with her. "You're excited. Candy shop?"
She was rambling on about it and remembered that one little postit Meegan had left on her monitor a week and a half ago, and she'd looked at it funny. "Huh?" and emailed about it.
"Oh. Right. Today. Three pm. Yeah."
She extended her arm to Meegan and walked to the elevators with her. "You're excited. Candy shop?"
Meegan
18 years ago
Meegan laced her fingers with Rachyl's as they waited for the elevator. She was bouncing on the tips of her toes, which was very very difficult to do in black platform pumps. She hopped into the compartment as it dinged open and pressed the button. She hummed softly until the doors opened again. She sent Rachyl in and waited outside the door for a moment, settling her nerves.
Rachyl
18 years ago
Rachyl smirked and shook her head at her lover. "You know, I'd almost think you got laid this morning or something, because you're awfully bouncy at work. In fact, I'm going to guess that it's more the work part right now, which somehow is tying back to the getting laid part?" She smiled openly.
"Am I going to have to pull the 'meeting postponed' button in here or are you going to join me in getting to your mandatory company-wide meeting, hmm? Can't have you late."
Rachyl was of a split mind at the moment... part of her brain wanted to see what Meegan was all bouncy-happy-joy-joy about, but the rest of her brain and her entire body seemed to be thrumming with a sympathetic excitement. She held out her hand for Meegan.
"Am I going to have to pull the 'meeting postponed' button in here or are you going to join me in getting to your mandatory company-wide meeting, hmm? Can't have you late."
Rachyl was of a split mind at the moment... part of her brain wanted to see what Meegan was all bouncy-happy-joy-joy about, but the rest of her brain and her entire body seemed to be thrumming with a sympathetic excitement. She held out her hand for Meegan.
Meegan
18 years ago
Meegan shook her head at Rachyl and shooed her into the darkened conference room. The door shut behind her assistant. Today in this time, Meegan had to remember that at work Rachyl was her assistant. She needed to trust that she would do as Meegan asked with out protest. She took a deep breath and pushed that away, right now this was all about her new line. She wanted this to be stunning and perfect and she needed to work herself up a bit.
She opened the folder in her hands and perused her notes briefly.
She opened the folder in her hands and perused her notes briefly.
Rachyl
18 years ago
Rachyl nodded her head deferentially and walked quietly along the back of the room, up the side, and took a free seat in the front row.
Meegan
18 years ago
She walked into the conference room. Her employees faces were lit softly by the red lights and the single light above them. She smiled, but doubted most of them could see it. She walked to a small podium off to the side of the cat walk, and turned on the microphone.
"Good afternoon. Thank you for taking time out of your day to join me here. I have some very exciting news for Gothic-ah Fashions. As you know we pride ourselves on finding new ways to reach the men and women that buy the Gothic-ah line. It is my pleasure to present to you a new way to reach women between the ages of seventeen and thirty-five. Mother of the Night."
She pressed a button on her podium and the first light came up, illuminating the front and center dummy.
"I have not named each piece as I have designed a more classic collection and did not wish to take away from that. This set is a standard Goth jean, paired with a white button down work shirt and combat boots."
The light went down on the black jeans with chains and zippers and a second came up.
"This is a classic mermaid skirt, paired with a mock corset, designed to be left unlaced at the bottom, exposing the belly or paired with a camisole, and platform mary janes.
This is a crushed velvet skirt in royal purple, paired with a renaissance blouse. The lacing and sleeves are satin and the panels are velvet. "
Again the light went down and another came up. It did so between each piece.
"Here we have a red and black Rapunzel style dress with an empire waist. The over skirt is fine lace over a red satin underskirt.
These next three are all casual every day sets consisting of a pair of jeans, or a basic skirt, paired with a white black or red button down blouse with a mock cincher attached to the shirt."
Over the next few minutes she continued to give brief detail of each of the five remaining pieces; one remaining skirt set, an evening dress and three other gowns/dresses. When she was finished the lights over the cat walk came up fully and she pulled the cordless mic from the podium to walk over to her collection as the applause from her employees died down.
"Now here is the best part about this line. It is for Mothers-to-be. Each pair of pants and skirt is given either a stretch panel waist or a belly cut out that will go below the mother's growing child. The shirts are made of a lycra cotton blend with an extra panel at each side to allow room for growth.
The dresses are made with the high waists holding enough fabric so that the belly does not change the line of the dress. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Gothic-ah's Maternity Line."
She stood smiling as her people applauded, when they were finished she put the mic back to her lips.
"Thank you...I will take any questions you may have at this time."
"Good afternoon. Thank you for taking time out of your day to join me here. I have some very exciting news for Gothic-ah Fashions. As you know we pride ourselves on finding new ways to reach the men and women that buy the Gothic-ah line. It is my pleasure to present to you a new way to reach women between the ages of seventeen and thirty-five. Mother of the Night."
She pressed a button on her podium and the first light came up, illuminating the front and center dummy.
"I have not named each piece as I have designed a more classic collection and did not wish to take away from that. This set is a standard Goth jean, paired with a white button down work shirt and combat boots."
The light went down on the black jeans with chains and zippers and a second came up.
"This is a classic mermaid skirt, paired with a mock corset, designed to be left unlaced at the bottom, exposing the belly or paired with a camisole, and platform mary janes.
This is a crushed velvet skirt in royal purple, paired with a renaissance blouse. The lacing and sleeves are satin and the panels are velvet. "
Again the light went down and another came up. It did so between each piece.
"Here we have a red and black Rapunzel style dress with an empire waist. The over skirt is fine lace over a red satin underskirt.
These next three are all casual every day sets consisting of a pair of jeans, or a basic skirt, paired with a white black or red button down blouse with a mock cincher attached to the shirt."
Over the next few minutes she continued to give brief detail of each of the five remaining pieces; one remaining skirt set, an evening dress and three other gowns/dresses. When she was finished the lights over the cat walk came up fully and she pulled the cordless mic from the podium to walk over to her collection as the applause from her employees died down.
"Now here is the best part about this line. It is for Mothers-to-be. Each pair of pants and skirt is given either a stretch panel waist or a belly cut out that will go below the mother's growing child. The shirts are made of a lycra cotton blend with an extra panel at each side to allow room for growth.
The dresses are made with the high waists holding enough fabric so that the belly does not change the line of the dress. Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Gothic-ah's Maternity Line."
She stood smiling as her people applauded, when they were finished she put the mic back to her lips.
"Thank you...I will take any questions you may have at this time."
Rachyl
18 years ago
Rachyl applauded with the rest, and found herself standing with a good portion of her side of the rowed chairs. She was honestly impressed; Meegan had definately been working hard on these designs and she couldn't wait til they were in production.
Who was she kidding?
She couldn't wait to wear them all!
Who was she kidding?
She couldn't wait to wear them all!
Meegan
18 years ago
For the next forty minutes she answered questions about production, when they would be available size range, marketing, PR and hundreds of others she couldn't quite recall. Of course she would be having meetings with each department to set things up with them. She was looking at putting production in her second factory or stepping this one up to three full shifts. It would work out she was sure of it.
"Ok I think that about does it for now. I will be scheduling meetings with each department over the next month to get the details worked out. I look forward to taking this next step with you all."
She stood with her hands in front of her as everyone filed out. Rachyl came to stand with her and when the door closed behind the last person Meegan turned a bright smiling face to her lover.
"Well?"
"Ok I think that about does it for now. I will be scheduling meetings with each department over the next month to get the details worked out. I look forward to taking this next step with you all."
She stood with her hands in front of her as everyone filed out. Rachyl came to stand with her and when the door closed behind the last person Meegan turned a bright smiling face to her lover.
"Well?"
Rachyl
18 years ago
Meegan's business sense never ceased to amaze Rachyl as the boss/ designer/ CEO/ love of her life answered pointed question after gibberish annoying question.
Rachyl joined her at the podium while people left after Meegan's dismissal. The final door closed, and Rachyl thumbed up all the lights. Meegan turned to her, beaming.
"Well?" she asked.
"Well? That's all you can say is 'Well?' That just doesn't begin to cover it!" Rachyl walked the line in front of the twelve mannequins, frowning at each one in turn. A couple of them she spun on their stands, others, she leaned and tilted and methodically fondled protrusions and seams. After hemming and hawwing for a few minutes, she found herself back in front of Meegan.
Unable to put on the discerning show, her pursed ruby lips broke into a grin. "I think I'm going to have a very difficult time deciding which one to wear first!" She giggled.
Rachyl joined her at the podium while people left after Meegan's dismissal. The final door closed, and Rachyl thumbed up all the lights. Meegan turned to her, beaming.
"Well?" she asked.
"Well? That's all you can say is 'Well?' That just doesn't begin to cover it!" Rachyl walked the line in front of the twelve mannequins, frowning at each one in turn. A couple of them she spun on their stands, others, she leaned and tilted and methodically fondled protrusions and seams. After hemming and hawwing for a few minutes, she found herself back in front of Meegan.
Unable to put on the discerning show, her pursed ruby lips broke into a grin. "I think I'm going to have a very difficult time deciding which one to wear first!" She giggled.
Meegan
18 years ago
Meegan bounced on her toes while Rachyl made a show of looking each piece over. She was beyond excited and when Rachyl turned that big grin on her she squealed.
"I'm so glad!"
She took hold of Rachyl and decided that the line between assistant and lover could just be fuzzy as hell. She pressed her lips to Rachyl's slipping her tongue in to dance with the smaller woman's. They had a lot to discuss, but Meegan had work to do before her date in just two short hours. She pulled away and beamed at Rachyl.
"Thank you. Now, let's go get some real work done so I can go out and gossip with Connie."
"I'm so glad!"
She took hold of Rachyl and decided that the line between assistant and lover could just be fuzzy as hell. She pressed her lips to Rachyl's slipping her tongue in to dance with the smaller woman's. They had a lot to discuss, but Meegan had work to do before her date in just two short hours. She pulled away and beamed at Rachyl.
"Thank you. Now, let's go get some real work done so I can go out and gossip with Connie."
Rachyl
18 years ago
Rachyl virtually melted into Meegan's embrace, their lips pressed together, heated tongues dancing. When the designer disengaged it left her breathless.
"Wow. Thank you too. And of course you're going to leave me high and dry - okay maybe not dry per se - and go out with our friend! Well, you've earned it, to say the least," Rachyl joked.
She powered off the lights and took Meegan's hand, then guided her back to the elevator. As they moved, she recognized a familiar bouncing; Meegan was skipping right along side her!
(( Meegan and Rachyl out ))
"Wow. Thank you too. And of course you're going to leave me high and dry - okay maybe not dry per se - and go out with our friend! Well, you've earned it, to say the least," Rachyl joked.
She powered off the lights and took Meegan's hand, then guided her back to the elevator. As they moved, she recognized a familiar bouncing; Meegan was skipping right along side her!
(( Meegan and Rachyl out ))