"Well, good work Barb. Just go ahead with the arrangements. I'm as ready as can be," Rene replied in a tone of relief, mingled with kindness.
He always tried to remain objective and professional when dealing with his staff. It simply did not pay to let people in on his weaknesses. He could not afford to be losing his temper while working on a project.
He was already looking forward to the weekend. It was the third week of the month and he was bored. The weekend would be just enough to wipe away the cobwebs that had begun to form in his mind, ever since Laura had to go back home.
"Let Gregory keep her company," he thought. There could be absolutely no harm in that.
Meanwhile, it was Friday night and there were matters of the weekend to be attended to. Rene looked forward to a night out on the town.
Ike was home prematurely and maybe he could make up for the man's loss of excitement, by going out to a trendy nightclub with him.
It would mean leaving late though, because Ike was always very meticulous about his hair before going out.
He would start by curling and blowing-styling his shoulder length, black hair. After this he would apply his eyeliner with much care, before leaving.
Rene himself would only shake out his waist-long curly blonde mane and splash on some cologne, before he went anywhere. He took care of his hair and nails in the mornings.
***
On the Wednesday morning of the following week, Laura was surprised to find that she could be registered, given brief training as well as practice for her first assignment, all on the same day. She was also given a list of fashion assignments for the following month. Most of it had to do with new looks for the coming spring.
It was all bewildering as well as exciting to her. There was also something about some music band members who would try to contact her. Her agent Errol George, told her that she should not concern herself too much, because he had all aspects regarding her modelling work and other contracts, well under control.
She wanted to reach out to her makeup artist and hairstylist, but found that she was rather nervous of them. They worked very fast and attended to three other models besides herself. One of the models reminded her of former international model, Jerry Hall.
Laura tried to relax by taking her mind off her own performance. So she focused her attention on this particular girl. She was called Terry and she seemed really professional.
Laura envied her gracious posture and the way she moved. She had a super graceful walk.
So Laura decided to be quick in learning. Suddenly she wanted this to work, although it was something which was not initiated by herself. All of it was quite out of character to her.
According to what they told her, she would have little financial lack once she was working. Her contract would provide her with work for two years and to start with, she would be earning enough to provide her with insurance investment funds and a decent house to rent.
Within three months she should be able to buy herself a reasonably good car.
Blake had arrived at home after his second meeting with Shannon and told Laura about an assignment he had to attend to immediately.
It involved travelling to London on the Friday of the first week of the following month. In the meanwhile, he had to undergo training.
It all sounded risky to Laura, but Blake seemed very determined for once and as long as he had faith in himself, it signified a change in circumstances which Laura found welcoming. At least she would now be able to send Monique to a day-care center and Blake's mother would have a break.
***
Rene went to see his mother in Houghton. He always did that before a trip, although his mother was never at peace with the idea of him having to travel.
Ever since his father had been killed in an airplane crash twelve years ago, Rene's mother was never at peace with the idea of any of her loved ones travelling without the "proper" religious preparations.
This involved praying and waiting until one felt that the Spirit of God was at peace with the intended journey. Rene felt that it was enough that he just had good faith in the future. He simply did not set that much time aside every time he wanted to go on a trip. This one for instance, was not even planned beforehand.
His sixty-one year old mother peered at him curiously as he stood in the middle of her lounge, ready to leave. He never took the time to sit down with his mother lately, since her forebodings seemed to be increasing.
"So what makes you run after this model?" she asked carefully. "You never paid any special attention to models before. Tell me about it."
Rene did not want to respond to this request. It was only another one of his mother's attempts to pry into his love life. She never gave up. He had thought that when he reached his thirties, she would give up on taking such an active interest in his personal life.
At the age of thirty-eight though, he still constantly received surprise visits from girls at his house. He also often had unexpected introductions imposed upon him at formal functions, because of his mother.
***
On a sunny Friday morning, Laura was booked for a bridal modelling session, lasting three hours. Blake would pack his own suitcase, before leaving for London, where he would work on his first assignment for Shannon. Laura would have time to see him off though. She still felt that she was doing the right thing in letting him go on this trip.
Laura enjoyed her session, because she saw herself in various wedding dresses and she looked different in each one.