about this crazy business we were in until the doorbell rang. I got up and there was my stylist, Mara, holding a humongous garment bag and a smaller bag from Van Cleef & Arpels.
“Ooh, I wanna see!” Georgie shouted as I unzipped the bag. It was a true unveiling. I slowly lowered the zipper and carefully pulled out the padded hanger, revealing a caramel-colored silk chiffon creation of fabulousity.
“Wow! That is gorgeous.” I was truly blown away. “And the Jimmy Choos. Oh, my Lord.” I would tell you about them, but how do you begin to describe a pair of shoes of such sublime beauty? Thankfully I didn’t have many addictions anymore. I’d given up cigarettes years ago and bad boys shortly after that. But shoes? Never! The jewelry was gorgeous as well. A big gold diamond cuff for my wrist and matching diamond drop earrings. Kind of nerve-wracking wearing them. I’d have to sell the house if anything got lost.
I wrote yet another check to Mara for finding the shoes and for making arrangements for the loan of the dress and jewelry. Jeez. Getting stuff for free was expensive.
“Remember, Alexis! I’ll be backstage after the show to get the jewelry. I have to return it to Beverly Hills tonight.”
“You got it, Mara. Unless I try to make a run for it. Ha-ha.” She wasn’t laughing as she walked out the door.
“You are a vision!” George said as he led me to the mirror. “Now, put the dress on. What time is your limo coming?”
Just then I heard a knock at the door and Connie came bursting in.
“Doll! We gotta go. We’re gonna be late. We don’t want to miss the red carpet. All the press is there but they close the doors of the Kodak Theatre at four thirty. The traffic. Ahhh. It’s gonna be bad.” My manager and date for the evening took a much needed breath before noticing I was still in a fluffy pink robe. “Oh, my God. What are you doing? Get your dress on.”
George and I looked at each other and then he went over to her and firmly placed what was left of his martini in her hand.
“Get a grip, Connie. You have lots of time. Drink up.”
Connie started to protest and then thought better of it and took a gulp. “Wow. That’s nice.” She put the glass down. “Let’s go.”
I went into my bedroom, carrying the dress and shoes, and quickly threw them on. As I walked backed out into the den, I tripped over the train. A sign of things to come.
“Wow, Al! Nice,” Connie said. “Really gorgeous. What a gown. I see best-dressed lists in your future. We got to go!”
“You look great, sweetie. And your hair.” George put his fingers to his lips and kissed them.
He turned to look at Connie and frowned.
“You, on the other hand . . .” He quickly grabbed a rat-tail comb, and within thirty seconds Connie went from looking disheveled, hot and sweaty to a mixture of a Kim Novak and Amy Winehouse look-alike with a gorgeous French twist. “Now, about the makeup—”
“I’ll touch up the makeup myself.”
“I’m not talking about touching it up, darling,” he said. “I’m talking about toning it down.”
“Nobody tones me down, sweetie,” she said, “so don’t even go there. Thanks for the help with the hair, but back off.”
“Gladly,” George said, holding up his hands. “Wouldn’t want to offend Miss Congeniality.”
“Aww, sweetheart,” she said, smiling up at my friend, “jealous ’cause you want to wear my crown?”
“There ain’t one inch of you I’m jealous of . . . sweetheart ,” George shot back, “especially those extra inches on your butt.”
Connie huffed off to reapply the pound of eye shadow she always wore. I looked at George and shrugged, trying not to laugh.
“Excuse me, Ms. Peterson? I’m Mike, your driver. We really have to go. Traffic, you know?” The limo driver had poked his head in the door.
“Of course, Mike. We’ll be right out. Thanks.” Then I turned to George. “Thank you so much. This was fun. Watch tonight. And pray that I
“Ooh, I wanna see!” Georgie shouted as I unzipped the bag. It was a true unveiling. I slowly lowered the zipper and carefully pulled out the padded hanger, revealing a caramel-colored silk chiffon creation of fabulousity.
“Wow! That is gorgeous.” I was truly blown away. “And the Jimmy Choos. Oh, my Lord.” I would tell you about them, but how do you begin to describe a pair of shoes of such sublime beauty? Thankfully I didn’t have many addictions anymore. I’d given up cigarettes years ago and bad boys shortly after that. But shoes? Never! The jewelry was gorgeous as well. A big gold diamond cuff for my wrist and matching diamond drop earrings. Kind of nerve-wracking wearing them. I’d have to sell the house if anything got lost.
I wrote yet another check to Mara for finding the shoes and for making arrangements for the loan of the dress and jewelry. Jeez. Getting stuff for free was expensive.
“Remember, Alexis! I’ll be backstage after the show to get the jewelry. I have to return it to Beverly Hills tonight.”
“You got it, Mara. Unless I try to make a run for it. Ha-ha.” She wasn’t laughing as she walked out the door.
“You are a vision!” George said as he led me to the mirror. “Now, put the dress on. What time is your limo coming?”
Just then I heard a knock at the door and Connie came bursting in.
“Doll! We gotta go. We’re gonna be late. We don’t want to miss the red carpet. All the press is there but they close the doors of the Kodak Theatre at four thirty. The traffic. Ahhh. It’s gonna be bad.” My manager and date for the evening took a much needed breath before noticing I was still in a fluffy pink robe. “Oh, my God. What are you doing? Get your dress on.”
George and I looked at each other and then he went over to her and firmly placed what was left of his martini in her hand.
“Get a grip, Connie. You have lots of time. Drink up.”
Connie started to protest and then thought better of it and took a gulp. “Wow. That’s nice.” She put the glass down. “Let’s go.”
I went into my bedroom, carrying the dress and shoes, and quickly threw them on. As I walked backed out into the den, I tripped over the train. A sign of things to come.
“Wow, Al! Nice,” Connie said. “Really gorgeous. What a gown. I see best-dressed lists in your future. We got to go!”
“You look great, sweetie. And your hair.” George put his fingers to his lips and kissed them.
He turned to look at Connie and frowned.
“You, on the other hand . . .” He quickly grabbed a rat-tail comb, and within thirty seconds Connie went from looking disheveled, hot and sweaty to a mixture of a Kim Novak and Amy Winehouse look-alike with a gorgeous French twist. “Now, about the makeup—”
“I’ll touch up the makeup myself.”
“I’m not talking about touching it up, darling,” he said. “I’m talking about toning it down.”
“Nobody tones me down, sweetie,” she said, “so don’t even go there. Thanks for the help with the hair, but back off.”
“Gladly,” George said, holding up his hands. “Wouldn’t want to offend Miss Congeniality.”
“Aww, sweetheart,” she said, smiling up at my friend, “jealous ’cause you want to wear my crown?”
“There ain’t one inch of you I’m jealous of . . . sweetheart ,” George shot back, “especially those extra inches on your butt.”
Connie huffed off to reapply the pound of eye shadow she always wore. I looked at George and shrugged, trying not to laugh.
“Excuse me, Ms. Peterson? I’m Mike, your driver. We really have to go. Traffic, you know?” The limo driver had poked his head in the door.
“Of course, Mike. We’ll be right out. Thanks.” Then I turned to George. “Thank you so much. This was fun. Watch tonight. And pray that I
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