January 25th, 2016

More of Sophie's jet-set lifestyle. Around here somewhere is a photo of one of Versace's designs from their Haute Couture show yesterday. What do you think? Sarah xx

~*~*~

"Good evening, Mr Whitaker."

"Good evening, Miss Clément."

"Guess where I am?"

"Where?"

"Paris!"

"Again?"

"It's Haute Couture week. It's part of my job to go."

"Yeah, but you were there a few weeks ago and you've just come back from New York. To be honest, with the blizzards hitting New York, it's a miracle that you got out of the States."

"I know. One of my friends sent a photo of New York City and it's bloody insane! Anyway, I'm on my travels again."

"Yes, but, so soon?"

"No rest for the wicked. And by 'wicked,' I mean, there's no rest for a fashion journalist. Actually, that's a lie. I missed the Atelier Versace show yesterday because of work and I missed Dior because I didn't get in until four today."

"Tragedy."

"I know you're being sarcastic, but I'm honestly not at all gutted about missing them. Rachel was  there and she's kept me updated by sending me Whatsapp images of the designs."

"And, what's the verdict?"

"Nothing I haven't seen before from Dior. Versace is very... Italian."

"Italian? That's a bad thing?"

"Well, some dresses were held together by string. Literally, held together by string. There was one dress I liked, however. I need to find out if Rachel managed to get her hands on it. Anyway, I did make it to the best show in town. Guess which show it was?"

"What show?"

"Ralph and Russo!"

"They sound like your Parisian bits on the side."

"Funny, but now. It's a British based couture house and it's so damned exclusive! They only produce one dress per country so that no two people in the same country has the exact same dress! It's fashion goals, babe. I would kill to have one of their gowns."

"What about your mother's designs? Wouldn't you like to have some of her designs in your wardrobe?"

"I already do have her designs. She sends me and my sisters a whole new wardrobe every season."

"I bet you don't wear them, do you?"

"I do!"

"You know you're lying, don't you?"

"I do wear them."

"When?"

"At family occasions."

"You mean, when your mother is around?"

"Exactly then."

"Are you scared of your mother, Sophie-kins?"

"Terrified."

"So, when are you back from Paris? By the way, slightly peeved that you didn't tell me you were going."

"I'm sure you'll get over it, poor baby. Tomorrow is the Chanel show and I can't miss that. I might not be Karl Lagerfeld's biggest fan but the shows are always worth seeing. I'm also going to the Stéphane Rolland show. Wednesday is Elie Saab, another of my favourite designers, followed by Viktor and Rolf, Valentino and Zuhair Murda. I'll be back Thursday, I should imagine."

"I thought you'd be seeing more shows than that."

"Not really, not for Couture Week. There's only a limited number of designers that are invited to show at Couture and the ones I'm not attending, Rachel goes to, instead."

"I feel like you're beginning to like Rachel more."

"Well, she isn't useless. I always thought she had potential, just untapped potential. I'm rewarding her tonight, anyway. Hugo and I are taking her to McDo after with some of Hugo's model friends."

"McDo?"

"McDonalds."

"How the hell is McDonalds a reward?"

"Because she's been practically starving herself to look good for this week. The girl needs to eat. Plus, Hugo and his friends are binging now that the men's fashion week is over. We all need a cheat night."

"Cheat night?"

"Yeah, a night off from the diet. We're in a cab now."

"Who are you with?"

"Hugo and Maxim. Rachel is with George, Arkady and Paolo."

"I'm surprised that you're not speaking in French."

"We're English speaking tonight. Maxim, George, Arkady and Paolo don't speak French. Neither does Rachel."

"Huh."

"Enough about me. Quoi de neuf with you?"

"What?"

"What's new with you?"

"Got a new case. Not that interesting. Lost my chess game to Baxterley-"

"Damn, I should have put money on that happening!"

"-And Samuel and I punched each other. A lot."

"Whoa! Back the fuck up! Punched?"

"We were boxing. It's something we do every now and then."

"Why?"

"Because it helps us release our pent up rage."

"I hope you won. If Jesus won, life is not worth living."

"I won."

"Score. But, boxing?"

"Huge stress reliever, believe it or not. I do, however, think that it's made things worse with Samuel."

"How so?"

"Because I won. It's just yet another thing that he can hold against me. 'You always think you're better than me!'"

"I highly doubt your brother sounds like a petulant three year old."

"You'd be surprised."

"Has it ever occurred to you that, just once, you could let him win?"

"Yes, but I'm competitive. I could, in theory, let him have the upper hand but in practice, no."

"You're a terrible brother."

"He slept with my girlfriend."

"Oh, for God's sake. Cry a river, build a bridge and get over it already! Yes, he shagged Arabella- just a minute and then I'll be in. Order me a Cosmo, Hugo.-  But just because he shagged her doesn't mean you get to punish him forever."

"I'm not punishing him for that."

"Then what are you punishing him for?"

"I'm not punishing him!"

"..."

"Fine, I might be punishing him for that. But he's holding me to ransom for things I have no control over."

"You have major issues."

"Part and parcel of being a member of my family."

"Your family has major issues."

"Blame Connie."

"I don't want to blame Connie. I love Connie."

"You'd love her less if you truly knew her."

"No, I'd love her more."

"Why do you even love her in the first place?"

"Why not? She's a gangster with guns. And her name is Constance. Isn't that enough?"

"In your pea brained mind, yes."

"I'm insulted."

"No, you're not."

"It annoys me that you know that about me. Like, you should not know that from the tone of my voice."

"Sophie, you're not as stealthy as you like to think you are. Your tone of voice always conveys your emotions."

"What can I say, I'm an open book."

"Yes, I heard your sister say something about that. Although, if I can give my professional opinion-"

"Yes, Dr. Whitaker."

"-you are not an open book. I think you hide behind layers of yourself, even with those closest to you."

"..."

"..."

"Interesting."

"Was I right?"

"I like being mysterious."

"Right, because that's what you are."

"Believe it, bitch. - Oui, je viens.- I have to go, Daniel."

"Ok, but first, translate what you just said. I want to learn French."

"Why the hell do you want to learn French?"

"So, I know what you're saying when you're speaking French."

"I told Hugo that I was coming."

"Coming?"

"In the context of, 'I'll be there shortly.' In the other context, you'll say 'Je jouis'"

"I didn't need to know that other context, thank you."

"You never know. You might fall in love with a Frenchie and you'll have to know how to say, 'Je jouis, ma coeur.'- Ah, allo. No, j'enseigne mon ami. Bah, oui, c'est important qu'il apprend.-"

"'Coeur' means heart. The rest of what you said was gibberish."

"Your grasp of random French words is astounding. Hugo asked why I was randomly saying that I was... well, he wondered why I was teaching you rude phrases, so I told him that I was teaching you and that it was important that you learn."

"Right, that's enough French for one evening. Go enjoy your evening with your friends. Call me tomorrow between your shows. If I call you, I'd probably call during the Chanel one and I can already envision how much of a disaster that would be."

"Yeah, I'd get kicked out by Lagerfeld himself. Not that I'd mind. Talking to you is more important."

"..."

"Whoa, that sounded really mushy."

"No kidding."

"Well... gotta go. Talk to you tomorrow, duckling."

"Bonne soirée, Sophie."

"Bonne soiréé, Daniel. Good accent by the way!"

"Taught by the best."

"You bet. À bientôt!"

"Hasta la vista."