The Moment I knew

When we try to grow up, life gets in the way.

~*~

Driving through the highway of New York, we make our way to the Studio of Marie's next shoot. It truly doesn't require me there but I'm just accompanying her. Later, we'll leave for tonight together.

"Do you know what you are wearing?" I ask her.

"Tonight or for the shoot?" She asks back.

"For the shoot obviously," I reply, "I know your tonight's dress."

"Well, you'll see."

We sit in a comfortable silence with a soft tune vibrating in the background. I lean and turn down the windows and let the breeze hit my face. My hair blows lightly with the wind. I close my eyes.

"Alison?" I hear Marie whisper after a while.

"Hmm?" I hum lightly.

"You're okay?" She asks. Moments pass by and I think of my Mum. She was definitely not okay eight years ago. She was devastated up to the point where she was slowly losing the grip on her own life. I could almost feel the soul slipping away from her body. It took her a lot of time but look where she is now. Happy, successful and proud of her daughters. The other one being Marie because Mum never thought of her as anyone else but her daughter. If Mum could make that big of a comeback then I think I can too. After all we share the same blood.

"I will be." I reply.

We reach the MoonLight Towers. It comprises a combination of three thirty-storey buildings connected together by a glass passage on the fifteenth floor. After leaving the Valet Parking of the second tower, we make our way to the Ground Level Reception. The lady receptionist, Kaya, smiles at both of us knowingly and motions a 'hey' with a wave of her hand. We return the gestures and wait for the elevator.

"I'll grab something to eat before I go," Marie said, "They won't let me out once I get in."

"Alright, I'll see you at the studio then."

"Want me to get you something too?"

"Nah. I'll pass." I didn't like the thought of eating at this point. Though I never -and I mean it- reject food, I just lost my appetite.

We get in the elevator and out on different levels. I enter the studio where Marie is going to shoot for the next month's edition of The Glamour Magazine. It's a rectangular room with a with spotless white flooring and walls. The jet black ceiling is a beautiful contrast to the whole room with a ribbon like spiral near the edges emitting a white LED. A long window is located at the farthest end of the room where I instantly go to glance twenty floors below. A separate dressing room is attached to the studio. There are several lights and cameras -each hooked upon a three legged stand- scattered around the place. There was no one else so far and I wonder if I'm the first person to arrive which is humanly not possible. For me, of course.

A good five minutes later, the door opens revealing our personal stylist, Lynette and our assistant, Shanaya. Both were dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a black and red top, respectively. Shanaya's brown wavy hair was tied up in a messy ponytail while Lynette left her blonde strands loose. I walk over from where I was checking my Twitter account and greet them. We chat a little and they inform me that the crew has gone to replace the cameras. A little later, Marie enters looking extremely satisfied with whatever she had. I could also tell that it was Starbucks.

All in blur, we start to get Marie ready. She is supposed to try out three different dresses in total. All in less than a day.

~*~