“So do you think we should go over the list of buyers?” Maggie changed the subject. “How many are we expecting?”
I cannot believe he mentioned Antonio!
“What?” Francis looked up from the newspaper as if he had barely heard a word she said. “You should double check the models’ clothing rack and make sure nothing is missing. Cassandra came in and thought that a slip went missing that belonged with the sheer, layered organza formal she claims is way too transparent. It’s the one we put with that necklace that we imported from Spain that we couldn’t buy elsewhere. Perhaps it got misplaced under that floral silk dress that went with the nude silk leggings. And speaking of those, Elle said there was a run in them. I hope not! Now perhaps some of the stuff isn’t even on the right hangers.”
Maggie tried to focus, but her head was in a cloud when she heard him say, “Oh! And Latasha called to say she was feeling ill, but I told her, she’d better recover quickly. She wasprobably out too late last night, partying. Give me a break! Did I mention that we need to organize a packet of information for each buyer?” he reminded her. Maggie wished he would slow down as she listened to him ramble a mile a minute. “We have a catalogue and a separate price list that explains cost per quantity ordered. But now! I have a special flier printed on bright green laminated paper suggesting time frame!That’s when we need to receive the orders! That way, they don’t think that they can place some huge order at the last minute. That seems to be their favorite time to order…you know, last minute! Now, we have discount incentives for quantity orders and those are indicated on the orange flyers over there that just arrived in that box this morning.” Francis turned around and pointed at it, pausing for a second. Is he finally done? “Instead of leaving it all on a table for them to selectively pick through…” guess not! “I picked up these colorful custom envelopes with our Louis logo across the mid-section. I have to admit they are truly marvelous!” He must have said everything there is to say by now! “…But! Let me tell you, it was no picnic getting these done last minute! I walked into a print shop yesterday, and they told me they were backlogged with orders, and it would take a wretched three weeks to get them back. I told them, ‘nonsense, I need them today!’ So then I had to pay a three hundred dollar upcharge for rush production. And then it was no problem. They decided all of a sudden, they could print the envelopes in a day! These businesses in the U.S. are so scandalous!”
Will he ever shut up?Maggie wondered if he had any idea how demanding the U.S. businesses he dealt with must think the European fashion designers were.
He reached down next to his briefcase and proudly handed one to her. “All the information can go in these…Now the buyers can’t play the memory loss game—‘Oh, I never knew the order had to be in by’—sort of a last minute thought on my part.”
Maggie looked down at the envelope, signaling her approval.
She felt dizzy from his energy. She removed herself from the table and began to get busy. The fashion show did not start until three, and she mentally prepared for a long day.
“Sally, Matt!” Maggie smiled, looking up. She was glad to see them. They always brightened the mood.
“We ate at the breakfast buffet today,” Matt articulated, waltzing in with his usual enthusiasm, “and without standing in line! What a miracle! And now we are early. Another miracle!”
Sally darted over to help Maggie disassemble the boxes of fliers and catalogues, sorting them into the envelopes. But soon they were interrupted by Sally’s cell phone. Maggie could hear the ringtone as Sally headed over to her purse to pick up the call.
“Oh…Nooooo!” Sally shrieked as if it was the coming of Armageddon. “Matt! Greta just called, and she’s locked out of the house and thinks Ben locked her out when he left for work!”
Chapter Six
Start from the beginning
