Labelle Couture

Chapter 8

Spring was Label's favourite season. She loved walking through the woods as the cherry blossom petals gently fell through the air. There weren't any cherry blossom trees in the city, or any woods for that matter. She hadn't had much motivation to work on her portfolio, although she knew that summer was just around the corner, and that meant so was her interview.

Spring was also Sable's and Mabel's favourite season as well. It was late in the afternoon and she sat on her bed still in her pyjamas staring at the desk in her bedroom.

Walking over and opening the drawer, she sat and took a long look at the letter that was hidden inside. The letter from Sable that she'd received so long ago. From time to time she would examine the letter, reading it over and over losing herself in thoughts of her time living in Animal Village. It was starting to feel like a lifetime ago, the cherry blossoms, the bike rides around town, her sisters.

Label snapped out of her memories when she heard Pashmina unlocking the front door of the apartment. She put the letter away and got dressed.

The girls were worried about Label. After the incident at the party, Label spent most of her time alone. She'd call into work saying she was sick often and wouldn't eat all that much. They knew it was best to try and give her some space.

Label came out of her room and walked into the living room to say hi to Pashmina who had arrived from worked.

"I was thinking of ordering some take out, are you hungry?" Pashmina asked hoping she'd say yes.

"I'm okay for now, thanks." Label laid back on the love seat and turned on the TV.

Pashmina thought for a moment and then brought Label her spring coat, "Let's go visit Bunnie. You've been cooped up in here all day, some fresh air will do you good."

"I'm not really in the mood to go out." She said with her eyes fixed on the TV changing the channels.

"Look, I understand you're going through a rough time," she sat down beside Label, "but don't forget what you came to the city to do. You're here to fight for your dreams, are you really going to let this stop you from doing that?"

"What happened at the party was wretched, what he tried to do was awful and what he said at the end... He was my link to the fashion industry, and over the last few months I can't help but feel guilty about it and how I may have ruined my chances with the Academy."

"The guilt you're feeling is normal, as awful as that sounds. None of this is your fault and you don't have to be concerned about the Academy. I've been dying to find a publisher who will even look at any of the work I've written. It's been years of doors closing in my face over and over. It's easy to give up and feel like we messed up by coming to the city. We have to be stronger than that. If you really want to enter this industry, then fight for it, even if the odds are stacked against you."

She gave Label a hug, helped her into her coat, and made their way over to he ice cream parlour. The parlour was relatively empty and Bunnie was manning the register alone again.

"Your boss is off again, Bun?" asked Pashmina as she went behind the counter helping herself to a cup of vanilla bean ice cream.

"Yeah, sort of. I tried to make a version of ice cream that was strictly egg flavoured. And I may have used some outdated eggs. He gave it a try and a few hours later he had to rush home."

"You gave your boss food poisoning?" Label asked covering her mouth with disgust.

"Technically it's not my fault. He should know by now that most of the things I've made have sent him home." she replied, hanging her apron up and putting the Closed sign up on the door. She walked over to Label and gave her a squeeze before offering her some ice cream. Label accepted and the three sat on one of the empty patio tables outside the parlor.