Iris
Everything goes well with my job at pleasing. I am working full time and somedays even more hours because we want the collection to be out soon. Everyone has a lot of ideas and we all listen to each other closely. Harry is present to as many meetings as he can because his schedule is full all the time. I don't know how he can do all of these things without stressing himself out. I, on the other hand, only have the job in pleasing and i find myself crying in my room at night.
We all come closer and closer as the days go by but i have a secret that i don't feel ready telling yet. I have a daughter. A little girl, named Emma, who is the sweetest girl ever. I had her 3 years ago and that's the reason i left Manchester and come to Los Angeles. My sister worked here long before that idea crossed my mind and i knew that if i want my life to change i had to go. So, i took my daughter and left everything behind me.
When i first came here i lived with my sister and her soon to be wife in their tiny apartment. Tonya and Florence were the biggest help. Florence works from home so she could take care of Emma when my sister and I worked. She became Emma's favorite person and the bond these two have is something that I am jealous. After a while, Emma and I moved out of their apartment and we went to our own place, just a floor above them in the same apartment building. It was an opportunity that i knew i had to take. We still spend everyday with each other as Tonya and Florence are obsessed with my little girl. Emma started school this year so Florence doesn't have to take care of her when i work. I am off work by the time school ends so i have all the time in the world to spend with my little love.
"Emma, are you ready? I have to take you to school darling."
"Yes, mumma. Can you do my hair?" She sits in the chair in front of me, with my help of course.
"Do you want braids?" I ask her as i braid her blond hair. She is a copy of me. The only thing that we have different is our hair. My hair is black and hers is blond. She is like a little angel, she is my angel, the one that saved my life.
"Do you like it?" I ask her as i take the mirror so she can look at herself.
"Mummy, i am so beautiful."
"You are, angel. The most beautiful girl in the world. Now, go put your shoes on. We have to leave."
"I don't want to go to school. I want to come with you."
"You know you can't. But, it's Friday so you know what that means?" I ask her.
"Ice cream." She yells and takes her little bag with her food in it.
First, we go to her school. She gives me the biggest hug and then go to Millie, her new friend. Millie is a sweet girl and I can tell that her dads did a great job with her. I have talked with them and we came to the conclusion that our kids found a savior in each other. They are both from "unusual" families, and whether i want to believe that kids don't make fun of them, i deep now know that they do. But, for some reason Emma and Millie don't cry about it. They have each other. They found a friend, and their kind hearts think that it is enough.
"Iris." I hear a man's voice calling me as i walk back to my car. I turn around and i see Patrick, one of Millie's dads, waving at me.
"Hello Patrick, how are you?"
"I'm fine, how are you?"
"I'm fine too. "
"Do you want to come to our place tonight for a playdate? Chris and I will make pizza tonight and we really want you and Em to be there."
"Of course we can. I will take Emma for ice cream after school. I can always take Millie with us." I suggest.
"You don't have to."
"I want to. I will get her back to your by the time pizza is ready. I know how a child can be and i know that you two need some alone time."
"You are the kindest soul. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me. I have to go because i will be late for work. I will see you in the afternoon." I tell him and i rush to my car.
I am in the office on time and i hate that i know that everyone will be waiting for me. I walk inside as fast as i can and when i enter the office i see the other four already there. Harry is here today, too.
"Hello, I'm sorry I'm late." I tell them as i put my papers out of my bag. I had some ideas last night and i wrote them down so i would remember them for today's meeting.
"Don't worry. Sue just came too." Lambert informs me.
"Yes, sit down so we can start." Harry says and i can understand from the tone of his voice that something is wrong with him today. I don't know him long enough but he is a really happy man, always smiling. He isn't that today.
"I had an idea last night. I was listening to Stevie Nicks and the thought of magic in Shroom Bloom haven't left my mind ever since i told you about it. I was thinking that maybe he should ask her to be the face of the collection, knowing that you are friends with her." I point Harry and nobody talks so i continue expressing my thoughts, "but then i had a better idea. Why don't we do the unexpected? Why don't we ask Mick Fleetwood? It will be iconic."
I look at all of them expecting a reaction. Molly is smiling, Jeff is in deep thought, Lambert is looking at me excited and Harry is serious.
"That's the greatest idea i could hear today." Jeff says eventually.
"Thank you, i know that he can decline but we have to at least try."
"I won't call him." Harry says. "I can't ask him that, we aren't that friendly to ask him to be the face of shroom bloom, so we have to think of something else." He denies my proposal. Lambert looks at him disappointed.
"If you can't call him, i can."
"How do you have his number?" He tells to me and i can see the irony in his voice.
"I was a personal assistant to one of his friends, so i got to know him. I don't fear the rejection, i am sure he is going to love the idea." I stand by my thoughts.
"Okay, call him then." Harry tells me.
"Harry, talk better to her." Jeff says and i find it weird. Usually he is the one who gets to speak to me with that tone.
"I am the boss, I can demand things. Call him. I want to hear the rejection."
"Okay." I take my phone to my hand and i search his contact. He answers after three rings.
"Hello, Iris. I didn't expect you to call me."
"Hello, I'm sorry of bothering."
"Don't ever say that again. How is my favorite assistant in the world?"
"I'm fine, thank you." I laugh. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. How is your little girl?"
"She's getting older and older and i can't stand that."
"Oh, i have to see her one of these days."
"We can arrange that. You know, i quit my previous job." I can see Harry getting frustrated about my conversation with his friend.
"Oh, where do you work now? If you want a job, I can offer you one."
"No, thank you. I found a job as a creative director in Pleasing. It's a new company, owned by Harry Styles. You know him, right?"
"Oh, my boy Harry. He is going to get an earful if he fires you."
"Don't worry, i can do that myself. I call you to ask you something." I tell him and i can feel the rejection coming.
"Tell me Iris, I'm all ears."
"We want you to be the person of the new collection." I tell him and the whole room goes silent. I can feel Lambert holding his breath. "It's called Shroom Bloom and it is a nail polish collection. We think that you are the perfect person for that. Only if you want to be, of course."
"Of course i will. You know how much i love you and Harry is a great friend of mine. So why not?"
"Thank you so much Mick. I will give your number to Molly so you can arrange everything."
"I will call you again. I want to meet your little monster."
"Call me whenever, i will always answer. Thank you again."
We say our goodbyes and i end the phone call. Everyone is looking at me smiling. It is my first win at this job and i can't wait to celebrate it later with my daughter.
"We have a face." I tell the team and everyone starts cheering. Even Harry.
"Jeff, I will never hear you again. This role was harder than the one in Don't worry darling." I looked at Harry with a question written all over my face. "Jeff asked me to be more strict. He wanted to see if you are capable of this position. I was a bit harsh, wasn't i?"
"Don't worry. You are the boss, you can demand things." I tell him.
"Congratulation Iris. You are an asset to the company. We are so happy to have you here." Jeff says to me. And, for me, this is the biggest approve ever.
I left the company just in time to get the sweet little girls from school.
"Emma, Millie is going to join us and then we will go to her house. Are you happy with that?"
I ask my daughter as i place her to her car seat. Millie is sitting to her seat that i had taken from Patrick's car earlier.
"Yes, mummy. Mills we are going to eat ice cream." She informs her friend and then the two of them tell me what happened to school today.
I park the car near the ice cream shop that Emma and I love. There aren't too many people inside and I take the two girls' hands in mine and walk to the shop. We order and then we sit outside in a table to eat it. I see someone walk all over me and I stop for a moment to look at me. Harry. Damn it.
"Hello again Iris."
"Hi Harry and Harry." Lambert is with him as well.
"Hello sweet girl." Lambert says to meet and then looks to the two girls who are talking to each other.
"You babysit?" Lambert asks me.
"No, i don't." That is enough for the two of them to understand that i am a mother.
"Oh, i didn't know you have children."
"Child." I tell them. Emma looks at me and then she looks to the strangers that are talking to me.
"Who are you?" She says with her baby voice.
"I'm Harry." Styles says.
"And I'm Harry too." Lambert says.
"That's silly. You aren't Harry. He is Harry." She says making them laugh.
"What is your name, darling?" Lambert asks her.
"I'm Emma Louise Williams. And who are you?" She still doesn't believe that they have the same name.
"I'm Lambert, you can call me Lamby."
"You see, you aren't Harry." She tells him and i know that Styles finds this interaction fascinating.
"And who are you, love?" Lambert wants to know Millie's name too. Bless his soul.
"I'm Millie. I'm Emma's friend." She doesn't pronounce the word friend right but that only adds to her cuteness.
"We have to be back to the fittings soon. See you on Monday sweet girl." Lambert says to me and then he tell bye to my little company. Harry says a simple goodbye at us, smiling to the girls who are looking at him and only him. How does he do this? These girls don't know how to talk but they fell in love with him.
Later that day, we are eating pizza at Patrick and Chris' place. The girls are talking non stop about their day and how happy they are that they got to spend it together. They even tell them about Harry and Harry.
"Iris has a friend who is a prince." Millie says first.
"Yes, and he has a friend with a funny name."
"Oh, what is his name bug?" Patrick asks my daughter, wanting to know about my friends.
"Lamby."
"And what is the prince's name Mils?" Chris asks this time his own daughter.
"Harry."
"Harry?" His question is for me.
"Styles." I say simply. I haven't told them where i am working. The both of them start coughing.
"You know Harry Styles?" Chris asks me. I know that he is a fan.
"Yes, he is my boss. I work for pleasing. His company."
"You lucky bitch." Patrick says and then both Millie and Emma start shouting BAD WORD making us all laugh.