Chương 4
She lowered the microphone slightly.
“That’s all.”
The audience laughed and applauded again.
The creative director leaned toward her.
“That is absolutely not all.”
Emily looked down, embarrassed.
The director turned back to the audience.
“Emily’s award includes mentorship with our design team, funding for advanced study, and representation in our emerging collection program.”
A murmur moved through the room.
Daniel looked at me.
“Did she say funding?”
“I heard funding.”
“How much funding?”
“I have no idea.”
“We should probably know things about our child.”
“This feels like a parenting failure.”
“A fairly impressive one.”
I laughed through tears.
When we sat again, I looked across at Lauren.
She had finally taken her bag back from Madison.
She was holding it with both hands now.
Chloe leaned toward her and whispered.
Lauren’s answer was sharp enough that Chloe sat back immediately.
The runway program ended twenty minutes later.
People stood in clusters instead of leaving.
Buyers exchanged cards.
Photographers moved toward the backstage entrance.
The models reappeared in robes and sneakers, laughing now that the formal part was over.
Daniel and I followed the instructions on our passes toward an upstairs reception area.
At the door, a security attendant checked our names against a list.
Lauren arrived behind us.
“Family of Emily Carter,” Daniel said.
The attendant found us immediately.
He smiled.
“Congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
Lauren stepped forward.
“I’m family too.”
The attendant checked the list.
“Name?”
“Lauren Carter.”
He scrolled.
“I don’t have you.”
Her face tightened.
“I’m her aunt.”
“I understand.”
“Then let me in.”
“I can’t do that without authorization.”
Madison looked at the floor.
Chloe suddenly became interested in her phone.
Lauren glanced at us.
“Can one of you tell him?”
Daniel hesitated.
I knew what he was thinking because I was thinking it too.
A petty answer sat very close to the surface.
Then he sighed.
“She is Emily’s aunt.”
The attendant shook his head.
“I still need approval from the guest coordinator.”
Lauren folded her arms.
“This is ridiculous.”
A woman with a headset approached.
“What’s going on?”
The attendant explained.
The woman looked at Lauren.
“I can check with Emily.”
That stopped her.
For the first time since we had arrived, Lauren seemed uncertain about whether she actually wanted Emily consulted.
Before she could decide, Madison said, “Mom, maybe we should just wait downstairs.”
Lauren turned on her.
“Why?”
“Because she didn’t invite us.”
The words were not loud.
They still landed.
Chloe glanced at her sister.
Lauren’s face hardened.
“She didn’t know we were coming.”
“That’s kind of the point.”
“Madison.”
“What?”
Madison shifted the Gucci bag on her shoulder.
“She didn’t invite us.”
Lauren stared at her daughter for a long moment.
Daniel touched my elbow.
“We should go.”
I nodded.
We stepped through the doors.
The argument remained behind us.
Inside, the reception was smaller and quieter than I expected.
There were maybe sixty people in the room.
A waiter passed with champagne.
Another carried sparkling water and cider.
Groups clustered around tables displaying fabric samples and miniature versions of the collections.
I found Emily near the windows.
Three adults surrounded her.
One was the creative director.
Another woman held a folder.
The third was a man in round glasses who spoke with his hands.
Emily saw us.
“Mom.”
She abandoned the group and came straight toward me.
I wrapped my arms around her.
For a second, she stayed rigid.
Then she collapsed against me.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Her shoulders dropped.
Her face pressed into my neck.
“I thought I was going to throw up.”
I laughed.
“You looked completely calm.”
“That was fraudulent.”
Daniel hugged both of us at once.
Emily squeaked.
“Dad.”
“I’m allowed.”
“You’re crushing me.”
“I’m extremely proud and emotionally unregulated.”
The man in round glasses laughed from several feet away.
Emily pulled back.
Her mascara had smudged beneath one eye.
I touched it gently with my thumb.
“You did this for eight months?”
She nodded.
“Mostly.”
“And didn’t tell us?”
Her expression changed.
The excitement dimmed slightly.
“I didn’t want you to know until I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That I wasn’t embarrassing myself.”
My chest tightened.
“Emily.”
“I know.”
She looked away.
“It sounds stupid now.”
“It doesn’t sound stupid.”
Daniel’s voice was softer.
“It sounds like you were scared.”
She shrugged.
“I didn’t want everyone asking how it was going.”
“Everyone meaning us?”
“And Grandma.”
“And Lauren?”
Emily did not answer.
That was enough.
The woman with the folder approached carefully.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Emily straightened.
“This is my mom, Rachel, and my dad, Daniel.”
The woman shook our hands.
“I’m Celeste Moreno.”
The name from Emily’s phone call.
“I’ve been coordinating the competition finalists.”
Daniel looked at her.
“So you’re the one who has known more about our daughter than we have.”
Celeste smiled.
“For approximately eight months, yes.”
“I’m trying not to resent you.”
“Reasonable.”
She held up the folder.
“We have some paperwork to go over, but nothing needs to be signed tonight.”
I looked at Emily.
She was seventeen.
Suddenly every mention of contracts and programs felt much larger.
Celeste caught my expression.
“We’re very careful with minors.”
“Thank you.”
“She’s had independent representation offered as well.”
Daniel blinked.
“Representation?”
Emily winced.
“This is the part I didn’t know how to explain.”
The man in round glasses joined us.
“I can help.”
He extended his hand.
“Julian Park.”
Daniel shook it.
“And you are?”
“Dean of fashion studies at Westbridge College.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“Julian.”
“What?”
“You said you’d let me tell them.”
“I waited almost three minutes.”
Daniel looked from Julian to Emily.
“What do you need to tell us?”
Emily rubbed both palms down the front of her trousers.
“I got offered a scholarship.”
I smiled immediately.
“That’s wonderful.”
She did not smile back.
“A full scholarship.”
Daniel’s eyebrows rose.
“For all four years?”
“Yes.”
“Emily.”
“And there’s another offer.”
Celeste stepped slightly aside.
Emily looked at the floor.
“From the couture house.”
May you like
“For what?”
“A paid apprenticeship after graduation.”
