How to Frame a Fashionista

by Debra Sennefelder

Suddenly, she had a craving for an espresso.

  “When they divorced it didn’t make financial sense to sell it. Now it does. But Serena doesn’t want to sell. There’s a really good offer on the table, and Jason thinks they should take it. The fighting has gotten uglier the past few months.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Disputes over property can get nasty.” Kelly had firsthand experience thanks to her inheritance. Although the disagreement between her and her uncle hadn’t risen to the level that Tawny was speaking of.

  “Thank you.” Tawny clapped her hands together and gave off a chilled vibe. She looked as if she’d had enough of Serena and her antics. “You’re here for clothes not to listen to the details of the dispute between my husband and his ex-wife. Talk about boring.”

  Oh, contraire.

  Kelly was anything but bored. As much as she wanted to behave professionally, she was dying to know all the details Tawny was willing, yet hesitant to share. Was there a tactful way to get Tawny to spill the family secrets? No, there isn’t.

  “I guess we all have our family issues. I definitely have my share.” Aside from her greedy uncle, Kelly was rebuilding her relationship with her sister. Their strained relationship had gotten to the point that they’d barely said a word to each other at their grandmother’s funeral. Luckily, that was changing. They were not only talking on a regular basis, but also getting together for dinners and the occasional Sunday brunch. “Perhaps we should get back to why you asked me here today.”

  Kelly turned her attention back to the garments, and for the next fifteen minutes she studied each item. All of the clothing was in good shape, recently purchased, and a mix of spring and summer seasons, which was great because they’d probably get full asking price. She pulled a calculator from her purse and did a quick estimate of how much money Tawny could earn by selling through the boutique.

  She showed Tawny the number. “It’s only an estimate. I can’t guarantee you’ll earn this much, but I promise that I will do my best to get it for you.”

  Tawny smiled as she patted Kelly on the arm. “I’m sure you will. I don’t think I mentioned it earlier, but I knew your grandmother. She was a nice lady. Everyone adored her.”

  Kelly lowered the calculator. While she loved hearing people talk about her granny, it was painful. The rawness of Martha’s death still cut through her. She had no idea how long it would last and reminded herself the kind words of people who’d known Martha was a comfort she should embrace.

  “She was a remarkable woman.” Not only had Martha declared her independence after becoming a widow by opening her business, she’d stood by Kelly during the darkest period in her life.

  “And I’m sure her granddaughter is also.” Tawny walked past Kelly toward the desk. She bent over and pulled out a dust bag from beneath the desk.

  Kelly couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her heart did a pitter-patter when she saw the dust cloth. Was it really a Fendi?

  “I have one more thing to consign.”

  She held her breath as Tawny opened the dust cloth and revealed the designer’s iconic Peekaboo bag.

  Is she really going to consign it?

  “I don’t think I need to tell you what this is,” Tawny said.

  Kelly shook her head. “No, you don’t. It’s beautiful.” She stepped closer to the purse and she swore she heard angels singing. Okay, not really. But there should have been. The bag was gorgeous. She’d been in the presence of a Peekaboo before. Her uncle’s third wife, Summer, had one and carried it often, though hers was a small.

  “It’s a beautiful bag, isn’t it?”

  Kelly nodded. The purse combined elegance with casualness in a simple trapezoid structure that allowed it to go from dressy to everyday wear with a simple outfit change. Its top handle was classic, while its shoulder strap was a must-have for the modern woman.

  “Yes, it is a beauty. It’s a medium?”

  “Good eye.” Tawny lifted the purse from the dust bag. “I bought it on a whim.”

  “Impulse purchase? Ouch.” Buying a Peekaboo purse on impulse wasn’t like buying a handbag at TJ Maxx. No, that on a whim purchase set Tawny back four figures, but hopefully it would fetch Kelly a nice commission.

  “Tell me about it. It’s been sitting in my closet all this time. I think there’s someone out there who would actually use it. I tried carrying it the other day and realized it just doesn’t fit my lifestyle. I’m more of a casual crossbody kind of gal.”

  Kelly wanted to raise her hand and volunteer to give the Peekaboo a good home, but there was no way she could afford or justify such a splurge. Instead, she took the bag from Tawny and gave it a once-over.

  “I’m sure there is. And you’ll get a good price for it since it’s in such good condition. However, I don’t sell this type of merchandise in my boutique.” Not yet. “I have an account on a resale website that does. I’ve had success with a lot of high-end dresses, like a Gucci dress not too long ago. Although, I’ll have to get this authenticated first.”

  It looked like the real deal to Kelly, but she couldn’t risk her boutique’s reputation if the item were indeed a fake. And fakes were getting harder and harder to spot.

  Tawny took back the purse and placed it in the dust bag. “I understand. Get it authenticated and let me know what price you’ll be selling it for.”

  Kelly was surprised that Tawny was letting her leave with the bag. “Are you sure? I can come back for the bag when I have the appointment set up.”

  Tawny waved away Kelly’s suggestion. “Don’t be silly. You’re Martha Blake’s granddaughter. I trust you.” Her cell phone rang again, and she frowned when she looked at the caller ID. Kelly also saw the name. Chase. “Excuse me.” She gave a faint smile as she snatched the device up and turned away with the phone by her ear. She then stepped away from the desk.

  “What do you want? I don’t have time to talk now…I said, I’m busy.” She ended the call and lowered the phone to the desk. “Do you need help to get all this stuff out to your vehicle?”

  “I hope everything is okay.” Kelly picked up the Fendi purse.

  Tawny shrugged. “It’s just business. Expansion has a downside.” Her tone definitely changed from a few moments ago. Then again, Kelly knew firsthand how business stuff could change her mood in a blink of an eye.

  “I don’t need any help. It’ll take me just a few minutes, and then I’ll be on my way.” Kelly crossed the room back to the garment rack. She wanted to pinch herself just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She had a high-end designer bag to sell.

  “Good. Thank you for coming over today.” Tawny pulled out her desk chair and sat. She opened her planner and made a notation. “And again, I apologize for Serena’s behavior. The woman can be unbearable. But trust me. It ends now.”

  * * * *

  When Kelly returned from Tawny’s house, she did a quick inspection of the boutique for new leaks. It looked like her prayers had been heard because there were none.

  Heaving a sigh of relief because she didn’t have to scramble for more buckets or cover merchandise, she got to work on the window display. Thirty minutes later she was done.

  Flowy sundresses and sandals didn’t feel right in the window this time of the year, but she needed to get the women who passed by to think about what their clothing needs would be in a few weeks. She hoped spring weather would arrive soon. With the temperature fluctuating between below freezing, snow, and mild temperatures in the 60s, it was challenging to draw customers in to shop for their spring wardrobes.

  Last month she found an old lamppost at a flea market and negotiated an affordable price. When she brought the post home, Kelly gave it a makeover. She took care of the rust, primed, and painted the post yellow. Its wiring was bad, but she wasn’t planning to use it for light, so she left the wiring alone.

  The new coat of paint made the
lamppost pop, but it still lacked something. While browsing another flea market, she found old street signs and knew they’d be perfect for the post. With the help of her friend, Gabe Donovan, she cleaned them up and attached them to the post.

  Now, there were signs for Fifth Ave and Broadway along with three One Way signs. Finally, the lamppost looked perfect for display.

  Wrangling the clunky display item was no easy task, but Kelly positioned it right where she thought it should be. She set two mannequins on either side of it. She used the time, pulling merchandise and dressing the mannequins, to sort out her unexpected run-in with Serena.

  When she woke that morning, she had no idea she’d come face-to-face with her past. Nevertheless, there it was, all fashionable in a faux fur coat and Prada sunglasses. Serena represented more than a job loss. Kelly hadn’t just lost a job but her dream job. She was labeled an outcast, as well, in the industry she’d spent most of her life working to break into.

  After a tragic accident left her friend, Ariel Barnes, paralyzed, her family and friends blamed her. For a long time she couldn’t fault them for it. The only reasons she kept getting out of bed in the morning were her classes at fashion school and her desire to rise to the top of her class. Had it not been for that dream, she doubted she would have graduated. She did graduate, and she worked her butt off when Bishop’s hired her, only to be tossed out by Serena.

  Kelly stepped outside the boutique and stood back from the window, scanning the display from a different angle. She’d dressed the first mannequin in a khaki trench coat, perfect for this time of the year, and added a red tote bag. On the other mannequin, she put a pair of skinny chinos and a black and white striped sweater. She tilted her head. The trench coat mannequin needed to be moved a smidge. Just a smidge.

  “You can’t hide from me!”

  Chapter 3

  Kelly’s head turned in the direction of the loud voice coming from up the street.

  The woman storming out of Courtney’s Treasures, a quaint gift shop, was unfamiliar to her. But she knew the woman she was humiliating. It was Tawny.

  “Everyone knows what you’ve done!” the woman shouted as she followed Tawny, who picked up her pace and headed right for Kelly.

  “Hey, Tawny, what’s going on?” Kelly dropped her hands to her sides as she walked toward Tawny. She hoped aligning herself next to her new client would force the other woman to back off.

  “You’ll pay for what you did!” The angry woman stopped advancing. She pointed a finger and scowled at Tawny before pivoting and rushing away. Eventually she was out of sight.

  “I’m so embarrassed. First, you witness the altercation with Serena and now this. Talk about a heck of a morning.” Tawny shook her head. The expression on her face confirmed she was indeed embarrassed.

  “Who is she? What was she talking about?” Shouting threats wasn’t common on Lucky Cove’s Main Street. She was more accustomed to them in the city, where it always seemed someone was yelling at someone else.

  Tawny waved away the question. True to her word earlier of not being a fashionista, she wore yoga pants, a hoodie, and a black nylon bag slung across her body.

  “It doesn’t matter, really. Since I started uploading my workouts online, I’ve learned everyone isn’t going to be happy with me.”

  “I’m guessing she’s one of those people.”

  Tawny broke eye contact with Kelly and looked at the window. “New display?”

  The shift in conversation wasn’t subtle but Kelly understood why Tawny didn’t want to discuss the scene. As she said, it was embarrassing, not only for her, but also Kelly. The stranger’s raging outburst was an uncomfortable thing to see.

  “It’s a work in progress.”

  “Looks pretty good to me. I love the trench coat.” Tawny stole a glance over her shoulder.

  Kelly suspected she was checking to see if the woman had returned. “You should call the police and report what happened. I heard her threaten you.”

  “No, I don’t want to escalate the situation. She’ll calm down. Besides, my business partner is dealing with the matter. It’s really a big misunderstanding. She’ll see.” Tawny inhaled deeply and exhaled. “I think I need some yoga.”

  “Restorative?” Kelly enjoyed a few of those yoga workouts when she worked at Bishop’s. While most days were non-stop from the moment she stepped from the elevator onto the ninth floor business offices, certain days hit her like a tsunami. Restorative yoga sessions helped her relax and soothe her frazzled nerves.

  Tawny smiled. “You know your yoga.”

  “I’ve taken a few classes. Though, not recently.”

  “Let’s change that. Come over to my place tomorrow. I like to do a yoga session early in the day. Join me.”

  Kelly chewed on her lower lip. She’d love to do a workout with Tawny, and she certainly needed to relax a little.

  “Thanks, but I don’t want to intrude on your practice.”

  “Nonsense. I’d love the company. I’ll text you later with the time.” Tawny hurried away along the sidewalk while Kelly headed to the boutique’s door and grabbed the handle. Tawny continued along Main Street, finally disappearing inside the gourmet cheese shop. It was nice to see a fitness pro like Tawny wasn’t afraid of dairy.

  “Hey, Kell!”

  Now there was a familiar and friendly voice that Kelly gladly stopped for. She let go of the door and walked toward her approaching friend, Ariel Barnes.

  “What’s up? Day off from the library?”

  Running into Ariel on Main Street wasn’t something Kelly ever thought she’d be doing. Given what happened, she’d expected if they ever passed by each other on the street, they’d simply nod and continue walking.

  Her granny used to say God had plans they knew nothing about. Never in a million years did she think He planned for her and Ariel to reunite and rebuild their friendship, especially after ten years of silence.

  They were at a summer party when Kelly slipped away with her on-and-off boyfriend and left Ariel on her own. Ariel wanted to leave but couldn’t find Kelly, her ride, so she got into the car with Melanie Carlisle, who was drunk. On the drive home, there was an accident. Ariel was paralyzed, and Melanie was arrested. The fallout continued in Kelly’s family. She’d been flighty, acting before thinking her whole life, and the incident at the party was yet another example of this unpopular character trait. Her parents made sure she knew her impulsive behavior needed correction.

  Ariel navigated her wheelchair to a halt. Her pale pink faux shearling denim jacket brightened her face. The white button-down shirt and dark jeans were her day-to-day uniform when she worked at the library. Lucky for her, the head librarian was a fan of Friday casual every day of the week. Ariel’s chestnut brown hair skimmed the collar of the jacket. Her bangs were finally getting longer. Kelly warned Ariel of bangs, often regretted and took forever to grow out.

  “No. I went in for an early shift.” Ariel worked part-time at the library and the rest of the time as a freelance writer. She’d been landing magazine articles and recently finished a corporate project she’d tried to get for months. Her hard work and long hours were paying off.

  “Nice day to be outside. What are you up to?”

  “I was just at the post office. I ordered one of the DNA tests, and it arrived.” Ariel’s face lit up when she gestured to her Mary Poppins sized tote.

  “Good Lord, that thing is ginormous. What else is in there? A body?”

  Ariel laughed. “No, silly. I have things I need. Like my notebooks, reference books, and my makeup bag.”

  “Oh, well, that explains it.” Kelly grinned.

  “Don’t judge. I can’t imagine not having my honey melon lip balm or my midnight black mascara with me at all times.”

  “Or any of the hundreds of other beauty products you own.”

  “I said don�
��t judge.” Ariel winked.

  Kelly held her hands up in surrender. “Not judging. Only stating facts. So, what prompted you to do a DNA test?”

  Ariel shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’m curious about where I come from.”

  “Lucky Cove.”

  “Haha. You know what I mean. Also, it’s a great way to connect with distant relatives. It’s probably the researcher in me. My mom isn’t thrilled. She says I’m wasting my money. She says both her parents came from Galway, Ireland. And my dad’s family is from a village in Scotland.”

  “I get it. Maybe Caroline and I should do one of those tests one day.”

  “Sisterly bonding?”

  “Well, we need all the bonding we can get.” After the car accident, Kelly’s sister blamed her for Ariel’s injuries. She made it clear she wanted nothing to do with Kelly. They limited all their communication to only what was necessary. Looking back, the fact that Caroline was in her senior year of high school was a blessing. Life became more bearable when she moved out to her dorm. Kelly no longer had to live 24/7 in a Cold War situation. Now that Kelly was back in Lucky Cove, she and Caroline were talking and visiting each other. For the first time in a decade, Kelly felt there was hope they’d be friends again.

  “How did your appointment with Tawny go? Did she have a lot to consign? I mean, when I see her around town, she’s in her athleisure wear.”

  “Surprisingly, she did have a bunch of clothes, and I’m sure they’ll all sell fast. She even has a Fendi purse she wants to sell.”

  “No!”

  Kelly nodded. “Wait. There’s more.”

  “What?”

  “It turns out Tawny is married to Serena Dawson’s ex-husband.”

  Ariel’s forehead furrowed, she was trying to place the name, and then her eyes widened. “Serena as in your ex-boss?”

  “The one and only.”

  “How do you know? Did Tawny tell you?”

  “Nope. Serena was at the house when I got there.”

  “No! What did you do?” Ariel’s cell phone rang. It was her dad’s ringtone. “Oh, sorry. I gotta take this. I’m supposed to meet him for coffee. Call me later. I want to hear everything!”