“I disagree,” I say. “If we carry the right flowers and—”
“You can’t expect flowers to eradicate the blah factor,” Paige says.
“I have an idea,” I say to the camera. “How about if we let the viewers decide?”
Paige laughs. “You want the viewers to tell our mother what to have for her wedding?”
“I’m not saying that Mom has to make her decision based on the viewers’ choice. But it might be fun to hear what they think.” I glance over at Fran and she is nodding eagerly. “So …” I step closer to the camera. “We want to hear from you. At the end of this show, we’ll give you our two best choices and you can let us know what you think.”
Fran is signaling to us to wrap it up and I turn to Paige. “Well, this has been fun, hasn’t it?”
Paige takes the cue and delivers her traditional line, and then Fran yells cut.
“That was fun,” Mom says as we go back to change into our own clothes. “I’ll be curious to hear what the viewers think.”
“Well, this show won’t run for a couple of weeks,” Fran tells her. “You might not want to wait that long.”
Mom laughs. “No, and that’s okay because I’ve already made up my mind.”
Then, to my surprise, Mom actually buys the silvery white satin two-piece dress, as well as the lilac and periwinkle bridesmaid dresses for Paige and me. And because we’ll be using today’s filming on our show, we get a very nice discount. After we leave, Mom tells us that she will return the other dress.
She sighs. “I suppose high fashion is a bit contagious. After wearing that Chanel dress today, I just knew I couldn’t be as happy in the other one.”
“You’re going to look gorgeous,” I tell her.
Paige says nothing as we walk back to our cars. But after we part ways, since Mom has to go to work and I’m riding with Paige, my sister opens up.
“I realize that Helen and Fran are encouraging you to take an active role in the show,” she says calmly. “But I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“What do you mean?”
“The reason the show works is because it’s about fashion.” She says this like she thinks I’m an idiot.
“Yes … I know that.”
“And the reason that works is because I am the fashion expert.”
“Meaning there can be only one fashion expert?”
She nods with a confident smile.
“Okay, I realize I’m not an expert,” I admit. “But I do have some opinions. And there’s more than one kind of fashion. Not everyone is into your expensive forms of haute couture.”
“I’m aware of that, Erin.” Paige scowls. “What you seem to forget is that real style begins with excellent design. Excellent design translates into haute couture and that does not come cheaply.”
“Don’t forget that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
“Don’t forget that great designers and haute couture are the foundation of beauty in the fashion arena.”
“But what if I happen to think that Granada Ruez is a great designer?”
Paige looks slightly horrified. “Oh, please, Erin. Don’t tell me you want to get back on the Granada Greenwear bandwagon.”
“Hey, you said you liked her designs after Granada showed you how to wear them.”
“I was simply being a good sport. We had a show to do and I wanted to make it a good one.”
“Well, Helen wants our show to be broader now,” I remind her. “That means more than just high design and haute couture and clothes that only a few can afford.”
“You still don’t get it, Erin. Good design trickles down from Paris to Wal-Mart. Eventually everyone can afford it. My job is to help them recognize it.”
Okay, that actually makes a tiny bit of sense, but I’m not willing to concede just yet.
“I want to help our viewers,” she continues. “I care about those fashion-challenged girls who want more style in their lives. What’s wrong with giving them what they want?”
“But how do you know what they want? My guess is that our viewers are more like me than you.”
She laughs. “See, that’s my point. That’s why they watch a show like On the Runway. They need to be educated about what is and what is not good style.”
I groan and lean back. This is so not going to be easy.
“I’m not trying to pick on you, Erin. It’s just that the show is working. It’s a success and the viewers love it. If we start reinventing it midstream, well, it might hit the rocks and sink.”
I consider this. “You could be right.”
“I am right.”
“So are you saying that Helen Hudson is wrong?”
“No … not exactly. I think she wants to try something different, because that’s the way she is, always thinking of new ways to do things. But I’m saying if it’s not broken, why fix it?”
“Because it could be even better?”
She firmly shakes her head.
“Well, what about the episode that I was promised about body image and how it’s damaged by stick-thin fashion models? Are you suddenly against that?”
“No … not exactly. Because I do feel sorry for girls who think that fashion only comes in one size. That’s wrong. But, on the other hand, I wouldn’t want us to do too many issue-based shows, like how high heels are bad for feet, or which designers are polluting the planet. It’s not as if we’re a social documentary program. Or like we think we can fix everyone. I mean, like it or not, we’re a show about fashion. We’re On the Runway, Erin. Not Dr. Phil.”
I decide it’s time to keep my mouth shut about the other show ideas I’ve been noodling on lately. I should probably run them past Helen and Fran first. And, who knows? Paige could be right. If the show’s not broken, maybe it’s crazy to attempt to fix it.
Chapter
7
“I thought you said that Paige and Ben were history,” Mollie says as I drive her home from fellowship group on Saturday night.
I shrug. “Well, that’s kind of what she said a couple weeks ago.”
Mollie holds up her phone. “I just got a tweet saying the two were spotted at OurHouse this evening.”
“At our house?” I frown at her. “Huh?”
“OurHouse is a new club in town.”
“Oh.” I nod.
“Do you think it’s serious?”
“I honestly don’t know, Mollie.” I say this, but I’m starting to feel apprehensive.
“The tweet said they were kissing.”
I let out a little groan. “Well … it’s her life. Not much I can do about it.”
“It could be a publicity stunt.”
I cringe. I’m not even sure which is less appealing … that Paige is back with Ben because she really likes him, or that she’s back with him for the publicity. And, really, what kind of publicity would that be anyway? I know the old saying that any publicity is good publicity. I just don’t happen to agree.
“Although I don’t think Paige needs publicity as much as Benjamin does,” Mollie continues.
“Seriously?”
“Oh, yeah. Paige is all over the place. You can hardly look at any of the Hollywood gossip sites without seeing Paige’s pretty face.”
“What kind of gossip is it?”
“The typical stuff—love triangles, secret engagements, fashion tidbits, pictures of Paige around town. Nothing terrible.” Mollie laughs. “So you still don’t even peek at it?”
“It’s just not my thing.”
“You’ve got to be the most reluctant reality TV star out there.”
“I’m not a star,” I protest.
“Says you.”
“Well, I’m not a star like Paige is a star. The truth is I’ve been rethinking my role as Paige’s costar.”
“Why would you do that?” Mollie demands. “You were just starting to get good at it. Don’t give up before you even begin.”
“It’s not that I’m giving up, exactly.”
<
br /> “What do you mean?”
“I’m only questioning whether it makes sense or not.”
“Why wouldn’t it make sense?”
“It’s like Paige keeps saying—the show is a success as it is. Why change it?”
Mollie doesn’t respond and I hope she’s getting it.
“And even though Paige and I have our differences … she’s my sister and I love her. I don’t want to ruin a show that’s already working. You know?”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
“Anyway, I have a meeting with Helen and Fran this Monday. I’m supposed to run my ideas past them … and we’ll see.”
“I’m sure they’ll do what’s best for the show, Erin. It’s not like they’ll want to mess it up.”
“I know.”
I’ll admit I’m disappointed that I might not get to do the shows I’ve been planning. But at the same time it might be a relief to be free from all the pressures. Maybe there’ll be another way to share my opinions about style and fashion.
But at the meeting on Monday, to my surprise both Fran and Helen seem totally open to my ideas.
“The key to good reality TV is to be open to shaking it up a bit,” Fran tells me.
“Shake it but don’t break it,” Helen adds.
“So we’ll play with some controversies,” Fran tells Helen. “If they don’t work, we can always cut them later.” Then she explains her plan to us. “As you know, Paige will continue in the lead, but we’ll introduce a seven-minute segment that I’m calling ‘Sibling Rivalry’ where the girls will go head-to-head over fashion.” Fran turns to me. “You’ll gather your facts as well as some footage of interviews or fashion shows or whatever you can use to back up your opinions. We’ll let you both have at it, then do some editing and see how it works.”
“Excellent!” Helen claps her hands together. “I can just imagine.”
“Seven minutes isn’t much time,” I point out. “I thought that I was going to get a whole show to focus on body image and fashion.” I hold up the proposal sheet I put together for “Killer Style: What Happens When Fashion Turns Lethal?”
Helen frowns. “I know you wanted to do that show, Erin. But the more I thought about using an entire On the Runway episode to cover this issue, the more concerned I got. Fans expect the show to be upbeat and fun. We need to maintain that general feeling.”
“Upbeat and fun with a little edge,” Fran says. “Just like the ‘Sibling Rivalry’ segment will add.”
“We want you to take the lead in deciding what the controversial topics can be, Erin. But we can’t let the show become too negative. Do you get that?” Helen studies me.
“I get it,” I tell them. “And I guess I’m not that surprised.”
“Who knows …” Helen gives me a sly smile. “Maybe the ‘Sibling Rivalry’ segment will catch on and you’ll have your own spin-off show.”
“It happens.” Fran looks down at what appears to be a schedule. “The plan is to film some of these segments before we go to London. We’ll insert them into some shows and see how viewers respond.”
“In the meantime,” Helen tells me, “we still expect you to act as Paige’s costar during the other filming. Be yourself.”
“That’s right,” Fran tells me. “Feel free to mix it up like you did at Chanel last week.”
Helen nods. “I saw outtakes this morning. It looked good. So keep it up, Erin. Express yourself and your opinions.”
“I’ll go over these ideas,” Fran tells me as she puts my stack of possible show topics into a folder, “and see what we can line up to shoot between now and London. We have only ten days before we have to leave.”
As we exit the room, I think about what Fran and Helen proposed. It’s not exactly what I had imagined, but I’m open to it. And maybe I’m actually relieved … some of the pressure is off. I’m sure Paige will be happy too. She’ll probably love the idea of arguing fashion with me. Not that she’s been talking to me much lately. I’m not sure if it’s because she thinks I’m infringing on her fame or if she’s simply feeling guilty for “secretly” dating Benjamin again. Whatever it is, I decide it’s time to find out. Now if I can only think of a non-confrontational way to bring it up.
Paige is watching TV when I come into the house. But when I see she’s watching Britain’s Got Style, I realize this is about work, not entertainment. “Doing research?” I ask.
She nods as she takes a drink of iced tea. “Fran sent these DVDs over last week.”
I want to ask why no one told me about this, but I realize that might ignite a feud. Instead, I sit down and watch with her. The main host of this show, Chloe Brinkman, used to be in a music group and then did some modeling, but now she’s best known as Brit’s number-one fashion diva. And she’s very opinionated. However, I find that I agree with much of her take on fashion and modeling. In fact, by the time the show ends, I find I rather like Chloe Brinkman.
“She’s really good,” I say as I get a glass of iced tea for myself.
“Who?” Paige calls.
“Chloe Brinkman.” I return to see Paige slipping in another DVD.
“Oh … she’s okay.”
“Just okay?” I sit down and wait.
“She’s not as much of an expert as she wants everyone to think.” Paige points the remote at the TV and the next DVD starts playing.
I’m tempted to argue this “fact,” but decide to save it for one of our “Sibling Rivalry” segments. “I met with Fran and Helen this morning,” I say offhandedly.
“How’d that go?” She turns the volume down slightly.
I study her for a few seconds. I can tell by her expression that this isn’t a surprise to her. “Okay.”
“So they told you about the ‘Sibling Rivalry’ thing they want to do?”
“You knew about it?”
She pauses the DVD then turns and blinks at me. “Of course I knew about it. Did you think they would’ve told you before they told me?”
“Well… no … not really.” Okay, I actually did think this. Not that I plan to admit it.
“I told them I think it’ll flop, but it’s worth a try.”
“Right …”
“Did Fran tell you that we’re set to shoot more film for our bridal episode?”
“I thought we were done with it.”
“No. We need to fill out the show with a few more designers.”
“But Mom already made up—”
“This isn’t about Mom, Erin.” She lets out an exasperated sigh. “It’s about our show.”
“Oh … okay.” I try to sound positive. “So what do we do? Pretend to still be shopping for bridesmaid dresses?”
She nods. “That’s the general plan. First we’ll look at the Vera Wang collection and then we’ll head over to check out a new designer—a guy who used to design for Badgley Mischka and is trying to set up a studio in LA. Fran just heard about him.”
“Fran said we’ll shoot some ‘Sibling Rivalry’ segments this week too.”
“That should be fun.” Paige makes a face.
“Are you okay with it?” I ask a bit tentatively.
She smiles, but it looks slightly forced. “Yeah, sure. I think it’ll be fun.”
“Also, just so you know, I’ve been thinking about what you were saying the other day—about how the show already works, and how we don’t want to mess that up.”
“And?”
“And I think you’re mostly right.”
She looks relieved.
“I mean, I can still have my opinions,” I add quickly. “We don’t have to agree on everything.”
“That’s what Helen and Fran are hoping for.”
“So we should be okay … right?”
She nods. “Yes. I’m sorry if I bit your head off the other day. I think I was kind of stressed.”
“Speaking of stressed … Mollie mentioned that you and Benjamin have been a topic on Twitter and some of the Hollywood gossip shows.”
<
br /> Paige just smiles.
“So are you guys dating?”
Her smile fades. “No, of course not. Remember, I told you that I gave that all up.”
“But you’re seeing him?”
She nods with a catty smile. “And the media is eating it up.”
“You’re only doing it for publicity?”
“It’s a win-win for everyone, Erin.”
I frown at her. “How is that even possible?”
“Benjamin needs publicity right now … and a little more face-in-the-news time doesn’t hurt us either.”
“But hasn’t Ben kind of been bad news lately? I mean, the whole thing with Mia was only a couple of months ago. I don’t see how you being photographed with him can help our show much.”
“You’d be surprised, Erin. Plus it’s ratings sweeps next month. We need to keep this thing rolling.” She gives me a perturbed look. “It’s not like you’re doing anything to help in that regard.”
I’m not sure how to react to that one.
“But that’s okay,” she says in a slightly patronizing tone. “We don’t expect you to get out there and get your hands dirty.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it means.” Paige gives me her devious grin. “You’re the good sister … and I’m the wild one.”
“I thought we were both good sisters.”
She nods. “We are. But I have an image to maintain. I have fans to amuse.”
“I so don’t get that.”
“I know.” She clicks the remote, causing the DVD to play again. “I didn’t expect that you would.”
I watch the show for a while, but I find myself getting more and more aggravated at my sister. It gets to the point where I can’t even focus on Chloe Brinkman anymore. And yet, when I sneak a glance at Paige, she’s calmly watching, like she’s totally oblivious to what she just said or how it might have sounded. Then I wonder if I’m overreacting. Finally, I get up and leave. But once I’m in my room, I call Mollie and tell her what happened. “It’s like Paige doesn’t care what people think of her,” I say finally. “Like it’s no big deal that she’s going to clubs with a guy who came very close to being prosecuted for manslaughter, and still hasn’t stopped drinking. I mean, he could be behind bars right now. Instead, he’s running around with my sister, making the front pages of the gossip rags.”
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