Love Me? Like You Do.

Chapter 45

Claire was smug with pride. She was sure to be the hottest thing since the Spice girls after she finished her work for today.  She loved that she was in a world class hotel that had been booked entirely and only for her. It was a pity that even while doing the most significant work in her unimpressive modelling career, she complained incessantly.

"I have the worst secretary ever. As soon as the court cases are over I'm firing you Rebecca. Your incompetence is probably contagious." said Claire loudly as she and Rebecca entered the hotel.

"Claire a lot of people can hear us, if you could keep it down..." said Rebecca cautiously taking a deep breath. She was out of breath from carrying Claire's enormous suitcase, handbag and umbrella. Oh how happy she would be to get fired. But alas! If only she didn't need the money.

"I need a better lawyer!" declared Claire as she bolstered into the designer's showroom for the first of many photo shoots. She had finally got herself a deal to feature in one of the most esteemed magazine covers of all time. To add to it, the world famous designer Zemor was going to deck her up. There was plenty of hype amongst celebrities to get to work with Zemor.

Only Zemor's employees had ever seen him, but his creations were world famous and he was often said to be a brilliant artist. Since she had bagged an opportunity to work with Zemor, there was honestly no reason to expect Claire to be down-to-earth or easy to get along with.

The other behind-the -scenes people in the room (mind you who were quite accustomed to the arrogant celebrities) chose to ignore her and continued with their work. The celebrities were on their best behavior once Zemor turned up anyway.

Rebecca chewed her lower lip. She had been scouring for lawyers all day and Claire never seemed to like any of them. It was impossible to find a lawyer who would agree to all her whims and fancies.

Personally, she was relieved that Claire's daughter Victoria had been taken away. Rebecca hoped with all her heart that the little girl finally got the love she deserved.

"What are you daydreaming about?" cut Claire's voice through her thoughts. "The bastard got Ted Wilson as his representative. I don't stand a chance with the losers that you keep bringing in. I need a competent lawyer who plays dirty not some goody two shoes who lectures me about ethics got it?"

Rebecca winced. The last lawyer she had consulted had given Claire an earful saying that she would never work for someone as vile and horrible as her unless she changed her ways.

"I'll work on it." stammered Rebecca. She was lost, there was no way she could possibly find someone better than Ted Wilson on this continent.

They were interrupted when a homely looking woman walked up tot them.

"Ma'am we need you to be ready in fifteen minutes." said the elderly lady pleasantly holding a make up kit.

"Yeah yeah." snapped Claire. "Wait you're going to do my make up?"

"If you like," said the lady with a warm smile, extending her free hand. "I'm Amelie---"

"Have you seen yourself?" said Claire flapping away her hand and turning to look the elderly lady coldly in the eye."You're covered in wrinkles, and you want to make me look flawless? Here's a tip for you, ever heard of botox, get around twenty shots of that and maybe then I'll want to look at you."

The entire team working on the set design as well as the assistant designer. Zemor had not yet arrived, so Claire didn't really care.

"I am not working with someone old enough to be my grandma. I am a youth icon, a sex symbol okay and oldie here is going to make me look like herself." said Claire airily. She spoke the hurtful words so easily it was difficult to believe that she could be so heartless.

"I see." said the aged lady gracefully tucking the make up kit under her arm and turning to leave. "Good afternoon." she said with a smile that infuriated Claire to no end.

"Why is that bitch smiling at me?" said Claire angrily stomping her heeled foot on the cardboard artworks on the floor.

The twenty something year olds who were working on the set walked up to Claire and Rebecca angrily.

"How dare you?" demanded an athletic girl cracking her knuckles. She was wearing a WWE tee shirt.

"Who the hell are you to ask me---" started Claire, but stopped when Rebecca gave a shrill squeak. "What are you mousing around for?" she snapped at Rebecca instead.

"Th-that lady---she she ----" stuttered poor Rebecca.

"Well what ? Spit it out." said Claire irritably, her hands on her hips.

"Well that lovely lady is Zemor." said a tall lanky boy from atop a small ladder holding an overhead light. "You can show yourself out right?"

"How dare you! Wait what?" said Claire uncertainly. "Zemor is a guy right?"

"Nope. Zemor's a lady. She likes to hide it though. All her clients sign a secrecy form before working with her. You have too." said a tiny woman working on the wallpaper art.

"She ' s amazing and she employed all of us homeless kids, with a creative talent to work for her. She's given us a home, respect and love. Honestly, I'll happily do some community service if that meant I could break your face." The girl in the WWE shirt piped up.

Claire could only wish that the earth would swallow her up right then and there.

***

"Then what happened?" asked Brielle excitedly. "I can't wait to tell Jack when he gets home."

Axky laughed at her eagerness as he poured himself another bowl of cereal. He wondered why Paula hadn't woken up yet. She'd been in her room all day long saying she felt tired and needed to sleep.

"Well, Claire ran out of the hotel before anything could happen." he said sitting down on the couch in the Dixon home. "She fired Rebecca yesterday. That was probably the only bad thing about the incident."

"Oh. Is Rebecca nice?" asked Brielle trying to steal some cereal from Axky. He was extremely possessive about his food and only ever shared with Paula and now Vicky.

"Yes, very." he said swatting her hand away. "Get your own."

"Really how do you know?" asked Brielle interested still trying to grab a few. "I want just one, come on."

"Nuh uh not sharing. Rebecca used to work as a receptionist in the first company I ever worked for. I was a wee little lad of fifteen and very nervous when I was called for the job interview." said Axky thoughtfully. "She was really nice to me and helped me navigate and stuff. Not that I was lost or anything, its just she was kind of hot back then."

"Don't let Paula hear you." said Brielle giggling. She had eaten a lot of Axky's favourite chocolate cereal by now and was sure he would notice. She was wrong.

"Where is Paula anyway?" asked Axky suddenly. "I'll be back."

He got up quickly and raced to Paula's room, only to find it vacant. The bathrooms were empty too, the lawn and garden outside lacking Paula's presence.  Axky looked up and down the empty corridor and clenched his fists.

He finally knew what Jack had felt when Brielle had gone missing.

It hurt like hell.

A/N: Hi guys!

Thanks for reading!

I had plenty of guesses on what is wrong with Paula and I must say you guys are very close. Good job everyone!

Did you like Zemor? At least a little? I imagined her as a bad ass grandma. :-)

thanks for tuning in today!

lots of love,

Andy