Hearts On Fire

2. Forever After Yours

AINA

I was ready to give up all hopes of getting new clients for the day by the time evening rolled in. It was nowhere near the closing time and yet I was burned out. I had completely rearranged the furniture in my small but cozy office to satisfy my whims for the week, pestered Alicia for coffee thrice, called all of last week's clients to know their reviews and I still had two hours left. Damn.

"Hey, boss," Alicia popped in witha grin, "You need anything while I'm out?"

"No, I think I'll be fine. You have fun," I replied with a sigh.

"Okay, then. Call me if you need me," she said and closed the door, leaving me alone with my coffee fueled neurotic self.

I couldn't afford to leave work owing to my lack of social life, but she shouldn't miss out on my account. Let her have her fun, I thought. Yeah she'll have her fun, while you sit around in your office moping, my subconscious tutted. Ever since I stood as a bridesmaid in my cousin's wedding when I was sixteen, I'd been fascinated by the world of weddings. The process of planning them - getting to know the bride and groom, their story, their likes and dislikes, the similarities, the love, passion and the little quirks that make them 'them' and weaving all those little details into one intricately embroidered wedding with the perfect splash of everything from the locations to the settings and ambience was so intriguing that I decided to put my business major to use by pursuing my heart's desire. My own wedding planning venture. Forever After Yours.

Starting up, I couldn't afford to be picky about clients since my venture was primarily based online, but after a few clients, whose weddings were dusted with my magic, my reputation grew as word started to spread out about me. That led me to move out to the city, rent out a small studio which I set up as my office, the head office of Forever After Yours. Honestly, it was the only office, but whatever. My dreams were big and time was the one thing I had in abundance. We still operated online, but we had an office set up in London.

While my parents thought I was wasting my brains for a major in art, I proved them wrong by double majoring in business and design and starting Forever After Yours out of my dorm room in the age of twenty. While it didn't turn out to be an immediate success, I did manage to make a name for myself, scoring a couple clients - my friends from college who got married after graduation, so that I had a quick start up to stand on my own two feet. After that it was like dominoes tumbling. Small range clients lining up, getting impressed with my work, promising to recommend my company to people they knew. It was not a great life, mine, but it was a good one. And I was happy with the way I'd built my business up.

Starting out of a dorm room, I always imagined I'd end up in London. And I'd done it. But looking at my computer now, I never could've imagined this. Never in a million years. Unable to contain the anxiety and shock bubbling up inside me, I took out my phone and called Alicia.

"What's up? You need another coffee?" She asked immediately after picking up.

"You need to come now. We have a new client," I said quickly.

"No client's ever had you trussed up like this before, is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's good. It could become even better. We've got new clients, I think it's the Williams family. I'm freaking out!" I said.

"Oh my God! I'm on my way!" She said and hung up.

Hello Ms. Swanson,
We read your blog about your wedding planning company. A friend of ours recommended it with much praise. We would like to meet up with you to discuss possibilities. We would like to drop by later today at your convenience.
Regards, Sophie Williams,
Head of Human Resources,
Williams International.

It was The Williams Family. The biggest business moguls of London. I had my work cut out if I was to land this. Jesus.