empire

one

Missouri was just out of spring, the air still cold with remnants of the mini ice age that had overcome the state recently. Fog collected on the inner window of the warm Mercedes, on which Gigi doodles with a manicured finger, creating butterfly-shaped pockets which she peeks through, noticing that the town they're bound for has finally come into view. "Mum, look, those mountains are so pretty," Claire points out, bothering her mother's shoulder lightly until her head turns away from her phone.

"I suppose they are, dear. It's a long way from home, are you sure you haven't forgotten anything?"

"I'm quite sure, after all, you've asked me like, a million times already." Claire rolls her eyes, returning her gaze to the pastures that lead up to the small town, nestled at the foot of a collection of mountains.

"The cheek of talking back!" Gigi exclaims dramatically, tight lip curling into a small smile. "I simply cannot wait for you to be off my hands for an entire semester. Perhaps I'll finally catch a break with the time saved from doing your laundry."

"You wouldn't! You'll be too busy with your project, and finding another boyfriend."

"How dare you!" she giggles, tickling her daughter as punishment. "And you won't even wish me luck?"

"No, I don't think I will." Claire feigns disgust. Soon, they pull up to the house that both of them will call home, at least until Claire leaves for school in a week. It's a blue suburban with weathered wood shingles, slightly larger than the average family home, despite only housing the mother and daughter. Gigi liked to have space to think. Even though she was rather wealthy, when out of town she tended to purchase houses more suited to the middle-class, and often gave them away once she leaves to the local baker, or a young couple looking for a fresh start.

Claire makes a beeline for the room with the balcony, claiming it as her own before Gigi can turn it into her sewing room, leaving Gigi the more enclosed room. She knew she didn't have to be stepped over by her own daughter, but decided it would be best to let her get comfortable, after all, she had brought Claire out of their hometown at the start of her first year of middle school. Perhaps she'd adjust easier this way. Gigi sets her two large luggage down in the master bedroom. She hadn't brought too much with her, as she knew she would likely make her own new clothes as the trends change, and almost no furniture since the property was already scarcely furnished with the necessities- a classic wooden dresser, bathroom amenities and decent enough living room furniture. The old-style mahogany floors provided a sufficiently sophisticated environment itself, plus a mural by a local artist on the porch, eliminating the need for any intricate decorations to line the hand-painted walls. Putting it like that, it was pretty upper-class-looking after all.

After a short afternoon spent unpacking and settling in, night falls quickly because of the season, so the pair set out for their first meal in Missouri. Claire chose a nearby diner off google maps, and Gigi had no objections.

At the restaurant, aptly named "Von Du'nner Time", they have a quick meal, during which Gigi is surprised by an old friend. Halfway through devouring her fried chicken and fries, she leaves the table abruptly and goes up to the counter. "Excuse me, Could I have a glass of sparkling water?" she asks the lady behind the counter who was busy making a milkshake. "What kind of- Gigi!" she spins around, confused, but breaks into a laugh. They embrace. "I was wondering what kind of person would walk in here and ask for sparkling water. It's been too long. Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"I thought I'd run a diagnosis on the quality of this establishment and see if your daughter was behaving, I thought you'd be elsewhere doing a show and would have called you later in my stay, but it seems the world couldn't bear for us to be apart any longer." Gigi jokes, referencing Widow's constant out-of-town bookings at small music festivals as a well-respected rapper, in addition to entrepreneur.

"I haven't had a show the last couple weeks, I've been spending time with Misty since she leaves for school next week. Spring break really flies by, doesn't it? Is that Claire with you?"

"Yeah, she's starting at the boarding school too, for a semester before we head back to LA."

"You'll be here for a while, then? I'd love to show you two around sometime."

"That sounds brilliant. I'll be sure to call."

"You'd better!" she laughs.

***

The following week went by too quickly, the day which Gigi secretly dreaded had come and Claire was off at boarding school, which meant Gigi was all alone. Widow comes by every day, in the morning or early afternoon, sometimes waking Gigi with the aroma of her cooking before she opens the diner, insisting that she let her take care of breakfast since Gigi was working late most nights, at her sewing machine, or with the collaborators she had assembled at the local conservatory, the very reason she had come in the first place. The group, consisting of herself and several artists hand-picked by the creative council of the Goode Company, met frequently at the artists' conservatory to share their ideas for Gigi's super-secret upcoming line of spring fashion, planned to be more elevated than any other series in the 15 years that the Goode Market had been in operation.

But Gigi was still lonely.

It wasn't like Gigi hadn't been alone before- she had many times, before she adopted Claire, when her heart was broken as a teenager, when she saw Widow less and less when they both became adults, had their own lives. She'd tried to overcome the deafening silence that enveloped her when she was alone, with boys she meets at the club, or any boy who doesn't know who she is, fearing they'd take advantage of her wealth and connections, but it never worked. She was lucky that she had Widow, and Claire, because nobody ever seemed to stay for long.

Luckily, Gigi becomes fast friends with one of the collaborators, Nicky Doll, arguably the most well-known of the bunch, with over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Fans were convinced and hoping Nicky was in on the project, and the company hadn't tried to diminish the rumours since they knew it would be no use. Gigi felt a little guilty for liking her more than the rest, but Nicky made her forget all her negative feelings and stress. Within the first month, Nicky was over at Gigi's house almost every night, becoming acquainted with Widow, the three would go out to eat at places Widow recommends. Their relationship feels closer than it should be, for co-workers who have known each other personally for only a matter of days. She didn't even feel awkward sharing the bed with her after working on especially late nights when Nicky stays over, and they have alcohol and watch sitcoms before bed. Gigi isn't sure if it's the alcohol or desperation, but she finds her hand intertwining with Nicky's under the luminescent glow of the television screen, the sounds of the lively characters drowning out when they make particularly long eye contact, then fall asleep holding each other close, more so than Gigi would normally even with Widow, and gives Nicky a soft friendly peck on the cheek when the morning, or likely early afternoon light creeps in from under the curtains. She treasures Nicky more than she knows. It's nights like these that she needs a friend the most, especially when they initiate conversation.

"Gigi, our meeting ends early tomorrow, do you want to catch a movie at the cinema after? We drove past it a few nights ago, and-"

"Of course, Nicky, I must run some errands first though, can I pick you up at 6?"

"That would be lovely. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you,"

"I love you too."