“Remedy…Worthy,” she replied, doing the pleasantries and absolutely afraid her name would alert people to her past. She was ashamed of it, ashamed of herself actually.
“Remedy, you’re beautiful,” Eden complimented.
“Thanks but I’m not a model. I’m not anything actually,” Remedy rambled off.
Eden laughed softly. “Everyone is someone. God wouldn’t have you here if you were nothing. You might not know your why yet, but it’ll come.”
A small smile formed as Melissa returned with the dress.
Remedy took it from her hands. “Just try it on?”
The two nodded.
“Okay,” Remedy huffed, walking into the dressing room full of clothes. The dress was fuchsia and form fitting. A size six, alerting Remedy’s mind to how small she’d gotten. When she was sentenced, she was a size ten. She’d come out an eight. A year later, a six and shrinking because of life whooping her ass.
She stepped out and waited for the women to say something. Anything. A twin gasp and expression.
“Could you be the cover model?” Eden asked. “It pays really good.”
“Uh, I don’t know. I-”
“You were head of fashion club and you swore you were going to be a creative director back then. Eden just became editor of VIBRANCE.”
“And I’m looking for a new creative director,” Eden chimed.
“Woah,” Remedy grunted, rubbing her brows. “I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves. I don’t have a background in fashion. I have a record. I’m a felon and I-”
“I’m not worried about that. I’m from Trae Way through and through. Finessed some niggas, stripped, granddaughter of a queenpin. It’s not how you start, Remedy, it’s how you finish. Look, I don’t want to be pushy, but I want you to know I see you and all I’m saying is come out to a shoot and give me some pointers.”
Remedy heard the words come from Eden’s mouth but the fear was holding her hostage and it had for a long time. She chewed her lip and fidgeted.
“How about this, I’ll leave the details with Melissa. If you show up, it’ll be great. If not, I hope our paths cross again so I can keep persuading you,” Eden posed, picking up on the fear she knew all too well.
“Okay,” Remedy conceded before retreating.
She tried the clothes on, picked what she needed and what she didn’t. Remedy tried not to let her mind run off on all the possibilities of what meeting Eden Sage would bring. She didn’t want to be disappointed. Didn’t want to let someone down.
Meeting Melissa at the counter, she paid for her things and collected her bags. And then there was the garment bag.
“Oh, I didn’t want the dress,” Remedy spoke up.
“It’s a gift. From Eden along with the date and time attached to the card inside. Look Remedy, I know you’ve gone through a lot. I can’t even imagine it. But know that you are always in the right place at the right time so when you come in contact with an angel, entertain them. I’ll see you next week.”
12
Another round of colorful suits. They’d been at this for hours. All he wanted to do was get his father in something not as flashy as he was used to and distract him from the chaos that happened earlier in the day. That and their morning had started off nice and he wanted to continue that.
“Pops, you know Easter has passed. The lavender is too loud. You don’t want black or nothing?” Erys asked, looking at his father through the mirror, posing in the lavender suit.
“Listen, you hating ass nigga. I like color. Just because you want to walk around looking like the men in black ain’t got nothing to do with me. Fuck you need a suit for anyway?”
“Tone’s nephew I’m managing and he’s discovered some girl in the club last night. Either way, I’m anticipating being in court behind these artists so I need to look the part. Outside of that, I never owned a suit for the hell of it,” Erys shared.
Ernie looked at his son and hummed. “You starting all over?”
Erys pulled in a deep breath. “Yeah. Spending fifteen years of your life with someone telling you what to do, when and how conditions you. Now, the only person I have to answer to and for is myself and I’m navigating that.”
“Starting over is frightening as a muhfucka. Every day I wake up, the world looks different, feels different. I got two constant things – my suits and Remedy,” Ernie said, holding up four fingers. “I can’t give up my suits.”
