The Cherry Blossoms Read online

  Fortified with new self confidence, she listened to her phone messages. The first was from Michal wanting to know if she wanted to join him in Cannes for a week. The second was from Grant asking if she were okay. The last two were Michal.

  It was late, but what the hell, he’d left at least seven messages, so she called Michal. His voice was groggy with sleep when he answered the phone, “Qui est cet appel si tard ?”

  “C'est moi, Daniella, vos appels de retour.”

  “You are returning my calls in the middle of the night? Have you been drinking?”

  Daniella shrugged her shoulders, “A little. One of your messages asked if I would join you for a week on the Riviera. Is that offer still available?”

  “Il est évidemment. Pourquoi s'appeler vous demander si je ne voulais pas vous joindre à moi ?”

  “I thought perhaps that you’d be embarrassed to bring me with you.”

  “Why would I be embarrassed to bring you?

  “Didn’t you read the reviews this morning?”

  “Of course I did. Reading them is my job.”

  “Tell me why you would want to invite me to the Riviera after those horrible reviews?”

  She heard him chuckle into the phone. “Those reviews are business. My invitation is personal. Daniella, please go to bed; we can speak in the morning after you arrive at work.”

  Grant was in the shop’s kitchen making coffee, when Daniella arrived. ”Good morning Grant.”

  “Daniella, I was so worried about you when you did not return my call.”

  “I didn’t mean to worry you; I just needed a little time to myself.”

  “Vous êtes prêt à retourner au travail Mademoiselle ?”

  “Yes I am. Before the rest of the team arrives, I want to thank you for taking me out with you. I enjoyed it. Your friends are delightful.”

  “Mademoiselle, d’état mon plaisir.”

  “Grant, I’d like to talk with everyone this morning for a moment.”

  Daniella’s staff entered her office with sheepish looks on their faces. Daniella laughed. “I haven’t seen such sorrowful looks in a long time. It’s important to me that you understand that I failed you. You didn’t fail me. I told each of you to hold your heads high at the reception after the show; while I ran off and held a pity party. It’s likely that I’ve ruined my career. If that’s the case, I will recommend each of you to the other Design Houses. Are there any questions?”

  Charlene stepped forward, “Mademoiselle Daniella, ne veut dire vous envisagez de fermer la boutique ?”

  “I don’t want to, but I failed terribly in the reviews and I don’t want to put your careers at risk.”

  Michele was the next to step forward. There were tears in her eyes as she addressed the thought of closing the shop. “Mademoiselle, je ne tiens pas à travailler pour un autre concepteur. Veuillez revoir votre plan.”

  Daniella looked around the room and saw heads nodding in agreement with Michele’s comment for her to reconsider closing the shop. “It appears to me that everyone is in agreement in moving forward, is that right?”

  Grant turned to face the staff of the House of Daniella, “We know that the reviews went poorly, we have each read them; however, this was our first year. We may not be invited back, but it doesn’t matter to me at this moment. By a show of hands, who would like to see the House of Daniella remain open?”

  Through her tears, she saw that everyone had raised a hand. “Merci. Je vous promets que je serai un meilleur designer et un patron mieux.”

  Michele responded to Daniella’s statement, “Mademoiselle, you are a great designer as well as a wonderful boss.”

  Grant remained in the office after the staff left. “Daniella, have you spoken with Michal yet?”

  A child’s giggle escaped from her mouth, “Yes, I called him in the middle of the night. He said the invitation to join him in the Riviera is still open. So, I’m going to take a week off and go with him.”

  “Mon chéri, c'est une chose merveilleuse, oui ?”

  “Or, it could turn out to be the worst idea, I’ve ever had.”

  Grant laughed as he left her office; his little world was back on course.

  Once onboard the plane, Michal asked Daniella about the faraway look on her face.

  “I’m just going through the check list in my head. It isn’t likely there will be much business this week, so I asked Grant to divide the days, so someone would be in the shop to answer the phones.”

  He chuckled and told her, “My love, we are on vacation. Grant will call if there is a problem. Have a glass of wine before we take off, so that you can gear your head to vacation mode.”

  By the time the plane landed in Cannes, Daniella had transformed from a workaholic to a vacationer. She giggled as she entered the limousine that would deliver them to the most beautiful hotel she’d ever seen.

  “Daniella let us go to the patio for a drink, while the porters take our luggage to the room.”

  “Michal, I had four glasses of wine on the flight. I’m not so sure I should have another drink.”

  “Ah, mon doux, vous êtes en vacances, donc tu n'auras beaucoup un vin que vous choisissez.”

  She giggled at his statement that she could have as much wine as she chose. “In that case, you may need to carry me to our room.”

  Michal laughed, “I will have one of the porters deliver you to our room on one of the suitcase carriers.”

  Giggling, she told him, “Je sais que vous le feriez.”

  “Yes, I would.”

  The patio was full of Parisians, laughing, eating and having themselves a grand time. Michal knew most of them, so after getting her a glass of wine he walked her from table to table introducing her. Daniella saw several designers on the patio and at one point wanted to turn tail and leave, but she put on a smile and greeted them. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Samanta Laroque approaching them.

  “Mademoiselle Daniella, je suis heureux de vous voir ici.”

  I bet you’re pleased as punch to see me here with Michal. “Le plaisir est tous le mien, Mademoiselle.”

  “Daniella, I was so sorry that your first show did not go well.”

  She was not about to be undone by another designer. “Thank you for sharing your sorrow with me.” Daniella shrugged her shoulders, “I tried something different and it didn’t work, so there is no need for you to pity me.”

  “I do not pity you. Michal has shared with me that you are a very talented designer. There are many designers who would not have the, let me think how you Americans say it; yes there are many designers who would not have the balls to do what you did.”

  “If you believe what you just said, why did you not applaud my collection?”

  “Mademoiselle, I did not have the balls to.”

  Daniella was dumbstruck when she heard that.

  “Daniella, I just wanted to say hello and offer my services if you hire another designer.”

  “Aren’t you a designer with the House of Victoria?”

  “Yes Mademoiselle, I am. Since you were there, you know they did not qualify to participate in the Spring Show.”

  Daniella’s head was spinning. The woman who had bedded Michal was asking her for a job.

  “I’m not sure if my House will remain in business after the reviews, but if it does, I’ll keep you in mind.”

  “Merci, Mademoiselle, je comprends que.”

  By day three of her holiday, she was in full vacation swing. She and Michal spent their days in the sun lounging by the pool, taking walks to the sandy beaches, and afternoon naps. They’d join Michal’s friends on the patio for cocktails each afternoon, after which Michal chose a different restaurant each night. They would finish the day in the hotel’s casino. Michal had given her $1,000 to play with. By the third night, she held $4,000 in her purse. Michal had lost his money, so she giggled, when she handed him half of her winnings.

  When they returned to their room each night, they made love into the
wee hours of the morning.

  “Mon amour, vous êtes la femme sexiste que j'ai jamais rencontré.”

  “Surely you jest. There are many beautiful and sexy women here in Cannes.”

  “You are right, but I only have eyes for you. There are no French women with Irish freckles across the nose and cheeks giving them the fresh wholesome look that you have.”

  Daniella giggled, “I tried to cover them with makeup.”

  “Promise me that you will stop trying to cover them. They are a part of who you are.”

  “When I was a little girl, I’d ask God every night, to blend them together, so that they would look like I had sun tanned skin.”

  “Did he listen to your prayers?”

  “No, so when I was old enough, that’s when I began covering them with makeup.”

  In the morning while eating breakfast, Michal asked her, “I have scheduled an interview with one of the designers, do you want to join me or bask in the sun?”

  “I would prefer to stay here. I need to call Grant at some point or he’ll think I’m never coming home.”

  Michal laughed. “Tell him you may not.”

  Daniella went back to the room and lathered her Irish skin in sunscreen, grabbed a hat along with a book, and relaxed in one of the chaise lounge chairs by the pool. She started to dose off for a nap when a shadow crossed her body. She looked through her dark sunglasses to see that a woman was standing beside her chair.

  The woman then asked, “Aren’t you Danny McPherson?” It was clear this woman was an American, who knew her well enough to refer to her as Danny. When she left for Paris, she left the nickname of Danny behind her, and took on her proper name of Daniella.

  “Yes I am.” Daniella sat up. “Do I know you?”

  This American woman had the audacity to sit on the lounge chair next to Daniella’s. “We went to school together. I’m Patty Becker.”

  Stunned that she flew half-way around the world to leave her horrible school years behind her, Daniella choked on the words, ‘I’m Patty Becker.’ “Of course, I remember you. What brings you to France?”

  Patty Becker was a short stout woman with short cropped blonde hair. Her grandfather left Germany just after the war to start a farm in Colorado near her own grandfather’s ranch.

  “Do you remember Mildred Pearson? She and I stayed in touch after school. We signed up for a ten-day tour of France and Italy. I’d love to have dinner with you, but we have to be at the train station by 3:00 this afternoon. I was on my way back to my hotel when I thought I recognized you. I’m late, so I gotta run. It sure was nice seeing you.”

  “Yes it was. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Please tell Millie I said hello.”

  “I will.”

  When Patty Becker walked away, Daniella thought that she was still the selfish little girl she’d known in school. The short conversation was centered on Patty and no one else, which was fine with Daniella.

  Michal appeared just as Daniella watched Patty Becker disappear around a corner. He sat on the chair that just minutes ago her horrible past had sat.

  “Daniella, you are turning quite red. You need to get out of the sun.”

  When she stood from her chair, she asked, “How was your interview?”

  “Like most designers, she focused only on her achievements. I’ve seen her failures, but what can I say? Did you call Grant today?”

  “No I didn’t. Shit, my phone is in the room. I’ll call him later. Let’s join everyone on the patio for a drink, and then I’ll call him when I go to take my shower before dinner.”

  She and Michal were standing by the bar waiting for their drinks when an older American woman approached them. Daniella assumed that Michal knew her, so she stepped back.

  “I don’t mean to interrupt your conversation, but I must ask if you are Daniella McPherson.”

  Two American women in one day might be two too many. “Yes, I’m Daniella McPherson. Have we met?”

  “I don’t believe that we have. My name is Edith Marshall. I was at the Paris Fashion Show.”

  Daniella’s heart jumped out of her chest and fell to the ground. She was on vacation, to get away from critics who hated her designs.

  “I’d like to ask you a business question, but I see that you are vacationing. I can give you my number and when you return to Paris, I would tremendously appreciate it, if you called.”

  “Ms. Marshall, I’d be happy to answer your question now. How can I help you?”

  “I’ve been asked to co-host the Academy Awards this year and would like you to design my gown.”

  Daniella wasn’t quite sure what to say since she was dumbfounded by this woman’s request. “Are you saying that you want me to design your gown?”

  “Yes, I would like to have the House of Daniella design my gown.”

  “The reviewers came close to saying that I made a mockery of the design industry.”

  “Daniella, may I call you Daniella?”

  “Of course, you may.”

  “Daniella, I’m not a young, tall, skinny model. You did not receive the applause you deserved because you chose to think outside the box. I don’t fit their profile. That is why I’m asking you to design my gown.”

  “How long are you in France?”

  “I own a home just outside of Paris, so I’m available to you any time that you have free.”

  “I’ll definitely call you when I return to Paris.”

  “I look forward to that call.”

  After Edith Marshall left, Daniella shook her head and said to Michal, “Do you believe that?”

  He laughed when he told her, “Oui je fais, mon amour. There is a chance that you put a crack in the base of the Paris Design Houses.”

  “Well, we’ll see. I need to call Grant. Stay and finish your drink. My phone is in the room.”

  Daniella’s cell phone indicated she had messages, so prior to calling Grant, she retrieved them. There were a total of three messages, all of which were from Grant. She giggled as she listened to them. Grant’s voice raised an octave with each subsequent message. She dialed his number and before she could say a word he was excitedly chattering in her ear.

  “Mademoiselle, nous ne pouvons pas suivre le nombre de demandes qui arrivent par téléphone. Je crains que nous perdrons ventes si vous ne retournez pas à Paris sous peu.”

  “Are you serious or are you playing a vicious trick on me? If I understood you correctly, you said we are receiving a number of calls to create designs.”

  “Mademoiselle Daniella, I requested that Charlene, Michele and Annette come into the office to record messages for you. I may need to bring the seamstresses in as well.”

  “Bring them in. We’ll pay them all double time. I need to talk to Michal before I commit to leaving early.”

  Michal was speaking with Samanta at the bar. “Samanta, how serious were you about joining the House of Daniella?”

  Samanta looked her in the eyes, “Daniella, je suis très grave. Pourquoi demandez-vous ?”

  “Michal, would it upset you if I left earlier than planned, to return to Paris?”

  He looked at her quizzically, “Vous ne profitent vous-même ?”

  “Yes, I am enjoying myself. I just spoke with Grant. He called in the entire staff, including the seamstresses to answer phones and take messages.”

  Samanta applauded her, “Daniella that is magnificent. I am so happy for you.”

  “That’s the reason I asked if you were serious. If Grant isn’t exaggerating, I will need a second designer. I don’t suppose you brought any designs with you.”

  “I never travel without a sketch pad. If you like, I can sketch something this evening and show it to you in the morning.”

  “That would be perfect. I don’t care what you design; I want the opportunity to see your creativity.”

  In the morning, Samanta met Michal and Daniella for breakfast. While Daniella reviewed the designs, she couldn’t believe that the House of Victoria hadn’t qualifi
ed for the show. The sketched designs were exactly what Daniella was looking for.

  “These designs are perfect. If you want to work for the House of Daniella, you have the job.”

  “Merci. Pensez-vous vraiment qu'ils sont bons ?”

  “They are not just good, they are very good.”

  Michal chuckled, “Est-il sécuritaire de supposer que les deux vous travailleront ensemble en harmonie, création de dessins et modèles ?”

  It was Daniella’s turn to chuckle, “Yes it is. We will not only work in harmony, we will orchestrate a symphony of designs. Michal, will you pout if I leave this afternoon? I will call as soon as I know if what Grant said is true.”

  “Do you want me to leave with you?”

  “No, stay here in Cannes.”

  Samanta asked, “Daniella, do you want me to travel with you?”

  “No, let me see what we’re working with first.”

  Michal rode with her to the airport. “Is there no way I can talk you into staying?”

  “You know that I would very much love to stay. This is a beautiful place to vacation, but Grant seriously needs my help.”

  “You intend to leave me behind with a beautiful woman, whose perfume scent was on my pillow?”

  “Am I confused? Didn’t we discuss this? Did I not make it clear that you have choices? If one of those choices is to bed Samanta, that’s fine with me. All I ask is that you be honest with me and tell me if you choose to make love to her. I will then release myself from our relationship.”

  “Would you have more trust, if I asked you to marry me?”

  “You haven’t asked.”

  “Ah mon amour, alors je vous demanderai maintenant. Veux-tu m'épouser ?”

  Daniella laughed, “You’re asking me to marry you?”

  “Yes. What is your answer?”

  “Are you seriously willing to engage in a monogamous relationship with one woman?”

  “I am, as long as that woman is you.”

  “In that case, I can’t say anything other than yes to your proposal.”