Educating Danielle
Part Nine
by Karen E. Lea
Chapter Forty Four
Next morning I
awoke entwined with Laura, I don’t think we had moved all night. It had gone
six and I rose to have a shower. After I finished, Laura took my place after a
quick kiss. While I was dressing I could hear Daniel moving around in the
kitchen. This was a new experience for me, having other people in the house.
We ate breakfast
together, Daniel promised to have the washing done by tonight, he already had a
load in the machine. Actually he was dressed as Danielle in a skirt and top,
his faux breasts supported in a bra, as we hadn’t taken the breasts off the
night before.
Wishing every
body a good day and a kiss each, I headed for the studio. Once I was behind my
desk, I looked at the workload for the week. Busy, but not flat out. Tuesday
and Wednesday we could probably use Danielle’s help. A small catalogue for a
small mail order boutique. Thursday was three cars for studio shots.
Every body
started to drift in after eight thirty. Cindy came and said “Good Morning. How
was your weekend?”
“Pretty good. Got
engaged, you know, the usual weekend stuff.”
“You what?”
“Had a run of the
mill weekend.”
“No you dope the
bit about getting engaged.”
“Oh that. Laura
and I got engaged.”
“Congratulations.
This is Daniel’s mum isn’t it?”
“Thanks. Yeah.
Although Daniel is fading from view.”
“Why?”
“He got carried
away at the hair salon on Friday; we can’t get him to look like Daniel any
more.”
“That’s right the
wedding. How did it go, did he pass.”
“Of course.”
“Kelly will be
here soon.”
“Gees that’s
right, forgot about that. Annette gave her notice on Saturday, sick sister some
where.”
“No great loss.
Tell you what though, thought I was talking to a woman on Saturday.”
That was the
problem with my female voice, I had to concentrate on it and it was very hard
drop in and out. Before I could think of a reply, John poked his head in and
said “Hi.”
I told him all
the news. He congratulated me. “Did you ever hear from Sam after that
Saturday?” I asked.
“Not a peep.”
“Think he’s
forgotten?”
“Let’s hope.” He
wandered off in to the studio.
Annette arrived
and apologised for leaving again, but her sister was in a bad way. Cindy was
behind her waving to me, “Kelly’s’ here.”
I looked at my
watch; she was early, no matter, “Show her in.”
Cindy bought
Kelly in to my office. She was wearing a scoop neck top, short skirt and high
heel sandals. Gee she was tiny, put a school uniform on her and she would look
like a thirteen year old. She was extremely nervous as I read her TAFE
certificate and references. She told me she was doing a MYOB course at night.
”That’s good, we use that too. Please relax.”
“I’m sorry. It’s
that last time we met, I got carried away with Daniel, I hope it doesn’t go
against me.”
“Because you
kissed him? No way. Can you start today, like now?”
“I’ve got the
job?”
“Problem?”
“No. No.”
“I should have
been more formal, thirty thousand a year to start; I’ll review it in eight
weeks.”
“Thank you.”
“We have a bonus
scheme as well, if we use you as a model for little jobs.”
“Sounds great.”
I took her out to
the studio and introduced her to John and Cathy, Cindy and Charlene she knew.
We went back to the office and introduced her to Annette. I apologised for
throwing her in the deep end, but Annette was leaving at the end of the week.
I went back to my
office, after just settling down, the phone rang. It was Moira, “Jeff, good morning.”
“Morning Moira.”
“Everything fine
for the next catalogue?”
“No problems…any
at your end?”
“Just one. That
girl I saw on John’s desk that Saturday, I want her in this catalogue.”
“I’m sorry, like
I said at the time, it’s just not possible.”
“If its money,
that’s not a problem, she’ll be well paid, all our models are well paid.”
“It’s not about
money. It’s just not possible.”
“I would like to
remind you, we are your biggest client and that girl suits us.”
“She’s not a
model, and doesn’t want to be one.”
“Well give me her
details and I will convince her.”
“That’s private
information; I’d have to get her parent’s permission.”
“Jeff Williams.
You are making me very exasperated. Please get this girl’s details for me so we
can negotiate with her. What’s her name?”
“Danielle.”
“Surname?”
“Marsden.”
“I’ll ring
tomorrow, could you please have some information for me.”
“I’ll try.
Goodbye.”
“Please don’t let
me down. Good bye.”
I hung the phone
up. Was she persistent or what. How was I going to get out of this? The day
passed quickly, but the conversation with Moira nagged at me and by the end of
the day I was no closer to a solution.
We locked up and
went our separate ways heading for home. I arrived home and parked next to the
Golf in the garage. I let myself in to the house, something smelt good. Laura
greeted me with a kiss. I think I’m going to enjoy coming home to a family.
“Our daughter has been very busy today.”
“She’s cooked
dinner by the smell of it?”
“She’s finishing
off the ironing. She’s cleaned the three bathrooms, the kitchen absolutely
shines.”
Danielle was
ironing in the family room watching reruns of MASH, “Hi Daddy.”
“Hi honey. Been
busy?”
“Just a bit.”
“You’ve done a
lovely job, make somebody a great wife.”
“Thank you, I
think. I’d only want to be a wife to one person and my mum beat me to it.”
“Danielle…” Laura
gasped.
“Weeell.”
“Okay, I’m
flattered, but I’m head over heels in love with your mum.”
We helped put the
clothes away that had been ironed, then sat down to dinner, Beef Stroganoff. “I
don’t remember having the ingredients in the house for this?”
“You didn’t.”
Danielle said. I gave her a quizzical look.
“I went up to the
shops at lunchtime.”
“That was a bit
of a risk.”
“Sorry daddy.”
“I just worry.
Anyway, on a brighter note, anyone like to see a movie tonight? I’d like to see
‘Sorority Boys’”
“It didn’t get a
very good rating in the paper.” Danielle lamented.
“It must be good,
it’s about cross dressing.” I replied. They both laughed.
We finished our
dinner, cleaned up and prepared to go out. Locking the front door, we entered
the garage through the internal door. “Geez, I nearly forgot, can Danielle come
to the studio tomorrow and Wednesday?” I asked Laura.
Laura nodded, “I
guess so, it’s not like he can go to school at the moment.”
“Oh daddy.” he
hugged me.
“I employed your
girlfriend today.”
“Kelly?”
“Yep.” I said as
I backed the Golf from the garage.
A couple of hours
later we were on the way home. I enjoyed the movie although there were no more
than ten people in the theatre. We arrived home and got ready for bed, kissing
Daniel goodnight. “See you in the morning honey.”
Laura and I
snuggled in to bed, kissing and petting leading to sex.
Next morning
Danielle woke us, “Come on you two sleepy heads, its six ten.”
I opened one eye,
then the other. Danielle was dressed and makeup done. She had her stretch
jeans, white clingy top and her joggers on. “You look good?”
“Thank you daddy.
I have a reputation to uphold, I’m the boss’s daughter,” she giggled.
Showered and
breakfasted, I finished my coffee, “Three days to go.” I said to Laura.
“Yep, I’m
counting the hours. I was just thinking, maybe I should just give my notice.”
“I wouldn’t.
You’ve worked ten years for your long service leave. You give your notice, he’s
such an arsehole, he would probably withhold it on some technicality.”
“You’re right. By
the way, I meant to ask last night, can I have the girls over for lunch
Saturday week?”
“Sure. Your house
too, you don’t have to ask.”
“I’ll get used to
it one day. The girls were impressed by the ring and are dying to meet you.”
“Come on
Danielle, we better get going, see you tonight.” I said kissing Laura.
Chapter Forty Five
We pulled in to
the car park just after eight. I saw two guys waiting at the front door, both
in suits. We walked up to the door holding hands, the short one in a crumpled
suit swung toward our approaching footsteps.
“Jeff? Jeff
Williams.”
“Yes.”
“Sam…Sam
Goldstein, friend of Johns’, hey…. here she is, what did I tell you eh...eh, is
she the one or what?” He shook my hand, then swung back to his friend when he
saw Danielle. His friend agreed.
“Hey, this is my
business partner Sal Abrahams.” I shook hands with a tall young man impeccably
dressed in a very expensive suit.
“What can I do
for you?” I asked.
“Well, it’s
actually the girl we’re come about; I saw her photos a few weeks ago, here with
John.”
“He did mention
it.”
“Great…great. Now
we’re making a music video and have a need for a good looking young girl and
you’re…um, I don’t know her name?”
“Danielle.”
Danielle answered.
“Yeah well,
Danielle you’re very hot looking and we have a need for you in our video.”
Danielle was
going to speak, I squeezed her hand, “I don’t think so.” I said.
“Hey this is a
great opportunity for a young girl, national exposure, we’re hoping for
worldwide eventually.”
“I really don’t
think so.”
“Jeff, can I call
you Jeff. We’ve got four great young guys and we’re going to do a cover of ‘I’m
a believer’, you know the Monkee’s hit. The guys appeal to the babes and a hot
babe like Danielle to pull the guys in. Can’t miss.”
“My daughter is
not a hot babe, not by your standards at least. We are not interested Sam.”
“Hey I know it
sounds a bit wild, but she’ll be paid well, two grand for a couple of days’
work.”
“Two grand, is
that all.” I scoffed.
“Hey, that’s a
lot of money.”
“Maybe to
somebody.”
“Come on Jeff,
she’ll have a ball, make some money, be on national TV, all the music video
shows.”
“We are not
interested. Now if you will excuse me, we have work to do. Goodbye.”
“But, but Jeff.
Danielle honey, talk him in to it will ya.” Sam called after us.
“That went well…not.”
Sal said as we unlocked the door.
We went in to the
office and started the computers, turned on the lights, threw the junk faxes in
to the recycling bin. I checked emails and deleted the junk. Cindy came up to
say good morning and squealed when she saw Danielle. “Oh my god, my little girl
has grown up.” They hugged and kissed.
They chatted
while I answered some of the emails; Kelly came in five minutes later, “Morning
mister Williams.”
“Hi Kelly, we’re
pretty informal around here, it’s Jeff. You’re early?”
“If I catch the
next bus, its borderline getting here on time.”
“Hi Kelly.”
Danielle chirped.
“Hi Kelly.” Cindy
echoed.
Kelly looked at
Danielle. “You don’t recognise him do you?” Cindy prodded.
She looked
perplexed for a minute, “Daniel?” They air kissed.
“If Cindy had
said her, I would be no wiser. You look great.”
“Thank you. You
look pretty terrific yourself.”
“Thanks.” Kelly
blushed.
“Can we keep it
to her, she etc please?” I asked.
“No worries.”
Cindy replied.
The girls talked
amongst themselves, when we heard a tentative hello from the outer office.
Cindy went out to greet the newcomer and returned with Sonja, the owner of the
mail order catalogue.
“Darlink.” She
greeted me, wiping her dark hair behind her ear.
“Sonja, nice to
see you.” I shook her hand. I introduced the girls who then went to their
respective tasks, Danielle tagging along after Cindy.
“Darlink, why you
let me hire second best girl, when you hiding best girl here?”
“Sorry?”
“The girl Danielle,
very beautiful, she in my catalogue, I insist.”
I’m sure she
spoke perfectly good English; this Russian immigrant speak was an act. “She’s
just helping out today, she’s not a model.”
“I insist she in
my catalogue, she be how you say, fantastic.”
“She’s not a
professional model, her help is needed elsewhere. Sorry can’t do.”
“I cancel shoot.”
Great. “Sonja.
You already have a girl coming for the shoot.”
“She can assist
the beautiful Danielle.”
“I think it best
we go with the original plan.”
“No. The
beautiful Danielle in my catalogue or I cancel.”
Standing there
thinking how I was going to get out of this. I wanted to end this in my favour.
“I know is money,
is always with capitalists, Two thousand dollars a day for the beautiful
Danielle.”
“Sorry?” My
reverie broken.
“Two thousand
dollars a day for Danielle.”
Kelly poked her
head in the door, “Excuse me Mister Williams, a Moira to see you.”
Moira. What did
she want? “Ask her to wait, thanks Kelly. Okay Sonja, you win, I’ll get a
contract ready.”
Sonja looked like
the cat that got the cream. “Darlink, you think I foolish with my money?”
“Crossed my
mind.”
“Danielle will
make me a lot of money, her beauty will shine through, people will want to buy
my clothes. Next time I may not be able to afford her.” I cocked my head in her
direction.
“She is very
special that little one. Something about her… very special.”
I led Sonia
downstairs to the studio, told Cindy and John what was happening, and took
Danielle to one side to see if she was okay with it.
“I will stay and
supervise darlink.” She’ll send every body mad. “Okay.” I acknowledged.
Back upstairs and
greeted Moira, “Jeff, we need to speak.”
Kelly
interrupted, “Excuse me Jeff; I need to talk to you.” I ushered Moira to my
office and returned to Kelly, “Annette hasn’t turned up, what do you want me to
do?”
“Look busy; I’ll
be with you soon.” I went back to my office.
“Jeff. How did
you go with those details?” She was very on edge and hadn’t said good morning
or any niceties at all. And she had never turned up without an appointment
before.
“Um….”
“I’ll get
straight to the point. Our company wants a bigger slice of the youth market,
but we’ve never come across the right girl to spearhead it, till I saw those
photographs on John’s desk that Saturday. You wouldn’t believe the number of
girls that have been screened for this position.”
“Oh…..”
“First things
first. I would love to meet her, would that be possible?”
“Um….I guess.”
“Great. When?”
“Um……..work out
something I guess.”
“Please work with
me here. Why all this ‘I guess’ and back pedalling.”
“Well…..I talked
to her last night, she’s really not interested in modelling, she wants to be a
makeup artist.”
“This girl has a
great future in modelling, those photographs don’t lie, you have seen them,
haven’t you?”
“Yep, I’ve seen
them.”
“Well I think she
should hear what we have to offer.”
While I thought
of a reply, there was a knock at the door, “Excuse me, Dad?”
Moira spun to the
speaker, it was Danielle. I just closed my eyes and prayed for deliverance.
“Jeff Williams, I demand an explanation now. And it better be good.”
“Sorry Dad, Cindy
needs the keys to the store. She left hers at home.”
“Danielle this is
Moira, marketing manager from Spencer’s department store, Moira this is
Danielle Marsden.”
“She called you
dad?”
“She’s not my
biological daughter, but my daughter all the same.”
“Well this is
most opportune. Her photographs are stunning, but do not do you justice young
lady.”
“Thank you.”
Danielle blushed. I gave her the keys and she skipped from the room.
“Okay Jeff
Williams, no more beating around the bush. We want Danielle on board to
spearhead our push in to the teenage market. I will not be taking no for an
answer. We have an exclusive contract to offer her.”
“Why haven’t you
mentioned this in all our talks over the last couple of months? I better tell
you now when we walked in this morning, we had a visit from a music video
producer who saw the same photographs, and the meaning of no seems to elude
him. Then to top it off, once we got inside, the woman with a mail order
boutique threatened to cancel if Danielle wouldn’t work for her.”
“I should’ve have
bought you in to the loop sooner.” She sat thinking. “I’ve got a whole
marketing department working on this.”
“She’s not a
professional model or anything; there must be thousands of girls out there more
suitable.”
“And I’ve met
nearly all of them in the last eight months, but none were suitable.”
“What about a
star from one of the teenage soaps?”
“I didn’t dream
this up over night; we have been down all those roads. She’s a natural beauty;
you feel it in the photographs. She’s a very special person.”
“You’re the
second person to say that in the last half hour.”
“Can I borrow
your office and phone; I have to make some phone calls.”
“Sure. I’ve got
some things to sort out.”
I went out to the
outer office; Kelly was working on the computer. She looked up. “She didn’t
show, I’ve started working on things she showed me yesterday, bringing them up
to date.”
“Thank you.” That
was unusual I thought as I descended the stairs to see how the studio shoot was
going. Danielle had been made up and was putting on the first outfit. Sonja
fussed around like a mother hen. I talked to John, he had convinced Sonja to
use the other girl as well. Every thing seem to be working down here, so I
headed back upstairs to the office and Kelly who had some questions. All in all
she had picked up on the work quickly and was a very capable young woman.
Sitting down I thought about the morning’s events, I don’t think I had seen the
last of Sam and Sal, obviously the meaning of no eluded them. Then there was
Sonja; I would not have imagined her paying that sort of money for an unknown
girl. Then I had Moira in my office organising god knows what. This was
becoming a bit too much.
“Jeff…….Mister
Williams.”
“Uh….sorry Kelly,
miles away.”
“That’s okay; do
you know why we do the payroll this way?”
“Annette said it
was easier for her.”
“Don’t know why,
you have to enter the same data three times. Do you mind if I do it my way?”
“As long as every
body gets paid, go for it.”
“Thanks.”
Chapter Forty Six
Moira called me
from the door of my office, I followed her back in. “Jeff, I’ve spoken to my
CEO, who’s backing me on this, he’s very eager. Our market share at the moment
of the teenage market is miniscule, and market share can be increased with the
right marketing.”
“But why an
unknown?”
“This way there
is no preconceived ideas about the person. If someone is too well known, she’d
be always connected to her previous endeavours. Believe me; till I saw those
photos we ready to shelve it in the too hard basket.”
“Well, I really
have to say no.”
“I’ll get the
girl’s mother.”
“She’s my
fiancée; she’ll probably leave it up to me.”
Moira was looking
out of the window down to the studio floor, “How old is Danielle?”
“Sixteen.”
“Do you realise
she could be a millionaire by the time she’s twenty with the package we want to
offer?”
“Moira, I’ve been
working in this industry a long time to know that unknowns just don’t bob up,
it’s a long hard road.”
“Why are you
stonewalling this? It’s out of character for you? When we decided to go with
Starburst for our catalogue needs, we didn’t do it on a whim. We asked around
and did our homework, great reviews from your clients, couldn’t do enough for
you, nothing was a problem. What’s happened?”
“I don’t want
Danielle to get hurt.”
Kelly knocked at
the door, “Fax for Moira…….would you like some coffee mister Williams?”
“I would kill for
one.” Moira answered, “White, one sugar.”
“Thanks Kelly,
black for me, two sugars.”
Moira read the
fax and nodded her head a couple of times, “Okay. This is what we are offering
Danielle for the next twelve months. Three catalogues at thirty thousand per
catalogue. Minimum six commercials for television and theatre, hundred thousand
per commercial, two thousand a day for newspaper and magazine advertising
shoots, at least one a month, probably more. One thousand a month to spend at
the store for clothing, shoes and accessories. Personal appearances, one
thousand per day, no more than two hours at a time, plus travel…….”
“You’re having me
on.”
“No! I’ve been
working on this for weeks, soon as I saw those pictures; I knew we had our
girl. This has not been gone in to light hearted. I’ve been watching her from
the window and every minute that passes tells me I am right.”
Kelly knocked and
bought the coffee in and put it on the desk, “Thank you Kelly.”
“You wanted
exclusive.”
“Well we realise
we won’t get that, but, we would like any input on any other work she may take
on.”
“Or veto.”
“I’d hope we
wouldn’t have to do any thing like that, but wait there’s more.”
“What. Steak
knives?”
Moira laughed
which broke the tension. “We will guarantee Starburst all the photographic work
for the next twelve months, she will be on a retainer of twelve hundred a week,
for that she has her name on articles in magazines about fashion and makeup.”
I stood in
silence, deep in thought for at least three minutes.
Moira broke
first, “It’s all negotiable of course, if you want more, say so.”
“What’s this
about travel?”
“We have stores
in other states and we would like to visit at least once if not more to these
locations. We would pay airfare, first class, five star hotel, limo and double
appearance fee for interstate appearances.”
“What’s in it for
you? Sorry what I mean is, what will Spencers gain from spending all this money
on one girl?”
“If we increase
our market share five per cent, the money will be a drop in the ocean and very
perceptive, I get a fat bonus if it all comes together.”
“Well I better
get a copy of the contract and have a read I suppose, but I can’t promise
anything.”
“The altered
contract is being couriered here as we speak.”
“You were
confident.”
“I am. I refuse
to accept no.”
“We’ll see.” We
shook hands, promising to talk if we had any questions.
“It’ll be my
Easter present if you say yes by Thursday night.” She said walking down the
stairs.
Answering more
questions for Kelly, I had a thought and opened the drawer where Annette kept
her personal stuff, completely empty; she obviously had no intention of coming
back today. I organised Kelly to do a contract up for Danielle and Sonja. While
I was waiting a courier turned up with the contracts from Spencers. “Want a job
back to the smoke.” I asked.
“No worries.”
Checking that
they were identical, I put one in an envelope and addressed it, gave it to the
courier, who gave me a receipt and left. Kelly had the contract ready for me
and I took it downstairs to be signed.
Sonja was happy
with the way things were going, she signed the contract and I signed on
Danielle’s behalf. John was rapt; wish they were all like Danielle he
commented.
The day quickly
went, after lunch, I read the contract. Every thing she had said was in there,
plus some. I spoke with my solicitor, who said he would read it carefully and
let me know.
Just before five,
Cindy and Danielle came up to the office. They were finished for the day,
mainly because Sonja had clothes that didn’t quite hang right on Danielle. She
would be back tomorrow. Cindy commented that she had never seen such a
variation in sizes, even though the tags said otherwise, “Pity the poor people
buying this stuff through the mail. What are we doing tomorrow boss?”
“Finish Sonja’s
stuff, then a pantyhose ad and a shoe catalogue, Cathy and Charlene can do
that, then bring the first car in for Thursday.”
“Sounds like fun,
see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.” We
tidied my desk, turned off the computers and headed home ourselves. We drove,
mainly in silence, my mind working overtime on the Spencers offer.
“You okay Dad.”
“Yeah. Have a fun
day?” I said giving her hand a gentle squeeze.
“It was cool; I
wish I could work all the time.”
“Hold that
thought……do you have a bank account?”
“Yep. Only has a
couple of dollars in it. Why?”
“I’ve got four
grand for you, and you’re not getting it in cash.”
“Four thousand
dollars. How come?”
“When you work
for people, they pay you…….”
“Daddy.”