Feeling White for Once

I woke up in a stiff position with Olive curled in my arms. She drooled onto my shirt. "Olive, I need to wake up now. You can go back to sleep." I said. She mumbled and then snuggled into one of my pillows. I gathered the cat from the bed. I fed her and petted her a bit before I began getting ready for work. I didn't feel the best about myself, but in order to look professional I had to dress to impress. I wore a silver shimmering halter top dress, silver and black pumps, black sparkly bangle bracelets, and a thick jeweled necklace. I pulled my white hair into a tight top bun, and did my makeup. When I came down the stairs I met Ed's gaze. He opened his mouth to speak, but I held my hand up. "I have to get to work, and if I cry I will have to redo my makeup. So please don't bring up last night until I am ready. Feel free to talk to Olive though, she will be angry with you. Since you made me cry." I grabbed my clutch and walked out the door, not eating breakfast. I got into the cab, where the usual driver, Frank, was. Once he had figured out that Olive and I's schedule, he made sure to make money with us daily. "Looking great today Ms.Foster, That dress really compliments your eyes; which look like they could murder someone right now." he said as he actually looked into my eyes. "I am sorry, the death glare isn't meant for you. My father and I had an argument last night, and I am still emotional, but I won't shed any tears." I said, determined to earn red points. "Thata girl." Frank said "To the usual place then?" He asked. I simply responded with a head nod and a "yes." The ride to work was silent, I couldn't bring myself to speak, because the only thing on my mind was how hurt I was. I couldn't wait to get to work, so Sin could take my mind off of my personal life.

I arrived at the studio paid Frank and walked inside. "Ahh very early that is odd. Any reason why?" Sin immediately asked upon my entrance. I couldn't tell him about Ed, so I brought up a lighter conversation. "Duh, I have to gossip about Robert and Julia. You won't believe how dumb my brother is." I filled Sin in on everything. On Robert's bloody nose, and how pure Julia is. He laughed and mocked, "Well now I know that doesn't just happen in fictional stories and drawings." he said trying not to laugh. "I guess they had to have got it from somewhere." I said. We continued to gossip, waiting for the first appointment to arrive. That is when we saw Robert come in with the mail. We both hid behind the chairs in the waiting room just in ear shot of Robert and Julia's conversation. Robert started.

"Julia about when I walked you home...uh...man what do I say. I am not sorry, but I am sorry...I I I." Julia leaned over the counter and gave my brother a quick kiss on the lips. Robert turned bright red, and myself and Sin's jaws dropped. "Me too." she said,, "I am at work so that is all I can do right n...". She didn't get to finish before Sin and I jumped from our hiding places. "Go for it honey!" I yelled. "Your boss doesn't mind this time!" Sin yelled. "Go on Robbie you know you want her!" I yelled. He was only called "Robbie" when being purposely embarrassed to the extreme. Both Julia and Robert were both bright red. They hadn't noticed our presence until it was too late. Sin and I were both laughing and cheering. We saw the first clients walking towards the glass front door. Sin, Julia, and I regained our professional look and posture, and Robert quickly left. "Good morning Mrs. Ross." Sin said. He knelt down to the little girl in front of Mrs. Ross, "and you must be Princess." He said to the girl. I was hoping for a hint of sarcasm or flattery in his voice after calling her Princess, but I soon realized that was actually her name. "Princess this will be the woman doing your hair and makeup. She is actually here just for you, she is typically someone else's private stylist." he said obviously trying to up my presence to the girl's standards. Mrs.Ross chimed in, "Princess needs her head shots done by a professional like yourself, what qualifies this girl to style my baby. These have to be perfect if I want to get her into the Little Royalty Pagent next month." Mrs.Ross said. I now understood why her daughter's name was Princess. This child was born and bred to be in child beauty pagents. I looked the child up and down, while Sin showed the mother some of my previous works. The child had long red hair, orange eyes, and purple skin. She was about eight years old. This child was bound to be a successful actress or model of some sort. Pagents were probably a tacky way to start her future career, but it would likely get her noticed by someone. She gave me a snobbish glare, and I knew working with her would be difficult. Princess looked me up and down as well. She began quizzing me "How old are you?"

"Fifteen" I answered.

"Why are you white?" she asked

"Same reason you have three colors, God made me that way." I answered again.

"What do you think my life will be like?"

"Well given your colors, and your mother's passion to push you to great heights;" the mother smiled at this. "you will probably be a model or an actress."

"Is Santa Clause real?" she asked

"I don't think so, but that is only my belief." I answered.. Sin looked terrified, had I just ruined Santa for an important client?

"How will you make me pretty?" she asked.

"Well I would like to make you look as natural as possible, but still give you the flair you need to stand out." I answered again.

"Mommy we can trust her. She thinks fast, and is brutally honest, she will tell me if I actually look good or bad." she looked back at me. "Oh and you what is your name?" she asked me. "I am Ms. Foster." I replied. "Well Ms.Foster," the small child said, "you better work to my expectations, if not, I will make sure you never work in this field ever again." I thought Olive was smart, but this beauty was on a whole different level. She had probably been doing photo shoots since she was born, she knows what she is doing. "Oh and Ms. Foster, Santa is real, whether you believe it or not." She said before walking away. I thought I would be dealing with a spoiled brat; that I could handle, but this was a tiny CEO.

I showed the two to the makeup room, and I could see Sin giving me a double thumbs up. "Okay Princess, I am going to give you an innocent natural look. You won't look like a postured fake doll like all of the other contestants, it will be original and whimsical. Are you okay with this idea?" I explained and asked. Her once boisterous mother just stood quietly by the wall. We both knew that Princess would be deciding everything. "It is a different idea, none of my other stylists have recommended this. Why do you think this will be successful?" She asked. I felt like I was giving a presentation, not talking to a child. "Precisely for that reason. You will stand out from the other girls, and doing this will make you seem more professional, but still bring out the fact that you have a child's spirit, I am actually aiming for nature spirit." I explained. "Okay, you seem confidant and have given good points, I will entrust you to my styling. If I don't approve of your end result, your reputation will be ruined." she said. I nodded my head, and had her change into a light white strapless sun dress, with white flats that had a glossy lace pattern on them. Next we did makeup I threw a cape around her to avoid staining her dress. I airbrushed her face with a slightly lighter shade, that better matched her exposed legs. I put away the air brush and professionally put on a light blush, which made her look more at peace. I did her eye make up in a color that was a little darker than her actual skin, but still dark enough to bring out her eyes. I left her cascading hair down only to curl it with a mid sized barrel. When I was done with her hair, I placed a flower vine tiara on her head, it had a few small orange flower buds to bring out her eyes. I gave her a shine light green bracelet shaped like a vine to finish it off. "Okay my part is over, it is Sin's turn." After several outfits, make up sessions, and background changes later we were finished. She had a different outfit for each season's photo drop, and looked amazing in each. I began cleaning off her makeup,, and dressing her back into her casual clothes. "Now that the part about me is through; can you tell me why today's stylist was depressed?" Princess asked me.. How did she know that I was upset,, I had kept a professional look all day, and acted excited about things as mundane as chasing shoes. "You had no spark in your eye." said Princess. "This is a very serious job, reserved for especially trained people, and since you are fifteen and working this job, there should be some kind of excitement or gratitude shining in your eyes. You may try to hide it, but your eyes can't lie." I was shocked that she was asking about my issues, when she was the client. "Don't misunderstand me, I do not care to know about your life, but you can't remain unhappy, it is bad for your health, mental state, and will effect your career." she said. This child knew not to abuse those who had to work under her, because she knew they were what was bringing her up. Although she did have high standards, for the people who would be pushing her to the top. I sighed, "I will resolve this PERSONAL issue and talk it out." I said, maintaining a professional voice. Princess' work took up the entire workday, I was mentally drained, but knew my day was far from over.

When I got home I let my hair down, and tried to prepare myself to talk to Ed. Mochi greeted me first rubbing against my legs. "Hi fur ball." I sat down and petted the cat in my lap. "I know this fight started with you, but if I hadn't brought you home Ed still would've pointed out a new fault eventually. Then I wouldn't be able to learn. I have read enough about parenting and psychology to know that typically these disagreements aren't about what is conversed. It is simply a domino effect that eventually pushes a party over the edge. Our mind simply tries to rationalize, and pin it on one thing. This time it was simply being pinned on my bringing you home. I don't regret it though. Yes it may have been immature, but you have made everyone happy. Even Ed likes you, though he might not admit it. You are a good cat." I ranted my feelings absentmindedly to the cat. "Now I just need to figure out how to tell that to Ed." I said. Then Ed peeked out from behind a wall, "You already did honey." he said. His voice scared me, I hadn't noticed his presence. "Violet, I understand where you were coming from. I think this "domino effect" just started with Olive loving you so much. I used to be the only person in her life, but now you and Robert are here, and I love you, but I miss all of Olive's love." he gave me a half hearted smile. "When she already loved you this much, then topped it off by getting her a kitten, just pushed me over the edge. You are plenty pink, I have said so before, I didn't mean what I said last night. You are a smart girl." he said. I smiled back at him tears welling in my eyes. He didn't really think I should be colorless. "Ed she loves you more than anything, I am just the female role model she needed, and I spend a lot of time with her. She knows she is and always will be daddy's princess and that you love her. She just clings to me because I am a girl. You won't be stealing her if you take her away from me. Have some daddy daughter time. Also, she believes that kitten is from all three of us, she has no idea it was from me." I said. Ed hugged me tightly "You are a good girl, but seriously no more pets." Ed said still hugging me. I laughed with tears still in my eyes. I wouldn't let them fall, even if they weren't tears of sadness or fear. I will be brave even if it is against my own emotions.