-After a long day, busking on the streets of Prague, Maggie headed back to Nikolas’s apartment in the Apartments Attic Olivova, Prague 1, Hlavni Mesto Praha. Carrying her worn guitar case, that was covered in stickers of all the places she had been, she certainly did look every bit the musician. Long flowing skirt, that swirled when she walked with a quickened step, dying to just get up the stairs, open the door, and collapse on the couch. Maggie had done a good day’s takings, for the many songs she sang. Some were special requests, others were some from the heart.
Maggie was back to busking, since the Death Club had been closed to give SOME members of staff a holiday. But to those that relied on the Death Club pay cheques, the fact they were going without, meant they had to either go back to what they had done before, or…find another way to make ends meet. Maggie, had been fortunate. Nikolas had been kind enough to take her in, and now, she had a roof over her head, till she got on her feet well and truly. The night of the party at the club, where Dixie had arranged for Maggie to sing, had given her hope she would be noticed by a talent scout or agent. But alas, that was simply a dream, for now at least.
Arriving outside the Apartment building, Maggie stared straight up, wondering if Nikolas would be home, or out doing his modeling work for the catalogues, he is supposedly famous for. Patting her chest with her free hand, she could feel the key to his apartment, on the chain around her neck, and breathed a sigh of relief. Maggie was always incredibly forgetful, like remembering where she put the TV remote, or who was the last one to use the computer. Heading in the foyer, she nodded to some of the other tennants, all gave her smiles, even one older gentleman, tipped his hat. Reaching the lift, she pressed the button, and waited patiently, till the light pinged on the up arrow.
Maggie had already planned out her night. TV dinner, a copy of Riverdance, and her fluffy slippers, with jammies. It was a night in, on her bed, the couch. It was going to be perfect. Or…so she thought.
On reaching the door to Nikolas’s apartment, Maggie could hear raised voices coming from within. Maggie bent her head to the door, to listen, and it was Nikolas, and he seemed to be on the phone to someone.
“Tonight?…Are you sure?…But I didn’t get the call from my agent. What?….Alright, I be there in an hour.” The phone was slammed down, followed by a lot of excited chatter, and the stomping of feet up and down the hall in the apartment. Rather than bother Nikolas further, Maggie got her key and unlocked the door, making her way in,and setting down her guitar case, near the front entrance closet. Nikolas was in his bedroom, and Maggie could see that whoever called, had interrupted Nikolas from what he was doing. Coming around the corner, she took one look at the television, and it was playing a a hentai movie.
“Ugh…No no…not watching that.”- Maggie said, groaning as she picked up the remote and turned it off. The room went quiet for a few seconds, and then a voice sung out from the bedroom.
“Maggie? That you? Shit….I gotta go to the Fashion show. Damn agent never gave me the message and just got a call from the venue manager. Apparently the designer is having some sort of fit. By the way, have you seen my boxers with the red hearts?”
Maggie froze in her place, holding the remote and trying to take in everything he just said. First off…Fashion show? That was good news. She knew he had been doing some modeling work, but to do a catwalk modeling gig, well that would pay big bucks. Maggie had to wonder, who the fashion designer was, that was having a dummy spit. Lord knows why, but for some reason, they all seem so high strung. Nikolas had told her over dinner, about some of the back stage disasters that happened at these gigs. Maggie thought Nikolas should get danger money, just for showing up. As for the boxers…..
“The red ones? With…hearts?” -Maggie sung out, biting her bottom lip, since…she was wearing them. “I think I seen them…but you might not be happy with meh, when you see where they are.” The door to Nikolas’s room swings open, and he strides out in his towel. Seeing Maggie in her street wear, he asks. “Where?” Maggie slowly pulls up her skirt, to reveal that she is wearing them. “Sorry….I thought they were nice, and they look a lot fookin’ better on me…bit loose though.” Nikolas groaned, and stomped back up the hall, dropping his towel as he did so. Typical, always dropping his towel, so Maggie had to stare at his goods. Seeing him without clothing, was something he did frequently. If Maggie had been living with a girl, its one thing. But with Nikolas….well, he was hung..hung very well.
Nikolas went on with getting ready, and you could hear him rifling through his closet, and not being able to decide what to wear. Maggie, made her way into the bathroom, since she was wanting to enjoy a nice shower, and then settle for her DVD night in. But just as she turned the taps, she could hear Nikolas pounding on the door. “Maggie…I want you to come with me. I’m nervous as hell. These fashion shows are a big deal.” Maggie, well she got the shock of her life, and quickly had a shower, one of the fastest in history. Turning of the taps when she was done, she reached for a robe. Opening the door to the bathoom, the steam billowed out in a glorious sight, Nikoals was in his suit, The look in his eyes, desperate. “I need you there…you don’t understand. The designer. He..he…*Nikolas leans forward to whisper it*…he think’s I’m Gay.” Maggie could barely contain her laughter, doubling over, her wet hair dripping all over the floor. “You? Gay?…Ahahahaha. That be right. Mista Dick…Nik the Panszy….Gay meh arse you are. I seen the stash of porn mags under ya bed…..AND…*she points at the big wide screen TV*…Hentai when I come home. If you’re gay…then I’m fookin’ gay.” This made Nikolas wonder for a moment, and then he asked. “Been with a woman?”- Maggie, suddenly became flustered, and she found an urge to get dressed, rather fast. “So…what time we suppost to be at this…show?”
At the Fashion show, designer Andre Massomo, was fussing back stage, wringing his hands, as the audience was filling in. Fashion editors, from Vogue, Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Esquire, Glamour, Marie Clarie, In Style and W, had all been out in the foyer, prior to the show. This was to be Andre’s big night, launching his new collection, and yet the star models, were boycotting, due to a strike on some Fur products that had been used in the making of his hats. Desperate times, had called for desperate measures. And with the big names scratched off the list, he needed whatever models he could find, to do the show, and help sell his designs to the world. Already he had a few models, but there was two spots left, and the chairs were still empty.
“I should have listened to my Mother, when she said…HAIR…be a hair stylist, Andre. People are always growing their hair.” Burying his face in his hands, one of the production team members, Joel, came out from behind the black curtain, hooked up to the sound team up in the main control, for all the effects. “Got twenty minutes….twenty minutes, Andre….The guests are already starting to take their seats.” Joel quickly looked at the empty seats and grimmaced. “Models running late?”- he asked, as Andre whapped him with his felt hat. “Get out there…and get my show ready!…GAH….Waaaaaah…I’ll be ruined….Waaaaah!”
Just outside the Events centre, Nikolas, was flashing his pass to the security officer, a large Tongan, who stared oddly at Maggie. Maggie was wearing a Frankie Goes to hollywood retro T shirt, and torn jeans. “Sup?” Maggie said, wiggling her fingers, and the Bouncer snarled at her, before Nikolas dragged her inside the doors. By now, Andre was doing his block, and he was short the two models, for his latest creations. But as luck would have it, he caught sight of Nikolas. “NIKOLAS…GOD BLESS YOU…I MEAN IT…YOUR MOTHER IS A SAINT TO PUSH YOU OUT…Now…get ready over in makeup!”- Nikolas was led away, leaving Maggie standing awkwardly all by herself. Andre….nearly died. “Wait… I Know you…YOU…Oh my god and in my fashion show. Tell your agent, I will never forget this. Quickly, over to make up, and I get your clothes. There is a GOD!”- Maggie glanced around behind her, and then looked at his strangely. “What the fook you on about, ya Gammy Gimp.”- but seems his staff were right on the ball, escorting her over to makeup. The hairstylist team were there too, and as Maggie wailed and protested, they got her ready….for her first ever fashion show. Now, Nikolas could hear her, from across the room, but was too busy being penned into his suit, to deal with it. Did Andre realise….he had just picked an Irish busker to show off his latest collection?
Maggie’s hair was curled, teased, and with the make up artists doing her face, she was virtually changing from the other side of the mirror, so when they all stepped back, she looked exactly like Karen Elsen. The world famous model for such big names as , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, YSL, Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Gucci. Dressed in a stylish black cocktail dress, she was hustled up the stairs, where Nikolas was just about to his catwalk run, dressed in a dapper black suit. He could not believe that the amazing beauty beside him was actually Maggie. “My God….Maggie?”
Then the curtain opened, and Nikolas did his thing, walking out as hundreds of flashes went off, and the crowd clapping as he owned the stage. He was a true professional, in every sense of the word. Maggie was so nervous, she thought she was about to pee herself, and as Nikolas did his turn, giving the cameras a demure look, she was praying to God, she didn’t wet herself. How on earth she got tied up in all this was to be seen, but as Nikolas headed back, she got a small push from behind, and Maggie….started to walk down the runway. The audience, were stunned to see the Red headed beauty, and all applauded wildly, much to Andre’s delight, who was jumping up and down out the back, seeing it all happening on the cameras, that were beaming it around the world. Maggie reached the end of the runway, and having watched Nikolas turn, she followed suit, stepping side on, and placing a hand upon her right hip, staring down the cameras, with no expression on her face. No smile. Models, don’t smile. The audience all rose to the their feet, and Maggie’s heart was about to jump out of her chest. She lowered her hand from her hip, and then both arms free, she twirled back to do the walk back, as she couldn’t help but smile. Maggie, had just fooled the world.
