It had been far too long since Jada had stepped out for something that wasn't senshi-related. Zora had been saying that her older sister was a recluse, and whining to their father that Jada was going to become 'one of those weird cat ladies' without her mother's driving influence to give her something to push against. Little did the child know just what Jada was 'pushing' against. Well. One night wouldn't hurt anything, she finally decided, staring down at the note in her lap. "Are you serious, Daddy?" she asked her cell phone, tapping her nails against the table. "You know I don't really like art galleries." It had everything to do with the artistic snobs who would sit around analyzing light and hidden meanings inside each and every snapshot, and absolutely nothing at all to do with the fact she had always, desperately, wanted to be up in one of those darn galleries. Nothing at all to do with the fact she wished she could be a model, and that her parents hadn't been just protective enough she'd only been in magazines when her mother got caught on one camera or another.
"We apparently donated a good amount to them over the last year." Michael said blandly, adjusting his tie in his New york office. His phone was on speaker, and he was shifting through a few piles of papers, coat tossed over the back of his brown leather chair and windowed office open to the sunlight. One of the partners was buried in a pile of papers across the desk, and Michael scowled at him, shaking his head when the contract held up for Michael's purview was the wrong one. “I think you're looking in the wrong place, Dan. Get one of the secretaries in here to fix up this mess. Jada, your presence would mean I don't have to endure the flight down there. You know how busy I am this last little bit of the year! Besides, it is good exposure for you, being that in a few years it will be you getting all the obligatory social invites. You should have started some of these little things sooner, but you know your mother. She really didn't like sharing the spotlight with you, so you could use the practice.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” Just what was he trying to say, anyway?
“I know how you hate standing around,” Michael continued, undaunted, “But wouldn't it be nice to get some fresh air?" Just what had Zora been telling him? Jada was getting damn tired of Destiny City's fresh, cool night air. It had given her a cold not too long ago. Luckily Cold-Eez pills were this cheap little remedy she'd had forced on her. Zinc pills, one every other hour. Vitamin C in the hour between. Ugh.
Fine, Jada decided as she grouched a few parentally-required protests into her phone. She did have a few nice dresses in her closet that were about to go unworn before their year was up. She shopped for places she never went anymore, really. Hmm. An evening event called for a little black dress. Something classic would be the theme of her night, and she pushed to her feet and told Michael goodbye. Zora stalked her from room to room as she got ready, seemingly pleased as punch that Jada had something to make her dress up for. So what if Jada had been slumming it more and more in flannel pants and wife beaters when she was alone at home? She worked hard, darn it, playing at being Hero of Justice and saving the lives of the unwashed masses. The redhead skipped off to her computer room, probably going to WoW so that she could tattle to Audrey that Jada was finally getting a life again. Sometimes she thought the redhead was closer to her friend than she was. They certainly seemed to have more in common.
She ran a hot bath and stepped into it, luxuriating in her choices; bath salts, shampoos, conditioners, body washes of all scents. The garden tub was swollen with bubbles, and she allowed herself to indulge until the little timer went off. No wrinkles, not yet! Fabulous. She stepped out of the bath, wrapping herself in a thick towel and into her swollen closet she went; Zora found her here, laptop in hand, and she watched Jada zooming through, grabbing at dress after dress and throwing some of them haphazardly to the side where Zora grabbed at them almost gleefully to shove them in bags or back on hangers. Rejected... Rejected... Ahhh. This one would do nicely, the heiress decided, pulling out a Herve Leger that was classy, and a little on the understated side for her closet! Shoes... stockings... hair... makeup. Shoes were probably to be the rough choice, weren't they? She eventually decided on a simple pair of heels and no hose; her coat would have to make up for the fact her legs would be freezing off. Her makeup would be understated and elegant, so her hair would have to be her crown. She left it long, letting it flow down in its thick curls until it almost met her knees.
She looked very nice. "I can't tell if you look desperate," Zora told her mildly. "Or if you kind of look like you are going speed dating or to some black tie snooze-fest instead of to an art exhibit." Jada glared at her sister, then at her reflection. How dare it look desperate. "You're supposed to look fun, not like you expect to be bored, right?"
"I do expect to be bored," she said frankly. "And what would you suggest then, guru of all?" she asked Zora bitingly, and her face drew up in a grimace when the thirteen year old pulled out some jewelry. A bracelet, a ring, and some earrings. The girl attached them to her older sister; the earrings reminded Jada of little white-gold leeches. The necklace passed, and there was no legitimate reason to accept the other additions. She finally selected a small black clutch to carry with her, and did a twirl for her sister. "And what do you think, fairy godmother?"
"Be home by midnight, punkin." Zora told her sister, and tossed her the keys to the M6.
"We apparently donated a good amount to them over the last year." Michael said blandly, adjusting his tie in his New york office. His phone was on speaker, and he was shifting through a few piles of papers, coat tossed over the back of his brown leather chair and windowed office open to the sunlight. One of the partners was buried in a pile of papers across the desk, and Michael scowled at him, shaking his head when the contract held up for Michael's purview was the wrong one. “I think you're looking in the wrong place, Dan. Get one of the secretaries in here to fix up this mess. Jada, your presence would mean I don't have to endure the flight down there. You know how busy I am this last little bit of the year! Besides, it is good exposure for you, being that in a few years it will be you getting all the obligatory social invites. You should have started some of these little things sooner, but you know your mother. She really didn't like sharing the spotlight with you, so you could use the practice.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” Just what was he trying to say, anyway?
“I know how you hate standing around,” Michael continued, undaunted, “But wouldn't it be nice to get some fresh air?" Just what had Zora been telling him? Jada was getting damn tired of Destiny City's fresh, cool night air. It had given her a cold not too long ago. Luckily Cold-Eez pills were this cheap little remedy she'd had forced on her. Zinc pills, one every other hour. Vitamin C in the hour between. Ugh.
Fine, Jada decided as she grouched a few parentally-required protests into her phone. She did have a few nice dresses in her closet that were about to go unworn before their year was up. She shopped for places she never went anymore, really. Hmm. An evening event called for a little black dress. Something classic would be the theme of her night, and she pushed to her feet and told Michael goodbye. Zora stalked her from room to room as she got ready, seemingly pleased as punch that Jada had something to make her dress up for. So what if Jada had been slumming it more and more in flannel pants and wife beaters when she was alone at home? She worked hard, darn it, playing at being Hero of Justice and saving the lives of the unwashed masses. The redhead skipped off to her computer room, probably going to WoW so that she could tattle to Audrey that Jada was finally getting a life again. Sometimes she thought the redhead was closer to her friend than she was. They certainly seemed to have more in common.
She ran a hot bath and stepped into it, luxuriating in her choices; bath salts, shampoos, conditioners, body washes of all scents. The garden tub was swollen with bubbles, and she allowed herself to indulge until the little timer went off. No wrinkles, not yet! Fabulous. She stepped out of the bath, wrapping herself in a thick towel and into her swollen closet she went; Zora found her here, laptop in hand, and she watched Jada zooming through, grabbing at dress after dress and throwing some of them haphazardly to the side where Zora grabbed at them almost gleefully to shove them in bags or back on hangers. Rejected... Rejected... Ahhh. This one would do nicely, the heiress decided, pulling out a Herve Leger that was classy, and a little on the understated side for her closet! Shoes... stockings... hair... makeup. Shoes were probably to be the rough choice, weren't they? She eventually decided on a simple pair of heels and no hose; her coat would have to make up for the fact her legs would be freezing off. Her makeup would be understated and elegant, so her hair would have to be her crown. She left it long, letting it flow down in its thick curls until it almost met her knees.
She looked very nice. "I can't tell if you look desperate," Zora told her mildly. "Or if you kind of look like you are going speed dating or to some black tie snooze-fest instead of to an art exhibit." Jada glared at her sister, then at her reflection. How dare it look desperate. "You're supposed to look fun, not like you expect to be bored, right?"
"I do expect to be bored," she said frankly. "And what would you suggest then, guru of all?" she asked Zora bitingly, and her face drew up in a grimace when the thirteen year old pulled out some jewelry. A bracelet, a ring, and some earrings. The girl attached them to her older sister; the earrings reminded Jada of little white-gold leeches. The necklace passed, and there was no legitimate reason to accept the other additions. She finally selected a small black clutch to carry with her, and did a twirl for her sister. "And what do you think, fairy godmother?"
"Be home by midnight, punkin." Zora told her sister, and tossed her the keys to the M6.
