Always You (A Magnolia Falls Novel) (4 page)

CHAPTER FOUR

Diana and Jessica donned their new dresses. Liz had excellent taste and had chosen the perfect dresses for them. Jessica looked adorable in her light pink, satin dress, with a layer of sparkly organza over it, peppered with deep pink, silk flowers and her matching hot pink shoes. Diana had managed to style her hair with little pink flowers in it. She looked like a princess.

Diana’s dress was long, black silk that hugged her curves nicely. Strands of what Diana hoped were rhinestones, but she had a sinking feeling were diamonds, crisscrossed from the top of the bodice, over her shoulders to drape down her back like a necklace. The back itself dipped below her waist. She felt exposed, but Liz had insisted it was perfect. On her feet she wore silver strappy sandals she had borrowed from Liz. The sparkle on these were definitely diamonds, no doubt about it.

Jessica twirled one last time as she looked in Diana’s full-length mirror. “We look like princesses,” Jessica said.

“Yes we do.” Diana was stunned. She actually looked pretty. Liz insisted on taking Diana to her own stylist to do her hair and makeup. If only Diana knew she could buy beauty she would have used some of her hard-earned money to do so a long time ago.

A knock sounded at her door. “That’s our ride. You ready, squirt?”

“Yes.” Jessica jumped. She had been doing that since putting on her new shoes, ‘to test them out,’ she said.

Diana picked up her black clutch with one hand and held Jessica’s hand with the other. “Let’s do this,” she said.

Liz had sent a silver limousine to pick them up. The driver held the car door open for them. Diana had been in a limo before, but the plush seats in this one swallowed her. There was a bar with crystal champagne flutes, a bottle of champagne, and another of sparkling cider were chilled for them.

“Wow, this is a palace car,” Jessica said. Her eyes were wide with wonder.

“It’s Cinderella’s carriage, but the horses are under the hood.”

Jessica chuckled. “There’s an engine under the hood, silly, not horses.”

“Silly me.” Diana tweaked her nose. “Want a glass of cider?”

“Yes, please.”

Diana poured them each a glass. Their drive through the streets of New York was slow. Jessica looked out the window, a look of wonder on her face, as they drove through Times Square. The giant screens on the sides of the buildings lit up the night, making it bright as day. Jessica pointed to one of the screens.

“There’s The Lion King,” said Jessica. “Can we go see it? Please?”

“Sure we can. I’ll check the schedule and get us tickets.”

“For Liz, too?”

“Yes, for all three of us.”

Satisfied, Jessica nodded and continued watching the lights as they drove by.

Before they knew it they were pulling up to their destination. The driver opened the door, and there was a red carpet at their feet. Ropes held back the photographers and reporters. Cameras flashed. Jessica moved closer to Diana and tightened her grip on her hand as they walked up the carpet. It was the longest carpet Diana had ever walked down. She didn’t know how Liz could stand the cameras flashing at her all the time.

Once inside, an usher took their tickets and led them up to the second row on the right side of the runway. Excellent seats. Liz had outdone herself. Diana felt as wide-eyed as Jessica as they took in the glamorous people. The women in Versace
®
and Louis Vuitton
®
, their jewelry flashing. The men were all in tuxedos.

The stage and runway were set up to look like a Paris street, complete with a replica of the Eiffel Tower in the background. When the lights went on, it looked like Paris at night, with the city lights shining brightly. The music started, and the show began. Each outfit was more outrageous than the last. Jessica and Diana couldn’t help laughing quietly at some of them.

When it was Liz’s turn they watched in awe. She stopped at the end of the runway to make her quick pose, looked in their direction, and winked.

“That’s my sister,” Jessica said, softly.

The man sitting next to her must have heard because he looked at her and asked, “Liz Mathison is your sister?”

Jessica nodded without taking her eyes off Liz walking back down the runway.

Once Liz had gone backstage Diana looked over at the man who had spoken to Jessica. He looked handsome and powerful. Fiftyish, with dark hair graying at the temples. He was the type of man Diana’s firm represented, so he did not intimidate her. “Yes, she is our sister.” Diana confirmed.

His gray eyes darted from her to Jessica. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to stare. I’m trying to see the resemblance.”

Diana had to try hard not to roll her eyes at his rudeness. “I get that a lot.” She turned and continued watching the show. That was one huge reason she hated anyone knowing she was the sister of the beautiful Liz Mathison. People couldn’t help comparing them, and she always came up lacking.

When the show was over, an usher came to escort Diana and Jessica backstage. The handsome stranger tried speaking to them again. “When are you going to start modeling, little beauty?” He asked Jessica.

Jessica shrugged and looked at Diana. “She won’t be. If you will excuse us, our sister is waiting.”

“Of course.” He stepped aside to let them pass.

Diana did not like the look of that man. Yet another person in Liz’s sphere that gave her a bad feeling. Hopefully, their paths would never cross again, whoever he was.

Backstage was chaos. There were people everywhere, in different stages of dress, drinking, laughing, and celebrating. Some were crying because their masterpiece was torn or missing a stone or feather. Diana held tightly to Jessica’s hand as they were led to Liz. She was at the far end of the room. A man was kissing her cheeks. “You were magnifique,
Cherie
.” Diana heard him say.

“How couldn’t I be, wearing your design?”

“You must do zee Paris show. No one can wear my dress as you do.”

Liz looked up to see Diana and Jessica. She held out her hands to them. “Jean Carlo, I’d like you to meet my sisters, Diana and Jessica Mathison.”

He took both their hands, lifted them to his lips, and kissed them. “Me, a mere man, I am humbled to be surrounded by such beauty.”

Jessica giggled. Diana resisted the urge to wipe the back of her hand on his jacket. She did not want to ruin her dress.

“I’m going to have to skip Paris this year, Jean Carlo. We have some family business to take care of.”

“Nonsense. Bring your family. They would love Paris, no?” He directed the last to Diana.

“I do love Paris,” she said, non-commitally.

“So it’s settled. The dress will be waiting for you in Paris.” He pulled Liz close for more cheek-kissing and whispered in her ear, “I am working on an exquisite creation just for you. Do not disappoint me.” He flicked his green scarf over his shoulder and turned. “
Ciao
.”

Diana and Liz looked at each other and laughed. “What a character,” Diana said.

“That he is. But he’s a brilliant designer.”

“If that dress you are wearing is his, I’d have to agree. Not a feather in the entire thing.”

That caused them both to laugh again.

“Come on. I want to introduce you to my agent.” She took a step and stopped, put a hand to her head, the other on the wall to steady herself.

Diana rushed to her side. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just been a long day.”

“Let’s find you a chair so you can sit down.”

“No, really I’m fine. Let’s go meet—”

Liz passed out before she could finish the sentence. Diana managed to catch her and lower her slowly to the floor. “Help me. Somebody help!” Diana shouted, hoping she would be heard over the cacophony of voices.

“What happened to her?”

Diana saw a man in tuxedo kneel down on the other side of Liz. She didn’t bother looking at his face because she was busy listening for breath and checking Liz for a pulse. Jessica stood behind her crying. Relief rushed through her when she found a pulse, a faint one. She was alive. “Call 911!” Diana snapped at the man. She reached for Jessica, pulled her into her lap, and held her tight. “She’s going to be okay, baby.”

Let her be ok. Let her be ok. Diana repeated over and over in her head.

“They’ll be here soon.” Diana looked up and saw the stranger who had been sitting next to them during the show.

“Excuse me?” She asked.

“The ambulance. I called. They’ll be here any minute.” He picked Liz up off the floor.

“Hey. Where are you taking her?” Diana stood and took Jessica’s hand.

“To a dressing room.” He didn’t wait for a reply, leaving Diana no choice but to follow him. She and Jessica had to practically run to keep up with him.

Once he had Liz settled on a sofa and covered with a blanket he turned to Diana. “I’m Pete Wilson, Liz’s agent.”

Diana nodded. She was too stunned to speak. She sat on the edge of the sofa, with Jessica sitting on her lap. She kept Liz’s hand gripped firmly in hers while she rocked Jessica. It seemed as if time slowed down and hours passed, when in reality only a few minutes had gone by when she heard the paramedics enter the room. One of them lifted her gently but quickly to her feet and out of the way.

“What are they doing to her?” Jessica asked.

“They are making her better.” Diana hoped it wasn’t too late, and that she would get well. They could not handle another loss in their small family.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” Jessica wailed as they watched the paramedics check Liz’s vitals.

“I don’t know, baby. I don’t know.” Diana held onto her tighter. She watched as they opened one eye and flash a light into it, then the other.

Within a couple of minutes they had her on a gurney and were wheeling her out. The paramedic who had gotten Diana out of the way came to talk to her. “Are you with her?”

“Yes. She’s my sister”

“We are taking her to Mount Sinai Hospital.” He handed her a card with the address.

“Okay. We will be right there. Please take care of her.”

“We will do all we can.” He ran to catch up.

Pete put his hand under her elbow and led her to the door. “My car is waiting. I’ll take you to the hospital. Would you like me to carry her? She looks heavy.” Jessica’s arms tightened around Diana’s neck.

“I’ve got her, thanks. And thank you for the ride.”

“No problem. I need to be there, too.”

Diana and Jessica got into the back of a black SUV. Pete sat in the passenger seat, and his driver drove at breakneck speed, cutting people off, and breaking every traffic law there was to get them to the hospital in record time. In other words, driving in typical New York City fashion.

When they came to a stop in front of the hospital she grabbed Jessica’s hand, mumbled a “thank you,” and they ran to the emergency room. She didn’t wait to see if Pete followed.

“I’m here for Liz Mathison. She was just brought in by ambulance,” Diana said to the woman at the check in desk. She tapped some keys on her keyboard and said, “She is here. The doctor is with her now. He will come out to speak with you as soon as he can.” She pulled out a clipboard with papers attached. “Fill these out, please.” Diana took the clipboard and turned to find seats.

“Over there.” Pete motioned to three available seats in the corner.

Jessica climbed onto Diana’s lap. “I’m scared. What if Liz goes away like mommy and daddy?”

“She’s going to be fine. I promise she will get better.” Diana prayed it was true.

Pete took the clipboard from her. “Let me fill these out for you.”

“Thank you.”

He began filling out line after line without asking her any questions, for which she was grateful because she wouldn’t have had any answers. She knew nothing of Liz’s current life.

“I knew Liz had a little sister, but she never talked about you. What’s your name?”

“Diana Mathison.”

“Address?”

“Why do you need that?”

He tapped the pen to the paper. “I’m assuming you are her next of kin.”

“Oh, yes.” She recited her address in Magnolia Falls.

He completed the forms, showed her where to sign, and took them to the lady behind the desk.

“Now we wait,” he said.

“How long have you known she is anorexic?” Diana asked him.

“All models are anorexic. You can’t take it too seriously.”

Diana’s anger flared. “She looks like a sack of bones, and she is lying in a hospital fighting for her life. I’d say that’s very serious.”

“Let’s wait to see what the doctor says before we jump to conclusions.” His calm demeanor grated on her frazzled nerves.