Catwalk (3 page)

“So what are you doing tonight?” Paige asks as I pull into the condo parking lot and snag a space.

“Fellowship group,” I tell her as I turn off the engine. “Want to come?”

“Not this time.”

“But you keep telling me that you’re going to come sometime,” I remind her. “Why not tonight?”

“Because I have a date tonight.”

“A date? With who?”

“Benjamin.”

“Really?
” For some reason—I honestly don’t know why, because I shouldn’t be surprised—this floors me. Benjamin Kross might be the hottest thing on reality TV and the star of
Malibu Beach
, but I thought Paige had been hurt enough by him. And I had hoped that since he’d kind of faded into the woodwork lately, Paige had told him to take a hike.

“Yes. And don’t get all grumpy about it.”

“I’m not.”

“I promised him the night of the Golden Globes that if he left me alone for two weeks, I’d consider going out with him.”

“Even after what he did to you?” I still try to block out that horrible day when Benjamin Kross and Mia Renwick pulled
their little stunt on
Malibu Beach
, acting like Paige had lied and cheated and attempted to break apart the “happy couple,” when in reality Paige had turned out to be their publicity victim.

“I thought Christians were supposed to forgive people.” She eyes me curiously as we walk up the stairs to our condo unit. “Are you ever going to forgive Benjamin?”

I shrug. I hate to admit that she’s right. “I guess I have to…if you do.”

“Well, I have forgiven him. And, if it makes you feel any better, he’s apologized so many times that I actually begged him to quit.”

“So do you think he really learned his lesson?” I ask as we go inside.

“I seriously doubt that he’ll ever do something like that again.”

“Something like what?” Mom asks from the kitchen. “Who are we talking about?”

Paige fills her in on Benjamin and her two-week promise. “So tonight is the big night.”

“I thought he was getting together with that dark-haired girl, the one on the show. Natalie or—”

“Natasha,” Paige offers. “No, Mom, he said that was just Natasha chasing after him and the editors playing it up so that they could use some jealous shots of Mia. You know how it goes.”

I study my mom. “You actually watched
Malibu Beach
?”

Mom chuckles. “Someone at work had recorded it and it was playing in the break room. I couldn’t help myself.”

“I recorded it here,” Paige says with a smile. “I watched it too…the next day.”

I laugh and roll my eyes. “So I’m the only one in the family who didn’t?”

“It’s probably still in the TiVo,” Paige tells me, “if you want to see it.”

“No thanks.” I wave my hand and head for my room.

“But you will forgive him?” Paige calls after me.

“Yes,” I call back. But I’m thinking it will take more than two weeks before I forget what Benjamin did to my sister. And I’ll probably be paying close attention to make sure he doesn’t do it again. In fact, I might even start watching
Malibu Beach.
Or not.

As I drive myself to fellowship group, I’m
surprised at how much I miss Blake and I selfishly wish he hadn’t gone out of town for a family wedding. When I arrive, after fielding more curious questions from “fans”—which I admit is still really awkward for me—I also find myself missing Mollie and wondering why she and Tony aren’t here tonight.

Then, as I listen to the sermon (although Kris, the pastor, calls it a “talk”) I realize that his words really hit home. Forgiving others is like eating or sleeping; you have to do it on a regular, daily basis or risk getting sick. It’s not the first time Kris has talked about forgiving others, and it’s not the first time I’ve had to admit there’s someone in my life I need to forgive. Possibly more than one someone. The first who comes to mind is Benjamin. Although I told Paige I’d forgive him, I realize I need to do this not just with words, but inside as well. Also, I need to forgive Mollie. But maybe even more importantly, I need to ask her to forgive me. And not via email either.

“I forgot to give you this ticket,” Paige tells me as I’m getting ready for bed.

“What ticket?”

“Granada gave us each an extra ticket for the show tomorrow. You can invite a guest.”

“Oh.” I nod. “You think Mom wants to come?”

“I already asked her and she definitely would, except that she’s going out with Jon.”

“Maybe they both could come.”

Paige nods. “Yeah, I suggested that too. But then she told me he somehow snagged a pair of tickets to
Mamma Mia
and I told her to forget it. I’d skip the fashion show myself just to see that show.”

“You would not.”

Paige chuckles. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Anyway, here’s your ticket. I invited Benjamin to come and, if you don’t mind, he’ll give me a ride home afterward. Okay?”

I should have seen
that
coming. “Sure. Whatever.”

After Paige leaves, I decide to invite Mollie. I know it’s late, but I also know she answers her cell phone later than this. But after a couple of rings, I am sent to voicemail.

“Hey, Mollie. I missed you at fellowship tonight. And I really wanted to tell you I’m sorry if that crazy email I sent last week offended you. I mostly just wanted to talk to you and to make sure we’re still friends. We are, aren’t we? Anyway, I have a spare ticket to the Granada Greenwear fashion show tomorrow. Remember I told you about it? So call me if you want to come. I can leave it at the front door for you. Okay…bye.” Then I hang up and wonder if she’ll even bother to call back. So far she hasn’t been too good at that; but then, neither have I. So I call back and leave a second message, saying that
if I don’t hear from her by tomorrow morning, I might just see if Blake wants to come.

My phone rings the next morning, but instead of Mollie, it’s Blake. “Want a ride to church?” he asks pleasantly.

“If I was going, I would. But I have to be at the Granada event by noon and I think church would be cutting it too close.”

“So you’re still doing it then? Paige didn’t pull the plug?”

I fill him in on the details and when he says he’d like to come, I tell him I just happen to have a spare ticket. “I left a message for Mollie,” I say, “but I told her if she didn’t claim it this morning, it would go to someone else.” I don’t admit that he was the one I’d been thinking of.

“All right. When does her offer officially expire?”

I consider this. “Well, maybe I should give her until ten since that’s when church begins. Seems fair to think she’d have called me by then.”

“Sounds fair to me.”

“If I don’t hear from her, I’ll call and leave you a message with directions. The show doesn’t start until two.”

“And if I see Mollie at church, I won’t remind her to call you.” He chuckles. “That’s kind of selfish though—especially in church.”

“If Mollie wants to come, she’ll call me.”

Apparently Mollie does not want to come. Because at eleven, when Paige and I are getting ready to leave, I call Blake and tell him where the show is being held and that his ticket will be at the door.

“Hey, maybe Ben and Blake will want to hang together,” Paige suggests as we’re going down the stairs. The next thing I know she’s on the phone and telling Benjamin to call Blake,
and getting the number from me, and even making plans for the four of us to get something to eat afterward. “I know I’ll be starved by then.” She hangs up and smiles. “It’s all settled.”

But just before noon, just as I’m parking at the hotel where the show’s being held, Mollie calls. “I got your message,” she tells me with a sleepy voice.

“You’re at home?” I ask.

“Yeah. I slept in—didn’t make it to church. Tony and I went to a late movie and I didn’t get home until almost one.”

“Yeah…and since I didn’t hear back from you I sort of, well, I offered the ticket to Blake.”

“That figures.” Her tone is flat and tinged with anger.

“He called and he was all excited about it and Paige set it up for him to go with Benjamin and—”

“Paige is back with Benjamin?”

“Well, they just barely started—”

“I just feel so out of it when it comes to you, Erin. It’s like I’m the last one on your list.”

“You were the first one on my list,” I tell her. “I called you—”

“Yeah, whatever. I gotta go. Thanks for the invitation anyway.” Then she hangs up on me. Just like that.

I hold my phone out and shake it. “She is impossible!”

“Mollie?”

“Yes. She’s all bent out of shape because—”

“I know, Erin. I heard the whole thing. Let it go. Mollie’s just being a brat. Don’t let her drag you into it.”

“Yeah…right.” We’re going inside now and I think that’s easier said than done. She’s already dragged me into it.

“And don’t forget to turn off your phone during the show.”

“Okay.” I sigh as I turn my phone off. Paige is right. Mollie
is being a brat. And maybe next time I’ll just wait for her to come and apologize to me.

The fashion show is a great distraction from the Mollie drama. And between getting dressed, shooting some film footage, doing a few quick interviews, and finally trying to “just breathe” as I wait for my turn to literally go
on the runway
, I manage to put the drama behind me.

“Now remember,” Paige tells me. “Just be camera girl, getting your shots and having a good time.”

I nod. The plan is for me to follow Paige, and we’ll share the catwalk briefly as I shoot a bit of her walk and Granada tells the audience about our little sister act on our TV show. Really, it should be fun. Or that’s what I keep telling myself as I try to imagine
not
falling on my face.

And, thankfully, it pretty much goes as planned. The audience seems to enjoy our little skit and before I know it, I’m done. And it’s not long before the whole fashion show, which seems to be a hit, is complete. I manage to get some good shots of Sunera and then Paige, and I score an interview with Sunera afterward. All in all, I think it was time well spent, and Fran and the rest of the crew agree. This is a huge relief, especially considering they had to give up part of their Sunday to do it.

Because we’ve been busy getting shots and interviews, Paige and I haven’t had a chance to change our clothes like the other models. We’re finally just heading back to do this when Granada stops us. “Thanks for everything, girls. You were a wonderful addition to our show.”

“And you’ll be a great addition to ours,” Paige tells her. “I’m almost certain you won’t be cut.”

“Fantastic.” Granada grins at me. “Now I want to make
another deal with you girls. At least with Erin. I’m not sure Paige will want in.”

“What?” I ask eagerly.

“You keep the outfit.”

“Seriously? I mean, I was actually going to buy it—if I could afford it, but—”

“You keep it on the condition that you wear it once on your show. Besides this one, okay?”

“No problem.”

“And a little mention of my company in the final credits.”

“Of course,” I assure her. “We already do that for any designers who send clothes that are used.”

She turns to Paige. “Same offer to you, but I promise not to be offended if you turn it down.”

“Hey, I’m in,” Paige tells her. “I can’t wait until we do a spot in some tropical location, and I’ll be wearing this for sure.”

Granada shakes both our hands. “On behalf of Third World workers and plants and animals who have no voice, I thank you.”

“We should be thanking you,” I tell her.

“And I have someone who wants to meet you,” Paige tells Granada. “Benjamin Kross from—”

“I know who Benjamin Kross is.” Granada grins.

“And he thinks that
Malibu Beach
should do something green on their show,” Paige says as she leads Granada out to where our guys are waiting. “And maybe their show will feature some of your designs.”

I chuckle as I shut down my camera and slip it into my backpack. I’m sure Paige would love to make a recommendation for Mia’s wardrobe too. Maybe that saggy denim dress that Paige made fun of last week.

To save time, and because we’re both ravenous, Paige and I decide not to change back into our other clothes to go out with Benjamin and Blake. It turns out that Benjamin made reservations at a great new restaurant in Beverly Hills. And, even though I usually act like I don’t enjoy it, I have to say that it can be kind of fun being pointed at and observed as if we’re all celebrities. People are flashing their cell phones at us and both Paige and Benjamin are rushed for a couple of autographs. I’m actually relieved that I’m not the center of this limelight, but it’s fun to witness. Plus the treatment from the restaurant staff is way better than usual.

“I could get used to this,” Blake says after an oblivious girl asks him for his autograph as we’re leaving.

“That’s what you think now,” Benjamin tells him as we wait for the parking valet to bring his car back around. “But if you had to live with it for a while you might think differently.”

“I’m still enjoying it.” Paige smiles and waves at a couple of teen girls who are gawking at us from a car that’s slowly cruising down the street—obviously on the lookout for celebs.

“The time will come when you might like your privacy more,” he warns her.

“It’s the price you pay for fame,” she says like she’s got it all figured out. “You simply have to deal with it.”

“I don’t know…It’s okay for now, but I’m not sure I’d want to live like this for too long,” I admit.

Just then a dark van pulls up so quickly that one of the parking valets jumps to avoid being hit. And—bam—just like that, several guys leap out with cameras and begin snapping as if they think they just caught something really earthshaking.

“And then you have the paparazzi.” Benjamin just shakes his head.

“Let’s give them what they want,” Paige says quickly, turning to give them a great big smile. Benjamin follows suit, as do Blake and I. And the photographers sort of back off, like maybe that wasn’t really what they were going for after all. Then they wave and hop back in their van and take off—probably in pursuit of more interesting celebs.

“See,” Paige says in a matter-of-fact tone. “That wasn’t so hard.”

Benjamin laughs as he tips the valet. “No, it wasn’t.”

As Benjamin drives us back to the hotel to pick up Paige’s car, I’m thinking once again that my sister really is cut out for this kind of high-profile lifestyle. She actually seems to fit in—and she genuinely loves it. Whether or not she’ll always feel that way is anybody’s guess, but for the moment she appears perfectly content.

And just because being photographed by crazed photographers is not my favorite pastime doesn’t mean I should judge Paige for liking it. Still, I hope that I figure out what it is that makes me as happy as she seems to be today. I want the chance to chase my dreams too.