"I don't do fashion,
I am fashion.”
Coco Chanel
I am fashion.”
Coco Chanel
- “Looks like we’ll be giving up our bed tonight,”
Amaya found herself chuckling at the man’s disgruntled statement. He didn’t have to sound so sour about it. It wasn’t as if they weren’t appealing women. She’d taken her time to look over the woman that had also made the journey with her. Typical blonde but attractive this one was. If a man enjoyed the quiet type and most men did. They enjoyed dominating a woman in a way that seemed to irk Amaya. That was the very reason she found herself accepting this couples farfetched proposal for a plane ticket across the world. Growing up in Japan, Amaya was expected to go along with an arranged marriage where she would become the humble house wife not questioning her husband word at all. It had long been arranged between her father and his business associate. And, if she hadn’t gone to university; if the man’s son hadn’t been a cheating S.O.B. then maybe she’d have stayed home and married him seen to hiring people to see to the house. They had enough money to do it. But, the moment she learned he’d been cheating she told him just what she thought of him. Amaya went home telling her father she wanted him to break the engagement and was surprised to learn the only reason she’d been able to graduate college without having to withdraw was because her finances family paid for her education. They’d bought her. She didn’t like hearing that at all. Instead of marrying the man she told his family she’d pay them the money back for her education. She’d been working ever since. Of course, her parents kicked her out for bringing shame to the family. Luckily a friend from college had a room up for rent and she grabbed it before anyone else could. A few weeks later she found herself working in a coffee shop in the heart of tourist spots in the city. That’s where she’d met Mr. & Mrs. Murphy. They’d been as taken with her as she was with them.
Her father always said nothing would come of her passion for fashion but this turn of events proved them wrong! It was Amaya’s good eye that set the wheels turning for her and the Murphy’s. After an off handed compliment on the woman’s purse, shoes, and jewelry Mrs. Murphy praised her good sense and they’d spent the rest of the day going into shops. Mr. Murphy didn’t even seem to mind tagging along behind them. One thing lead to another and the next thing she knew they were offering her a plane ticket and a business proposition she couldn’t say no to. They’d given her a few days to think about it and she had. She surprised herself by showing up at their desired location with bags in her hand ready to move on to the next phase of her life. Amaya always believed in taking life by the balls. But, this was the first time she was actually putting that ideal into action. Nerves, she had tons of them. That didn’t matter this was something new and exciting and she was guaranteed a place to live until she found herself a job and better than that possible residency in the US of A. Nothing could be better than that! The only thing that surprised her more than sitting on the plane ready for take of was the mousy little blonde thing that was seated next to her. Mrs. Murphy told her the girl would also be coming along with them for this business proposal. If Amaya recalled, the woman gently remaindered her, there were two men involved and so there needed to be two women. With that said Amaya relaxed her guard. For the deal the Murphy’s offered, she was prepared to battle the woman next to her. After that gentle nudge from Mrs. Murphy Amaya relaxed. The woman wasn’t a threat after all. She felt bad for her reaction towards the woman. But Amaya ruled out apologizing. She hadn’t been offensive so there was no need for an apology. Still…the woman might have been offended. Turning to the blonde Amaya noticed the woman’s withdrawn nature and finally decided against saying anything. The woman looked ready to jump out of her seat. Shaking her head Amaya dug out headphones and stuck them into her ear as she chose which movie she was going to watch for the plane ride across the world. Excitement rolled around in her stomach like laundry on late on a Sunday night and continued to spin until the wheels jerked on the run way hours later.
Kateryna was the blonde’s name. Pretty. Amaya couldn’t help smiling at the look of innocent surprise on the woman’s face as they walked through the terminal. Not to mention how long it had taken her to get adjusted enough to walk out of the plane. Amaya had taken the window seat so she had to wait until the woman got her bearing before she could move. It had been…tedious. She was anxious about seeing the city. New York city! She’d heard so many wonderful things about this place. This was a fashion hub and she was with a family that seemed to know all about fashion. She did believe they had the money that allowed you into such circles. There had been a time when her family had funds. That had been before the business began to decline they’d been forced to spend their money on more ‘serious’ matters. Fashion was not one of them. Over the past two years the business began to look up again but her father was wary of ‘throwing’ away money. So fashion and such things remained on the list of unaffordable luxuries. Boarding schools weren’t a luxury though, that was the reason two of her brothers and one sister living in international boarding schools in foreign countries. Amaya wondered if it was simply she that was no longer allowed luxuries because of her age. Being the eldest child and a female thing was tough. Had been tough. This was a new chapter in her life now. She’d be making her own choices and saying what was unaffordable from what wasn’t. Amaya didn’t mind working she’d get a job as soon as she could. There would be tons of magazines for her to send her resume to. In the mean time she’d bought her resume as well as references from old work places. When she ran out she’d just print more copies. Amaya had everything was saved on her laptop, a graduation present from her father a few years ago. She’d have to find the nearest payphone and call home. Amaya and her mother kept in contact. Her mother was well her world really. It was hard leaving the woman behind, as she’d been the one to teach Amaya how to love life, colors, people, music, arts…everything. Amaya didn’t understand the relationship her mother and father had. The only thing she knew was that her mother loved her father and while she would stay with her husband through thick and thin she didn’t encourage her daughter to the do the same. Amaya had a right to experience life the way she wanted to her mother always whispered to her. Being her father’s daughter in more ways than one Amaya took her mother’s advice and here she was in New York City, with a strange couple and a timid woman on her way to the rest of her life.
The bags had been loaded and then the four of them were on their way. Amaya listened to the Murphy’s explain the plan. She couldn’t help asking a few questions about the men. If she was going to have to marry one of them she’d like to have one that didn’t think he was going get some woman to be at his beck and call. That just wasn’t her thing. Amaya decided if she was going to get married she’d be an equal partner in the marriage not walking behind her husband but walking right on the side of him. Besides, she didn’t know any of these men well enough to say she’d ever follow them. Hell she wondered if she’d ever trust a man enough to say she’d ever trust him again. After her failed attempt at love, Amaya was a bit jaded. She’d asked her fair share of questions and when the car suddenly came to a halt she realized the young blonde hadn’t asked one question. Well it wasn’t as if she hadn’t learned a lot about the two men. Amaya got her bags out the car putting the other woman out of her mind for now. She had her mind set on grabbing one of the men already and she wasn’t going to let the blonde get in her way. Once they were standing in front of the apartment Amaya slapped on a serene look. She didn’t want to appear to egger. Taking note of the look of surprise on the men’s face at seeing them, she couldn’t help the chuckle that settled on her chest. That was until her own face mimicked theirs. His parents left with a brief exchange that wasn’t what she had been expecting at all. It seems the men were ill prepared for their arrival. Had they been swindled? Amaya didn’t know if she should believe the shocked looked on the men’s faces or not. One seemed resigned to the entire situation and was indeed a bit of a sour puss.
For the first time since their travel together Amaya heard the voice of the blonde. She had spirit. Amaya judged her too quickly. The woman proved she had a sense of humor to go with that silent persona she crafted. Amaya was intrigued. Maybe it would be a good thing to have a friendship with the blonde. Who knew what mischief they could get in together. The more the conversation progressed the more Amaya found herself smiling. Oh this was much more than she expected and it was only her first day in the apartment. The young blonde was giving back every inch she got back. For now, amaya didn’t see a need to interject any response. The blonde was right. It was America. Any girl with any bit of a brain would jump on the chance to come to the land of opportunity. Besides, how many times had it been advertised this was the place for dreams? She was just here to fulfill her own dream and get out of debt at the same time. It that came in the form of marriage well she’d take it until she could get to standing on her own two feet. You didn’t turn a gifted horse away when it was offered to you. Her chocolate colored gaze jumped between the two men as she took inventory. They were both attractive in their own right. The one doing the talking seemed a bit to serious for her taste. Besides, she could already hear ….no the right phrase was see. She could already see the sparks building between those two. Yes, it would be best for her to leave them alone. Besides, the one doing all the talking seemed like the type she’d just as soon avoid. He definitely wanted to conquer a woman. There would be no equal status in that marriage. He’d have the last say or there’d be no say at all. If that was the sort of marriage she wanted well she could have stayed at home and been married to his type comfortably.
The question that followed did indeed peak her interest. Yes, would the agreement be broken? It wasn’t as if they’d known they were coming to men that had no idea they were to be married. Though she had to admit it was rather amusing watching the face of the men as they came to terms with the fact that brides had been bought for them. What had his parent’s said? The least they could do. Amaya smiled at the memory, “Can we continue this conversation over dinner? I must admit I’m starved. It has been a very long plane ride. We can talk while we eat. This is acceptable for all, yes?” Her English was good. Of course it was. She had gone to the best schools her parent’s could afford. Amaya was fluent in three languages her native tongue, English and French. She used her French more than her English considering her family lived in France her senior year. She’d also gone to university in France. All of that aside, she still watched the American flicks and kept her English active through especially at her job. American tourist were always walking in and out of the little café she worked at. The very same place she met the man’s parents. She didn’t doubt it was the man with the wild hair’s parents. He looked like a mixture of the two and his skin the truth of his mixed heritage. Amaya was also mixed which was the reason what she called her ‘unique’ looks.
Her cheek bones were well defined-flawless even. She had a strong jawline, pert nose and very sultry eyes. The body. Well she would like to admit to working out but the truth was…she just had a great metabolism. Always had. Helped that she was constantly eating. Amaya didn’t believe in skipping meals and when she learned that slowed down your metabolism she’d definitely tossed that possibility to the curve. Today, she’d chosen to wear a nice pair of white slacks with a sequin knit tank that stretched across her torso topped off with a white sweater jacket with shiny black buttons left unbuttoned. Her toe nails were painted, they had to be with the strappy shoes she was wearing. Amaya had dressed for the occasion. She was going to meet her husband and well it was ceremonial to meet the groom in white wasn’t it?
Amaya was glad everyone seemed to be on the same track. She followed the men out to where the food was. Perhaps the son wasn't such a bad sport after all.
