Elsie’s putting the final touches on a dress, it’s one of her own designs, which she brought in and presented to the director for one of the shoots. The dress is perfect for the female star. When Elsie read the script, and the scene description, she knew that it was exactly what the scene needed. The director agreed with her and asked her to bring in other pieces that she thought would work as well. When Rachelle Lefevre, the lead female, saw the dress, she loved it so much, she told Elsie she wanted one for her own personal wardrobe. She then asked Elsie to bring some of her designs to her place over the weekend so she could pick out some more. This one dress could be what opens the door to achieving her dreams.
The universe always seems to put you in the right place at the right time.
Thankfully, Elsie’s been so busy this week, getting the wardrobe department organized the way she likes, she hasn’t had time to think about much else. She’s been filling any immediate holes, and looking forward to what’s coming up, that she hasn’t had a moment to think about her date with John and Brian tonight. Today is Friday. Tonight is the celebratory evening that John promised her, and any time she stops to think about what tonight might bring, her heart races and her breath catches. She is so excited she can’t think straight.
Knock, knock, knock.
“Yeah, come in,” Elsie says loudly, with some straight pins clutched between her teeth. She brought in her sewing machine to make some final adjustments, and has just finished it.
It’s one of the production assistants, Mabhe, an Irish girl with fiery red hair. She’s cool as hell.
“They’re ready for the dress, you got it Girl?” Mabhe asks her.
The two girls have already formed a friendship, which is unusual in this cutthroat industry.
“Yeah, just finished it,” Elsie turns to her, trying to speak intelligibly while maintaining her grip on the pins.
“Hah, you might want to leave those here, you don’t want to stick Rachelle, that would totally suck,” Mabhe laughs, nodding her head towards Elsie.
“Oh, yeah,” Elsie chuckles and pulls the needles out of her mouth. She feeds them through the piece of cut denim, which she put around the neck of the sewing machine for this particular purpose. Her grandmother taught her that little trick, she was a seamstress in her younger years. And when everyone in design school saw it, all of the other students copied it.
“That dress is sexy as hell. Damn Girl, you’re so talented,” Mabhe says as she holds the door open for Elsie.
Elsie grabs her hoodie, shoves her arms in the sleeves, pulls up the zipper and yanks the hood down over her head. She picks up the dress, very carefully, and walks out the open door.
They walk across the lot, that’s filled with the mingling crew, on their way over to Rachelle’s trailer. The sun’s trying to peek through the clouds, but the temperature has really dropped today. The southern coastal winter is starting to set in. Everyone’s wearing jackets and some even have knit hats on, or toboggans as they’re called on this side of the Mason Dixon line, and a few people have even pulled out gloves.
“Has she come out of makeup yet?” Elsie asks Mabhe.
“Yeah, she’s in her trailer,” Mabhe answers her.
“Thank God, I hate those stuck up bitches in makeup,” Elsie groans rolling her eyes.
“Hahahaha!” Mabhe laughs out loud. “Don’t tell anyone, but me too, I can’t stand going in there.”
“Good, if any of them give you a hard time, I’ll kick their ass for you, so let me know,” Elsie tells her.
“No doubt, Elsie,” Mabhe laughs.
Mabhe is a natural, down to earth girl, with thick, curly, red hair that she keeps pulled back in a ponytail and she wears no makeup on her white freckled face. She’s a little on the larger, frumpy, side but she’s intelligent, authentic and professional. It’s quietly obvious she doesn’t take any shit from anyone.
They arrive at Rachelle’s trailer, and Elsie takes the two metal steps up to the door and knocks. She turns to look at Mabhe and gives her a nervous tight smile.
“Oh, please Girl, she’s been waiting for you all day, she can’t wait to get that dress for herself,” Mabhe laughs at her, giving her a coy wink. “You so rock, show them how it’s done, Elsie.”
“I fucking officially love you, Mabhe,” Elsie smiles gratefully at her new friend.
“Come in,” Rachelle calls in her singsong voice, from the other side of the closed door.
Elsie turns to Mabhe and they give each other the thumbs-up sign before Elsie flings open the door and breezes in on a gust of cold air.
*
“What’s up, Bubba, my man,” John greets a friend of his, one of Wilmington’s high-ranking police officers.
Bubba’s not his real name, the tag on his grey uniform shirt reads Poindexter. His first name is William but everyone calls him Bubba. Lots of good ole boys are called Bubba, and Officer Poindexter is most certainly a good ole boy. He was born and raised right here on a farm on the outskirts of New Hanover County. Bubba’s got a very intimidating look about him, one that’s tough and fierce. There’s a very deep, and very long, scar that runs from the left corner of his mouth down his cheek to where his jaw meets under his ear. Until he smiles. But when he smiles, his eyes sparkle and his grin is infectious, and he is the nicest guy you would ever want to meet.
“John, buddy, what you doin’?” Bubba turns to John with a very wide smile.
“Just coming to see somebody on set,” John laughs, extending his hand to shake his friends outstretched palm.
“And I’m guessin’ that friend is a female by the huge bunch
