from the book Blend 37 – Pippa Bow
A week later, Pippa was sitting on her study project a case study for a new female tech gadget while clicking some likes from Tess party pictures and a sunny day on her cruise. The pictures looked amazing and she could almost get jealous, but Tess really deserved this break and the two looked so happy together. Pippa’s messenger popped-up. “Hey, how are you?” Brendon, the study colleague who had joined the Java Programming course the week before a course Pippa took as a minor subject in addition to her design studies. Brendon had previously studied in San Francisco and had just lately moved to London.
“Hey, hanging on this marketing strategy for my nature products, what’s up?” Pippa writes back.
“Uh, on a Friday night?” He asks.
“Well, yes, on a Friday night, when else?” Pippa replies.
“Wow, yeah, you are pretty busy I’ve seen. How is your new part-time job?” Brendon asks.
“My, new job? Don’t remind me!” Pippa writes “Not on a Friday, night, please!” she adds.
“And what are you doing on a Friday night?” she asks. “Chatting?” he replies.
“Oh, yeah, obviously, and anything else?” Pippa questions.
“Well, I got an invitation for the Icetank party tonight, I was wondering if you want to join? Alexa will be there, too she was asking if you might like to join?” he adds a smile.
“Being spontaneous? Yes, why not.” Pippa confirms the invitation, the Icetank parties are always amazing and the invitations are always very limited handed mostly to the It-people and the celebrity kind of crowed.
“Ok, ten o’clock, I pick you up?” Brendon asks.
“Yep, sounds great!” Pippa writes with a blink.
“Cool.” He replies.
Pippa quickly jumps under the shower. She puts on her Vata dry oil an Ayurveda oil with almond and basil to re-vitalize a little. She was almost falling asleep as she was sitting on her study.
Now standing in front of her open walk in wardrobe she has quickly to decide what to wear, dress or trousers? No question, she puts on the new Lipsy trouser with a white blouse combined with a lace top underneath and her high heels with the red sole.
The doorbell already rings. “I am coming one sec!” She shouts. Taking off the shoes again to get quicker to the door.
“Oh, hey Brendon, time passed so quick, already ten, is it?” She asks.
“Yes, it’s already ten.” He says with a smile.
He’s looking damn good, Pippa thinks, and can’t help to bite her lips, she swallows than in a stuttering voice. “Yes, I will be ready, give me a minute.”
She still has no make-up on and rushes into the bathroom and has just time for a mascara. She gets all her stuff together, grabs her coat than stops in the corridor with a critical look in the mirror and quickly puts some lipstick on. She turns around looking at Brendon: “Ready!” she says.
“Wow, you are looking beautiful, let’s go.” He replies, and they walk over to his car and make their way to the Icetank at Covent Garden.
Brendon and Pippa are standing on the buffet chatting with Alexa who takes a refill for the empty champagne classes. Her boyfriend Hendrik, the initiator and sponsor of the party one of the most popular and elitist events in town held once a year but who is on a business trip in Asia, so the party is on Alexa’s patronage. “I just welcomed our Russian special guests you know Victor and his precious wife Anastacia? I will introduce you later to them, they are responsible for the draw that we will hold at midnight. You won’t believe the first prize. Actually, you might want to help me to get some more tickets out. You moving your sexy ass through the crowed, is going to double the charity’s revenue.” Alexa jokes.
“Or triple it.” Brendon laughs while taking a look at Pippa’s backside.
“Well okay, I see the conversations go flat here, so let me help you out, darling.” Pippa replies and smacks her hip on Alexa and they all have a good laugh.
Pippa starts giving out some tickets and the people are very generous. They buy tickets in total from 500 to 1000 pound per couple at least. Pippa talks to a Chrissy a US model who Pippa had met on her last holiday in Ibiza who currently is on a Europe trip with her boyfriend an international lawyer who also has to do some business in Brussels.
“Oh, let’s meet next week, I really would like some advice on our new apartment, you got such great style Pippa, I would love to go for a shopping tour with you.” Chrissy suggests.
“Of, course sweety, I’m quite busy, apart from my study I just started a new part-time job and you cannot believe what kind of asshole I have to work for. I will make some space for an afternoon, a shopping tour with you and nice dinner would be lovely.” Pippa agrees and they set a date.
Pippa turns around and looks straight into the eye of exactly the asshole she was just talking about.
“Good evening Mr.” she pauses. “Oh, Toby, what pleasure to meet you here.” Pippa forces herself to a smile.
“I wonder, what someone like you is doing on this party.” He then looks at the draw. “Ah, you are working here, of course, I would doubt you ever being on the invitation list of that event.” Toby comments with the utmost condescending look at Pippa.
“Well, I’m sure you want some draws supporting the charity, helping some less fortunate people who did not grow up with all the advantages you have, don’t you?” Pippa asks pretending a sweet smile on her face. Knowing that he must have tricked himself into this party, probably by stealing his boss’ invitation or any other kind of scam. Knowing that buying even one single ticket of the draw would hurt his empty pockets. He was the kind of guy who everyone new came from a low social background who tried too damn hard to play like he was a rich guy. With his whole attitude so overdrawn and who had the generosity of a small man with his biting marks on everyone he could not imagine could have a much better fortune than himself. Exactly like he was now standing opposite Pippa trying to make her small with every word that came out of his plebeian mouth not even knowing that for her this was just a favor, a small gesture to her friend.
“Well, I take one, yes, to support the less fortunate people like you.” Toby demands with his bold lip. Pippa puts a smile on.
“Just one?” Knowing how expensive the tickets are and knowing that he talks much bolder than his pockets are. “Oh, come on Toby, no one, went under ten here, I am sure you want to be on top of the sponsor list, don’t you?” Pippa keeps teasing.
“Of, course, then give me ten.” He strikes a pose and continues in his arrogant tone of voice.
“Sure, that’s a five than.” Pippa smiles. “Toby opens his purse and pulls out a fifty pound note.
“Oh, honey, I mean five thousand, it is fife hundred per ticket. That’s a problem?” Pippa asks.
“Are you sane, are you putting this money in your own pocket, if you want to rip me off, you got the wrong one.” He grabs Pippa’s arm.
“I will report you, that you tried to rip me off.” He drags Pippa over to one of the security guards.
“This girl tried to get money out of me by selling me overpriced draw tickets. She demanded five thousand pound. She’s a criminal, who is responsible for this draw?” Toby lifts his nose, looking around. Even the security guards know who Pippa is and they know the price of the draw. They hardly can hide their laughter.
“Well, yes, leave this to us, we will take care of that.” The guard pauses.
“Mistake.” He puts his hand in front of his face to hide his bursting into laughter. “Go back to your more important business talks.” The other guard suggests.
“Well, thank you.” Toby, nods and turns around disappearing back in the crowed.
“So, you little criminal!” The guard claps on Pippa’s shoulder “how could you?” They burst into laughter. Meanwhile the other guard informed Alexa who is already on her way and joins the three with a tablet of champagne glasses in her hand.
“Need a drink?” she asks. “Who was this asshole? How did he got an invitation to the party?” Alexa looks at Pippa.
“He is the asshole, I have to work with at my new part-time job for the One Event agency.” Pippa explains.
“Jesus, and who is he?” Alexa keeps asking.
“He must have taken the invitation from Sarah the director, he does her mail.” Pippa suggests.
“Well, thanks for the entertainment.” Alexa cheers the classes.
“Let’s chill and cheer. I’ve seen you made already over a million in the first half hour, with the draw. Unbelievable. Take a break and watch out better, that you don’t hit another of such low puns.” Alexa jokes and the two walk back to meet some guest from Asia.
An hour later the tombola is announced together Alexa and Pippa present the winner and the prizes. The first price goes to an Italian couple who just lately had married. They are screaming out of happiness when they hear their name. They win a week’s cruise on the superyacht Joy.
The turmoil let go and the evening gets a bit quieter Brendon comes over to Pippa.
“Wow, you are pretty busy, what a prize, a honeymoon on the Joy, I wish would win that.” He smiles at Pippa.
“Yes, that cruise is amazing.” Pippa agrees. They both walk over to the dancefloor the music has slowed down and they have a dance together. As she leans her head on Brendon’s, which feels good by the way, looking over Brendon’s shoulder, Pippa sees how a guy disappears through the front door, the shadow of Toby. By now he must know that Pippa was not just a servant on the party and Pippa senses that this will have quite an impact on her work with Toby at her part-time job and probably not a positive one and she knows that she better puts on her knight’s of armor next time she enters the office. But for now here on Brendon’s shoulder she can rather strip off and she turns her head around Brendon is looking at her, coming closer with her head, she looks into his beautiful shiny eyes and then she can feel his lips touching hers and she get’s lost in a long kiss. He is pulling her a little tighter and they dance away in the rhythm of the night.
*
Waking up in Brandon’s Chelsea apartment. The day couldn’t start any better. Brandon was still sleeping. Pippa hushed out of the bed, grabbing the jumper on the floor, Brandon’s, pulling it over and walking barefoot over to the kitchen to make some coffee. Secretly she loves the instant Nescafe coffee and she knows despite there is a bright selection of Nespresso on the shelve that every English habitant had a hidden Nescafe glass somewhere in their kitchen shelve. And there it was, Pippa takes a tablespoon of Nescafe and waited for the water in the cattle to heat. She takes a look out of the window starring in the flat opposite the street. She sees how a couple is arguing, an older man with a British look in his morning robe and a somehow younger latin looking woman heavily gesticulating, than the men is walking toward the woman hitting in her face. He looks over to the window and seconds later the curtains are pulled to cover the window. Pippa is shaking her head while peering the hot water on her coffee. This was the kind of relationship that was an absolute taboo to her, but some woman would take just anything. The woman surely was capable to make her own money but instead she would accept that to live a good live. If any man would hit her in the face she would be so gone if she would not even hit first.
Pippa nipped on her coffee checking her email, she had received a text message from Tess who had had her own kind of magic dinner night.
Tess’s new boyfriend Gibson had invited Marco and Letitia to a dinner night on the boat. Marco was in politics and Letita a known journalist, the two were together for a long time. Gibson and Marco new each other from old times as they had studied at the same University Stanford. Some of Marco’s clients were high ranking politicians as well as celebrities and during the dinner, he had told his anecdotes from his latest case one of those prominent divorces. Probably one of the reasons why he would never get married he said. Some couples have contracts you would not need to get married with that kind of contract in the first place. But unfortunately, this couple had not such a contract. The guy an actor had married one of those Latin girls and would now need to pay a hell of money but of course Marco tried his best to keep the guy’s Millions together. The woman was much younger and had only married the guy for money and now wanted the divorce. She claimed violence from his side and betrayal that he would cheat on her. But in truth she was the one who used every opportunity when the guy was on set or traveling and had been seen with some other guys. She also was friends with one woman who was known for a divorce scandal where the truth had revealed that the woman had made up all allegations. This was the situation Marco had now to prove that his client was the victim and not his wife. Which was not easy as she was so shrewd, but he had a strategy, as Ms Olivera was not the actor’s first wife. Whereas he had reputation and history of woman but none of them had ever reported any violence. So, his strategy bringing them up in court as witnesses was part of his strategy while the actor felt quite embarrassed about the situation meeting all of the woman again. But this was still better than losing it all to this woman. Tess could understand she would not like to meet all her ex-lovers again. But Marco found it kind of exciting.
“Wow, I will meet all Hollywood’s beauties and some other of the World’s top models, he had had them all!”
A comment that was followed by a side-punch from his girlfriend sitting next to him.
“I will join you on each of them when you interview them.” Letita suggested not all, too serious. “Actually I like the idea, I could make some contact which could get me some good interviews to write about, would you mind, darling?” She teased.
“Ah, here there is the synergy of our relationship. Of course, my sweetheart knows her own way how to get her slice of the pie.” He snugged a kiss on her cheek.
“My win of the case on the front side of our number one newspaper and media cover at best times, is then mine, isn’t it, sweety?” Marco looked at Letitia and they both couldn’t hide a smile and they all burst into laughter.
They were really the perfect couple, Tess thought, and she exchanged a look with Gibson who pulled her a little closer for a long kiss.
They all had another bottle of champagne before everyone went off in their cabins.
‘
Tess had sent beautiful pictures from a Majorcan coast. They had set the sails in the morning and would be in a little bay in Paguera in the afternoon where they had another dinner with some of Gibson’s friends. They had arrived in the afternoon and Tess had jumped straight from the yacht into the blue ocean. They had spent an amazing candle-light dinner with a private piano concert and had returned at their yacht at around ten. The next day was a short turn to Magaluf where they had an official party to attend from one of Gibson’s business partners a massive pool party including caviar, champagne and VIP’s from all over the world. Also, Chrissy and her husband had joined the party.
Read the full story here Blend 37 – Pippa Bow
Natalie Hush 