Chapter Seven

  I couldn't get my eyes off dad as I kept on staring at him in the hospital. He was still having his chemotherapy and I really didn't even know if he was getting better but he seemed to always try to make us happy by still cracking jokes and finding ways to make I and mother less sad.

    "Get well soon dad" I said, looking into his eyes as I held on his hands tightly. "I will sweetheart" he smiled

    "How is your boyfriend" dad asked raising his brows  "dad" I exclaimed. "I didn't tell you who he was though" I added.

    "You didn't have to tell me, it was all written all over your face" he said again and at that moment mum entered the hospital room and I couldn't be happier. She had just saved me from a conversation I really wasn't ready to have with dad yet.

    "I will get going now, bye mum, bye dad" I said leaving to go meet up with Mark. It was my day off at work today and Mark had asked me to meet him at Claire's. I was really excited to see him work and design new clothes too.

     "Hello love" Mark said as he walked up to me where I had been waiting for him when I arrived the store. I had looked around immediately to make sure no one heard what he had said because how were we going to explain that.

    "Hey" I said and then he pulled me into a  tight hug  before I could say anything else. I immediately let go from his embrace. He didn't seem to care what other people were thinking but I really couldn't help but notice the stares I was starting to get.

    "Now, let me show you around" he said as he led the way. The store was the biggest in the whole of New York and the I really haven't been there much because it mostly sold clothes for the elite and very influential. They made their cloths  here and also displayed there too. Claire's owns over 200 retail stores too world wide and they employed only the best of the best designers who helped in designing.

    "This is where the dresses are displayed, we have several collections" he said as I admired all the beautiful and amazing dresses that were displayed. He showed me to the men's section too.

   "I have always loved CLAIRE'S" I said as we walked on to were the designers worked. "I would always tell my mum to bring me here while I was younger but a lot of what was sold wasn't affordable and we would just stay out and admire the amazing dresses from out the store. I was inspired to be a designer during the trips we made here" I said eagerly and that was actually the truth.

    "Fashion for me was a generational thing I guess, I just really didn't have a choice" Mark said. "This is where the designers work" he added when we got to the space on the second floor. It was filled with apprentices and some designers too.

   "Where do you work" I asked curiously.

"I use the the fourth floor, we will go there now" he said as we walked towards the place.

    "If there was something you could change about this place, what would it be?" He asked as we got in into the elevator.

   "Claire's is a perfect home for fashion and designers. But I guess I would really be happier if stuffs at claire's are made affordable everyone and not just the elite" I said,  honestly and I actually really would be happy if it happened because I still remember how mother had saved so much to get me a dress from claire's on my 10th birthday. I had been the happiest girl ever when I got it and I had even refused to keep it where my other dresses where because to me it was the best and I wouldn't want anything to happen to it.

    "This is my work place" Mark said. as we entered into a room on the fourth floor. It was a pretty big place, it had some dresses arranged on the side, probably finished designs and there were also some unfinished work too. But the place looked amazing. There were some apprentices around all busy either with stitching   dresses, perfecting designes or doing other stuffs around. I loved a place like this. At this point I knew I didn't belong where I was working. I knew I belonged somewhere like this.

    "You all can go out for your break now" Mark said. when we got in.

   "Our break is not till 30 minutes later" one of the apprentices said.  "You have an early one today then, you all deserve it" he smiled and they all left later.

   "Why did you tell them to leave" I asked smiling because I knew exactly why he had done that. He moved towards me then he wrapped his hand around me pulling me closer to him.

   "I wanted to be alone with my baby" he said as he places a kiss on my forehead.

     "Come take a look at my new designs" he said as he held my hand in his.

   "They are amazing" I said  "you are an amazing designer" I added as I admired all of them. Then he showed me the unfinished ones too.

   "Why haven't you finished this" I asked. It was a dress that had caught my attention and I loved the material too.

   "I just still don't know how to finish it" he answered

    "I think you can put the lace at the tip and make the flare at the bottom" I suggested ."that's brilliant" Mark said excitedly and I just smiled.

    He bent a bit and gave me a kiss on my lips.

"Why don't you want to come intern here" he asked worried. This wasn't the first time he was asking me to come there.

    He carried me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist and my hands around his neck.

   "You know I won't be able to resist your handsome self" I smiled and even though I knew that wasn't the reason and he probably knew that too.

    I just leaned forward and engaged him in a kiss but we were cut short by someone who entered.

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