+How Geller knew Dita Von Teese was a long story. The best one's always were. They hadn't been in love, hadn't fallen into a passionate embrace at first sight. Actually they'd talked at the bar of Les Halles in New York and he's listened to her cry and describe her divorce from some rock star. The fact that they went to Bourdeaux together for a wild week in wine country was just a coincidence. One of those happy times when you're younger and more carefree and likely to do the stupidest things that pop into your head. They'd hugged at the airport when they'd returned from France and promised to keep in touch. No broken hearts, no wistful glances. Just a hug and kiss between friends and they left eachother feeling better than they'd felt before.+
+As the years passed he'd watched her career grow, her name become something that was on everyone's tongue. She'd managed to make a bygone artform like Burlesque into a nationwide sensation again, and he couldn't be happier for the career that she'd built out of garters and back seem stockings. Takes a smart cookie to pull that off. When Geller had the concept for Betwixt and Between in his mind the first name to pop up was Dita's. If she would headline and hire his dancers and Emcee then the place was sure to be a huge success, and the media would be out in full force to cover their opening. Of course Dita had laughed at him and told him for business he had to go through her manager and to call again when he had something non-work related to say. It wasn't angry, just that Dita was a tease.+
+So Geller had talked to her managers and agents and everyone else that had to bargain with him. Before he'd gone missing they had locked down a price and Geller suspected that Dita had lowered her price for him since there was no way she wasn't making more than that. Now that he was back and Betwixt and Between was getting geared up for the Grand Opening he placed a call to Dita, letting her know about a few small changes in the plans.+
"Saint Dita. It's Geller. I know you're flying out here in the next day or two so I wanted to check in. I'm gonn have to head to New York for a few days to wrap up some things there, but I'm having Adam or Steven pick you up from the airport. You remember them right? I'm not sure Adam's ever recovered from what your bodyguard did to him last time." +Geller was chuckling at the memory.+ "They'll take care of you and do whatever you need to start hiring for the stage till I can get back." +He left her a number for the restaurant, one for Adam & Steven, and one for the new front of house manager Chad Duncan.+ "I won't be gone long. Enjoy the city. We're gonna take the town by storm."
+Hanging up he called Adam & Steven next. He reached them still out drinking and wasn't sure from moment to moment which one of them was actually on the line.+
"Little problem cropped up guys. Can you two pick up Dita at the airport for me? Get her whatever she needs for auditions. I'll be in New York for a week tops and when I get back she'll need a full stage staff." +Geller didn't explain what he was going to New York to do, but with Adam and Steven explanations didn't matter. They just went with the flow and agreed to what he was telling them, and hopefully one of them actually wrote the information down.+ "I'll try to come by the restaurant before I go, but just in case I miss you DON'T FUCKING FORGET to pick up Dita at the airport. And for Christs sake Adam this time don't try to honk her breast."
Steven held the phone between himself and Adam, jotting the flight information down so that if Geller ever asked he could say he had done so. This was not and would never be a guaruntee that it would get done, or that he would remember this slip of paper existed in a few hours, but the point was he had made an effort to make the information concrete.
"Is the problem something you need back up for? And I don't know what everyone got so fucking upset about; it was a -compliment-."
"We'll pick her up. Or, at the very least, -I- will pick her up and Adam can ride in the trunk," Steven assured, only slurring a little. Hey, that either of them were conscious or able to answer a phone at the moment was quite impressive, he felt. Then again, few things, including sex, ever stopped Steven from answering his phone or from making calls.
"Have a -lovely- trip, Geller. Things will be fine here. We managed not to burn it down but I make no guaruntees if you disappear for another two months. Now if you'll excuse me I don't think this bird is going to fuck herself... I mean, she might, but I thik that's extra. Keep in touch, darling. Ta!"
~Her foot was hoistened on an intricate, vintage bench while the other held her balance. Delicate, prestine fingers rolled the back seem stocking up her leg, slowly and carefully not to rip the thin material as it encased her slender stem, fitting so tightly like a second skin. She slid into a matching vintage bench in front of her vanity, her hands lightly fluffing her hair as she pinned a large pink feather into those thick, black licorice locks. The lipstick color she chose to complete her 1940s-inspired lingerie costume couldn't have matched more perfectly. While tracing her lips with the color to make them full and luscious, a knock on the door was heard.~
"Come in.."
~One of her assistants entered with a clip board in one hand, and the other held her Blackberry.~
"Ms. Teese, a Charles Geller is on line one for you."
~The assistant closed the door softly behind her. Dita smiled, picking up the receiver of her cream vintage phone, and twirled the number one.~
"Saint Geller, what a lovely surprise to hear from you."
~She listened quietly as he was talking a mile a minute about change of plans. He's leaving to New York for a few days, and Steven and Adam will be picking her up from the airport. A solemn laughter vibrated from her slender throat at the memory of her bodyguard giving Adam quite a beat down after he thought that violating one of her breasts was a good idea. She wrote down the numbers of the two catastrophes, and the number of the new front of house manager.~
"Alright my darling. Be safe and have a good trip, whatever it might entail. I will see you soon dear. Muah!"
~The sound of a sweet kiss was given to Geller before they hung up. Twirling the digits on the phone, she dialed the number to Mr. Duncan.~
"Chad Duncan, please. Yes, Mr. Duncan, this is Dita Von Teese calling. I'm wonderful my dear, how are you? First, my wardrobe with my costumes should be arriving any day now at the restaurant. I expect that my dressing room is ready and set up by the time I get there. Secondly, I would like for you to arrange a limo when Steven and Adam pick me up from the airport. And thirdly, please also make sure that my office is set up when I began to interview for the dancers. Oh thank you my dear, you are truly divine. I will see you in a few days!"
~Once again, she twirled her fingers on the digits, dialing Steven and Adam.~
"Hello my darlings, this is Dita calling! Yes Adam, my bodyguards will be with me. Well, if you keep your hands to yourself this time, I'm sure another hospital visit will not be necessary. Mr. Duncan is arranging a limo for the three of us when you pick me up at the airport. Do not be late, gentlemen! Geller and I are counting on you. I will see you in a few days. Muah!"
~She blew them a kiss through the phone, and hung up the receiver. As her assitant knocked on the door three times to indicate showtime, Dita admired herself in the mirror once again, and exited her dressing room.~
:::Chad had been working for Geller for less than twenty-four hours and already he'd had two reminders breaking through his morning sleep. After spending so many years living on a vampires schedule Chad was prone to sleep between the hours of six and ten in the morning with the occasional mid-day nap to make up for lost time. That morning however a knock on the door of his French Quarter residence woke him with a start at seven. It had been a courier with paperwork from Geller. The note attached said: "Checked your references. Impressed. You're in." A big looping G was written underneath the note and Chad had set it down to look through the paperwork.:::
:::It took a good hour to go through all the paperwork. Legal documents about pay, time off, responsibilities. Standard issue after his years in the business but he still went over it with a mental fine toothed comb and signed where necessary. Once he finished he thought he could drop back into bed a few hours before taking the paperwork over to the restaurant, but just as he was rising from the couch his phone started ringing.:::
:::Dropping back down he leaned forward and grabbed the phone off the coffee table. He didn't recognize the number but once he answered he sure as hell recognized the voice. Chad's mouth just hung limply open and he had to mentally check himself cause.....he was talking to........Dita Von Teese. After a slight mental fanboy moment he got to his feet in search of a pen and paper.::::
"Got it. Sure thing." :::He spoke as he searched and when he finally found paper and a pen he scribbled down a check list of things to do. The list was growing as she rattled off requests and he wrote it all down.::: "Sure Miss Von Teese. We'll have everything ready for you. See you when you get here."
:::Chad hung up the phone and just stared at it. Then he said out loud in his quiet apartment::: "Holy shit." :::No rest for the wicked it seemed. Chad had things to do. First he called a limo service while he was throwing on clothes (holy crap he'd talked to Dita Von Teese in his underwear). And he wouldn't stop until the dressing room was ready and a dozen white roses had been ordered to grace her vanity. Work, work, work. It was good to be back to it.::::
