"Attention all passengers, please fasten your seat belts for we will be arriving in New Orleans very shortly. Thank you for flying American Airlines, and have a wonderful trip."
~The stewardess announced over the loud speaker minutes before the plane descended from the sky. Painted, delicate fingers retrieved a vintage, compact mirror and raspberry glace lipstick from her purse. Flipping the circular lid open, she held the compact in a black lace gloved hand while the other applied the color to her full, lush swells. She smuged her lips together, and parted with a kiss before placing the lipstick back into her purse. Still admiring herself with the small mirror, her dainty, laced feelers lightly pulled on the black netted half-veil on each corner that shadowed over her crystal blue eyes and long, dark lashes. The black netted veil was sewn together with a creamy, large flower that was pinned against those black licorice thick curls. One last glance of adoration, she placed the compact mirror back into her purse, and fastened the seat belt over her waist.~
~The plane landed with a fierce bump, and slowly pulled up to the concourse, stopping to let the passengers off board. Slender, hourglass hips swayed to and fro in perfect rhythm to the graceful dance of her stride; her creamy, pencil skirt snugged tight to her round, apple-curved buttocks as the bottom hem ceased just above her knees. A creamy, corset-style top squeezed her gaunt torso; the v-cut swooping low to flatter the swell of her voluminous breasts. Black silk buttons were embroidered into each hem, outlining the creases of her corset down to the side hems of her skirt. Her very style was antique as if she just stepped out of a sepia-toned portrait from the 1940s Hollywood glamour. It was her taste in fashion alone that brought this infamous era back to life and into the modern world. Following close behind were two tall, broody, muscular men in suits that each rolled two suitcases, and matching luggage that held most of her clothes, shoes, make-up, toiletries, and accessories.~
~After exiting the concourse, the trio headed towards the baggage claim to retrieve more of her luggage, and then stepped out of the airport, waiting patiently for their ride. While adjusting her black lace gloves, Dita glanced at her phone, recalling the time.~
"Now where are those sweet darlings. They're late."
~Not even a few minutes later, the white stretch excursion pulled up to the curb as Steven and Adam stepped out of the stretched vehicle. Her bodyguards opened the back and piled her luggage on top of the other, climbing into the excursion first while Dita stood outside, greeting Steven and Adam.~
"Right on time my darlings. How was the drive?"
~She inclined, giving each a soft kiss on their cheeks. After letting Steven and Adam in first, Dita climbed into the limo last and sat on the far back leather cushion just in front of the controls. When Steven and Adam got comfortable, glaring at the mute bodyguards, Dita reached to the bar and poured herself a glass of wine. After sipping on the crystalline glass, she pressed the button above to call to the driver.~
"Betwixt and Between, please!"
~She sat against the cushion, traversing one slender stem over the other and nonchalantly sipped on her wine, smiling towards her favorite chefs.~
"It has been awhile since we've all spoken and seen each other. How are my favorite chefs doing? Not getting into too much trouble I hope?"
~A wink fluttered from those long, dark lashes. She couldn't wait to get to the restaurant to see just how wonderful of a job Mr. Duncan did to her dressing room and office. Billy Holiday and the Rat Pack played softly in the background as they soon approached Betwixt and Between.~
Did she honestly expect two gentlemen such as them to be on time? To be fair, this time it wasn't their fault - there was no accounting for traffic in any city. Once Dita was settled in the limo Steven moved closer. Well, the last time they let Adam anywhere near her he'd nearly had the teeth smacked out of his head, so he figured he would just nip that one in the bud.
Or, he was smoothly inserting himself into the prime spot.
"No more trouble than usual," he assured her.
"Except for maybe that thing in Houston."
"There's no accounting for taste, Adam." Steven made a dismissive gesture and flashed his most charming smile at Dita. "We're so glad you'll be joining us at Betwixt and Between. If Geller stops cracking the whip long enough we'll try to catch your show."
"He can crack it all he wants, I should hire an apprentice just for this." Adam liked that idea a lot. Hire an apprentice, make them do the bitch work (though to be fair, he did actually enjoy baking) so that he could watch those exquisite tits bounce around on stage. Sounded like an awesome plan to him.
"As far as I know everything is set up, including dressing rooms and what not. To be fair, we have not been involved in that half of the restaraunt." The kitchen and dining areas had been their main concern, and making sure the appropriate things were signed in Geller's absence, etc etc. But now that their fearless leader was more or less back in the picture, he'd resumed his duties of approving decor. "Hopefully everything is up to your standards. Geller is devestated, I'm sure, that he can't be here to welcome you himself."
"Really he's in the trunk of my car so we could pick you up instead." Adam waggled his eyebrows. Sexy, right? He'd totally put his boss in a trunk to be near this woman. That had to a compliment.
Steven heaved a long-suffering sigh. "He is in New York. He'll be back soon, we hope."
Of course, with this bunch of cooks timing was never really a guaruntee.
~Honestly, no she didn't expect Steven and Adam to be on time for accounting the traffic was not in her agenda. Raspberry glace lips kissed the thin, crystalline rim as she tilted the glass of wine up to swim down her slender throat.~
"Well, I am certainly glad to hear that you two have not been into any trouble lately. Ah well, Mr. Geller needs to crack his whip at someone at least while he's in New York. Otherwise this place would just run amok, and we wouldn't want that, now would we? And I would most enjoy having you two at one of my shows. I can show you just exactly what I am capable of."
~A wink fluttered from those long, dark lashes. She predicted that Adam would try his hardest to sneak a peek at one of her shows, or even better, a show in the dressing room.~
"Yes, I do trust that Mr. Duncan had accommodated everything for me. I really did hope that Mr. Geller would have been here to pick me up, but I assume that family issues came up. I am glad, however, that it was you two that came to get me instead of some stranger, or even worse, taking a taxi here."
~Becoming the queen of Burlesque as she did over the years, taxi rides were ancient history. She had grown accustomed to limo, and even carriage transportation. The audacity to even in ride in a taxi made her shiver with disgust. And when Adam spoke of his victim in the trunk, Dita threw her head back and laughed, prancing those black lace fingers upon her chest.~
"Oh Adam, you are such a case."
~Shortly after, the excursion pulled up in front of Betwixt and Between, and the group climbed out of the vehicle. Her bodyguards carried her luggage while Adam and Steven opened the door to allow the Queen to follow through. When those creamy, sharp stiletto heels clicked upon the floor towards her dressing room, a warm, bright smile creased her luscious lips. She called for Chad.~
:::Chad had taken the job Geller gave him and ran with it, which as it turned out was a good thing since Geller was in New York during the first week or so of his employment. Not that it mattered, Chad had been running Bliss for over half a decade and knew all the ins and the outs of just this type of business. With Hannibal as his impromptu assistant he managed to hire new staff, order uniforms more sitting to the business, and get things organized enough that the opening would go off without a hitch. All that in addition of course to preparing the things that Dita had asked for.:::
:::The limousine that took Adam & Steven to pick her up at the airport had been ordered in advance, the small bar inside stocked by hand before it left the restaurant. When her wardrobe had arrived he'd had it all aired out and hung carefully on silk padded hangers in the dressing room. He'd seen Mommy Dearest, he knew what might happen if he used wire hangers. To Chad's credit he spent practically no time at all looking through the silk stockings and lingerie....almost. He even had white long stem roses set up in the dressing room since Geller had mentioned they were Dita's favorite.::::
:::That day after Adam & Steven left for the airport he went over his list again and made sure everything was in place, then headed back behind the bar with Hannibal to fill out order forms for opening weekend and sign the contracts for liquor sponsorship. It was later, when he and Hannibal were just taking a lean, that Dita came through the front doors with her bodyguards and luggage in the lead.:::
"Just, finish up with the contracts." :::Chad instructed Hannibal as he vaulted over the bar and snatched up his clipboard with the information on it for Dita.::: "Guys you can take the luggage back that way, down the hallway to the backstage area and its the first door on your right."
:::Pointing the way to the bodyguards he moved towards Dita and fell into step beside her easily, and he barely even stared at her chest....barely. Having Dita Von Teese in a room was like standing on a live electrical wire and he could only imagine the hype this would create for the bar. Holding the clipboard out so she could see it....because he doubted she'd want to touch it....he started to tell her what they had prepared for her.::::
"We had the ads for dancers, singers, and performers put in the Times and some of the big papers from Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge, and Atlanta....places close enough that people might come in for auditions. There's no office for you, just no room in the layout because of your dressing room, but since we have the stage prepped we can make you comfortable in the front of house for watching the performances and Geller said you can use his office or your dressing room for anything else you need."
:::He flipped a page over on the notebook and showed her a list of names with measurements, contact information, and times next to them.:::: "These are the confirmed auditions. They start at eight and run through the day with three breaks set in for you. If you need me to rearrange things I can, just say the word."
:::As they neared her dressing room he stopped at the door and nearly had Adam & Steven running into him from behind. Chad for one had little intention of just wandering into this womans dressing room. He was front of house management, charming bartender, and consummate professional all rolled into one. Unlike the kitchen crew he really didn't have any interest in being slapped till his teeth rattled in his head.:::
"Will there be anything else Miss Von Teese?"
-- Edited by CHAD DUNCAN on Wednesday 13th of July 2011 01:55:55 PM
~Dita followed her bodyguards to her dressing room with Chad hot on her tail. As the bodyguards placed her luggage in the corner, Dita flurried to her vanity where a dozen white roses awaited for her arrival. She leaned in, her nose just mere inches away from the soft petals as she inhaled the deep, light aroma with her eyes closed.~
"Oh these roses are so beautiful! Thank you my darling Mr. Duncan. You are too kind."
~Two prestine, laced digits plucked one of the long-stem white roses from the vase, and tickled her nose with the satiny petal. Hidden behind the alabaster pilgrims was a warm, bright smile that creased her luscious lips, batting those long, dark whispy lashes at him. With the rose twirling aimlessly within her fingers, her crystalline blue eyes scanned over the clipboard as Chad read over each item.~
"Uh huh, yes, okay that's fine. Good! The stage will do just fine for auditions, but if I need to speak privately to them, I'll use Mr. Geller's office. I'm sure he wouldn't mind my ruffly rump on his leather chair."
~A light giggle vibrated from her slender throat. As Chad flipped over to the next page, Dita made a mental note of when her breaks were. These breaks were certainly important; not only to freshen up her glamour every hour, but also to keep her diet on track and full of energy.~
"Oh no darling that's quite alright. This schedule is just fine. No Mr. Duncan, I don't need anything else my dear. You have done quite a wonderful job, and I will certainly praise you to Mr. Geller. Thank you my darling."
~She planted a small, yet bountiful kiss upon his cheek, leaving a loving stain, and hurried back into her dressing room to prepare for a long day of auditions. She could already see a line forming outside the door.~
