Stylish Payne

“You’ll love it”, Liam said softly. “I mean, you love dolls. You’re great with people-”

“Ask my old boss that”, I grumbled.

Liam sent me a sideways glance from the rear view mirror. “Ginny, we both know that was bullshit and it was Elsa that was stealing from the shipments.”

“But I was her friend and I took the blame for it”, I muttered. “I let her get away with stealing that stuff so she could shove me in the shit storm Vanessa raged.”

“You tried being a good friend”, he shrugged. “It’s not your fault she couldn’t do the same.”

I kicked back in the seat, remembering each and every Calvin Klein perfume set, Prada or Louis Vuitton bag, Armani suit that had snuck its way out of the building and I was too naive to think it was one of my coworkers. But when it was time to point the blame, I let Elsa cry on my shoulder and stood up to say it was me. There was no proof it was me so despite being fired, I got off. Elsa left after she’d sold each item she’d stolen. My coworkers didn’t have any faith in me even though the police did so Liam offered me a place at his work. I didn’t like the idea of mooching off family for help but I couldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth either.

“Let’s focus on Stylish”, Liam insisted, pulling up a large gated driveway after he’d entered a security code by the gate. “I’ll introduce you to Harry tonight and tomorrow, we’ll take you to the store. He’s a very quiet person so please don’t make loud noises as they frighten him. He can get a little batty sometimes so the best thing to do is just let him scream until he calms himself down.”

“Sounds a bit queer”, I sighed.

“He is, he is”, Liam agreed. “But you know, artists are eccentric. Artists are almost like art themselves. Beings we don’t understand. But please, always remember to treat him gently. He might act like a child but he’s truly a genius.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.” After pulling through a tree sheltered driveway, we pulled up to a giant white house that was impossible to see through the trees. A well kept garden was being tended to (despite the shade) by a not so well kept gardener.

“Oi! Mr. Payne!” the gardener wailed, waving a pair of sheers. “Welcome home, sir!”

“Don’t mind him”, Liam whispered, taking my bags for me. “That’s just Louis, the grounds keep.”

“Who’s your friend?!”

“Ginny”, I called. Louis didn’t know me. Louis wouldn’t be mad that I’d sacrificed my job. He walked away from his rose bushes to greet me personally.

“I’m Louis”, he smiled, pulling off a dirty glove to shake hands. His palm was surprisingly dry for doing physical labour, not sweaty, but it was warm and soft with a few callouses. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss”, Louis grinned.

“And it’s nice to meet you-”

“Ginny, we must go”, Liam urged. “Harry will be wanting to see you at once.”

Louis dropped my hand and backed up. “Of course, Mr. Payne. We can’t keep Mr. Styles waiting! I’ll be finishing the bushes then. Right-o.”

“He seemed nice”, I said quietly as we walked to the door.

“He’s just hired help, Ginny”, my cousin stated. “I don’t mean to sound cruel but he’s not technically part of the business. Business comes before everything here.”

I nodded as we entered the mansion, I was greeted to white walls and white tiles with black and silver accents everywhere. “Liam?” a low voice called. It seemed to come from everywhere despite how soft it was. A strange man wearing a navy blouse with black jeans came slinking into the room barefoot. His curious green eyes were lined in smudged eyeliner with a small ring in one eyebrow. He picked at his lip quietly, drawing circles on the tile with a barefoot that had a dead rose tattooed on it. “Is this the new specimen?” he wondered, picking his lower lip.

“No, this is my cousin, Ginny”, Liam informed, grabbing me by the shoulders to push me to the man like some kind of offering. “Ginny, this is Harry. Harry, Ginny is going to be our new receptionist at the store.”

“Hullo, Ginny”, Harry murmured. “May I measure you?”

“For what?” I questioned.

“For making a doll obviously”, Harry snapped, pulling out tape. I looked to Liam who sent me an acute nod so I let Harry measure me. The measurements weren’t strange but he was very thorough. “I’d like to make a doll in your likeness”, the make up wearing man said finally. “As a welcome present. You like dolls, don’t you?”

“I love dolls”, I smiled.

Harry’s lips flickered into a smile. “I like those words”, he nearly whispered. No matter how quiet his voice was, it still seemed to surround me. “I shall make you something worthy of your time spent here. May I give you a tour?”

I accepted. Liam was silent as he followed us, Harry leading the way through the mansion and explaining things with the utmost minimal sentences he could muster. One thing that caught my eye were the other eyes. Some doors, Harry didn’t open. All of those doors were marked with doll eyes. “What’s in these rooms?” I asked.

Harry spun around and glared. “Don’t you dare ask and don’t you dare go in those doors!” he growled. “They are strictly forbidden. Only myself and Liam are permitted inside.”

“Which reminds me, I have packaging I need to prepare for the shop tomorrow”, Liam noted.

“And don’t you dare look at the packages either”, Harry added, still glaring at me. “They are not for you! They’re for the dolls-”

“So they’re just doll parts?” I guessed.

“It’s not just doll parts! They’re still being processed in those rooms-”

“How hard can it be to make-” I was cut off as a ringed hand landed on my cheek.

“It’s damn harder than you’d think”, Harry snarled, shaking his hand like he’d been the one hurt. “Finding the right pieces. Putting them together. Manipulating them to create the perfect product. You’re not to snoop. You are to answer phone calls and orders from guests.” He hunched his shoulders and began picking his lip again as I glanced at Liam, Liam who did jack shit in my defense.

“We’ll be eating in the dining hall at eight each night. It’s just this way, if you’d follow me”, the wicked man said, going back to his soft demeanor. “Please, this way.”

Notes

Kaleigh, again, fab ass cover yo ;P