Meeting Vivian - Chapter 8 - Helen
See Chapter 1 for disclaimers and notes.
Chapter 8 - Helen
“Hello, Vivian.”
Startled, Vivian shot out of her chair. She had been spending a quiet evening paging through the latest Runway magazine. It was late and the floor housing the Closet and Museum was deserted. How had this woman snuck up on her? Vivian glared at the statuesque brunette. Wearing a tailored dark gray Armani pantsuit and black and red Christian Louboutin five inch heels, the woman looked as if she stepped out of a Runway photo spread.
“Who are you?” Vivian knew she sounded harsh but she didn’t care. No one had been able to surprise her in years, certainly not since her death. She didn’t enjoy the sensation of being caught off-guard.
“My name is Helen. I’m sorry that I startled you.” The gentle smile and sparkling blue eyes suggested to Vivian that Helen wasn’t the least bit apologetic. “Please, sit. I won’t take up much of your time,” said Helen.
Vivian slowly sank back into her chair as Helen prowled her corner of the Runway Museum. There was something strange about her visitor, Vivian thought. She watched the woman pick up various knick knacks before setting them down and moving on to something else. After several minutes, Vivian realized the woman wasn’t one of the living. But she wasn’t a ghost either. “What are you?” she whispered. For the first time in her memory, she was afraid.
Helen glided back across the office and sat in one of the visitor chairs facing the desk. “I’m a representative.” She leaned back and crossed her legs.
“Who do you represent?” Vivian pressed her hands against the desktop. She wondered how she could feel so cold. The sensation of heat or cold had ceased with her death. Was this what dread felt like?
“Let’s just say the Universe.” Helen flicked her fingers toward the window. “She goes by many names.”
Vivian’s eyes practically popped out of her head. “God? You represent God?” She trembled at the thought that God had sent a representative. “Wait.” The entirety of what Helen said sank in. “God is a woman?”
Helen threw her head back and roared with laughter. Crossing her arms, Vivian glared and waited for her visitor to compose herself.
Wiping her eyes, Helen wound down to a few chuckles. “Thank you, I needed that.” She took a deep breath and smiled at Vivian. “The Universe has many names and aspects. I prefer to relate to the feminine.”
Vivian stared at Helen and slowly relaxed. “Why are you here?” She cringed at the break in her voice.
“A friend of yours has been worried about you.” Helen winked and pointed. “She prays for you every night.”
“Me? But I don’t …,” Vivian shrugged, confused.
“You don’t deserve or need prayers?” Helen tilted her head as Vivian struggled to understand.
“Who?” Vivian rubbed her forehead as she thought.
“Andrea Sachs.” Helen folded her hands in her lap.
“Andy?” Vivian ran her fingers through her hair. “What is she worried about?”
Helen sighed and flicked an imaginary speck of lint from her knee. “Andrea has a good heart. She prays.” Helen stopped herself and held up a hand. “Sorry, she doesn’t refer to what she does as prayer. She worries, so she talks to a Higher Power.” The woman stood up before walking over to the window and staring out into the night. “Andrea asks that Caroline and Cassidy are kept safe. She worries about Miranda working too hard and whether her friends are happy.” Helen turned and leaned against the window sill. “She is especially worried about what will happen to you.”
Vivian shook her head. “I don’t understand. I’m a ghost.”
Helen snapped her fingers. “Exactly. She worries that at some point in the future, Runway will be no more, and that you will be stuck in an empty building.” Helen walked back to the visitor chair and sat down. “She’s also concerned about the models.”
The former editor slumped back in her chair. “She never said anything.”
Helen gave Vivian a gentle smile. “She prayed. The Universe/Higher Power/God heard Andrea’s prayers and decided to clear up a misconception.” She waited a beat for Vivian to look her in the eye. “Just because you did not pass on to the afterlife when you died, does not mean that the door is forever closed to you.”
Vivian sat up straight and stared at Helen in disbelief.
Before she could say anything, Helen continued. “You asked to stay at Runway so your wish was granted. The same goes for the models. If at some point in the future, you no longer wish to continue here, you may come home.”
Vivian was stunned. She had never considered that her existence would change. For so many years her world consisted of a dark dusty space that she transformed into a comfortable memory. If Helen had come to her back then, she probably would have moved on to the afterlife. But when the Closet and Museum came to the thirteenth floor her existence became interesting again. She had several friends now and looked forward to each day.
Finally, she looked a Helen. “Thank you. I appreciate you letting me know. I’ll talk to the girls. Although, I don’t think they are in any hurry to leave the Closet.” Vivian grinned. “They love going through the dresses.”
Helen dipped her head. “You are welcome. As I implied, there is no rush. The next time Andrea prays, she will experience a feeling of well being. Her worries concerning you will fade away.”
Vivian had a hard time wrapping her mind around the selflessness of her friend. “God sent you here because Andy prayed?” She paused as Helen nodded in agreement. “Does Andy ever pray for something for herself?” It wouldn’t surprise her if Andy pushed her personal wishes aside for others. Helen was correct when she said Andy had a big heart.
“Well, there is one thing,” Helen said with a sly smile. “But I suppose it’s also for Miranda.” At Vivian’s confused look, Helen stood up and started walking away. “If I were you, I would stick around for a while. Especially this next year. Life is going to get interesting.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped and she watched the strange woman disappear. “Holy shhhh.” She bit her lip. “Well,” she muttered as she stood and started for the closet. “Interesting indeed.”
Chapter 9 - The Twins
Chapter 8 - Helen
“Hello, Vivian.”
Startled, Vivian shot out of her chair. She had been spending a quiet evening paging through the latest Runway magazine. It was late and the floor housing the Closet and Museum was deserted. How had this woman snuck up on her? Vivian glared at the statuesque brunette. Wearing a tailored dark gray Armani pantsuit and black and red Christian Louboutin five inch heels, the woman looked as if she stepped out of a Runway photo spread.
“Who are you?” Vivian knew she sounded harsh but she didn’t care. No one had been able to surprise her in years, certainly not since her death. She didn’t enjoy the sensation of being caught off-guard.
“My name is Helen. I’m sorry that I startled you.” The gentle smile and sparkling blue eyes suggested to Vivian that Helen wasn’t the least bit apologetic. “Please, sit. I won’t take up much of your time,” said Helen.
Vivian slowly sank back into her chair as Helen prowled her corner of the Runway Museum. There was something strange about her visitor, Vivian thought. She watched the woman pick up various knick knacks before setting them down and moving on to something else. After several minutes, Vivian realized the woman wasn’t one of the living. But she wasn’t a ghost either. “What are you?” she whispered. For the first time in her memory, she was afraid.
Helen glided back across the office and sat in one of the visitor chairs facing the desk. “I’m a representative.” She leaned back and crossed her legs.
“Who do you represent?” Vivian pressed her hands against the desktop. She wondered how she could feel so cold. The sensation of heat or cold had ceased with her death. Was this what dread felt like?
“Let’s just say the Universe.” Helen flicked her fingers toward the window. “She goes by many names.”
Vivian’s eyes practically popped out of her head. “God? You represent God?” She trembled at the thought that God had sent a representative. “Wait.” The entirety of what Helen said sank in. “God is a woman?”
Helen threw her head back and roared with laughter. Crossing her arms, Vivian glared and waited for her visitor to compose herself.
Wiping her eyes, Helen wound down to a few chuckles. “Thank you, I needed that.” She took a deep breath and smiled at Vivian. “The Universe has many names and aspects. I prefer to relate to the feminine.”
Vivian stared at Helen and slowly relaxed. “Why are you here?” She cringed at the break in her voice.
“A friend of yours has been worried about you.” Helen winked and pointed. “She prays for you every night.”
“Me? But I don’t …,” Vivian shrugged, confused.
“You don’t deserve or need prayers?” Helen tilted her head as Vivian struggled to understand.
“Who?” Vivian rubbed her forehead as she thought.
“Andrea Sachs.” Helen folded her hands in her lap.
“Andy?” Vivian ran her fingers through her hair. “What is she worried about?”
Helen sighed and flicked an imaginary speck of lint from her knee. “Andrea has a good heart. She prays.” Helen stopped herself and held up a hand. “Sorry, she doesn’t refer to what she does as prayer. She worries, so she talks to a Higher Power.” The woman stood up before walking over to the window and staring out into the night. “Andrea asks that Caroline and Cassidy are kept safe. She worries about Miranda working too hard and whether her friends are happy.” Helen turned and leaned against the window sill. “She is especially worried about what will happen to you.”
Vivian shook her head. “I don’t understand. I’m a ghost.”
Helen snapped her fingers. “Exactly. She worries that at some point in the future, Runway will be no more, and that you will be stuck in an empty building.” Helen walked back to the visitor chair and sat down. “She’s also concerned about the models.”
The former editor slumped back in her chair. “She never said anything.”
Helen gave Vivian a gentle smile. “She prayed. The Universe/Higher Power/God heard Andrea’s prayers and decided to clear up a misconception.” She waited a beat for Vivian to look her in the eye. “Just because you did not pass on to the afterlife when you died, does not mean that the door is forever closed to you.”
Vivian sat up straight and stared at Helen in disbelief.
Before she could say anything, Helen continued. “You asked to stay at Runway so your wish was granted. The same goes for the models. If at some point in the future, you no longer wish to continue here, you may come home.”
Vivian was stunned. She had never considered that her existence would change. For so many years her world consisted of a dark dusty space that she transformed into a comfortable memory. If Helen had come to her back then, she probably would have moved on to the afterlife. But when the Closet and Museum came to the thirteenth floor her existence became interesting again. She had several friends now and looked forward to each day.
Finally, she looked a Helen. “Thank you. I appreciate you letting me know. I’ll talk to the girls. Although, I don’t think they are in any hurry to leave the Closet.” Vivian grinned. “They love going through the dresses.”
Helen dipped her head. “You are welcome. As I implied, there is no rush. The next time Andrea prays, she will experience a feeling of well being. Her worries concerning you will fade away.”
Vivian had a hard time wrapping her mind around the selflessness of her friend. “God sent you here because Andy prayed?” She paused as Helen nodded in agreement. “Does Andy ever pray for something for herself?” It wouldn’t surprise her if Andy pushed her personal wishes aside for others. Helen was correct when she said Andy had a big heart.
“Well, there is one thing,” Helen said with a sly smile. “But I suppose it’s also for Miranda.” At Vivian’s confused look, Helen stood up and started walking away. “If I were you, I would stick around for a while. Especially this next year. Life is going to get interesting.”
Vivian’s mouth dropped and she watched the strange woman disappear. “Holy shhhh.” She bit her lip. “Well,” she muttered as she stood and started for the closet. “Interesting indeed.”
Chapter 9 - The Twins