Chit-Chat

Who: Lily and Maya
Where: Phone
When: Midday

Maya had been up since dawn. there was just so much to do. Things to organise, last minute preparations. She had to ensure that this ball went off like clockwork, even if the venue and preparations there had been finalised yesterday, there was everything else.

She had her woman coming round to do her hair in a few hours, there was makeup - currently she had a girl round prepping her nails and first thing this morning, her dressmaker had arrived to settle the fitting of her gown. After all, who knew, she could have lost or, worse, gained a pound since last time. Perfection was everything.

But, right now, with one hand given over to the manicurist, Maya had some time, and things never stopped. Telephone to her side, she had Lily's number dialed, and held the handset to her ear. She never had gotten an answer as to whether the girl was attending or not.

It was Emma, the maid, that answered on the fourth ring. It was only Charles, herself, and another girl who came in once a week working in the old house and Emma had too many things to do. "Pennington residence," she said in a slightly breathless smoker's voice. "May I inquire who is calling.

Lily was in the next room, the library, going through books, looking for something. She wasn't exactly sure what she was looking for but knew that she'd know when she found it. She was a little tired from a night restless with nightmares that she couldn't keep hold of to analyze. When Emma answered the phone, she paused in her search, ears perking up.

"Oh, hello yes - I'd like to speak to Miss Mayfair, please - could you tell her it's Maya Walker calling," Maya said, formally, watching the manicurist shape her nails absently as she spoke.

Emma frowned at who was calling for Lily, but told the woman she'd fetch her right away. "Miss Lily," she called, knowing that the mistress was listening and poked her head into the library. "Maya Walker for you on the phone, dear."

Maya. The ball. Most likely. "Thank you, Emma," she told the servant and took the phone. "Maya, such a pleasure. How are you?" Lily said with more cheer and optimism than she was actually feeling at the moment. Her nightmares always left her unsettled for a period of time.

"Oh, you know - having a lazy day before tonight," Maya said, voice all ease, though she was sticking to a rigid schedule which was anything but lazy. Maya didn't do lazy, lazy people didn't get anything done, but it wasn't good to make it sound like anything you did was hard work - that could get people thinking that they could do it as well. And that wouldn't do at all.

Lily was right. The ball. "I think it's lovely that you're putting this all together for them. Sometimes I don't think all their hard work is always appreciated. It's good to see someone else taking notice for their dedication to keeping our streets safe." Of course, Lily didn't know how unsafe the streets actually were. She did not know of the corruption in the force itself, how the Walkers and others had their fingers in everything. All she knew was that when her father, a decorated officer, was police chief, everyone was very nice and friendly when she'd go and visit him.

"Well, where would this city be without our wonderful police force?" Maya posed, very aware of who Lily's father had been. "We certainly wouldn't be able to function the way we do, they do a marvellous job and I think that they should get recognised for it more often," she added, though privately she thought that the officers who 'helped them to function' got rewarded just fine - they'd all feathered their nests in one way or another over the years, after all.

It was something that Lily planned to do one day. Sure putting money into Eidolon City's art community was nice and everything, but Lily wanted to do more. "I'm sure you weren't calling to discuss how wonderful our men in the force are, are you?" she asked, wincing as she heard her grandmother yell for Emma from the top of the house. The bout of sickness had left her with a worse temper than usual but Lily so far had been able to avoid anything. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

Maya heard the shout in the background and waited until she was sure it wasn't going to continue before carrying on. "Well, that's true - as lovely a conversation as men in uniform can be..." she teased, before turning slightly more serious. "I was calling to ask what you were planning to wear tonight, actually," she said, going with the complete assumption that Lily would be attending.

"Oh." It caught Lily a little off guard. As far as she knew, there was no dress code, no color scheme that had been mentioned for guests to follow. "The red silk with the pearl accents." It was the best dress that the two of them had picked out the other day, the garment fluid, clinging in the right places and loose in the others. It was actually quite simple, but there was an elegance about it that Lily rather liked. "I hope I don't have to go and find something else," she added with a smile that was obvious in her voice. Either way, Maya shouldn't worry about being outshined. No one, let alone Lily, could outshine Maya. She was the one all the eyes were on.

Maya let the pause linger, not answering straight away as she basked in the uncertainty of the girl's tone. She was so delightfully innocent. It was like looking at raw, unworked clay. Her grandmother probably wouldn't be too impressed if she knew what Maya was intending, but then it was the woman that had suggested that maya took an interest int he first place - she had no right to then complain that Maya took her up on the idea. Moment over, Maya smiled and continued. "Oh, no! The red would be wonderful on you - and you really should wear the strappy heels that you bought. They're not too high and you'll be on your feet all night. With that dress, I would think every man in the room will be asking for a dance," she cooed, encouragingly.

Lily, while naive, was not stupid enough to say that she wasn't staying all night. She'd already put a change of clothes under the front seat of the rolls that they would be taking. She'd change and head for the bar, which took Charles some convincing to let her go out by herself. She knew that Maya would be displeased and she felt bad for that, especially as Maya had been kind enough to help her with this new "look" she was going for, but she'd made a commitment and if she got stood up, well, that would be her own fault and she'd never do it again.

"Yes, I've got it all sorted out. I do appreciate your help Maya, but really, you're the one everyone will be looking at. I just can't hope to compare." Did she mean it? To... a certain extent but Maya Walker liked compliments, that much she knew. Maya Walker was a star and while Lily wanted to come out more, she was not up to challenging the woman who seemed so much older than herself, despite their same age.

Maya knew a carefull veiled reproach when she heard it, but from this mouse of a girl it just made her smile, rather than take any real notice at all. "Of course you do - and you'll look simply stunning. Have you got a stylist sorted for your hair? If not, I can send mine over - she'd a doll, really she is, and I'm sure that she could squeeze you in..." Maya suggested to her, sounding nothing but helpful. Really, as far as she was concerned, Lily could use all the help she could get.

Lily felt suspicious. She couldn't help it. Maya was being so helpful and so nice. Had it been school, Lily would've suspected some form of humiliation, but this wasn't school and Maya was not a tormentor of the past. They just didn't know one another very well. "That's very kind of you to offer. I have my usual arrangements," Agatha was old fashioned, her maid good for everything, but then again, the woman was eighty years old. "But if she does have time to spare, I wouldn't mind having her help."

"Of course - really, she works miracles," Maya assured her, her lips curling up into a smile. "That's half the battle, you know?" she added, her voice turning conspiratorial, as though she were imparting some grave secret she shouldn't tell. "Having the right people who can make you shine." Though, Maya knew, she was quite capable of shining on her own. The people were there as a support team, because it was expected. Her girl could, however, make Lily look good. And everyone would know that it was with Maya Walker's help that the Mayfair girl had finally come out of her shell. It would be beautful.

"I see," she murmured, her eyes rolling up to look at the ceiling, as if she could see her grandmother through the floor. Contempt bubbled up as it was doing more and more over the past weeks. "Yes, please send her over when you can spare her." Her voice had changed slightly. Somewhat harder, more firm and less hesitant. More in control. "Really, Maya, you've been so kind. If there's anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask." Lily didn't realize what she was doing, debting herself like this to Maya Walker, but Maya's kindness was to be repaid. That was how things worked. Helping her find a new style, offering the services of a stylist... they were harmless things. That's what Lily assumed.

Maya's smile widened. "Why, Lily, that's so kind of you," she said, her tone not changing in the slightest. "Really, I have no need of anything, but it was such a kind offer, I'll bear it in mind," she said, still sugary-sweet, somehow managing to suggest that probably the only thing she would or could ever need was maybe a girlfriend to go shopping with. Maya doubted the girl knew the power of favours. Which was her loss and Maya's gain.

The suspicious feeling was in her gut again, but at this point, Lily felt that she was just being paranoid. Life was not a mystery novel. "Whatever I can do to help." She thought of Finn's wonderful music, his incredible talent and the tiny little loft he lived in above the movie theater. She wondered if he was going to be at the Drake tonight. He was one of the best pianists she'd ever heard. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Maya?" Those words. Terrible words whose meaning Lily had no idea of.

"Oh no - everything's taken care of," Maya assured her in a show of perfect pose and confidence. She would rather die than admit that she couldn't cope with something, even if it was all falling down around her ears - which, it happened, in this situation, it wasn't. So that was good. "You just be sure to enjoy yourself and I'll see you tonight. If I can get through all the attention I'm sure you'll receive," she added, teasing again.

Lily wanted to protest but she kept her mouth shut, figuratively speaking, and instead just chuckled. "Then if that's the case, I'll need a rescue. Take care, Maya! I can't wait to see you outdo yourself."

Maya pointed with her other hand to the colour varnish she wished for her nails, frowning as the girl picked up the wrong one and gesturing for the change. "Likewise Lily - I'll see you tonight, dear," she said.

"Alright, good bye." Lily hung up, shoulders slumping and she turned, leaning her forehead against the wall and began thumping her head against the old wallpaper. "You sound like such a kid, Lils. Such a kid."