DESIGN FOR LOVE Read Online Free PDF Page A

Gerard.
    “Francine, wait a moment.” he called out as he rushed towards her.
    ‘Here we go again !’ she whispered to herself as he finally caught up with her. “What now?” she murmured through clenched teeth.
    Gerard looked a little contrite, but still managed his 100 watt smile. “Look, I’m sorry we got off on the wrong foot at the show, but I wanted to thank you for coming along to visit mother.”
    She couldn’t resist her next comment. “Well, at least I now realize that there’s one decent person in your family - and it’s not you! Goodbye, Mr. Cinclare and this time I mean it!” with that she spun on her heel and out through the door and into the night.
    Gerard shook his head in confusion as he turned and retraced his steps. “Women!” was the only word he uttered as he shook his head in disbelief before going back inside.
    As Francine drove out of the parking lot, her mind went back to the frail Helen Cinclare, lying back there in the hospital. If she had indeed suffered a mild stroke, thankfully she seemed to be fairly well over it even though her mind was confused and, loathe her son as she did, Francine couldn’t help but hope that the affectionate older lady pulled through with no further complications.
    No matter what you thought of their offspring, she told herself, mothers were special and every single one had a unique place in the hearts of their children. And so, even though he may be an insensitive jerk, she could see that even the flamboyant Mr. Cinclare held his mother in the highest esteem, the one thing so far on which she could not fault him.
    When it came to parents, Francine also lived in the fervent hope that her own parents, Yvette and Carl, would patch things up soon and from what she had seen earlier in her mother’s room, it looked as though there may be a chance it could happen.
    But for now, her mind had to stay firmly focused on the next 10 days and that meant New York, the next fashion show on the circuit and the last thing she needed before that happened was any further distractions from the charismatic Mr. Cinclare!
    When Francine arrived back at the workshop, things were already decidedly tense and Vince was having another of his selfishly-guarded nervous breakdowns. This time it had been caused by their cloth supplier from New York.
    “I tell you, Princess, that woman is a moron!” he was stamping up and down like a demented flamenco dancer as he continued his tirade, holding up a bolt of pale salmon-colored cloth.
    Francine was already tuned in to his frustration. “Don’t tell me that’s supposed to be the material for the cocktail dress?”
    “Afraid so, Princess.”
    “So, what’s Verna doing about it?”
    He shrugged. “Well, she’s trying to get the right material by tomorrow but it’ll still be a couple of days before it gets here - we’ll never make it!”
    Francine calmed him down. “Take it easy, Vince, we’ll just have to work around it. You’ll need to switch Thelma to the evening dress until the other material arrives,” she patted him on the shoulder. “It’s going to be touch and go, but we can’t let it slow us down,” her shoulders drooped momentarily. “We just can’t!”
    Vince calmed down. “I guess you’re right, boss. Let’s face it, there’s always thirty six hours in a day, right?”
    Francine gave a tired smile. “Right!”
    Later that night, exhausted but feeling that at least some progress had been made, Francine joined her long-time friend Stella Griffith for cocktails at the Crescent Hotel.
    She and Stella went back a long way to Design College and as they had subsequently gone their separate ways, Stella, using financing provided by her husband’s family, had started up a very lucrative tailoring business, producing quality designer clothes at way above the standards of the average ‘sweat shops’. It was as a result of her quality work that Francine had been anxious from day one to use Stella for all the