I sighed. “Yes, Lydia. It’s the main fund-raising event for the two major hospitals in New York City. It’s super fancy, and it’s super lucky I even won these tickets. We couldn’t afford to go otherwise.”
“Good,” she replied. She frowned as she watched me put my mascara away. “Elizabeth Bennet, you need to put more mascara on. I can barely see your eyes.”
“Are you serious?” I asked her. I was already wearing about ten pounds of makeup. I felt like I’d been getting ready and putting makeup on all day.
“Yes,” Lydia replied, reaching into my makeup bag and handing me back my mascara. “You need to look like you belong at this party.”
“Why can’t I just be me?” I asked her, not putting any more mascara on yet.
“Because you aren’t fancy,” Lydia replied. “You’re smart, and you’re sweet, but I swear, you’d go in a ponytail and your work scrubs if I let you.”
“No, I’d at least wear this dress. I like the fancy dress,” I informed her. The floor-length gown hugged my curves as it made its silky dark blue way to my feet. It had just enough of a hint of sparkle in the fabric to make me feel like it had been blessed by a fairy godmother. The dress was awesome. I stuck my tongue out at Lydia, and she just pushed the mascara at me again.
“I’m glad you’d at least wear the dress,” Lydia replied. “It is designer. I still can’t believe you found a Prada dress. You look amazing, but you have to finish it. More mascara.”
I sighed, but I put on another layer. I looked up in the mirror and shook my head at the stunning woman looking back at me. Lydia was right. I looked amazing, but I didn’t look like me. I looked like a Barbie-doll version of me. I couldn’t imagine how women did this every day. It was exhausting getting this done up.
“Oh, did you two hear?” Lydia asked watching me like a hawk. She motioned for another swipe of mascara. “The penthouse of our building is rented out for the rest of the year.”
“Really? I thought it was considered too expensive for the market.” Jane looked surprised as she put in the blue earrings. They really did complement her cornflower blue eyes perfectly. They even brought out the soft gold in her hair. Not that we’d ever tell Lydia she was right.
“It is way overpriced,” Lydia confirmed. “But, supposedly, it’s this business guy worth millions. The money means nothing to him. He just wants to be near Central Park while he opens some new business ventures, so he’s renting the place. It’s so exciting.”
I stepped back from the mirror. “Why are you so excited? He’s not an actor. I thought you wanted to be a movie star.”
“I will be a movie star,” Lydia corrected me. “But he’s rich. Rich buys access to fame. Famous people hang out with rich people.”
“I still don’t get it,” I told her, shaking my head. “How is meeting this guy going to make you an actress?”
“If I can be arm candy for a night, or if he meets me in the elevator with his famous friends- I’m in,” she explained. “I’d be famous in a heartbeat. Once I’m famous, I’ll have all the roles I can handle. It’s an opportunity most people would give their right arm for.”
“Oh, I get it.” I nodded and put the mascara away. “New neighbor is definitely arm-chopping off potential.”
I motioned to my face, and Lydia nodded her approval before leaving the bathroom. I turned to Jane when she was gone. “I’m surprised we don’t see more arm-less people walking around given the kinds of opportunities here.”
Jane snorted and pushed me out of the bathroom.
Lydia was waiting impatiently by the front door of our apartment with our jackets. They looked shabby compared to our gowns, but there was nothing to do about it now. Lydia had found a company that rented high-end clothing, so we all dressed to the nines in clothes we could never afford. Other than our jackets, of course.
The three of us were going to the most significant hospital fund-raising gala in New York City. Every year, the two major hospitals joined forces to put on a black tie event. It was next to impossible to get tickets, but since I worked at one of the hospitals, I had managed to win some at a work raffle. Lydia was sure that someone rich and famous would notice her, and thus this gala was her ticket to fame and fortune.
“Are you two finally ready?” We nodded, and she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You’ve got this, Lydia. It’s your night to be a star.” She peeked one eye open and glared at Jane and I. “Don’t screw this up for me.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. I wasn’t as good at it as Lydia, but I could roll with the best of them. Lydia ignored me and walked out into the hallway. I followed, doing my best not to trip on my dress.
“Hurry up,” she called as she pressed the button for the elevator. “Unless the new penthouse guy is in the elevator. Then you two can be as slow as you like so I can talk to him.”
Jane closed the apartment door behind us. “You and your dreams,” she said, shaking her head and smiling. “I hope they all come true.”
It wasn’t crazy to think that a millionaire might be living in our building soon. Jane’s parents had purchased the apartment back in the eighties as an investment property. It was just a hop and a skip away from Central Park, and what had once been considered a sketchy neighborhood was now prime real estate. The apartment was worth well over ten times what they paid for it.
Jane owned the apartment now. She shared it with Lydia and me for practically nothing since we were as good as sisters. Jane’s parents died a few years ago, and we were the closest thing she had left to family. It was the three of us against all of New York, and we had a fantastic apartment to work out of.
It was a short cab ride to the Ritz Carlton hotel for the fundraiser. Since it was black tie only and incredibly exclusive, all of New York wanted to come. The place was packed with expensive cars and flashing camera lights. We stepped out onto the red carpet le
ading up to the main entrance and felt like movies stars.
I could see why Lydia wanted this feeling all the time.