Runway Ready by Sheryl Berk Page B

hug.
    â€œCordy, darling,” Victoria exclaimed. “You scared Granny terribly. You could have been lost or hurt!”
    â€œNuh-uh, Granny,” Cordy insisted. “I was with Mickey. She took good care of me, and she taught me to play my own drums.”
    Mickey stepped out from behind the gumball machine and blushed. “We had fun,” she said.
    â€œI should have known you were responsible for this,” Jade suddenly piped up. She was furious. “You trashed my design.”
    â€œI didn’t trash it,” Mickey insisted. “I gave the client what she wanted. You never even thought to ask Cordy her opinion.”
    â€œI love my dress now,” Cordy said, twirling around in it. “Isn’t it beautiful, Granny?”
    Victoria looked it over from top to bottom. “It’s, it’s…”
    â€œVery Cordy,” Mickey interrupted. “It’s everything she is and wanted in a party dress. I just helped her bring her vision to life.”
    â€œI was going to say it’s divine,” Victoria added. “Very unique, just like my Cordy. How do I thank you?”
    â€œUm, maybe you could just send Mr. Kaye an email and tell him I fixed the problem from the WDAA luncheon?” Mickey said.
    â€œI’ll do more than that,” Victoria vowed. “I’ll tell him myself in person.”

When Mickey returned to Apparel Arts on Monday morning, she was surprised to find Victoria sitting at the front of the studio with Mr. Kaye.
    â€œWhy, that’s very generous of you,” he was telling the designer as Mickey took her seat.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Gabriel whispered. “Why is that uppity lady here?”
    â€œGet a clue!” South leaned forward and smacked him on the head. “That uppity lady is Victoria Vanderweil.”
    â€œNo way!” Gabriel whistled through his teeth. “Cool.”
    Mickey was afraid to guess the reason for Victoria’s visit to FAB, but she hoped it wasn’t to report to her teacher that she had crashed Cordy’s party.
    â€œClass,” Mr. Kaye addressed the room, tapping a ruler on his desk. “Attention, please. I am happy to share some very exciting news with you all.”
    Mickey held her breath. It didn’t sound like Victoria was ratting her out.
    â€œMs. Vanderweil wishes to commend FAB and specifically one of our pupils for teaching her granddaughter a lesson in personal expression.”
    Mars elbowed Mickey. “It’s you, isn’t it?”
    Mickey shrugged. She hoped so, but Mr. Kaye wasn’t looking in her direction.
    â€œWe’ve all been invited to view the Victoria Vanderweil fall-winter collection on the runway during New York Fashion Week,” Mr. Kaye continued. “It’s a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of you…”
    He turned to face Mickey. “And we have Mickey to thank for it.”
    The class cheered and Mickey felt her cheeks flush.
    â€œMy granddaughter has told me she wishes to follow in my footsteps,” Victoria said to Mickey. “Considering last week she wanted to be an astronaut ballerina on the moon, it’s a great improvement. She can’t stop designing and redesigning all her clothes. She didn’t run away all weekend because she was so busy! I’m very grateful, and I owe that to you.”
    Mickey smiled. “She always had it in her,” she told Victoria. “I just believed in her.”
    â€œI assume you have someone who believes in you in the same way?” Victoria asked her.
    â€œLots of someones,” Mickey said. “Mr. Kaye, JC, my mom, my aunt Olive.”
    â€œThen you are very lucky—and very talented,” Victoria added, winking. “Why don’t you bring all those someones along to my show. I’ll make sure you have seats in the front row.”
    â€¢ • •
    Aunt Olive and Mickey’s mom had never been to a