108 A nervous day.

Soon, it was their turn to do an onstage rehearsal, a practice walk in street clothes and show heels that gives the models a chance to get the feel for how it will be tomorrow night. At Jeanette’s urging, Monica even took a practice lap, and it’s . . . intense. There was light directly in her eyes no matter how she turns her head, and as she walks, music starts blasting her, which is even more

disorienting. She was damn near walk off the end of the stage. She was not the only one struggling with the runway walk as the other designers try it too. Molly laughs. “This is impossible and I have on boots! How do you do this in heels?” she asks her model. All the models laugh at their difficulties, breaking the tension of the afternoon. The doors at the far end of the room open, and in walks Jacqueline Corbin, Tobias, a man she have not seen before, and Jackson.

Monica haven’t seen Jackson in a couple of days, not since he stopped by the workroom to speak to each designer one-on-one on Wedn