* * *

Six months later…

“Mrs. Vanderville, do you want some more ice tea?” Tristan, her new intern asked. He’d joined Runway last week and was going to be working with the creative team for the next three months.

He was looking at Chloe and it took her a moment to realize that he was referring to her.

“Oh, me. Yes, that would be great. I’ll have it later, though. And please call me Chloe.”

She’d been married to Wade now for just over two months, but was still getting used to her new surname. In her mind Mrs. Vanderville was Regina, but not even Regina was Mrs. Vanderville anymore.

It was her, Chloe.

“Okay, thanks.” He smiled, revealing perfect white teeth. The freckles on his nose reminded her of Wes. This guy had only just left college but had a creative talent she was hoping to harness. “I’m going to help Lisa with the new delivery. Just call me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, I will.” Chloe had decided to take all the help she could get and anything anyone was offering. Being six months pregnant was very different from being even five months. Her stomach had practically shot out into a ball as her son grew daily. A son, she and Wade would have a little boy very soon, and she couldn’t wait to meet him.

Except for being a few pounds heavier, she’d practically stayed the same size for the wedding and fit perfectly into her exceptionally beautiful dress that Pierre had designed for her.

After the wedding and honeymoon, her body had changed significantly and everyone could tell that she was expecting. To her, she looked like she was having twins, but it was just the one child.

Regina was visiting from Italy this week and wanted to meet with her. Taylor and Wes were still there with Brian. She hardly saw them these days, because when they weren’t wrapped up in each other, they were always off on vacation somewhere.

Chloe left the Closet and made her way to Regina’s office. The minute she got to the mezzanine, she spotted Kelly coming up the stairs with a small cup of that disgusting tea. Of course Kelly had taken it upon herself to learn all the necessary things to know about nutrition for pregnancy, and pregnancy in general, so she could be Chloe’s natural midwife. Whatever that meant.

“Not so fast.” Kelly saw her just as Chloe started to speed up.

These days her poor body couldn’t move quick enough to evade the tea and Kelly. She caught up to her in no time.

“I don’t want it,” Chloe said, swatting her away like a fly.

Kelly started to laugh. “It’s good for you. Think of all the benefits. Wade said I should make sure you eat properly during the day.”

“Wade said? Are you kidding.”

“If you have it I’ll get you some ice cream,” Kelly teased.

Chloe stopped on hearing that. These days the ice cream parlor that was just a few minutes’ walk seemed so far away. Chloe would give anything for some ice cream. She turned, took the tea, and downed it so quickly the liquid skipped past her taste buds. It was only the last hint of it that hit the back of her throat, and she shivered from the awful taste of fish.

“Good girl.” Kelly beamed. “Now you’ve earned that tub of ice cream,” she cooed, widening her eyes with excitement. She was loving this whole pregnancy thing. Everyone was. Her parents had spent the last two months with her, helping her do all sorts of things, and they’d be back before she gave birth. Chloe was well taken care of, and she was extremely happy.

“Thank you, could you get the multi-flavor one, with the little caramel fishes inside?” Chloe giggled.

“You bet.” Kelly laughed again as she sauntered away and went back down the stairs.

Chloe continued on to Regina’s office.

It was nice to see her inside. Looking as beautiful and sophisticated as always, Regina stood behind the desk that had always fascinated Chloe.

Like always, Chloe admired the office, looking at the white walls and the floor-to-ceiling window that gave the perfect view of the city. She loved the black-and-white tiled floor and the chandelier. The flowers, the smell, the style. It screamed fashion. The thing that fueled her creativity. Her creativity had all but exploded since her pregnancy and Fashion Week.

Fashion Week was like nothing Chloe had ever seen. They exceeded their goal to impress, and now the buzz was all about the next one.

She got so absorbed in the décor and her thoughts as she walked towards Regina that she only just saw the box on her desk when Chloe got up to her.

“Sweet girl, look at you.” Regina rose from her chair and flew around to give Chloe a hug, and of course she did that whole touch-the-belly thing everyone felt they had to when they saw a pregnant lady. For her it was fine, she was allowed to.

“I’m okay. Still wanting ice cream all the time, but other than that I’m good. How’s Brian, and everyone?” Regina and Brian were due to be married in the spring. The wedding was in Italy. By then, Chloe would have given birth and could travel. She was looking forward to it. It would be the first holiday she’d have with Wade and their little baby.

Their first family holiday.

“He’s fine, they’re all fine.” Regina smiled wide. After the whole crazy summer they had, Chloe noticed the new woman that Regina was. Now when she smiled, her whole persona lit up with this infectious warmth that everyone could feel.

The first time she saw it was after Regina first went to Italy and came back to visit. She’d left Chloe and Lisa in charge of Runway while she was away and tended to come back once a month to see how they all were.

“Everyone’s enjoying being entertained by Wes and his magical creations. I can’t replace him here.” Regina laughed. Wes had been offered a job with Marvel Studios and would start in the summer, just after Regina and Brian’s wedding. He was offered the job on Christmas Eve and Chloe swore the poor guy cried.

It was the very best Christmas present for him and she was so proud. He was fantastic with all he did at Runway, but he’d always talked about doing movies. The fact that Marvel had offered him a job was beyond amazing, with his superhero obsession.

“I can just imagine.” Chloe laughed. She then looked at the box on the desk and motioned towards it. “What’s this? Are you packing stuff away?”

There kind of wasn’t anything to pack. Everything here was already neat and in its place.

“In a way. Come on, sit down.” Regina inclined her head and smiled.

They moved over to the chaise lounge and sat down. This was their favorite spot and offered the perfect position to smell the freshly made bread from the bakery across the street. “How are things here? Is it all still manageable? I don’t want you to overwork yourself.”

“They’re good. The buzz is still here from Fashion Week.”

In a few weeks’ time, it would be a year since that day when Chloe applied for the creative director position. A year since Wade returned from his five-year absence and everything changed for her.

They’d been through so much since. A lot of bad, but more good. She was happy she was at that stage where she could enjoy all the good she had in her life, and the achievements. She loved Wade to no end, she loved her friends and family, but then there was her job here.

She loved that, too, and Runway was a part of her. It felt like a living entity that went hand in hand with her creative abilities and desire to express her ideas.

“Good, I have a present for you.” Regina’s bright green eyes sparkled and her ponytail shifted to the side as she moved. She’d allowed her white blonde hair to grow longer, and it suited her a lot. It made her seem a good ten years or so younger, and whenever she and Taylor were together they looked more like sisters than mother and daughter. Regina had always had a youthful appearance, anyway, but the hair just enhanced that now.

“Regina, we have so much that you’ve given us.” Chloe giggled.

“This is more of a present for you.”

“Me?” Chloe pointed to herself and Regina nodded.

Chloe watched her keenly as she got up and moved towards her handbag. She took out a small but long box, the kind that those fancy pens came in, and brought it over to her.

“It’s a pen isn’t it? Because I’m always losing mine.” Chloe laughed.

“Although that is true, it’s not a pen.” Regina handed it to her and sat back down.

Chloe opened the box. There was a key with a little pink ribbon tied through the loop and a piece of paper that had been wrapped around to look like a tube. The paper looked like parchment.

“I love it. Thanks so much.” She had no idea what this was, or meant, but she’d go back to the Closet and figure it out. The key clearly opened a door somewhere, or maybe it was a fashion heirloom. The pink ribbon was silky and shiny, so perhaps it was, indeed, a fashion thing.

Regina started to laugh. “You are so funny, sweet girl. Read the paper.”

Chloe chuckled, rested the box on her lap, under her bump, and unfolded the paper.

Congratulations, Chloe Vanderville, you are now the new owner of Runway Magazine.

Chloe stared at the paper for a few good seconds, reading the words over and over again, trying to understand it.

She looked at it and knew what it said, but it wouldn’t sink in. Her brain couldn’t process this at all.

She was the new owner of Runway. Her? Chloe.

But what about Regina?

“Regina, I don’t understand.”

“I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. It’s time for Brian and I to settle down in Italy. Instead of coming back here every month, it needs to be a little less than that. Of course, I will be on that plane if either you or Wade need me.” She nodded and gave her a heartwarming smile. “I knew Runway and I would have to part some day, and I can’t sell it. No way. You were the first person that came to my mind. Even before you and Wade got married. I’ve always looked at you as my own, and it’s fitting that you’re my daughter-in-law. But you’re so much more than that to me.”

“I don’t know what to say.” It was shock, complete shock that had taken over her body.

“You said once that you enjoyed working here. You said you want what I want for the place. Chloe, you remind me of the version of myself that I was when I started Runway. But there’s one thing you have that I don’t have.”

“What could that possibly be, Regina?” Chloe couldn’t even begin to think about what that could be. Regina was her mentor, the woman she’d idolized since she knew what fashion was.

“You have a deep, genuine love for fashion that takes you beyond being creative director. Your vision is everything, the level of your skills and abilities are that of an owner of a successful magazine, like Runway. So, the place is all yours if you want it. But please bear in mind that your health comes first, so you do whatever you want, but make sure you take care of you and that precious baby you have inside you.”

“I can’t believe this.” Tears ran down her cheeks. This was the most amazing present she’d ever had, aside from Wade and their baby. This was different.

“Does that mean you want it?” Regina looked hopeful.

“Of course. Oh Regina. Thank you. Thank you so much.” She threw her arms around her and hugged her. “Thank you for all you’ve done for me. Thank you for taking care of me.”

There were at least a million more things to thank her for. At least.

When they pulled apart, Regina had tears in her eyes. She cupped Chloe’s face and kissed her forehead. “You’re more than welcome, little Chloe.” Her eyes then moved towards the door and her smile amplified. “Your husband is here. I’ll catch up with you two later.”

Chloe looked at the door to see Wade standing there, resting against the door frame wearing his black biker jacket and looking like the total, completely handsome hunk he was.

He smiled at Regina, acknowledging her, and then he put out his hand to Chloe.

She went to him, taking his hand. He brought hers up to his lips to kiss.

“Baby, you ready to go?” He did this every day. Asked her the same question. She wasn’t supposed to be going anywhere for at least another two hours, but when he came to pick her up it was time to go home. It didn’t matter how long she’d been at work.

“Where are we going, Wade?” She smiled.

“First to your office to eat ice cream, and then home so I can give you a back rub.”

She loved the sound of that. He lowered to kiss her, and she thought of how lucky she was indeed.

Joy and contentment surged throughout her body. Chloe had everything she’d ever wanted.