Chapter 54
54
VILLA KAMIA, KASSIOPI
Two days later
Molly took a deep breath. This was it. She was doing this. She was going to speak to whoever answered the door of Freya and Nicholas Kaden’s villa intercom and she was going to talk and keep talking and not go away until she had something. A personal email. A phone number. An opportunity. And this was something she was doing on her own. Siobhan had offered to come, to carry the heavy bag that was backup if talking didn’t hit the spot, but Molly really felt this had to be personal. This was her, wanting this celebrity to endorse Mollify not just because of Freya’s celebrity status but because she felt Freya’s values aligned with what she wanted her make-up to mean to people.
The villa was even more stunning this close up, pillars and marble and bright pink bougainvillea tumbling over low walls behind an ornate traditional gate. And she was definitely taking a minute and putting off pressing the intercom because she was nervous. She shrugged her shoulders up and down like Christos had told her to do only an hour ago when she had left his bed. Apparently it was supposed to relieve stress, but it really felt like she was doing the beginnings of a terrible dance routine. And what was there to be nervous about really? It would be a housekeeper who answered or maybe there would be no one at all… No, she didn’t want the last thought to be true, she needed to make some kind of contact.
Without letting her mind go into overdrive she hit the intercom button and waited.
It was hot today, the storm of a few days ago all but forgotten and nothing but wall-to-wall sunshine and high temperatures were expected for the foreseeable future. It was going to be perfect weather for Vaggelis’s forty-day service the following day.
She was still waiting. There was no rasp or static noise from the tiny speaker. Should she press again? She paused, finger over the button. And then, a few metres past the gate, the door of the house opened and someone stepped out. This was it. Someone was coming and Molly’s throat started to dry up. Calm . Smooth . Enchant the housekeeper and offer her or him a few samples of product…
Except, as the person got closer to the gate, Molly could see that they were wearing a dressing gown with a hood that was up and over their head. Unusual attire for a housekeeper unless they were a housekeeper taking advantage or, maybe it was one of Freya and Nicholas’s celebrity friends staying in the house. Now all she could think about was Bruce Willis… But as the person stopped right in front of the gate – and Molly – she could see blonde hair under the hood and on her left hand was a unique engagement ring she definitely recognised.
‘If you want my photo this is it. And I will pull the hood down lower so I look like one of The Traitors .’
‘Freya Johnson,’ Molly whispered aloud in complete disbelief.
‘O-K. You were hoping for my husband, right? Well, he’s doing terrible things to eggs in the kitchen right now, so unless you’re quick with that photo or you have Chinese takeout in that bag, I’m going to say goodbye,’ Freya said, looking like she was about to turn around.
‘Wait! I don’t want your husband!’ Molly exclaimed. ‘Sorry, that sounded terrible and he is obviously Hollywood royalty but I’m here for you… er, not in a creepy way and I don’t want a photo but I do… have Chinese food.’
‘What?’ Freya said, sounding bemused. ‘Because I was convinced I could smell Chinese food exactly like they make in China Town in Sidari which is as close to perfect as my favourite place in Mayleaf.’
‘Um, yes, not physically here, but in voucher form,’ Molly said, reaching into the bag. She pulled out a piece of paper. ‘It’s a voucher that will get you anything you want off the menu at China Town in Sidari. I know that you love their noodles and spicy beef.’
Freya snatched the voucher then pulled down her hood and eyed Molly with curiosity. ‘Who are you? Slightly strange English girl who knows my eating habits.’
She smiled, nervously, a little overawed by being only a Greek gate away from this powerhouse of a person. ‘My name is Molly Adams and I would really really like to tell you about my make-up brand because I think you would be the perfect ambassador for it.’
‘OK, make-up. Well, how I feel about make-up has been written about quite a lot and?—’
‘I know that you don’t believe in hiding behind make-up,’ Molly said. ‘That you think everyone should be accepted for who they are, just as they are.’
‘And? Are you going to tell me I’m wrong?’
‘I’m going to tell you that my make-up brand isn’t about putting on cosmetics to adhere to how society or anyone else thinks you should be, it’s about self-empowerment. It’s building yourself up by using product to make you feel the most confident version of yourself because some people don’t feel powerful just as they are.’
Molly paused, praying she hadn’t gone too far and that she wasn’t going to get banished from the vicinity.
‘I’m still listening,’ Freya said, hands on hips.
‘OK, so I’m creating a small range, initially, of core quality but affordable products that are made with all natural ingredients so they are going to also promote skin health as well as be a strong and appealing beauty line. And my unique foundation will be for all. It changes and reacts to your own skin tone meaning it really is one tube for everyone.’
‘No one does that already?’
‘They do,’ Molly admitted. ‘But badly. I’ve done significant factory testing, I’ve worked with different ingredients and a brand-new innovative way to make it happen that no one else has on the market yet.’
There was silence and she didn’t know whether that was a good or bad thing. She took a breath. ‘I do have other food in my bag. I went to Mr and Mrs P’s restaurant – Yiannis and Emma’s taverna – and I didn’t say it was for you because I actually thought I would be trying to bribe your housekeeper but Yiannis gave me loukoumades .’
‘You have loukoumades in that bag?’ Freya asked, eyes widening. ‘With chocolate sauce?’
‘I do,’ Molly said. ‘But you might have to open the gate if you want me to hand it to you.’ She unzipped the bag and pulled out a foil carton.
‘OK, OK,’ Freya said. ‘I can smell that from here.’ She sighed. ‘So, before I decide if I’m opening the gate, I want to know something else.’
‘Anything,’ Molly said.
‘Why do you want me? Why not… one of the Hadids or Katy Perry?’
Molly took a deep breath. ‘Because, although I don’t know either of their lores, I do know quite a lot about yours. And I think the reasons I want to launch this make-up brand are driven out of a backstory similar to yours.’
‘Go on,’ Freya encouraged.
She paused, swallowing down the memories, pulling them out of her head but into her chest the way she had done back then. Clear mind, strong soul, future nostalgia. In the end she had worn resilience like her classmates had worn bad blush.
‘OK, so… I was bullied at school… for just about any reason. The kid with a hole in her jumper, the girl who liked to read books at lunchbreak, the ugly kid, the kid who didn’t have a dad.’ She sighed. ‘At first I wasn’t strong at all. I absorbed every hurtful remark, every jab in the ribs, every ripped page of the novel I was reading. But, then, after a while, I learned what I had to do to survive. I taught myself how to do make-up and do it great and I walked into school every day and had people look at me for a different reason than wanting to tear me down. I had something that they wanted. A skill. The ability to help them create the most powerful version of themselves too. I empowered the bullies so they didn’t feel like they had to be bullies any more. I mean… that’s good, right?’
Freya smiled. ‘I like that.’
‘I just want everyone to feel good about themselves and they can use whatever means they want to to make that happen, but I know there will be girls out there who are just like I was, and I want Mollify to be able to give them that power.’
‘And your dad’s a shit too?’ Freya asked.
‘Oh, I’ve never met him, but yes, he was an absolute shit. He’s dead now.’
‘Mine too,’ Freya said. ‘At last. Amen.’
Molly offered forward the loukoumades tray.
‘OK, Molly Adams,’ Freya said, opening the gate. ‘You’ve successfully bribed me with food and we’ve bonded over bullies, I guess you’d better come in and show me this make-up. That’s if you have some in that bag of tricks.’
‘I do,’ Molly said, nodding as she stepped forward.
‘OK, but just one thing,’ Freya said, leading the way. ‘Please don’t call Nick “Hollywood royalty”, I like to manage his ego, especially now he has a second Oscar.’
‘OK,’ Molly agreed. ‘Noted.’
‘It’s nice to meet you, Molly,’ Freya said, holding out her hand.
‘It’s nice to meet you too, Miss… Mrs Kaden?—’
Freya laughed. ‘Just call me Freya.’