A New Day
Chapter 27: A New Day
“Mrs. Ira!”
Ira smiled her gums brightly at Dao as she approached the receptionist desk, flashing her bags of food she had brought for the office.
It was Thursday and she finally had time to stop by Tawan’s job, but not to take her out to lunch, unfortunately. The last few days flew by like a blur for her between the makeup presentation at the mall and shooting the skincare commercial yesterday. Ira had wanted to take Tawan out for lunch this week to unwind and celebrate, but her schedule had gotten really busy from some other important factors after her scheduled work.
Two major events had now changed the pace of the trajectory in which Ira’s career was headed towards.
Meena had posted her celebratory Instagram pictures Monday night for the closing of the summer issue, so her over 60,000 followers made it go viral overnight for one particular picture. It was the picture of Tawan and Ira seated on the lawn chair and watching their children. Soon, reposts and shares across other social media sites saw an engagement of over 300,000 which made Meena’s eyes bulge out of their sockets.
All of the posts centered around how beautiful, gorgeous, lovely, perfect, and exemplary the couple looked along with the sweet and adoring caption from Meena about them watching their twins play around their yard. A very random, uneventful photo turned into an overnight sensation even if it may be for a brief moment.
But that was not to be because some people recognized that Ira was the face that they had been seeing around town for advertisements over the last year which really boosted the engagement as people became curious about her and her personal life now. And once those in the know of fashion recognized Ira from walking the runway in Paris, one of the few representations of Thai beauty there, engagement skyrocketed. Immediately, Meena knew she had to be the one to share this with them the next day.
Tawan’s eyebrows were in her hairline as she looked at Meena scroll through her iPad at lightning speed as she thrusted it into her face to show her all the metrics. The younger woman was practically rambling at the speed of light while Tawan was still stuck at the beginning of her wife being the talk around the country for the last 24 hours. The sudden popularity, though she had predicted this but did not expect it so soon, was starting to overwhelm her at what it could mean and bring.
She thought about Ira and how this could change their lives.
People were fawning over them and their family, curious about the married, lovely, beautiful lesbian couple with two small children that seemed to somehow stay under the radar in the world of fashion despite being professionals in it. Though Ira wanted to make her Instagram public under much less eyes and potential scrutiny, she realized that it was now or never. No matter if she waited for things to die down or not, the inevitable was still the inevitable.
She would be careful about what she posted when it came to her personal life so it would remain safe from the negatives of any amount of fame, but she would also share certain parts of her personal life because it was a story that needed to be told and represented. This saw to a large follower increase to her Instagram account - going from a little over 20,000 to now over 130,000 - once she made it public and verified.
For Tawan, all she cared about was Ira’s feelings and safety because she knew from her work alone just from writing about the industry how unrelenting and unforgiving the industry and fandoms could be if you did not toe a specific line. Ira did not deserve that kind of pressure when all she wanted to do was spread her wings and have fun while providing for their family. Popularity was never on her radar, but she also had a propensity to attract it and she never faltered in how she adapted to it.
It was how Ira was able to secure the second big thing...
In a couple of hours, she had a meeting with Versace to discuss her modeling their new fall line and other potential future work.
Mali was quickly becoming a master negotiator at closing deals due to her experience of working with celebrities to heavily lean on. It allowed her to navigate and traverse the world of fashion similarly, and she was becoming more confident to secure the major deals every time she closed the smaller deals. Ira’s star was rising, much quicker than they had anticipated, but they were prepared for it nevertheless.
Ira and Mali knew that if an opportunity presented itself and they did not pounce on it then they may have missed the chance to propel her career.
“Thailand’s face for Versace,” Dao smiled motherly, a pride shining in her eyes. She stood to come around her desk to hug Ira and take the bags from her.
“Auntie,” Ira said dismissively, mostly playful. “I see word travels fast around here.”
“It is a fashion magazine,” she laughed and set the bags down on her counter. “And you are the boss’ wife.”
Ira laughed shyly and stepped to the counter as Dao rounded the corner to take her seat again.
As she started to rest into her spot to wait on Tawan to head her way after Dao called her office phone, some of the younger members of the team rushed to her. Ira smiled as she turned to them to accept their congratulations and tell them some details that she was able to share. One of the girls was actually at the makeup presentation at the mall on her lunch break and praised her beauty which Ira blushed shyly under.
“What celebrity has graced our presence?” Meena asked jokingly as she approached them.
“Silly,” Ira chuckled and rolled her eyes.
“Alright, alright. Back to work, everyone,” Meena laughed and shooed them away.
“I still don’t know how I’m going to thank you for what your post did for my work,” Ira said as she hugged her in greeting.
“Just a regular day at the office,” Meena replied and waved her off.
“Mali will be in contact soon,” Ira countered and walked them back over to Dao. She had told her manager to compensate Meena for her assistance even though it was not planned.
“Ira,” Meena playfully warned.
“I told you I wanted you on retainer for social media,” she reminded her and tapped her shoulder.
“You and Tawan have been more than kind and generous with me ever since I arrived here. Please just take this one as a gift,” Meena practically begged.
“No,” Ira deadpanned and playfully frowned at her. “We told you that you are family.”
“Don’t argue with Mrs. Ira, Ms. Meena,” Dao warned motherly, eyeing her a bit sternly.
Meena grimaced and raised her hands up in defeat which made Ira snicker in triumph. Dao smiled as she went back to her computer to send a few emails before standing to take the food to the conference room to set out for the office.
Ira turned back to Meena and told her about her upcoming meeting to which Meena offered a few pointers she had learned from some friends who were also models across the globe. She told Ira she had nothing to worry about since she had already secured the meeting for negotiations and other formalities.
Ira smiled as she watched her talk animatedly, her confidence starting to build at the assurance Meena’s expertise offered.
“Hey, you.”
Ira looked up and over Meena’s shoulder to Tawan approaching her with her eye whisker smile. She stood straight and opened her arms to her as she met her for a strong hug. With Ira having been so busy the last few days, they felt like they were constantly on the go between work and their children. So every time they had a moment to be together, no matter how briefly, they pounced on it to take advantage.
Since Ira had to be in the area for her meeting today, she wanted to stop by to give Tawan and her team some encouragement in the form of food.
“Are you headed to your meeting?” Tawan asked when they pulled apart a bit.
“Not yet,” Ira smiled and gave her a quick kiss. “I have a few more hours so I wanted to bring you guys some snacks.”
“Thank you, baby,” Tawan smiled and pecked her lips.
Ira untangled herself from their embrace to grab her hand to lead them back over to Meena who was watching them like heart bubbles were popping around her head. They both laughed at her and she stood back straight to continue their conversation from earlier.
Dao came out of the conference room to announce to the office that snacks were prepared and ready for them before raising a hand towards Ira to thank her on everyone’s behalf. The team turned to her and thanked her as they stood to go grab themselves something.
“Do you want to join?” Tawan asked as she turned back to her wife.
Ira shook her head and smiled. “That’s all for you guys,” she replied to her sweetly.
“Thanks for the snacks, Ira,” Meena said and hugged her tightly. “And good luck at your meeting not that you need it. I can’t wait to hear how it goes and what’s planned for you.”
“Thank you, sis,” Ira smiled appreciatively and winked at her.
Meena waved to her as she backed away to head to the conference room to satisfy her growling stomach. Tawan watched as Ira watched her leave before shaking their laced together hands to get her attention. Ira looked to her and smiled a little shyly, her wife’s dazzling eyes and piercing stare making her body flush under the intensity.
People did not know who had more power over the other. Both women looked at each other without the other knowing as if nothing else mattered or existed for them in that moment.
“How are you feeling?” Tawan asked, gently forcing her to turn to her and rubbing her arms.
Ira sighed, smiling at her in thanks. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous. We already closed the deal and this is just formalities,” she said and blew out a breath.
“Butterflies,” Tawan reminded with a sweet smile.
Ira remembered and slowly started to smile. “Butterflies,” she repeated back, a little lighter on her toes.
Tawan winked and moved her hands down her arms to hold her hands to give her more encouragement through her touch.
She knew how important skinship was to Ira, their typical touch being Ira linking her arms with hers to hold or slide down to hold hands and play with her fingers. When Tawan was at a work function and Ira was by her side, Ira would hold her around her waist with her hand either cupping her hip bone or resting in the space between her left or right lower back and tail bone. Ira would zone out unless it was something she could add to the conversation.
“I feel better now,” Ira said, exhaling a deep breath.
“Are you happy?” Tawan asked, gently tucking some hair behind her ear.
“Very happy,” Ira answered, smiling honestly.
Tawan leaned over and pecked her lips before pulling back to ask her about her plans for the rest of the day.
Ira could not wait for the meeting to be over because she will have her first day off tomorrow after having worked so many hours over the last few days that almost amounted to three days of regular work hours. She did not realize shooting a skincare commercial could be so demanding and time consuming even after having shot a commercial last year for a snack brand that required so much less time. Tawan could sense this and she promised her that she would take them out to dinner tomorrow, just the two of them, to celebrate and unwind.
“I should go,” Ira said and pouted her lips at her. “I don’t want to say goodbye, though.”
“I’ll make up for it tomorrow night,” Tawan promised and smiled as she enclosed her in a hug around her shoulders.
“Chocolate cake, too?” Ira asked, wrapping her arms up her back.
“Yes, chocolate cake,” Tawan chuckled and kissed her temple. “I love you. Have fun at your meeting. Remember - the hard part’s over.”
Ira smiled in their embrace and turned to her to put her nose in her neck to inhale her, rocking them a bit. It tickled and Tawan squirmed which made her laugh and try to attack her neck with kisses.
“I’ll text you when I’m done,” Ira promised and kissed her.
“One more,” Tawan said and grabbed her face to give her a real kiss. Since they were the only ones in the office while everyone snacked in the conference room, she took advantage of being more public with her displays of affection.
Ira laughed against her lips before placing her hand on her jaw to turn her head and deepen it. Tawan felt a rush from the tips of her toes to the top of her head that made her stomach somersault. Ira slowed them down and pulled back to look at her, a flirty smile on her lips as she caressed her jaw with her thumb and watched her slowly open her eyes.
Tawan let out a breath that came from deep in her stomach as her eyes settled on Ira biting her bottom lip in her sultry way.
“You need to go or else we’re going to the car to finish this,” Tawan half growled, her arousal and lust darkening her eyes.
“I still have time,” Ira challenged, her mouth slightly open and her tongue pressing into her top teeth.
“Ira,” Tawan groaned, leaning back down for more.
“OMG! Get a room!”
Ira squeaked and pushed Tawan away by her chest, looking over her shoulder to the back where the sound came from.
Meena and some of the team members were standing by the door of the conference room jokingly pretending that they were sick and throwing up. Tawan turned her head and looked at them in confusion, not understanding why they were being weird as her mind was still swimming in her wife’s kiss. It made Ira laugh because once again, and in true fashion, her wife was lost in translation as to what they were making fun of.
Then again Tawan’s mind was still on Ira sitting on her lap in the Audi or Escalade while they made out like two sneaky teenagers.
“I definitely need to go now,” Ira mumbled to herself embarrassedly, holding onto Tawan’s collar now.
“Weirdos,” Tawan muttered to herself and turned back to her wife. “I love you. Call me if you need anything.”
Ira nodded and winked to her as she leaned to her again. “I love you and I will. Enjoy the rest of your day,” she said and pecked her lips a few times. She swiped her thumb with care expertly across her lips to clean them some before stepping back.
Tawan nodded and waved at her as she watched her exit the office and head to the elevators to head back down to her car. She turned on her heel to head to the conference room for a snack, playfully swinging her elbow at Meena and the team members that were teasing her a moment ago.
Ira looked up to the elevator screen to see what floor the lift was at then looked at her watch for the time. Her anxiety for the meeting had quickly and suddenly subsided now that she had talked to Tawan, her confidence, support, and unwavering love calming her nerves down. She was also glad that she and Mali had decided to meet up at a coffee shop a few blocks from the office they were headed to, to meet Versace to grab a drink first.
Ira suddenly felt someone’s presence swoop next to her, a foreboding feeling swelling deep in the pits of her stomach. She looked up and stared straight ahead, a determined and hard look on her face, and braced herself for impact.
“Can we talk?”