Comission.

Posted on Sat Jul 15th, 2023 @ 1:06am by Cecilia Hjördis & Olivia Carlyle

1,177 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.
Location: Promenade.

Olivia walked past the glassworks several times over the course of an hour to get a feel for just how the proprietor of that establishment did business. Each time she did, there were subtle but elegant changes in the window display. There was a tiny sign in the window with opening hours and a smaller sign in fancy calligraphy that said customer requests welcome please come in.

In the windows, were an array of various types of glass work. Everything from blown and pressed glass to intricate mosaics and stained glass. It was the latter that drew Olivia's attention. Olivia was filled with visions of the alcoves leading up to the Nautilus being filled with backlit stained glass pieces. The lights could emulate water, if she set them up right. That had not been what she'd initially thought she would want there, having visions of sculptural pieces in her minds eye. But, now that she had thought of it she could think of nothing else.

"Custom requests available, please come in" The spa owner read yet again, this time reading it aloud, drawing a look from another patron of the promenade. "I can take a hint"

She came in.

A brightly colored button-down plaid shirt hung over the back of a chair indicating that someone was manning the shop. There had been a tiny bell that rang in a bright tinny, tinkling fashion from the back of the store.A tiny whoosh of air displacement lead Olivia to the back of the shop where a woman with bright blonde hair was bent over a tiny blue flame. She applied the flame to a cane, that had a lump of glass at the end. Another tiny woosh escaped the flame head nozzle.. "welcome " the blonde said without looking up "can I help you with something?".

"Yes, I rather think you can. When you're finished of course. I'm intrigued to see the final product of what you are doing." She was fully entranced by the globe of glass that the artist was fashioning.

"You won't, at least not today.". She quipped before explaining "it's got to cool and cure for a while before it can be removed from the mandrel without breaking." The blonde grinned brightly at her customer. "If you want to see what this will look like I have several cooled beads on a piece of black velvet on the counter just there." Cecilia indicated with her chin where they were.

"May I handle them?"

"Sure, just don't drop them."

Olivia picked up a bead the size of her thumbnail and admired it before raising it to the light. It shone from the inside as a ribbon of what she could only describe as glitter wound through the round. The others were similar, the only alteration being the color of the glass in the center. This one she held happened to be green, yellow and gold glitter. "This one is lovely. I love the sparkle in the center"

"Thanks! I love glitter. " Pausing a moment she chuckled "That sounds childish doesn't it?"

"Not overly, when you do the work you do. Is your sign accurate?"

"Which one?"

"The commission one?"

"Yes, definitely!"

It was then that the blonde was fully focused on the other woman in her studio. "All right, You definitely have my attention. Explain to me exactly what you're looking for."

"Well, I am Olivia Carlyle, the owner of the Nautilus Spa, and while I built the thing from the ground up there are a bunch of alcoves with lights along the outside that needs something more than what they have. I hadn't figured out what I wanted to put in there until I walked by your shop. Your studio, forgive me."

Cecilia nodded in acceptance of the apology and the subtle compliment to her combined space, and didn't speak waiting for the woman to go on.

After a breath Olivia continued, I have obviously a sort of Greek ocean theme going on there, most of the interior design is based upon that sort of architecture. Blue and green tiles, white stone, big shade trees for hiding people from public view. You know, that sort of thing. If you look at it from above it's a giant Nautalis shell. I'd like some backlit stained glass, with various water scenes without being too over the top. Do you think you can do that?". Carlyle had barely taken a breath through the whole explanation.

"Oh I do. I do indeed, how do you feel about the Nautilus shell taking up a part of each one so that it ties the whole project together?"

"Oh that's a clever idea."

"It would probably be the base...A focal point where I would attach everything together. That would give you visual appeal and memory of the Nautilus itself and a little filigree-like thing and then...hmm. ". Cecilia tapped her lips with a stylus and then chuckled to herself. It's wasn't every day one got a major contract like this, and she was determined to enjoy every second of it. " I'll need to take measurements of your alcoves, are they all universally sized?"

"I think so, but you can't quote me on that. I didn't do the building just the design work. Though I did get my hands dirty I'm not responsible for that but of it.". Olivia beamed at her, remembering the filthy state she'd gotten herself in. She'd had to scrape clay out of her nails for days. She would not however have traded it for anything, part of her greatest accomplishment was the fact that she'd gotten her hands dirty in building the spa.

"All right, well I will make some sketches so you know the sort of thing that I mean. And then I'll get started. " It was clear from her expression that ideas were whirling. She had this idea that maybe it could be a two-fold design...With the Nautilus shell in front and a back panel depicting some sort of oceanic scene from the various oceans of the universe behind. She wasn't limited to just Earth's oceans she knew, and some of the other oceans also contained diverse and beautiful life. " I will have to order supplies, before I can get started on this. Since it's custom work I usually do a split payment half beforehand so that I can order appropriately and then half upon delivery is that acceptable?"

"Oh absolutely."

"Good. You have until I start work on that panel, to change any of the designs that I give you. If you don't like something, tell me. If you want to change something tell me. I'm not going to be offended if you tell me. But if you don't tell me and you don't like it that's not my fault. I'm not a mind reader."

"I'll be an open book I promise.".

The two women shook hands, cementing the contract. She would have something drawn up on paper later, once she figured out what she was going to be doing for the Spa.

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