CHAPTER FIVE — SUCCESS
Television
Madison knew what to expect. She'd done so many TV talk shows over the last twelve months they no longer daunted her. This would be a typical production, with the studio audience of fifteen to eighteen year-olds all standing in little groups around the set. When the interview got underway, they'd be close enough to touch her.
At one time that had made her nervous, claustrophobic. But after three previous appearances on The Early Breakfast she knew what to expect and enjoyed the youthful enthusiasm generated by the teenage audience. They loved her, after all. In their eyes she could do little wrong.
As soon as she and Peaches stepped out of the limo sent by the TV Company to collect them, the young blonde production assistant greeted them. With her clip board in one hand and the pair of large headphones resting around her neck, she looked every inch the professional.
"Hey girls," she cheerily said as she ushered the two women along the corridor towards the make-up room. "How's it going?"
"Wonderful, Janine," Madison replied, breaking into a smile. "Is everything under control here?"
"Oh, you know," the blonde responded, raising her eyebrows. "Running around in circles trying to make sure we catch up on the time we lost earlier. That's the problem with having a boy band as our first guests. They never know how to behave..."
"Anyone we know?" Peaches asked, pushing through the door to the familiar make-up room.
"Nah." Janine screwed up her face. "They're just out of school and think they've already made it into the big time. I'll leave you with Goldie for now. Got to get back..."
"My favourite customers," the red haired girl smiled, pulling a seat out for Madison as the production assistant departed. "It's nice to see someone normal. All I've had lately are prima donnas."
"We can do that," Peaches laughed, perching herself on the long counter beside her friend's seat. "Where's the champagne and caviar?"
Goldie grinned. "I finished it before you got here. You're on set in half an hour, so I thought I'd remove temptation. I have water though..."
"Perfect," Madison smiled as she accepted the small bottle from the girl's outstretched hand. Plenty of fluids beforehand—she'd learned that trick at her first interview. Because of the early start, she hadn't applied any make up. Besides, who needed to when this girl was such a perfectionist? "Okay, make me beautiful..."
The three laughed and then chatted for a while as Goldie performed her magic. It didn't take the redhead long to complete her task. Peaches nodded approvingly.
"Fancy doing me when Maddy's being interviewed?" she asked with a grin. The way Goldie had subtly accentuated her best friend's high cheekbones was a work of art. "Failing that we want to hire you to come to the house and do us every morning."
"I've told you before," the redhead said, glancing out of the corner of her eye as she began to brush out Madison's long black hair. "I'll do you anytime, Peaches..."
Madison rolled her eyes. Peaches and Goldie always flirted during their visits to the TV studio. Quite why it had never gone beyond that surprised her. After all, neither she nor her friend had exactly become angels over the last twelve months. Booze, drugs and sex were all part of their newfound lifestyle.
"What about me?" she teasingly asked, twisting in her seat to appraise the two young women. Other men were out of bounds since she'd met Ralph, but women were fair game...
"Yeah, Goldie! What about Maddy?" Peaches grinned, arching her eyebrows. Sitting forward, she made a show of deliberately uncrossing and then crossing her shapely legs. The short skirt rode further up her thighs. As she'd expected, both women couldn't resist checking her out.
"The whole world wants to do you, Maddy," the cute make-up girl replied, after a slight hesitation. It was as if she was unsure as to how far she could go. She was actually blushing. "And I'm no different..."
"She's unbelievable in bed," Peaches softly giggled, taking advantage of the moment. "But so am I. And its ages since we've had a threesome..."
Although the jocular atmosphere mood, there was no denying that a sexual edge had crept into the atmosphere. Before any of them had time to progress it, the sharp knock broke the brief silence.
Janine poked her head around the door. "Time to perform, Maddy. You up for it?"
"Not as much as these two," the brunette quipped, gracefully easing herself to her feet. She made her way to the door and then glanced back over her shoulder. "Be good..."
***
Perched on the high stool beside the breakfast bar, Madison was in her element. The young audience around her had cheered and applauded enthusiastically as she'd been introduced and walked onto the set. All they'd done so far was to get the formalities out of the way and yet they were already in a positive mood.
"It's been an unreal year," she agreed, in answer to Pete Thomson's first question.
The long-haired young interviewer had become well known on both television and radio, scoring highly with his zany, irreverent sense of humour. He was incredibly popular with the younger generation. The short spell he'd spent in prison for drug related offences had also, curiously, helped him establish a cult following. Pete Thomson didn't much care for 'the establishment'. It was another reason why the kids loved him.
"It's been a dream come true," she continued, smiling contentedly at the young audience around her. "Sometimes I need to pinch myself."
"Madison Cooper needs to pinch herself," Thomson quipped, looking around the small studio. "Hands up who'd like to help..."
Another cheer went up.
"See me later," Madison grinned at the youngsters. "But seriously, Pete, it was only twelve months ago today that I spent a night in a prison cell..."
"I know all about that sort of thing," Thomson said, nodding at the audience. His criminal background was well known. More cheers.
Madison laughed at the interviewer. "And here I am, twelve months later, appearing on your wonderful programme again. Like I said, it's unreal."
"Okay," Thomson said, tapping his knee with his cue cards. "Let's review the year. First, there's been the glamour modelling. You're now the UK's best known model. More so than Kelly Brook, Gemma Atkinson, Keeley Hazel, Louise Glover, Lucy Pinder—as much as we love all of those babes."
"They're all wonderful..." Madison began, but Thomson was warming to his theme.
"No false modesty, please." He turned to the young audience and held out his hands, as if asking for agreement. It brought another round of cheers. "There," he told her, nodding in confirmation. "It's official. You've recently launched a new lingerie range..."
"I'm very proud of that."
"And so you should be," Thomson acknowledged. He turned to the audience again. "Hands up anyone who's wearing something from the Madison range..."
The brunette giggled as a good portion of the audience raised an arm.