Becoming Luna

6 ~ Her Unlikely Savior

She enters the conference room with a bland expression, keeping her anxiety to herself. Whatever happens now, it is all up to her performance today, and nothing must go wrong.

‘It doesn’t matter that Mr. Wolfenheim is here,’ she tells herself as she sees him sitting, not at the head of the table as she was expecting, but at the sidelines, as if he’s just there to fill in the empty seats. ‘I have prepared for this, and there’s nothing more I can do but answer the questions as honestly as I can.’

He is watching her with an equally bland expression, as if their eyes never crossed before this moment. She blinks in confusion before looking away as she hands over the USB card containing her powerpoint presentation to one of the assistants for the projector. They hand her a small remote control that she needs to press to show the next slide.

“Ms. Merrick?” The oldest gentleman seated in the middle asks as they look at her printed files. “Everything set?”

“Yes, I’m ready.”

“Very well, you may begin.”

She takes one last deep breath before stepping forward. “Good afternoon, and thank you for the opportunity. My name is Siena, and I’m here to present my plans for an adaptive fashion brand made for people with issues like mine: bodies that don’t fit the mainstream mold but who still deserve to feel powerful, beautiful, and confident enough to conquer life.”

She clicks the remote, activating the screen and the first slide containing three photos of a lady with a prosthetic leg wearing everyday clothing. Long skirt that hides both legs, a pair of stretchy pants that look bulky on one side, or specially tailored pants with a long cut on the side to accommodate a prosthetic leg.

“Fashion usually dictates who and what’s allowed to be visible. There’s adaptive fashion, but it rarely reaches beyond utility and comfort: stretchy fabric, Velcro straps, oversized silhouettes. But what if style didn’t stop at subtly hiding or accommodating things that are deemed imperfections? What if it made you feel unstoppable?”

Slide two: a woman in a wheelchair wearing a jacket with magnetic fastenings that looks like bold metal accents. Slide three: a man with one arm and a three-piece suit tailored to drape perfectly.

“My goal is to create clothes and accessories that merge accessibility with style. Magnetic closures, asymmetrical cuts, prosthetic-friendly pants, seated-fit blazers, compression-integrated leggings… our imagination’s the limit! Everything will be reimagined from the ground up. Not altered, not patched or customized only for one person… but possibly designed to fit anyone, to adjust to any shape and size, and still look great.”

She lets that sink in before the coup de grace…

“I want to do this because after I've lost my leg, it feels like the world wants me to stay low or even expects me to hide. To be invisible so that I don’t make others even slightly uncomfortable. I felt like a stranger in my own skin. A puzzle piece that could no longer fit. But the first time I wore something right, not the version the world pitied or rejected, I remembered who I was. And I want to give that back to others.”

Slide four: a projected growth plan.

“I’ve already prototyped ten designs and tested them myself, and reached out to other people online who could be target customers. Now, the next step is to secure funding for manufacturing, digital marketing, and building an accessible online storefront with virtual fitting tools. With this grant, we’ll scale production, launch our first limited line, and reach an underserved market that’s starving for representation.”

Slide five: testimonials from customers, like a mother with athetosis who can finally dress herself with ease, in the style she wants. A teenager who no longer hides her prosthetic as it now looks cooler. A nonbinary model saying, “I felt understood for the first time.”

“This isn’t just aesthetic. It’s freedom. It’s identity. It’s equity and equality sewn into every stitch. Power and dignity in one. Ladies and gentlemen, with your help, my project will redefine what it means to be fashionable. Not just despite the particularities in our bodies, but because of them.”

She steps back, eyes level, spine straight, breathing even and calm.

No need to beg or to insist. No point trying to convince them more than she has already tried. She knows the value of what she’s planning to build. Now it’s just time for the world to understand and embrace it.

The old man who sits at the very center of the panel taps his notes and leans back on his chair, studying her intently.

“Your presentation is compelling, however fashion is a tough market, and what you are proposing is highly ambitious. I need to ask…what makes your idea sustainable? Financially and environmentally speaking?”

She nods, prepared for this question.

“We will source deadstock fabrics from luxury suppliers, meaning high-quality textiles that would otherwise go to waste. Our designs will be limited-run, and some specific items will be made-to-order, which reduces overproduction and inventory waste. As for finances, we’re targeting a niche that’s chronically ignored but deeply loyal. We don’t need to compete with anyone because we’re building a brand people will look for and pay for. I don’t intend to go around chasing customers like butterflies. I will build a special garden where the butterflies and bees will come and will want to stay.”

Another board member, an elderly woman, clears her throat. “You are obviously a very driven young lady, dear, but aren’t you a little too young to handle such a big project? Do you have any fashion or business background?”

Siena meets her gaze evenly.

“I understand your concern about my age, and while it’s true that I have no prior professional experiences, I will make up for it with my determination and my willingness to learn and to succeed. We all have to start somewhere, and all I’m asking is that you give me a chance to prove myself. I have no problem working hard, but most importantly, I'm not doing this just for me, and I definitely won’t be doing this alone. I have my whole pa—family behind me. The production will be handled locally, in our territory, and as for the business side, I have already talked to an e-commerce strategist, Lou Blankett, a fellow amputee, as my advisor. As you can see, I’m building a team that reflects the people we serve.”

There’s a pause, a thoughtful hum in the room as they consider her answers.

Then another woman with silver curls asks gently:

“You talked about what this project means to you personally, and I think we can all agree that that alone is truly riveting. We appreciate that you came prepared for our questions with clear and honest answers. Is there anything else you would like to add?”

Siena takes a deep breath. “Losing my leg felt like also losing the right to feel beautiful, and I know I’m not alone in this. This project is me taking that right back. For myself. For everyone who’s ever felt a little bit…erased. Because at the end of the day, even though we’re broken, we’re still here. We survived. And survival isn’t about never breaking. It’s about choosing to stand up again. I—”

She winces as a familiar cramp nearly makes her double over in pain right there and then. Beads of sweat begin to form on her forehead, and she has to hold on to the nearest table for support. Tears also prick the corners of her eyes.

No, this can’t be! Andrew promised! And yet, there is no denying it anymore. He is betraying her again! And he could not have picked the worst moment to do it. If they think there’s something wrong with her, they might not give her the grant after all!

“Miss Merrick? Are you all right!?”

Damn it, it feels like something is stabbing her belly button and ripping her stomach apart! How could he do this to her again!? Does he really believe she’ll forgive him again after this!? Oh—!

“Miss Merrick—”

Summoning her last bit of strength, she smiles through the pain and straightens her back. “Yes, apologies. I must have eaten something that doesn’t agree with my stomach. Really, the worst timing but I'm fine—”

“I think we’ve heard everything we needed to,” a familiar voice says, and Siena watches warily as everyone turns to Mr. Wolfenheim, who is now rising from his chair and walking towards her. “I know I have. Miss Merrick, allow me to accompany you to the hotel infirmary while the board discusses your proposal.”

She would have declined his offer, but the pain is building up, and she fears that she will soon pass out, so she simply nods and takes the arm he is offering.

“Thank you…” she whispers as they are waiting for the elevator.

“He’s an idi0t for doing this to you,” he mutters as he presses the down button. “And you’d be a fool to forgive him.” He looks at her quizzically with those hypnotic eyes of his. “You don’t seem like a fool to me, Miss Merrick, and yet something tells me this isn’t the first time it has happened…so why are you still with him?”