"Thank God your back, hell broke loose when you went to Paris!" Geena Johnson, Cari's secretary, said when she saw Cari walk in her office.
Cari laughed, "I missed you too Geena. What has been happening lately?"
Setting down Cari's usual coffee and copy of the Times at her massive desk, "Well, you've got about a million calls, about 2
dozen meeting scheduled which are all very urgent, an estimated 4 really, really important transactions from Armani, Valentino,
Ralph Laurent, who I must say is an SOB, and Gucci. Tom Ford's secretary also called about five minutes before you came in."
Genna said."
Cari sighed, "Anything else?"
"Oh yeah, now that I remember a Ms. Bobbie Jean Carter called yesterday saying that she had an appointment with you tomorrow,
should I start listing down your appointments?" Geena asked.
Cari sighed, "Oh yeah, I totally forgot! Tell Brooke that she has to squeeze another photo shoot for Ms. Carter but before
that I need to talk to her about something. Call her back and tell her that she's scheduled at 3:00 in the afternoon, sharp."
Cari paused, shaking her head, "I shouldn't have took that vacation."
"It wasn't even a vacation!" Geena said.
"I guess so, uuummmmmm, let's see" Cari said absently as she flipped her planner, "I need the schedule for my meetings. Are
they fixed? I don't want them to be conflicting with my transactions and important shoots."
"Here they are." Genna said handing her a very thick envelope. The phone rang.
"Le' Internationale Modeling Agency, Carissa Sanders office," Geena greeted.
"Good Morning, um, this Bobbie Jean Carter, may I speak with Ms. Sanders, please." the caller said.
"Hold on, please." pushing the intercom button, "Ms. Sanders, Ms. Carter is on line one."
"Carissa Sanders," Cari greeted.
"Good Morning Ms. Sanders, this is BJ Carter. I understand from your secretary that my photoshoot was rescheduled?" BJ asked.
"Yes it was, tomorow afternoon at 3:00, sharp. Your our model for Calvin Klein, am I right?" Cari asked while scribbling notes
on her file.
"Yes. And my brother Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys need to confirm their schedule for another Milk Ad." BJ inquired.
"I need to transfer you to my secretary since she handles my schedule. By the way Ms. Carter, I will need to see you before
your photoshoot tomorrow so you need to be here before 3:00." Cari said.
"Okay, thank you Ms. Sanders."
Cari replaced the reciever and sighed. "This is going to be one helluva day!"
Cari was leaning on her desk, taking a quick nap, when all of a sudden,
"Ms. Sanders, Ms. BJ Carter is already here, shall I let her in?" the loud internet buzzed in.
Cari jerked awake, pushing the intercom button, "Let her in, in three minutes." she said. Giving her hair and clothes some
semblace, she thought about the last part of the dream she had while taking a nap,
"Remember your promise Cari, don't let me down, promise me Cari, don't forget..." Cheryl said.
"I haven't forgotten mama, I don't think I will ever forget it. I won't let you down, I promise." Cari answered sleepily.
Saying to herself, "I won't forget it, I promise."
"Promise what, Ms. Sanders?" a voice said.
Startled, Cari turned around, "Oh, I'm sorry, I was talking to myself. I'm not a weirdo or anything. You must be Bobbie Jean
Carter."
Now it was BJ's turn to get startled, when Cari inquired why, BJ said, "Well, this is the first time I really saw you upclose
and you look really young." she smiled
Cari smiled, "I think we're near the same age, your 18 right? I'm 20."
"Bobbie Jean," Cari started
"Please call me BJ, it's easier" BJ said.
"BJ, let's see," Cari was flipping her files, "I called you up here because LIMPA sort of has a shortage of models in the GAP
and I saw your records and it was quite impressive." BJ blushed. "I think your just the right girl to fill up that shortage,
would you like to take the job?" Cari asked.
"I love modeling, i will take it." BJ said excited.
"Some of your shoots will be held in our office in Paris though so you will need your parents signiture. I will need it by
tomorrow." Cari said, smiling at the girl's enthusiasm. "Well, that's about everything before your shoot. Let's see, I'll be
free tomorrow at lunch, would you like to go to lunch with me to discuss the contract?"
"Yeah sure. Thanks for everything Ms. Sanders." BJ said.
"Call me Cari, please. It's kinda uncomfortable to be called "Ms. Sanders" by a girl near your age." she smiled.
The intercom buzzed, "Ms. Sanders, Ms. Donahue said that she would be needing you at the Backstreet Boys' Milk Ad shoot,
there is something she has to report to you. It's important and urgent." Geena said.
"Time?" Cari asked.
"After Ms. Carter's shoot." Geena replied.
"Okay, tell Brooke I'll be there. Thanks Geena." Cari said.
Turning to BJ, "Looks like I'll be going down with you at the shoot. Oh, isn't one of the Backstreet Boys' your brother? I
remembered you mentioned that yesterday."
"Yeah, that would be Nick. You can't miss him, he's the six-one foot tall blond guy in the group. He came here with me." BJ
answered.
"Oh BJ, would you wait for a second, I need to change my clothes." Cari said.
"Change? For what?"
"It's hot at the studio and it's easier to move with comfortable clothes than what I'm wearing now." looking down at her dark
green Versace pants suit.
"Sure."
"Now you look like my teenage friends back home." BJ said.
Cari smiled, picking up her planner and cellphone, "I look now my age, don't I? C'mon, we'll be late."
Cari waved "bye" to Geena, while the girls talked non-stop to the studio located at the seventh to tenth floor.
Inside the tall modern silver building which house Le' Internationale Modeling
and Photo Agency in Miami, Florida, Cari Sanders walked into her massive office, at the 24th floor, which was filled with antiques dating from the 18th
century, in a black Chanel suit carrying her Louis Viutton briefcase.
2:30 p.m., the next Day...
The day was very busy as it is, unaware to Cari, this was the day that would change th course of her
life.
A moment later...
Cari emerged from her office's private bathroom wearing bootlegs, a white tank top and black suede boots.
Her hair tumbling down her back instead of the tight chignon she was wearing earlier.
