Rachel stood alone in the airport waiting to board her plane home. She never liked when the guys waited with her, it only made leaving more difficult. She wished Adam could come home with her, but what was the use when there was a house show a town over the next night.
She walked around lost in thought, thinking of the small company her and her two friends had formed. Even though she was free lance, she wanted to make a name for them. Rachel had decided just lately that she would lend herself out to a few different places, and hopefully get more work.
An hour into flight, she called Richard her editor. Flying made her nervous. "Have I gotten any calls while I've been gone?" She said, when she heard his voice.
"Hi Richard, how are you? I am fine thanks." Richard says laughing.
"Oh sorry, hi. You know how I get when I fly. Talk to me." Rachel says with a chuckle. She stared out the window, and then pulled the blind down.
"Well, on the news today there was this plane that..." He says starting to laugh.
"RICH!! STOP! Don't do that to me.. " Rachel said as she sunk down in her seat.
"Tell me of any new projects or something. Ask me a question.."
"Ok, I'll ask something. How is Adam...your brothers? Anything new and interesting happen while you were in Chicago?? Ok, is that enough questions, because I can't think of anything else." Rich says as he nibbles on an eraser.
The rest of the plane trip went by like a breeze for Rachel, as the two of them talked until her plane touched down in Tampa. By the time Rich and Rachel met up together, Rich knew everything about the woman being beaten.
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Michelle looked around at Paul Whites house. She still could not get over how huge the house was. Ten bedrooms, and only two were being used. Paul had let her chose her room, and it was a beautiful wine red room with a Medeval motif(sp). He said he would let her stay until she was back on her feet. Whenever that was, she thought. She'd find a job in Tampa sooner or later, and pay him back for all his kindness.
She wondered around the house, and looked out at the patio and pool through the sliding glass door. It was a Friday night, it was ashame that she had nothing to do. She had no idea on where to go. If only Beth were there, she thought.
She dialed Beths phone number, hoping she would answer. It only rang, not even the machine picked up this time. She sighed and returned the phone to the cradle. The phone rang as soon as it hit. She let the answering machine pick it up.
"Michelle, are you there?? If so, pick up." Chris' voice said over the machine.
"Hi." She said to him, wondering why he had called her.
"Hey girl, whats up!" Chris asked her.
"I'm bored. I've been wondering around the house like a zombie." Michelle said and started to laugh.
"Well, I am here to save the day.. Be ready in an hour, you are going out with us tonight." Chris said, hoping Michelle wouldn't back out.
"Who all is going?" Michelle asks, as her eyes wonder around the room looking at all the pictures of Pauls family.
"Well, my girlfriend and I is all I know." He says quietly.
Michelle thinks for a moment, and then agrees to be ready in an hour. She was ready to have fun for once, without some bastard watching her every move.
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Rachel grumbles as the alarm goes off, reminding her it is Saturday Morning. She rolls over, and finds Adam fills the other side of the bed. She looked up, with hair in face, and smiles at the semi sleeping Adam.
"Hey baby, I didn't want to wake up last night when I got into bed." He said with a smile.
"Did you have anything planned for today?" Rachel asked him as she crawled on top of him and kissed his chest.
He pulled her up so they were face to face, and kissed her. "I think I had plans to stay in bed all day." He said, and flashed a melting grin at her.
She laughs and then starts to nibble on his bottom lip.
"I'm so glad you're home." Rachel says, as Adam kisses her neck.
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Beth stares at her computer comprehending nothing she had just read. The thought of Michelle calling her intrigued her.
"Beth? Earth to Beth, aliens have landed!" Trendi, her roommate, says as she snaps a finger in front of Beth.
Beth jumps and stares at Trendi. "HUH?"
"Are you studying?? Studying on a Saturday night? And some girl called for you earlier..." Trendi said, but was interupted by Beth.
"Michelle?" Beth asked her.
"Yeah, thats the one. Are you going to call her back? She's called a dozen times." Trendi says, and hands her the phone.
"I haven't made up my mind yet." Beth responds, and turns off her computer. She sits the phone down, and decides to go out with Trendi. Why not, it was Saturday night.
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Michelle had made quite a friend in Chris. Ever since that night almost a week ago they had met. She had had fun at the club the night before, that was for sure.
"Hello?" A female voice said in the reciever.
"Hey, Jess...is Chris home?" Michelle asks.
"Hold on." Jess literally drops the phone, making a loud popping noise."Damn it, you should have gotten the phone Chris, it's always for you!!
Michelle could hear Jess yelling at Chris in the background as he answered the phone.
"Hello?" Chris said as he answered the phone.
"Should I call back, I think I called at a bad time." Michelle said, ready to hang up.
"It wouldn't help to call back later, she's in a pissy mood. She'll always be in a pissy mood. Whats up?" Chris said laughing.
"Well, I keep calling Beth, no answer. Except that one time, where I guess it was her roommate. But still, that was not Beth. My funds are low, and of course Shawn cancelled all our joint cards.. I was stupid, wasn't I. I need a job, and I can't stay at Pauls forever. He needs his privacy. I need a job, so I don't feel like such a mooch." Michelle says to Chris all in one breath.
"Woah, slow down. I know where I can get you a job. But, I gotta get out of this house, before her head explodes." Chris says, as he listens to Jess bitch and talks on the phone at the same time.
"OH thank you. I don't mean to dump everything on you. It's just that..well, you know." Michelle stumbles for words.
"I know." Chris says laughing. "Don't worry about it. Look, I gotta run, we'll talk later. He says, as he stares at Jess.
Michelle hung up the phone, only to dial another number. Beths number was busy. She decided to go for a swim in Pauls pool. She sure did like the winter weather in Tampa. There was no winter.
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Beth listened to Shawn and Michelle's answering machine, wondering what was up with her calling. What was Michelle so despirite to talk to her about? The phone rang and rang.. What could she be doing on a Sunday? Well, it was a nice day in Seattle, she decided to go for a drive.
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Shawn raced over to the phone a little too late. Beth? What was she doing calling here?? Michelle must have gotten ahold of her, and Beth was going to reem him. He laughed to himself.
"Shawn?" a womans voice says. "Come back to bed."
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Rachel sat with her head on her desk. Why were Tuesdays the busiest days at the office? The little place she owned seemed like it was cluttered with papers. She was beginning to wonder if she had bitten off more than she could chew. They had recieved more phone calls than she expected while she was gone, and she had to pick and choose what magazines she would do articles for. What she needed to spice things up was a photographer. But not just any photographer.
There was one more journalist, and that was Merigold. Even with the two of them, the workload was a little bit much.. Rachel really had to decide to drop things, or else fall really behind. She did put an add in the paper, she hoped it would be answered soon.
"Rachel!! Geez where are you?? I have been talking to you for the past five minutes." Rich said as he dropped a book on her desk to snap her out of her thoughts.
She ran a hand through her long dark hair and stared at him. "Look, my hair is falling out!! I am stressing is all." She says and throws a few strands of hair in the waste basket.
" I was going to ask you something, but nevermind." He says, as he starts to walk away.
"I hate when you do that!! What...what ...what." She yells to his back.
The phone rings.
"Ah, saved by the bell." He says, and turns and shots a rubberband at Rachel.
"OHhhh hi Adam." Rachel sticks out her tongue at Rich, he missed her by a foot.
"Hey sweet lady. I know of someone that you could add to your little company. Has anyone answered your add yet??" Adam asked Rachel.
"No, go on." Rachel said, hoping Adam was really bringing her some good news.
"Michelle. Chris said Michelle needed a job. Even though she hasn't done anything professional, she needs a job. I think she might do good. She wants to prove herself.. and you need the help honey." Adam says sweetly.
"Yeah...thanks for calling me about this.. I sure have been stressing about everything. I will give her a call. Do you have Pauls phone number?" Rachel asks, as Adam recites a phone number to her slowly. "So how are things out there?? How are my boys?"
"The usual. Jeff late... Matt in hiding." Adam laughs. "We tell them not to go big, but that is like telling Chris not to do the Walls."
"Give them big hugs for me.. Adam, are you sure this is the right number?" Rachel asks..
"Sure babe." Adam says smiling on the other end.
"OK..gotta get busy now. Call me later." Rachel says as she hangs up. She dials the number and is shocked to hear Paul answer the phone. "Paul??" She says to him in shock.
She hears laughter on the phone, and Adams voice in the background.
"Rach, I just had to do that.." Adam says laughing. "I had to hear your voice one more time today."
"Addaaam.. " Rachel says laughing.. "Hmmm maybe I should ask Paul about her.. see what he thinks.. like a referance."
"Good idea." Adam says and hands Paul back his phone.
"HI there... whats up?" Paul asks Rachel.
"Can you tell me what you know of Michelle?" Rachel asked him as she is hit in the chest with a rubberband.
"Well, she is quiet. But not a sneaky quiet. She's real nice and very helpful around the house." Paul says " Thats all i have seen really in a week.. I think you could trust this one."
"Thanks Paul.. you think I could talk to Adam one last time." Rachel pleads with Paul.
"Rach??" Adam says as he gets back on the phone. he gives her the right number and they hang up.
Rachel shoots a rubberband at Rich and hits him in the middle of the forehead. Rich falls to the floor and lays there.
Rachel calls Pauls phone number to his house in Tampa, and Michelle answers the phone.
"Hello?" Michelles voice says on the phone.
"Hi, Michelle, this is Rachel. Do you remember me?" Rachel asks.
"Hey, yeah.. whats up?" Michelle asks, wondering what she called her for.
"I heard you were looking for a job... and I have a postion that needs to be filled. We sure could use your help here. Are you up for it? A little photograpy here, a little writing there." Rachel says to her.
"AM I up for it??" Michelle starts to laugh. "Thank you thank you... "
"I guess that's a yes??" Rachel says laughing..
"Yes, oh yes." Michelle says laughing and dancing in circles.
Rachel and Michelle talk a few more minutes, and then Rachel hangs up. Rachel puts her head on the table in relief and then looks back up in time for a rubberband to hit her in the nose.
"RICH, you're dead meat!!" Rachel says laughing.
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"Thank you Chris!!" Michelle yells and dances around the pool. She had to find a way to thank him personally.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
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