Title:BELIEVING IN LOVE - Chapter 18 Author: Gumby [ Send a Private Message ]
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Copyright: Gumby Content Rating: PG Disclaimer: The story and a few characters are mine, the rest belong to IC. Author's Note:
Hey everyone,
First let me take a moment to congratulate the fanfic award winners. There is a lot of talent on the site and I feel blessed to have the chance to enjoy such great writing.
Now, I did finish the Harry Potter book and it was amazing as always! I had it done within 24 hours because I just couldn't put it down. However, I am painting as well, so I took a day to do that.
This story, as you can tell from this chapter, is coming to an end soon. However, for a while now, some people have asked me to write a sequel to On Center Stage and I want to say it has not fallen on deaf ears. After the next few chapters are wrapped up here, I will be taking that on for some humor! I hope you'll enjoy some of the ideas I've already come up with.
To those that support this story and myself through reading, commenting, or PM'g me, thank you so much for your support. It means A LOT!
Proofie - yep I changed your name to hide the not so innocent! Thanks...I'm lucky to have ya!
Summary: Tina's research discovers Megan's secrets.... Total Views: 3110 times.
Monday mornings in the Kennard-Porter household were usually a comedy of errors given that it was the ceremonious beginning of a new, often hectic, workweek. This morning, unfortunately, was no different as all three Kennard-Porter women scrambled to begin their day on time.
"I don't have time to wait!" Tina yelled in the direction of her bedroom as she packed her briefcase for work.
"Go then," Bette yelled back as she slipped a simple black t-shirt on and searched for her shoes. "I'll drop her off at school."
Angelica remained quiet knowing that it was in her best interest to not provoke further annoyance within her mothers. She patiently waited by the front door for whichever one of them would eventually announce themselves as her transportation to school.
"Remember Angelica," Tina looked up from her briefcase while she spoke to her daughter. "You will come straight home from school. You have no more social life for at least the near future and perhaps beyond depending on our conversation tonight."
"Yes Mom," Angelica mumbled without maintaining eye contact.
Bette came barreling down the hallway, grabbing her purse on the kitchen table and headed toward the front door.
"Are you coming with me?" Bette asked Angelica.
"I guess," Angelica said sheepishly unsure of what the correct answer should be. "I'm ready when you are."
"Then let's go," Bette walked back up to Tina and placed a hurried kiss on her lips before leaving.
"I have a dinner meeting," Tina reminded her.
"I'll be here then."
Bette walked out the door with Angelica following close behind in silence. Tina waited until she heard Bette's car come to life before she slipped her cell phone from her back pocket and scrolled through the recent calls. She placed her briefcase on one shoulder and grabbed her purse as she balanced her phone between her ear and shoulder. When her assistant picked up, a smile crossed Tina's face at the sound of her voice.
"It's me," Tina said expecting her faithful employee would recognize her voice. "I need a favor Stacy. I need you to clear my schedule for the morning."
"Will you be in and just not available for the masses?"
"Something like that," Tina confirmed. "I'll be in the building in about 20 minutes, but I need some time this morning to pay some departments a visit."
"Anyone I need to alert that you'll be coming?"
"No," Tina smiled. "I want to keep things casual. I also need to talk to Helena some time this afternoon so see if you can squeeze me into her schedule."
"I'll make sure it's done," Stacy confirmed before hanging up and quickly attacking Tina's request.
Tina got in the car and checked her phone messages as she maneuvered the streets on her usual route to get to work. Once she had addressed each message, she found herself already at the movie studio and parking in her designated spot. Tina got out of the car and waved to the security guard as she frantically scurried inside having arrived later than normal. She got into the elevator with several other employees, all wishing her a pleasant morning, but becoming confused when she asked for the third floor button to be pressed. Once the doors opened, she quickly stepped out of the crowded elevator and onto the floor that was entirely dedicated to the research department.
"Good morning Sally," Tina said as she hurried past the department assistant.
Tina looked around and saw that the Monday morning assignment distribution meeting had already begun. She cringed, hating that she'd have to interrupt it, but needing assistance from at least 2 people that sat around the mahogany table.
"Good morning," Tina stepped inside and smiled politely to the group while the department head nervously stood up.
"Ms. Kennard," Kevin sputtered. "I wasn't aware you'd be attending this meeting. Is something wrong?"
"Everything is fine," Tina reassured him as she sensed his nervousness getting the best of him. "I have a strange request to make to your department so I thought it best to come here and explain it myself. I'm hoping that a few people could be put on the project since it's something that's pressing at the moment."
"We'll do what we can," Kevin reassured her now feeling slightly more relaxed.
"I recently came across a story about a now famous artist that I need researched. I have some information on her, but it's sketchy at best, which means I need someone to track down as much detail on it as possible."
"Is it going to be a documentary?"
"Potentially," Tina inwardly cringed at the lie that had escaped her lips. "If there's an interesting story there it could be."
Kevin pointed to three young and eager members of his staff and assigned them to handle Tina's request personally. Tina smiled and motioned to them to bring as much writing material as they'd need and follow her to her office. She patiently waited as the young workers followed her orders by grabbing pads of paper and pens before falling in step behind her as she journeyed to her office.
Once inside the elevator, Tina relaxed slightly and offered a sincere smile to the three employees standing with her. She extended her hand and introduced herself, trying to be as personable as she could, given her status in the company.
The elevator came to a halt on the top floor, which held only two offices, one belonging to Tina and the other to Helena. Stacy sat a comfortable distance from Tina's office and Helena's assistant was placed closer to Helena's door given that Helena usually bellowed her requests rather than using the newly installed monitor system.
"Tina I cleared your schedule for the morning," Stacy followed Tina inside her office smiling at the nervous employees that also made their way into the large office. "Helena can fit you in at 4:00 if that's ok with you."
"That's fine," Tina smiled as she sipped from a mug of coffee that Stacy placed on her desk moments before she arrived for the day. "Thank you for your help Stacy."
Tina motioned for the group to sit down as she sat behind her desk and watched them eagerly begin to scribble notes on their paper.
"The name of the artist is Megan Freedman; she's a sculptor if that makes any difference in where you look for her. The story is that she's gay and her partner, carrying their child, died at a very young age."
"Are we to research this from the artist's point of view or her partner's?"
"Neither," Tina sipped her coffee once more. "I just want the facts at this point. Her partner was supposedly trying to cross a picket line of pro-life demonstrators and bled to death when she couldn't pass."
"How deep do you want us to go?"
"Anything you can find by noon," Tina said knowing her deadline was unrealistic. "I want to meet back here at noon and review what you have at that time."
"We'll have it done," the group confirmed despite Tina's skepticism. "We'll be back at noon with most, if not all, of the story."
Tina smiled and wished them luck, quickly thanking them as they exited her office running directly into Helena trying to make her way in.
"Oh I'm sorry," Helena stepped out of the way and looked at Tina questioningly as her office emptied leaving them alone. "What was that about?"
"Research," Tina said as she sat behind her desk once more. "Aren't I meeting you in a few hours?"
"If that's what my schedule says," Helena smiled. "I needed to tell you that the Johnson project is way over budget and, despite my love for it, it needs to be brought back in line."
"You're handing this to me?"
"You have something more pressing?" Helena smiled as Tina stared at the mounds of paper hiding her desk.
"I'd like to think you can handle a budget issue," Tina smiled at her boss. "Didn't you learn from the last time?"
"Yes, but my distaste for withholding funds is still present, which means you get to handle the messy situation."
"I'll handle it by this afternoon before we meet."
"Do I get a hint as to what the agenda is to this mysterious meeting?"
"It's personal," Tina averted her gaze to her computer screen ignoring Helena's raised eyebrow. "I want advice."
"On?"
"Parenting," Tina's fingers began to pound on the keys of her computer to avoid getting into a deep discussion with Helena before she was prepared.
"I'd hate to think that anything I say regarding Angelica and what should be her punishment will come back to haunt me."
