“Finally! Man, I thought I was gonna die of boredom.”
“Aww, poor boy, you want me to get up and play with you?” Sam teased.
“Hey! My wife wouldn’t appreciate at that too much” Chris said with complete seriousness.
“Yeah? I’m sure Dani wouldn’t like it too much either smart-ass. By the way, how many more times are you gonna use that line until it stops being funny?” Sam shot back.
“Umm, I estimate about 26. Besides, Dani is still sleeping so she won’t mind. Now that we’ve got that figured out, can we please go find something to do?” Chris asked.
“Ooh, you mean go to the front of the bus? I don’t think I can handle that kind of excitement. But since I don’t have any other offers right now, just let me get this drooling fool off of me, and I’m all yours.”
Chris started jumping up and down anxiously like a child as Sam carefully placed Justin’s head down on the couch cushion. “Shhh! Don’t you dare wake him up, I ain’t in the mood to put up with a cranky pop star.”
“Oh, but a crazy one like me is okay?” Chris teased.
Samantha laughed as she put her arm around him. “Chris, I would put up with you any day.” As they walked to the front of the bus, Samantha’s thoughts began to drift to the day that started all of this madness.
*****
“Girl, you better get your butt up and enjoy this wonderful day!”
Sam could barely keep from cracking a smile at her sarcastic friend. “Jen, get the hell outta my room and just let me pout please.”
“No way Sami baby. I got some news that’s gonna get your mojo going again.”
“Please girl, the only thing that’s gonna get my ass moving is if the biggest company in central Florida just called to offer me my dream job” Sam said.
“Well, you didn’t get hired YET…but would an interview do?”
“NO WAY!” Sam screamed. “It’s about damn time.”
She was so happy she started jumping on the bed and convinced her roommate to join her. She finally stopped and collapsed on the bed squealing uncontrollably. Then it dawned on her.
“By the way, which job is it?”
Jen laughed, “I was wondering when you were gonna think of that, you dork. It’s the entertainment management company, the personal assistant one.”
The girls’ mood suddenly changed. They both knew that this ad sounded a little suspicious. The only information given was “Personal Assistant wanted for CEO of up and coming entertainment management company. Will be required to travel extensively. Compensation based on experience and skills. Please send resume, references, and salary requirements to P.O. Box 72678, Orlando, FL 32801.” There was no company name given and Sam almost disregarded it until she realized that the P.O. Box number was her birth date. Her and Jen had joked about how it was fate and that she had to reply to it, if not just for laughs alone.
“So what’s the name of the company?”
“Well” Jen said quietly, “She didn’t leave a name, just a time, address and a voice mail number to call if you couldn’t make it at this time.”
“Gimme the number, it’s gotta be on the message right?” Sam asked, trying to convince herself.
“Yeah, I’m sure it is. Dial it up and lets solve this mystery Shaggy.”
Sam stared at her friend with a look of confusion on her face.
“Sorry…too many Scooby Doo marathons on the Cartoon Network lately.”
“Whatever girl, lets just get this over with” she sighed.
Samantha dialed the number and held her breath as she listened to the recorded voice on the other end. “You have reached 555-3301. If you are calling to reschedule your interview for the personal assistant job with our company please leave a time you would be available and we will get back with you soon if we can accommodate your schedule. Don’t forget to include your name and telephone number where you can be reached. Thank you.”
“Dammit, this sucks! You’d think with all this secrecy and shit that it’s the freaking CIA or something. What the hell could be so confidential that you can’t even leave the name of the damn business? If it even is a real business…it’s probably just some old pervert trying to lure naïve people like me into some kind of porn ring. Meanwhile my dumb ass is sitting here getting all excited about some kind of scam…extensive traveling…yeah I bet…it’s more like mail order brides…” Sam trailed off as she slumped on the bed, out of breath from her little rant.
“Calm down girl, I ain’t got time to check your butt into the loony bin today. What did the message say?”
Sami hated how Jen could always make her laugh no matter what the situation was. “No name, just leave a message if you need to reschedule, blah blah blah. Now what do I do? I really need this damn job.”
“Well,” Jen started, “First you leave the pity party behind, there’s nobody there worth sticking around for anyway. Second, find your ass some clothes to put on, and third get your butt in my car in five minutes and we will find this address and find out what the hell is going on.”
Sam didn’t bother arguing with her stubborn friend, she knew it was useless. She quickly got dressed, tied her hair back, and brushed her teeth. Jen was honking the horn as she was coming out of her room.
“C’mon girl, I don’t got all day. Some of us do have jobs you know!”
“Ha ha, rub it in.”
That’s what I’m here for girl” Jen smiled and turned up the stereo.
*****
“Hello! Earth to Sam! Samantha? Are you still here?” Chris asked.
“Oh, Sorry…I got lost in thought there didn’t I?” Sam chuckled.
“Yeah, you did. I thought I was gonna have to send the dogs in after you” he joked. “So, care to tell me what could ever be so important to tear your thoughts away from me even for a millisecond?”
Sam just shook her head in amusement, “I was just thinking back to the day that I got the call for the interview.”
“Oh yeah, the day your life became meaningful. Before us your were nothing, a nobody, zilch.”
“My goodness, we’re just full of ourselves today, aren’t we Mr. Kirkpatrick?”
“Please don’t call me that, it makes me feel old” Chris whined.
“I’m sorry hun, but you ARE old” the teasing brunette said as she ducked from the pillow that he had thrown in her direction.
“I don’t think I ever heard the full story how you got hired. It must have been based solely on looks, ‘cuz I don’t think I ever see you do any actual work,” Chris said with a sly grin on his face. “Lance must have just wanted a pretty face to look at while HE was working.”
Samantha blushed at the compliments and momentarily forgot about the fact that he was cutting down her work ethics. She quickly regained her composure. “By the way, I do most of my work before noon. And since you’re never up at that indecent hour, you wouldn’t know.”
“Ugh, did you say before noon? That’s just insane,” a groggy voice coming from the back said.
Sam looked up to see Justin making his way to the bathroom.
“Uh oh, now you’re in trouble – you woke up the afro-beast, a rare breed of animal. They’re very irritable when they first awake you know.”
“You’re such an idiot.” Sam laughed. “And besides, you’re the one who woke him up, not me.”
They argued back and forth until Justin opened the door and playfully yelled at them both.
“Neither one of you woke me up. I had to pee. Geez!”
He sat down next to Samantha and laid his head on her shoulder.
“I don’t think so sport. My shirt is finally dry from the last time you used me as a human pillow.” Sam teased as she shoved him off of her.
“Don’t even try it girl. You know you want me near you as much as possible. I am irresistible.”
“To every 12 year old in America maybe, but since I’ve seen you when the cameras aren’t rolling, I know better. Besides, I don’t go for younger men.”
“Oh really? Then how do you explain this ‘thing’ you have for your boss?” Chris jumped in, never one to weave around the truth.
Sam turned bright red and fumbled for a response. “I, I …have no idea what you’re talking about.” She managed to spit out while diverting her eyes from Chris’ direct stare.
Justin was a little surprised by this information, but realized that it was making Samantha extremely uncomfortable and quickly responded.
“Yo man, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Sam knows where the goods are. Why would she want that albino from Mississippi when she could have pure Tennessee beefcake?”
Chris was too busy laughing at Justin to remember that Samantha totally side stepped his question. “Oh great Justin, like Lance doesn’t bring up the Mississippi thing enough, now you’re doing it too,” he said.
Justin wasn’t paying attention though; he was too busy flexing his muscles for Sam as she erupted into fits of laughter.
“Did somebody say something about Mississippi?” Lance asked as he stumbled from the back half awake.
Now all three of them were laughing hysterically.
“What’s so funny? Did I miss something?” he said as he rubbed his eyes and yawned, still trying to wake up.
“Oh yes, you missed a lot.” Chris said cryptically as he looked at Sam.
Justin kicked Chris under the table.
“Ouch! Man that hurt. You didn’t have to kick me, I’m sure Lance would want to know…”
Sam held her breath as she waited for the next words to come out of his mouth.
“…That you called him an albino” Chris finished as he winked at Sam.
Lance was confused and he turned to the only sane one.
“What the hell are they talking about?”
Sam just smiled “You know these two, even the stupidest thing is funny. So how was your nap?” she asked attempting to change the subject.
“It was fine. A little restless though. I couldn’t stop thinking of all the stuff we have to get done for the talent search.”
“Yeah? You shouldn’t be worrying about it too much. I’ve got most of the major details done, just the small stuff left.”
“You’re kidding? Already? You are amazing, how did I ever manage without you?”
“I don’t think you did, that’s why you hired me right?” Sam teased.
“Manage, ha ha, get it? It’s a management company!”
Everyone else started at Chris with a blank expression.
“Oh never mind” he muttered.
“Seriously though, you’ve really almost got everything set up?” Lance asked.
“Yes, I do. That’s my job, isn’t it?”
“Well, yes I guess I just underestimated how good you’d be at it.”
“Thank you…I think” Sam laughed. “In fact, I’ve got some calls that I need to make, so if you gentlemen will excuse me for a few minutes I’m gonna move…two feet forward so I can attend to some business.” Sam said sarcastically referring to the lack of space on the bus.
“That’s fine, just don’t disturb our meaningless banter with your frivolous business” Justin joked.
“Okay, I’ll keep it down, I promise” she said as she playfully patted his head.
Sam settled into the other couch and started making her calls as the three men were arguing about what to watch on the television. She was too emerged in her work to notice that Lance’s gaze was not directed at the screen. Instead he was staring intently at her.
Sam was just finishing up her calls as the other guys were waking up. Joey and JC walked from the back. Joey was wide awake and smiling for a change and JC looked as if he were still sleeping.
“Woo hoo! Now that you guys are finally up, I can go play Playstation” Chris squealed.
“Not so fast buddy, your woman’s still back there” JC said as he was grabbing a soda from the refrigerator.
“That’s okay, she loves me, so if I wake her up she won’t mind” he said as he skipped off to the back of the bus with Justin in tow.
“And just where are you going?” Joey asked.
“I’ll be okay too. Everybody loves me…just ask Sami” Justin laughed as he ducked from the empty water bottle that Samantha had hurled in his direction.
“Whatever.” Joey muttered, seeming to slip back into the foul mood he’d been sporting lately.
“So what have y’all been up to?” JC asked.
“Well, my wonderful assistant has apparently been working her pretty little butt off setting up our talent search without any help from me” Lance said while playfully pouting.
“Oh my goodness, do you not want me to do my job or something!?!” Sam said in frustration.
“I don’t think it’s that Sam. I just don’t think he likes to feel like he’s not needed” JC interjected.
“When did I say that I wouldn’t need you? There will be plenty to do when I’m ready for you.”
“I know, I know…I’m just kidding. And in case I haven’t mentioned it already you are doing a great job and I don’t know how I ever survived without you.”
Samantha was slightly blushing “Thank you, I’m having the time of my life. I’d almost do it for free…almost I said,” she smiled, “But enough with the compliments already, you’re gonna give me a big head.”
“I don’t know Sam,” Joey piped in, “I’d have to agree with the butt comment. The man’s got good eyes.”
Samantha just shook her head and laughed. “Well, as much as I’d love to stick around and see where this conversation is headed, I think I’ll go keep Dani company.”
As she walked to the back JC called out to her.
“Yes?” she said turning back to him.
“I think I’m gonna have to go with these guys on the butt issue…not so little, but very pretty indeed,” he teased.
“You guys need to get out more,” she responded as they all laughed and whistled at her as she walked away.
***