Consequences of whiskey

“I just can’t believe Candace and Bailey would do this.” Derrick said pacing behind the large gray sectional couch that Amanda sat on. He only had another hour or so with Amanda before he had to get to the airport and head back to Nevada and his mother had called him to tell him how the girls got into his whiskey. She had gotten to them before they got drunk and while he didn’t endorse corporal punishment at least they were taught a lesson.

“Come sit down before the hotel makes us pay for the rut you are going to wear into the carpet.” Amanda patted the couch seat next to her. In her lap was her laptop with the image of April on it, they were going over a few things that turned into more things. Just because she was going to this training seminar didn’t mean the tasks from her job stopped.

“It is hard for me to wrap my brain around Candace and Bailey doing this. It is so unlike them.” Derrick said as he sat down on the couch close enough to Amanda that he came into the camera frame for April to see.

“I can.” Amanda said before her mouth had a chance to check in with her brain.

“What do you mean?” Derrick looked at the beautiful blond next to him a little confused.

Her eyes focused on the screen Amanda’s eyes went wide in a little pantic. It wasn’t like she could say Bailey until recently drank often and while Bailey knew to stay away from it. It was much harder for her to remind Bailey of that being so far away. “Candi is the type of girl that if she wants to try something or do something little to no one can stop her. But I think it is more like her than you think considering what I have seen of her.”

“What do you mean?” Derrick shifted in his seat a little to face his girlfriend more.

“Just from what we have seen, she talked back and argued with a security guard at the water park, she helped Bailey unpack your suitcase into my dresser and she tried to give those college boys what for. I am not saying Candi did not have her reasons or that any of it happened in a vacuum, but I am saying your daughter is willful and is prone to acting on impulse.”

“Hmmm, what of Bailey?” What of Bailey indeed Amanda thought. When she saw April was about to say something she shook her head and was happy to see her friend not answer his question.

“Candace has been acting out more lately, or maybe it is that I just hadn’t noticed. What you bring up she either did for Bailey or with Bailey. Your daughter isn’t exactly the ringleader type, but if she talked out loud about my whiskey that could have started all of this. Regardless Bailey didn’t stop Candace and went along with it. Maybe we could make the girls get a summer job, something to keep them out of trouble, keep them busy and teach them more about responsibility.

“Bailey being responsible, funny.” Amanda gave her friend a glare trying to convey the words ‘You are not helping!’ While narrowed his eyes for a moment thinking about what that statement meant. Amanda had said she wished he had more time to spend with Bailey and everything he had heard showed him that Bailey had either not earned trust or broke it. Not having a bank account, not being allowed to get a learners permit, heck Amanda didn’t let her date again till recently.

Amanda was mad, not like Derrick was, but still. Bailey had done something she knew shouldn’t have been done. She had just punished her for not respecting her personal space, and here she was doing it again with Derrick’s things. A small part of her mind connected that both times Bailey had done this was actually touching Derrick’s things and wondered about the connection there. If it was just acting out Bailey wouldn’t have put Derrick’s things into her drawer. Still Bailey had gotten her friend into trouble again, the last thing she needed was Bailey teaching Candi bad habits.

“A summer job? It is too late to sign up for the summer intern program, but if my god daughter needed a summer job to learn about responsibility I could get her and Candace in. Perk of running the program.” April said with a smile, imagining having Bailey under her thumb. He wanted to portray a bimbo stereotype than can do it answering phones and fetching coffee. She was sure if he had to keep up the act around the office and the repercussions for that would have him stop that nonsense.

“Hmm, that isn’t a bad idea and it would allow me to check in on them from time to time. What do you think?” He asked as he put his arm around Amanda. Mega Corp would look a lot better on a resume than working at a kiosk in the mall or at that water park and the corporate structure could really do both of them some good. “This could also help them both career wise getting experience at Mega Corp and might do the same for their college applications.”

“I am not sure…” He was right on both counts, but she wasn’t sure how Bailey’s background would hold up to the strict background check Mega Corp used, everything could fall apart. Those thoughts were derailed when she remembered that they used Sterling Backgrounds, the same company her sister worked at and it was through them that Bailey Ann Best existed on paper. “You know what, we should do it. It is about time Bailey had another job.”

Derrick raised an eyebrow at the statement. “Another job? What was her first job?” He expected her to say working at a fast food place or at the mall. A lot of kids got jobs when they were around sixteen, he just hadn’t let Candace do it so she had more time to focus on her school studies. School was hard enough for her without adding more distractions.

“If you asked Bailey she would tell you her current job is being my daughter and that it was a full time position.”

“Bailey is a lucky girl to have you as her mother, I have seen the way she looks at you and hugs you. That girl loves you, and I would imagine most girls would feel lucky to have a mother like you.” It was a touching thing to say, it made Amanda smile, but the moment was also undercut by April snickering.

“Sorry, sorry. Something I just overheard someone say outside my office. I will get the paperwork started for both of them.”

Looking back to the screen Amanda pursed her lips looking at April. “You don’t have an office.”

“Oh no, of course not, but I’m best friends with my current boss and when she is out of town I sometimes use her office. Oh look at the time, I have another meeting I have to run to… talk to you soon!” With that the video feed cut off, leaving Amanda shaking her head.

The intern program was supposed to start on Wednesday for a three day orientation. That meant she would be back in time before the real first day of work for Bailey and until then she would have both April and Derrick for guidance in the office. “I know this is supposed to be a punishment, but when Candi is sent out shopping, I doubt she will see it that way, at least at first.”

“Why would she need to go shopping?”

“I doubt Candi has clothes for the office, I know Bailey does not. That means a shopping trip for the girls. I can get my sister to take them, but I am sure the three of them would enjoy your company. I know I do.” Amanda closed her laptop, moving it to the coffee table in front of them as she cuddled up closer to Derrick. Knowing both of them would be leaving in less than an hour, him to catch a plane and her to use the rental car to drive to a hotel closer to the California west coast regional Mega Corp office.

“I hadn’t thought of that, but I’m sure Megan will be enough, Candace has taken a strong liking to her, just like she has with you.” Derrick looked into Amanda’s blue eyes, running his thumb just over her cheekbone. “Much like I have.” He whispered as he brought his lips to hers for a sweet gentle kiss. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders Amanda kissed him back, turning up the heat the longer they held the embrace. She had only been able to do this with Derrick for a short time, but knowing she wouldn’t see him for a week made her want to not let him go.