Where Is That Girl ?

The trio continued rearranging the room as best they could. With the beds pushed fully into a corner there was a little more room. "Leave the sample bags on the bed" Debbi instructed Susie. "Charles, help me push the desk over by the beds too, we'll only need it when we get to sign the contract." "If we get to sign the contract" Charles corrected her. "Oh we'll get to sign the contract alright. I'll do anything to make that happen" Debbi insisted. She looked at her watch once again. "God, where's that bloody girl. The Chinese'll be here in 15 minutes." She phoned Carol.

Carol grinned. She had been expecting the call. "I did confirm it yesterday, they said all was fine and it was in their system for 9/8/25." "Well call them back again now and ask where the bloody hell she's got to" Debbi yelled down the phone. Carol grinned again. Let her stew for another few minutes, she thought. Another five minutes had passed with Debbi nervously pacing the room before her phone chirped. "What do you mean the 8th of September ?" she exploded as Carol explained the 'mix up' with the dates. Debbi reined in the urge to rail at her assistant. The mix up seemed plausible after all. But it was too late to book a replacement even if the agency had one available. They'd never get here in time.

This was a disaster. She almost felt like crying but could not show weakness in front of the two interns. "What's up ?" asked Susie innocently. Debbi explained how the software had muddled the dates. "I guess we'll just have to show them the samples from the bag ?" Charles suggested. "That's no good" said Debbi. "I made a big deal out of promising them a model when I talked to them on the phone and I know for a fact our rivals had one." It was now only five minutes before the Chinese delegation was due. They were bound to be punctual. Debbi looked around frantically. "Susie, you're going to have to do it" she decided.

"In your dreams" scoffed Susie. "But you're the intern and it's an emergency" Debbi argued. "But you're forgetting who my father is" Susie retorted. "I don't think dad would be best pleased to hear how you'd made his favourite daughter flash all her bits at a bunch of lecherous Chinese !" "They're not lecherous, they're serious business people" Debbi shot back but she knew she was defeated. She could indeed only imagine the reaction of Susie's father, the company chairman. "Why don't you do it ?" said Charles suddenly. "Yeah, you may be old but you've still got the figure for it" Susie agreed. "I'm not old, I'm 26" cried Debbi. "That's what I mean" laughed the 18 year old. "But I've got to negotiate with these people, I can't demean myself" Debbi objected. "Why not ? Susie argued. "You just said a few minutes ago that you'd do anything to make sure we got the contract." Debbi was caught by her own rhetoric.

"Look, you said you had only ever talked with them on the phone. So they don't know what you look like. I can make an excuse as to why you couldn't make it and I can handle the negotiations" Susie continued. "But you're only an intern" Debbi wailed. "They don't know that. I'm my father's daughter and I know enough about business. And if I tell you who my dad is they'll be satisfied with that." Time had almost run out and Debbi was struggling to think straight. The phone in the room rang and Charles answered. "That was reception, they're on their way up" he said.

"Alright, I'll do it. But I'm only modelling the most conservative lines, they'll have to just imagine how the more raunchy samples look on a model" Debbi hastily decided. "Sure, sure" Susie 'agreed'. "Look you'd better hide in the bathroom until we're ready for you" she continued. "And I can't introduce you as Debbi. We need a model name. I'll call you Candy" she smirked. "I'm not being called Candy" Debbi protested. There was a knock on the door. "Quick, in the bathroom" Susie hissed. "And better get undressed ready !" Susie turned to Charles with a mischievous grin on her face that her fellow intern reciprocated.