2 wks later
Carly was pacing her small office feeling a caged in animal. Elton had given the FOD Gia pictures to Laura and now she was trying to come up with a way to get them back. "I've got to get those pictures" she said to no one since she thought she was alone.
"What pictures, Blondie??" Tamia asked
"Sh*t, girl you scared me. I sent some pictures off of Gia to have them prepared to run in magazines cuz i was just gonna do it on my own. BUT now that Laura and I have miracously come to this understanding" she gave Tamia a "yeah right" look. She knew deep down that the change in Laura had something to do with Tamia "I don't want anything to wreck it"
"So go get the pictures, explain to her that you had them done before the truce. And if she doesn't believe you I'll say I had them done for you because we thought they'd help you sell Gia to Laura"
"CARLY, GET IN HERE NOW!!!" they heard Laura yell from the other room.
Both girls jumped at the sound of her voice, looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh. They laughed so hard they tears streaming from thier eyes. After awhile they composed themselves, straightened thier clothes and stoop up from the couch.
Tamia pulled out her phone and called the ad agency.
"Yes can I speak to someone in charge please??" she spoke into the phone
"Don't worry about who I am, I'm not worried about who you are." Carly smiled at her friend who knew she could be this ruthless
"This is Tamia Tidwell....don't talk just listen. My partner sent over two sets of proofs for you guys to fix up and yet when I recieved them in my office...late I may add, there was only 1 model. What happened to the other??" Tamia turned away from Carly this was a side of her Carly didn't know.
"I'm sorry are you calling me liar??" she accused "that could be a very big mistake on your part!!"
"I don't care what you have to do but I want a messenger over here 30 minutes ago, to pick up yet another set of proofs AND I expect to have finished pictures on my desk by the end of the week." Tamia couldn't help but a get a slight rush from this. She loved this part of her life, the intimidating and respect, it was pure heavan.
"Yes I realize its already Tuesday,what do you take me for??? Let's just put it this way, IF I or any one of my business associates don't have those pictures on our desk by 3 pm on Friday afternoon and I do mean THIS Friday. Deception will be your last job!!" She threatened into the phone
"Have a nice day, say Hi to your wife for me" Her whole attitude changed
"Lunch?? yes definitely!!" she agreed "Have your people call our people. Till than TaTa and don't forget by Friday at 3pm"
"Okay scratch both plans, I'm going in there with you. Follow my lead and I mean it Carly!!" she told her sternly as they walked out the door. Carly followed shocked she had no idea what had just happened.
Tamia and Carly both took a deep breath before they entered the room. Tamia didn't know why she was intefering, other than the fact that she didn't like the way Laura treated Carly. And that was enough, Carly was the only true friend Tamia had and there was nothing or anyone that was gonna take that away from her.
"You bellowed" Tamia told Laura as she and Carly walked into her office.
"I"m sorry Tamia, I didn't know you were here." Laura quickly aplogized
"That's okay, but if I were you I'd have your phone fixed that way next time you can Carly over here like a civilized business woman instead of yelling like someone with no tact." Tamia walked over to her desk and saw the pictures.
Carly sat in a chair near the couch and tried to stiffle her smile. It was nice to see someone totally on her side for once.
"I see you got Gia's pictures, but don't worry I called and...." she was interrupted by Elton.
"Excuse me" he said as he poked his head inside the office "There is a gentleman out here to pickup proofs"
"Laura, you wouldn't by any chance have an extra copy of Liz's proofs, seems as the agency lost the ones I sent." she smiled sweetly at Laura
Laura was at a loss for words she was sure that Carly was up to something decietful "Uh yeah here you go" she stammered out as she handed Tamia an envelope with Liz's pictures.
Tamia turned and handed them to Elton who was now standing behind her. "Please advise him not lose these, I'm not nice when I'm mad"
Tamia went around the couch and flopped herself down. "As I was saying Laura and as you can see, I've already called the agency and they are printing up the same type of layout for Liz."
"Wow, I can't believe you did this for us." Laura said still shocked as she walked around the desk.
"These are beautiful pictures, how will we ever pay you back??" she asked as she sat down on the couch.
"Easy" Tamia started as she smiled at Carly "Choose a Face of Deception purely on merits, ability, and look. Get more than 2 choices if you have to. No contract has been signed yet, so make sure when it does happen its a decision you can both live with and are ready to back 100%!!"
"I can do that" Carly spoke for the first time since entering the office. Laura nodded her head in agreement she didn't know why she hadn't seen it before but Gia was breathtaking.
Meanwhile at the Warehouse
"Sir" Benny said as he poked his head into Sonny's office.
"What is it Benny??" Sonny asked already exasperated he didn't understand why it was taking so long for his men to find any little bit of information on Tamia.
Benny walked into the office "We got the information like you asked it looks like the girl is clean." He placed an envelope on his desk.
"Took you long enough. She may be clean on paper but I still don't trust her" he said out loud more to himself then to Bennie.
"Do you want me to place a guard on her??" Benny asked his boss.
"Nah, She's not here to hurt me or my family. BUT a reunion is not her only motive" Sonny told him.
"Whose only motive??" Johnny and Jason asked in unison as they caught the tail end of his conversation.
"Eavesdrop much??" he teased them.
"I had the men dig up information on Ms. Tamia Tidwell. She's clean but I still think she's up to something." Sonny told them.
"You mean the Goddess that Carly brought to the PH the other night??" Johnny asked. After meeting Carly he didn't think he'd ever see a woman prettier but Tamia was definetly prettier.
"Yes that Goddess" Sonny laughed. It was good to see him interested in someone other than his wife. "That same Goddess is supposed to come over for dinner, would the two of you like to join us??
"sure" Johnny quickly answered. It was an honor to be invited to eat with his boss, Goddess or no Goddess."
"Sure thing" Jason said in his usual noncommital tone.
Sonny smiled and thought to himself sure, he's cool, calm and collected now, wait till he meets her. Even little Micheal couldn't stop looking at her or be close enough to her
Back at Deception
"Okay well I'm outta here, I've interfered enough for today. I'll see you later Blondie" she reached down and hugged her "Oh, and tell your amazing cook of a husband that I would like Chicken Alfredo for dinner tonight"
"Oh so your making orders now" Carly teased her "I'll tell him but don't be surprised if tonite's dinner has no chicken or pasta!!"
"Bye hon" Tamia told her as she walked out the door
"Bye sweetie" Carly told the retreating form that was her best friend.
"You guys are amazing, It's like I'm seeing a different Carly since she's been around" Laura complimented Carly.
"Yeah well she brings out the best in me." Carly told her as scooted towards the end of her chair. "So what do you think should we bring other models into this??"
"I dunno, I'm pretty set on Liz." Laura heard Carly sigh "BUT it might be a good idea to see what else is out there"