The sound of the phone startled Tonya as she jumped up from her cozy slumber.
She reached over to the nightstand, knocking over the picture of her and
Brad. She grabbed the phone, put it to her mouth, her eyes still closed from
the light shining through the window. �She brushed back her blonde hair and
prepared her voice.
"Hello." She said weakly.
"T!" Said the voice excitedly.
"Lance" Tonya said covering her eyes. "Why are you such a morning
person?"
"Were you sleeping?" Lance asked taking a bite of his bagel.
"Of course." Tonya said finally sitting up in her bed. Lance Bass was
her
best friend. He knew everything about her. �Words never needed to be spoken
between the two, they supported each other in everything and their friendship
never wavered through any trial. Even when NSYNC left Trans Con and put Tonya
in an awkward position between her profession duties and her personal
desires, they still remained friends. �"I had exactly four minutes
before you
called to sleep." Tonya said with a laugh.
"I just wanted to wish you good luck today." Lance said with his
sweet, low
concern voice. "You will impress the hell out of the guys.
"I hope so." Tonya said finally looking at the clock.
"Have you spoken to Ann lately?" Lance asked not really wanting to
know the
answer.
"I saw her last night. She picked me up at the airport. She said you two
hadn't talked for a few days." Tonya looked at her clock again. "Damn
it! I
am really late. Kimber will be calling me soon and I am not in the mood to
deal with her." Tonya pulled back her covers, put her feet on the cold
floor
and rushed to the bathroom, tripping over her luggage that she hadn't
unpacked yet. �She wasn't home 24 hours before Lou called asking her to
report back to work. Her things were still packed, her souvenirs from London
still in their packages and the numerous letters Shane wrote her sealed away.
"I have been trying to call her but we keep missing each other. I really
have
tried." Lance said in his defense.
"Well, that is between you and her. But I can tell you that Ann is really
hurt, Lance. I really have to go though, call her." Tonya said walking over
to her bathroom.
"Call me tonight, I want to know how things went." Lance waved at Joey
who
was irritating him about getting off the phone.
"I will." Tonya said pulling her gown over her head, knocking the
phone out
of her hand. She quickly picked it up, fumbling with it. "I have to go,
Lance."
"Ok, bye sweetie. Good luck!" Lance said and immediately began dialing
Ann's
number. He threw the phone down after the 12 th ring. Ann was not purposively
dodging Lance's calls. She was busy working with the dancers preparing them
for their recital. But she was also hurt and was not ready to talk to him.
She loved Lance but what he did was unforgivable.
Tonya clicked off the phone, put it on the counter and continued getting
dressed. She walked over to her bed, sat down putting her heels on, finally
noticing the picture on the floor. She picked it up along with the glass from
the breakage. She picked out the broken pieces the best she could and placed
it on the table. �
"Great way to start my day, breaking my engagement picture." Tonya
said with
a sigh.
Tonya walked into her kitchen with the fresh smell of eggs and bacon in the
air. A plate was placed on the table with a note next to the wonderful
breakfast waiting for her.
T,
I wanted to be here for your big day but I had to get to schools early for
the field trip.
Good luck! I know you will do well. Don't let them intimidate you. I'll see
you tonight.
Mark and Shane said good luck also.
M
PS...K called while you were in the shower. She said good luck and she will
call you later.
Megan, Kristina and Tonya were friends from grade school. They survived
adolescent together; they survived their first boyfriend disaster, Prom
disaster, college parties and then made the new adventure of Orlando
together. It was the calls from Megan and Kristina that got her through the
last three months of turmoil and uncertainties. Megan, Kristina and Shane.
Tonya finished her last bite of her breakfast, put the dish in the sink when
her mobile phone began ringing. She frantically searched her purse, pulling
out everything but the damn phone.
"Hello!" She yelled finally finding the phone.
"Tonya? Where are you?" Erica asked.
"Still at home. I will be there in 20 minutes..."
"They changed it to the office. Kimber wants the guys to meet you first and
then go to the studio." Erica said dodging traffic. She was running late
also
from being delayed by her phone call from Bryan. Erica dropped everything
when Bryan called. He was on tour with Westlife and when he called, it was
only because he found time in-between interviews and concerts. Actually, it
was the fact that they were in love and missed each other so much. �Erica
and
Bryan met in London a year ago when she worked for Virgin Records as their
Vocal Representative. They met; fell in-love instantly and no matter the
distance and time apart, their love was strong. "I am on my way now."
Erica
said taking a sip of her coffee, her energy source for the day. Erica took
the job as Vocal Coach for Trans Continental Records just six months ago. �
She was the vocal structure behind such talent as LFO and C Note and her
currant job was with Otown. �She was brought in at the beginning of the
auditions for Otown and has been with the guys all the way to the final five
and then in finding Dan to replace Ikika. It was now time for Tonya to take
her position with Otown, to take charge and lead them to the best record deal.
"Great, why didn't Kimber tell me?" Tonya said grabbing her things.
"Kimber just called me. She's running late also, something to do with
Kevin."
Erica finished her last sip of coffee and put the empty cup in the holder.
"It will be fine, Tonya. Just calm down." Erica said trying to ease
her
friend's nerves. "And by the way, Shane wanted to tell you good luck and
that
he will be thinking of you today."
"Did you talk to him today?" Tonya asked getting into her BMW.
"That is why I am late. I was talking to Bryan and then Shane had to talk
to
me." �Erica pulled into the Trans Con parking lot.
"Well, tell him thanks." Tonya said quietly.
"What's wrong, T?" Erica asked reaching in the back seat of her
Mercedes
getting her music books.
"Why is it that Lance calls to wish me good luck? Shane calls to wish me
good
luck. Kristina called this morning and even Caz called me last night from
London to wish me good luck today. �But Brad..."
"He is on tour, Tonya." Erica said interrupting Tonya.
"So are Lance, Shane and Kristina. Just forget it. I'll see you in a
few."
Tonya clicked off the phone, turned up her music, making her way to the
Trans. Con office. She prepared herself for the day, her speech to Otown and
practiced her fake smile. �
As Lou Perlman's personal assistant and as he puts it, "My right hand
woman",
it was Tonya's job to work one-on-one with the new talent until a record deal
was signed. �Tonya was nervous working with Otown; they would be the first
group since NSYNC that she would be working with so closely. �She took to
heart when NSYNC left Trans Con. Tonya took it hard professionally and
personally, feeling she had failed at her job. But that wasn't the reason why
Tonya had been gone for three months. She wasn't on a business trip or seeing
family, Tonya was recovering from a nervous breakdown. At the age of 22,
Tonya had a nervous breakdown that found her in London. Found her in London,
falling in love.
Tonya tried not to think about Brad not calling this morning or that fact
that his phone calls had become fewer and fewer. �Tonya had a quick thought
of Shane, the times they spend together when she was in London, his smile and
his....
"Stop it." Tonya told herself. She loved Brad; they were to be married
in 6 months.