Bette let out a long breath that she didn’t realize she had been holding on to and shook her head smiling at Tina’s playful antics. So that’s how it’s gonna be huh.

“This is going to be interesting.” Bette mumbled as she reached for her cell phone and turned it on. Immediately the phoned beeped to life indicating a few missed calls and voice mails. Bette sighed as she thought of tackling them later on. She dialed the gallery first.

“The Bette Porter Gallery, how may I help you?” Hearing Cheryl’s automatic reply always brought a smile to Bette lips.

“Cheryl, how are you doing? How’s everything there?”

“Bette! Oh my god, is everything okay? I have been trying to reach you. Someone was looking for you, a lady, Tina Kennard? Do you know her? I am so sorry I gave her your home address after she called me yesterday in a panic. She said she was an old friend of yours? I hope everything is okay…” Cheryl got right on with her 20 questions.

“Cheryl, slow down. Slow and deep breaths, that’s right.” Bette said in order to calm down her anxious assistant who otherwise was very together and poised.

Bette was very glad to have Cheryl working with her at the gallery. Cheryl was smart and had been a great help ever since Bette had started the gallery. She was eager to learn more than to make money and was honest and dedicated. Her will to succeed reminded Bette of when she was young and ambitious to make her own mark in the art world. It hadn’t taken long for Cheryl to win her over with her work and for them to become good friends.

“Oh I am sorry Bette, I hadn’t heard from you except for that little message you left me a couple of days ago about not coming in and after yesterday, I got worried. You almost always come in. So is everything alright? Did that lady get in touch with you it seemed important.”

“Yes, thank you Cher, everything is alright and I did get in touch with Tina. There is nothing to worry about however I would like to take a couple of days off. Tell me, how’s everything with the gallery? Do I need to come in?”