A/N: I know that Carlene, Charlene, BJ, Allison and Suzanne weren't all at Sugarbakers at the same time. But for this story to work, they have to be. Thank you. =)
It was a chilly October morning. Charlene and Carlene walked in the front door of the office together. Mary Jo jumped up out of her chair at the desk and rushed over to them.
"Where have you been? It's been hours! Julia's been a nervous wreck! BJ can't calm her down. Suzanne is off in her own little world like usual and Allison is driving Julia crazy." Mary Jo stated.
"I'm sorry Mary Jo. We went to take the lamps out there and then we just got talking to one another and were reminiscing about our childhood and then we just decided to go out for lunch." Charlene said with a smile.
"Charlene! You are the office manager here, you have to be here. Carlene is now our lawyer for the business. You guys are responsible to be here just like the rest of us." Mary Jo exclaimed. Charlene looked at Carlene and then at Mary Jo.
"I sure liked it better here when it was just the four of us and there wasn't so much pressure. When the business first started and we were free to do whatever. Suzanne would take long lunches, I could go take Olivia to the doctor and nobody would care. You had to come in late some mornings because of Claudia or Quint. What happened to those days?" Charlene asked.
"They are long gone. Now please get back to work!" Mary Jo hollered and walked back over to her desk and sat down. Allison and Julia walked out of the store room.
"I just things would be a little more efficient if we did it this way." Allison said. Julia turned around and smiled at her cousin.
"Allison, we aren't going to be doing things that way because we already have a system that works for Sugarbakers!" Julia exclaimed. Anthony walked in the back door holding a box. Mary Jo walked over to him.
"What do you have there Anthony?" Mary Jo asked.
"Oh it was something that was given to me for Julia. Apparently, one of our last clients weren't too happy with her. I'm not really sure what's in the box, but I had it x-rayed at the hospital and it wasn't a bomb." Anthony replied. Julia walked over to them.
"I don't care what people feel about me. Anthony, open the box." Julia stated. Anthony looked at her and laughed his really nervous laugh.
"Me? You want me to open it?" Anthony put the box down on Mary Jo's desk. "I just remembered an errand that I have to go do really fast." Anthony rushed out the door. Julia and Mary Jo exchanged glances.
"I wonder what that's all about." Mary Jo said. Julia just nodded.
"I don't know. Why don't we open this box?"
"I'll do it!" Carlene rushed over and opened the box. As soon as she did, Allison, Julia and Mary Jo took about 10 steps away from the desk because of the horrible smell. Carlene looked in the box. "It looks like animal poop. Maybe some kind of dog." Julia coughed.
"I don't care what kind of dog it is, or what animal it is; just get that box out of here." Julia replied. Carlene picked up the box and took it out the back door.
"What'd you do to upset somebody Julia?" Charlene asked.
"I don't know Charlene. I've not done anything but be my usual self."
"That's the problem Charlene." Mary Jo said looking at Charlene. When Carlene came back in she sat on the couch.
"Have you all ever thought what it would be like if we didn't work together?" Carlene asked.
"What do you mean Carlene?" Julia asked. Carlene looked at her.
"I mean, what if Sugarbakers never would have been started. If we all went our separate ways instead of being together?" Carlene questioned. Each member of the Sugarbaker team exchanged glances with somebody else.
"I don't know Carlene. What difference does it make?" Julia asked.
"I was just curious." Carlene replied.
A/N: And here is the basis for the story! Chapter 2 coming soon!