Madness. This was just madness. Brenda closed her office door quietly, then leaned against it. Who are all these people? She thought to herself, I can't do this. It's too much. I'm going to fail.
All day long auditions had been going on for her first production. Kelly, Donna and David had been around, working with those auditioning and with the stage crew that had already been hired. The pace had been frantic. Brenda had a million messages to return and hadn't even had a chance to break to go to the bathroom. She needed to hear Addy's sweet voice. What had she been thinking?
A knock at the door had her quickly looking for a place to hide. She was seriously considering the space under her desk when the door knob turned and Valerie poked her head in. "Brenda?" she asked, stepping into the room.
Hiding forgotten, Brenda's face lit up with a smile. "Valerie!" she said, running to her old friend. Though they'd been separated for many years, Valerie and Brenda would always be friends. They understood each other so much better than anyone else had ever been able to. Valerie had spent quite a bit of time in London with Brenda the past few years, and they'd been able to help each other deal with the messes they'd made in their lives. Valerie had gone with Brenda when she picked up Addison and had been there with Brenda while adjusting to motherhood. The two hugged for a while before Brenda pulled back. "What in the world are you doing here?" she asked, still shocked to see her old friend.
"We were in town and decided to come check out your place. Brenda, this is amazing!" Valerie sat down in a chair in front of Brenda's desk. "I am so proud of you."
"Oh Val, I'm not sure if I can do it," Brenda told her friend, voicing her earlier concerns. "It's just so big, you know? There are so many people counting on me. What if it's a failure?"
Valerie shook her head. "You won't let it be, Bren. I know you."
Brenda's response was interrupted by another knock on the door. When Brenda opened it, she was caught up in a fierce hug and swung around. "Rick!" she said happily after being put down.
"This place is fantastic, Brenda," Rick told her, moving into her office. "I knew you could do it." Walking over to Valerie, he picked her up and kissed her. "I was looking for you," he told her.
Valerie laughed. "Well, you've found me," she said.
"Did you tell Brenda the good news?" Rick asked her.
"Nope, you can," Valerie told him.
"What is it?" Brenda asked, excited.
"I asked Valerie to marry me," Rick said, smiling widely.
"And I said yes!" Valerie told Brenda, laughing.
"That's great!" Brenda told them, meaning it. Rick had moved to London for work, where he had found Brenda. They hadn't pursued a relationship, but a strong friendship had developed. When Val came to stay with Brenda for a while, she had introduced the two. They had been inseparable since. Brenda was truly happy for them. She felt that if anyone deserved happiness it was Val.
"That's not all," Valerie told Brenda, positively glowing.
"Oh my gosh, you're pregnant!" Brenda cried.
"We are," Rick confirmed, looking down at Valerie.
At the looks of pure love, Brenda felt a twinge in her chest. It had been so long since she'd had that. "I am so happy for you guys," she told the couple. They discussed wedding plans and possible baby names for a while and then Valerie mentioned that they were going to be late for an appointment. When they were gone, Brenda sat at her desk staring out the window for a while. Smiling, and returned to her normal good humor, she decided to get back to work.
