Chapter 6
The car slowly pulled up to the front of a comfortable looking apartment building and stopped.
Lita scrambled out of the car quickly and tried to escape without saying goodbye, only to be stopped by a hand on her arm.
"I just thought of something. Where are your keys?" said Nathan, who was met with a blank look to that question.
"Sigh, I guess I have to offer to let you stay at my place."
Lita quickly rebounded, "Please don't treat me like your good deed to get into heaven. I always keep a spare key under the doormat. So thank you and goodbye, hope we never meet again!"
Nathan winced as Lita soundly slammed the car door and stomped up the steps to the building entrance. 'Tough woman that one is. But I've got to admit that she does have spunk, all that trauma and I thought she would be willing to have the shoulder of a strong man to cry on.' Back to his old self with a smirk, Nathan drove off into the busy traffic.
"So everything is set for the tournament on the 5th then? I do not believe we need to bring up any new issues today. This meeting is for any smalls issues that have unexpectedly arisen, and two weeks from now there should be a meeting to debrief and wrap things up. I thought we would be swamped with small preparations beforehand but things seem to be flowing quite smoothly, good work everyone!"
"Oh, much of the credit also goes to you Mr.Philer, because you are the director for the National Pastry Creation Competition this year, so many of last year's problems have ceased to exist!"
"Well...Mr. Philer and Ms. Therm...there is actually a small problem...small, small, problem really...?"
Two heads swiveled to locate the source of this comment, "What do you mean?" questioned Nathan.
To which a board member replied, "That is to say, you know that the host network sponsoring this year's tournament wanted to up the ratings? Saying the new reality shows have upped the standard and ah...a culinary competition lacked attraction and so on..."
Another board member added, "...And so they decided we needed an attractive female team in the competition, which needed to be present at least until the third round..."
A third, "...Which you rejected because that would it would be unfair to rig the competition, and only complying after the network suggested using a talented team leader who would be sure to make it that far without altering the judging style..."
Nathan sighed, "Yes, we've already gone over this, the network is our biggest sponsor, and I had to give in because they are the ones airing it...but I can't compromise much more, what do they want now?"
The first board member resumed, "Well, it's not the network that's the problem right now...Teresa Hedburg, the chosen chef...has had an unfortunate, ah...unforseen circumstances have cropped up..."
The second board member chipped in again, "It's a very recent thing, so the network has not heard of it yet, but, ah...Miss Hedburg, is currently in custody..."
A third, "Soon to be incarcerated actually, did they set a date for the trial yet?"
To which someone replied, "Well we all know she's guilty as hell!"
At which the whole table could not help but roar with laughter.
The stunned Nathan, "WHAT?"
Someone soon filled him in. Apparently Miss Hedburg caught her fiance cheating on her, and caused the fiance to break off the marriage in favour of a loose woman, which in turn set of the mentally unstable Hedburg, causing her to ahh...poison the unfortunate man. Tormented, the poor girl turned herself into the police, and two days before Valentines day too, the irony of it.
"So, you're saying we need to find a young, beautiful, capable pastry chef to replace Miss Hedburg before the network decides to completely take over, which is probably during the next 3 days?" asked a still stunned Nathan.
"Well, we've had some people do a bit of research for use, and I have some possible candidates' profiles here on my laptop, I'll just load it onto the boardroom screen now so that we may reach a decision." Said the first board member.
A hour later...
"None of these women are suitable! Either they won't pass the rounds or they don't meet the aesthetic standards of the network." said an exasperated Nathan.
"Well...there is one more who could be possible, she was one of our original candidates, but she refused the offer, citing that she had no interest in competing, so Miss Hedburg was chosen instead," said the ever informed first board member.
"Well who is it?"
"Lita Karon" At which a photo of Lita popped up on screen alongside a page of statistics. "Specializes in French cuisine, with a range in southern European cooking. High ability as a patisserie and known for her dough making skills. Birthdate: March 3rd, 1982...etc.etc...graduated from school of culinary arts in New York City, spent some time being an underchef on the East Coast, later head chef at a popular bistro...etc.etc."
"She's perfect! Let's contact her right away!" said an excited fourthe member of the board, who had kept quiet until then.
"Well, as aforementioned, she refuses to participate, stating that culinary competitions do no do justice to chefs and so on...on of those chefs with principles, or a feminist, or something along those lines." returned the first board member.
"Well it wouldn't hurt to contact her again would it, there are only three weeks until the finals in New York, if she's representing California, then she has to participate in the semifinals in L.A. starting in two weeks."
"Alright, Mr. Arden, you are in charge of the participants, would you please contact Miss.Karon and find out if she is willing to compete. The public relations comittee should try to keep things as smooth as possible between the network and ourselves. The rest should proceed as planned." said Nathan resolutely.
"But what if Miss Karon does not comply?" Someone asked.
"She has no choice, I'll make sure that she does comply. Ok, the meeting adjourns here. Good day everyone."
Author's note:
I think this is the fastest update I've ever given...I'm going to write as much as I can before my juice runs dry, though I must say I'm sort of losing interest again, I can't really remember my plan for this story...Something with Valentine's day, a road trip, her birthday, and candy, or not candy...not sure yet...so until next time then!