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Chapter 9 Brenda on the other hand rode the subway to and from work everyday. She didn't mind except when some pervert would pinch her ass. She was learning that being a girl could be an adventure and it wasn't always a pleasant one. She pushed her key into the entrance door and entered the hallway of her apartment building. The door slammed shut behind her. "Brenda, how was your day?" asked Annie as she heard her favorite tenant enter the building. Annie had made a habit of watching for Brenda when she came home. Annie worried about Brenda because she was too trusting. She knew Brenda came from a small town in California and hadn't gained the instincts of big city living, so the motherly protection came out with Brenda. "It went well, I have to ask you something though, where can I find a really good bakery?" Brenda asked. "Why do you need a bakery dear?" "Tomorrow is Cheryl's last day and I have to get a cake for her." "My word sweetheart, I'll bake one for you. Why don't you go upstairs and change and then come back down and I'll teach you how to bake a cake better than one you'll find at a bakery, at least one in this neighborhood," Annie laughed. "Okay, let me check my mail and I'll be right down." Brenda really liked Annie, she was becoming almost like a mother to her. It seemed that she learned something new from her almost everyday about being a woman. She wasn't learning makeup or fashion but what a woman does everyday of her life. Cooking and sewing, paying bills and Annie would teach her about men, giggling with every word. Brenda was becoming a woman and not an imitation of one. Brenda liked what was happening to her, the hormones were kicking in big time and although she couldn't see growth in her breasts, she could feel it and she was becoming excited by the way she felt. The maternal love from Annie and the physical changes her body was going through was making Matt disappear. Brenda returned to Annie's apartment and Annie showed her how to bake a cake. Brenda's first one fell and when it did, she burst into tears. She had worked so hard to make it perfect. Annie comforted her and explained that cakes fell all the time and not to worry about it and that they would bake another. Brenda dried her eyes and wondered why she had cried in the first place, not realizing that she was becoming a woman in more ways than one. The second attempt came out perfect and Annie was pleased with the results of her little girl's labor. "See, baking a cake isn't so hard and this one came out perfectly. Your friend will like it and you should feel proud that you baked it rather than buying it," Annie said. "I hope she does, and I hope Mario likes it too," Brenda said. "Who's Mario?" "The UPS guy, he's really cute." Brenda couldn't believe she had just said that about Mario. She was even more surprised that she had said it to Annie. "I didn't know you had a boy friend." "He's really not a boy friend, and he already has a girl friend, but," Brenda paused with a dreamy look in her eyes and then said, "I don't know, he's just so cute." "It sounds to me that you like him a lot." "I guess I do, he makes me feel all funny inside when I see him." "Mm, mm, mm, Brenda has a crush. You be careful sweetheart, I don't want to see you getting hurt." "I will, nothings going to happen as long as he has his girl friend and I know he's just flirting with me. Cheryl says he flirts with all the girls in the building." "Well you find yourself a nice boy that doesn't flirt with all the girls, it's safer that way." "I will Annie, and don't worry I'm not looking for a boy friend just now anyway." "That's the most dangerous time, when your not looking, all of a sudden some guy will come into your life and you'll fall in love and not even know it until its too late, be careful Brenda." "I'm fine Annie, I'm not going to fall in love and especially not with Mario. Thank you so much for all your help with the cake, I don't know what I would do without you," Brenda said. "You would go to a bakery," laughed Annie. Brenda thanked Annie with a hug and took the cake home with her. She couldn't help but think of what Annie had told her about falling in love. Brenda wasn't ready for that for obvious reasons but she couldn't help thinking about Mario. Why had he of all people made such an impact on her, it didn't make sense. He was in love with his girl friend and all the girls knew he was just flirting with them as a way to tease them and yet all this male, female interaction was having a profound effect on Brenda's libido. She liked being treated as an attractive girl and what better way than to attract men to confirm her want to be accepted as a woman. The hormones she was taking were wreaking havoc with her brain and it was almost as though she was in heat. Brenda knew she couldn't do anything to quell her feelings and more importantly she had to be careful lest her secret be discovered. Brenda woke the next morning and felt different for some reason. She remembered dreaming about a romantic interlude but nothing else, not the person or even whether she was Matt or herself. She just seemed driven to dress nicer today, well maybe not nicer but a bit more seductive. She took extra care shaving her legs and underarms, fixing her hair and makeup. She wore her black lacy panties and bra that pushed her forms together making cleavage with her budding breasts. She found the perfect dress and heels to wear. She would look smoking hot today. Brenda looked in the mirror at what she had created and gasped, I can't go on the subway looking like this, I'll get raped. Brenda had finally gotten to the point in her femininity where she felt vulnerable, she was no longer Matt the FBI agent who could protect himself, but a girl that felt alone with no way to fend off advances from men she wanted nothing to do with. Brenda rummaged through her closet and found a heavy coat to wear, at least the wrong people won't see me like this she thought as she pulled the heavy garment around her shoulders. Brenda took the cake in her hands and walked to the stairs and wondered how she was going to navigate the steps in her four-inch heels and hold the cake too. This was so much easier when I was Matt but his shoes would look silly with this dress, she giggled to herself. She took the first step down and almost lost her balance, shit, I should have taken my heels off and put them on downstairs, I have so much to learn. Brenda took one more step down and then lowered herself to sit on the landing to remove the dangerous devices from her feet. She placed the cake on the landing next to her and undid the ankle strap on her sandals and removed them. She stood clutching her shoes in one hand and the cake in her other and continued down the stairs with much more ease. She was almost to the bottom when she snagged her pantyhose on a splinter and ran them from her foot all the way to the top. "Shit," she shrieked, "I don't believe this." Annie poked her head out of her door and asked, "What's wrong dear?" "I just ran my hose and I'll have to change them, could you watch the cake for me?" she asked. "Of course, why were you walking without shoes on?" Annie asked. "My heels were so high that I thought I would fall down the stairs so I took them off and ruined my pantyhose." "You silly girls and your heels, I swear, I'm glad I stopped wearing them, my feet feel so much better." "I know, but gosh my legs look so pretty with them on." "I'm glad you're the one to suffer and not me, let me see what you have on." Brenda removed her coat and all Annie could do was whistle. "Brenda, are you after someone special?" Annie asked. "No, I just wanted to look nice today." "You certainly did that in spades, be careful young lady, I don't want to read about you in the paper." "Yes, mom," Brenda giggled. Brenda returned to her apartment and removed her hose and found a new pair to wear. She put her heels back on not wanting to ruin another pair of panty hose and held the handrail on her return to Annie's to pickup her cake. "Thanks Annie, do I really look alright?" Brenda's insecurities were showing and Annie wanted to put her at ease. "Sweetheart, if I had a daughter, I would want her to look just like you. You're a very pretty young woman and to be perfectly honest with you I worry every time you leave to go to work. I'm so afraid something bad might happen to you. Even though I have only known you for a very short time I have grown to love you like the daughter I never had and I don't say things like that to very many people. I'm very good at assessing what a person is like from talking to them and Brenda, in you I see a sweet caring young woman. You need reassurance like any girl your age so that you will gain confidence in yourself but that doesn't change the person you really are, a lovely young woman. Now off with you or you'll be late for work." Brenda looked at Annie, her eyes filling with tears and said, "I love you Annie." Annie grabbed a tissue and dabbed Brenda's eyes and said, "Don't you dare ruin your makeup," and then hugged the frail young girl. Brenda put her coat back on and took the cake from the hall table where Annie had placed it. She walked to the subway station for her commute to work. Cheryl had always opened the phones and Brenda would arrive thirty minutes later but since this was Cheryl's last day Brenda was to open instead. Brenda arrived and brought her precious cake to the break room and placed it on the counter. She removed her coat and hung it in her closet. She walked to the front desk to start her day of greeting customers and answering the phones. It was eight in the morning and she was the second person to arrive. The first was Carla in accounting. Carla always arrived at six so she wouldn't be interrupted while making entries from the previous day. Carla liked to be notified when the receptionist arrived. "Good morning Carla, I'm here," Brenda said as she spoke into her mouth- piece. "Thanks Brenda." It was a slow morning and the phones were pretty quiet for a change. Brenda didn't like it when it was like this because time seemed to drag. It was almost nine before Cheryl arrived. "Good morning Brenda," Cheryl said in her normal greeting and then her eyes went wide and she exclaimed, "Look at you, are you going somewhere after work?" "No, I just felt like looking nice for a change." "Brenda, you always look nice, but you really did it this morning, you're gorgeous." "This isn't too much is it?" "Honey, no, you look wonderful and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Stand up so I can see the whole you." Brenda stood and did a little twirl being careful not to trip on her heels. "What a cute dress, I can't wait to have the baby so I can wear something like that again. Where did you get it?" "Macy's, its not too dressy is it?" "Heavens no and it fits you perfectly, I'm impressed girl friend, I wasn't sure you had it in you." "What do you mean?" "You're a pretty girl and yet you seemed to be ashamed of your looks. Most of what you wore was boring, at least for a single girl. If you were married like me they were fine, you know for working and not drawing attention to yourself, but for a single girl, guys weren't going to notice you. Wait until the men in this building see the new you, girl you'll have to hire a body guard to keep them away." "I hope not, I just wanted to look nice, not have a bunch of men paying attention to me." "Maybe not, but deep down inside I think you do. Don't be ashamed of feeling that way Brenda, all of us girls do, even me. It makes my day when a guy whistles at an old broad like me, it lets me know I still have it." "God Cheryl, your not old, your what thirty-two?" "And pregnant." "So?" "You'll understand what I mean when you get older, you're still a girl, you're what twenty and look eighteen, I envy you. After I have the baby I'll have to diet and hope I get my shape back, I've seen women gain fifty pounds when they're pregnant and it stays for years and I don't want that to happen to me." "You care too much about yourself to let that happen." "I hope so. Today you get to give the orders because this is your desk now, what would you like me to do?" "Just relax and enjoy your last day. You will never guess what I did last night." "What?" "You have to guess?" "You met a guy at the market and took him home and brought him to bed?" "My God, no Cheryl, really, guess?" "I have no idea Brenda, tell me." "I baked a cake for you." "You baked a cake, really what kind?" "A carrot cake, you know, from scratch," Brenda answered excitedly. "Really, from scratch?" "Well kind of, my friend Annie taught me how to do it, I hope you like it." "If you made it I know I will." It was then that the door opened and Mario entered the suite. "Holy shi??" was all he could say when he saw Brenda. Brenda blushed and her stomach grew tight as she gained eye contact with Mario. God what's wrong with me, why does he effect me like this, he's just a guy, a really handsome guy with big brown eyes and nice muscles and a sweet personality and such kissable lips and, and I just want to die whenever I see him. Now I know, I was dressing for him, I, I, I have feelings for him. Cheryl was watching her new prot?g?e and saw the effect Mario was having on her, Brenda has a crush on him, my, my, she thought as she smiled to herself. "Brenda, you're gorgeous, what's the occasion?" Mario asked. "Its Cheryl's last day," she answered trying to guard her so obvious feelings. "Are you going to come by for cake later, I really wish you would?" Brenda blushed all the more, she really didn't have to tell the world what her wishes were, the invitation for cake was enough, but now, here she was dressed in a cute little yellow dress that showed her new cleavage, standing on yellow sandals with four inch heels exposing her legs to mid thigh practically begging this man to take her and hoping to God that he would say yes, he would like some cake. Brenda nervously fingered her bracelet waiting for an answer. Mario saw pretty women all day long and loved flirting with them, they all knew he had a girl friend and it was always in fun, he'd flirt and they would give it right back to him. This was different though, when he saw Brenda it was as though his world stopped ever so briefly, she had taken his breath away. She had lit a spark in his brain and it wasn't going to go away easily, Mario was smitten with Brenda. "I'll come back after my rounds, it wouldn't be right if I didn't say goodbye to my second most favorite girl." Brenda's heart jumped, he was coming back, thank you God. Brenda signed the delivery form and Mario left. "God Brenda, I thought you were going to faint when Mario came in, are you alright?" "Yes," she said meekly. "You like him don't you?" "Is it that obvious?" "I don't think I've ever seen anyone fall apart so fast as when he came through that door. The way you blushed was so cute and did you see him, it was the first time I have ever seen him speechless, I think he likes you." "He doesn't," Brenda protested. "Oh he does, he just doesn't know it yet, you be careful young lady, or you'll end up like me over-weight and pregnant" "I will," Brenda said, as the girls started giggling. Their conversation was interrupted by the phone. "Universal, how may I help you?" Brenda said. "I'd like to speak to Melissa please." "Ms. Benson isn't in yet, may I take a message?" "Yes, this is Margaret Voss and I have to speak with her, do you know when she will be in?" "No, I'm sorry I don't, do you have a number where you can be reached?" "She has my cell number, have her phone the minute she arrives," came the order and the phone line went dead. "Cheryl, who's Margaret Voss?" "Margaret? She's the designer of the clothing line the girls showed yesterday, why?" "That was her on the line and she seemed very put out that Melissa wasn't here." "Margaret's that way, she's a very good designer but can be nasty with people, did she say what she wanted?" "No, only that she was in a rush to speak to Melissa." "I hope it didn't have anything to do with the show." The models began to arrive for meetings and assignments for the remainder of the week. Tiffany was the second to arrive. "Tiffany, Margaret Voss just called and asked to speak to Melissa about yesterday, did something happen?" Brenda asked. "No, not that I'm aware of, she seem especially pleased with the show, she even stopped by afterward to thank me personally," Tiffany said. "Margaret thanked you personally, she never does that with anyone, the world revolves around her as far as she is concerned," stated Cheryl. Melissa came barging through the door which banged into the doorstop. She had a scowl on her face. "Fucking cops. Some son of a bitch just gave me a ticket for an illegal U turn. It's the same one I've been making for three years and now this prick gives me a ticket. I even let my skirt slide up almost to my panties. He looked in the car at my legs and asked if I was getting cold, he must have been gay or something, my legs have never failed me before," Melissa grumbled. "Good morning Melissa," Cheryl and Brenda said in unison. Melissa walked past without acknowledging either one of them and slammed her office door shut. "What a bitch, I warned you Brenda, she can be sweet as honey when she wants, but let something set her off and beware, she becomes a lioness looking for a kill," Cheryl said. "I'd better let her know Margaret called." Brenda rang Melissa's office. "What now?" she spat into the phone. "Margaret Voss called and said that it was important that you call her immediately." "Thanks Brenda, I'm sorry I took my ticket out on you and Cheryl especially since today is her last day. Oh by the way, you look especially nice today, do you have a date after work or something?" "No, I just wanted to look nice today." "Well I like it when my girls look nice, keep up the good work." Brenda disconnected the phone and smiled at Cheryl. "Melissa apologized for being rude." "She probably didn't mean it but at least it's better than nothing at all." Melissa rang Brenda after her call to Margaret. "Brenda, is Tiffany around?" she asked excitedly. "I believe she's in the break room with some of the girls." "Please go get her and ask her to come to my office." "Yes Melissa." Brenda found Tiffany talking to Donna and told her that Melissa wanted to see her. Tiffany entered Melissa's office and stood next to the door. She was afraid that maybe she had done something wrong and Melissa was going to tear up the contract. "Please close the door and sit down Tiffany," Melissa said. Tiffany's empty stomach began to churn. She was hungry and now nervousness made it worse. I've had one assignment and now she wants to fire me was all she could think. "Tiffany, I just got off the phone with Margaret Voss and she told me how pleased she was with you yesterday. She as much as stated that without you her line would have been a failure." "Really, she said that?" "Yes she did, but even more importantly she wants to use you for her national ad campaign. She said that she has never worked with a model that shines like you, even when she was with Taylor. She needs you this afternoon for a photo shoot at her studios on twenty-ninth street. Gather your things and head on over, she doesn't like girls to be late." Tiffany exited Melissa's office and saw a look of concern on Brenda's face. Brenda was worried that her friend and fellow agent might be fired after only a few days on the job. "What happened, are you in trouble?" Brenda asked with obvious concern in her voice. "No, you won't believe what just happened. Margaret Voss called to tell Melissa that she loved what I did and wants to use me for a national ad campaign," Tiffany said, with excitement in her voice. "Oh Tiffany, that's wonderful, I was so worried that you might have done something wrong," Brenda said. "I have to go over to Margaret's studio right now. They want to start shooting today, God, I'm so excited." "What about Cheryl's party, you won't be able to say goodbye." "Don't worry about me, this is an opportunity that comes along once in a lifetime, just give me a hug," Cheryl said. Tiffany walked to Cheryl and the two exchanged air kisses and Tiffany gave Cheryl a big hug and said, "Save me a piece of cake," before taking her bag and exiting the office. "Can you believe that, Tiffany just started here and now she has a plum assignment, she's going to be very special in this business," Cheryl said. Connie was walking by when she overheard what Cheryl had said. "That bitch had better watch her ass, I'm the number one girl around here and she had better not forget that," Connie spat, with venom in her voice. Connie was looking bad this morning, she hadn't put on any makeup and the strain of late nights and drug use was beginning to show on her once beautiful face. She walked to Melissa's door and opened it, walked into her office and slammed the door shut behind her. "Wow, what was that all about?" Brenda asked. "That was Connie being Connie," replied Cheryl. "She wasn't always like that, in fact when she started here she was a very nice girl, but something changed about six months ago when she started having these meetings with Melissa in private. She goes into the meeting all bitchy and nasty but when she comes out she seems calmer, you'll see." "Are all the girls like that?" "No, some of them have private meetings with Melissa but they aren't nasty like Connie, I'm not sure what her problem is." "I know what her problem is," stated Donna who just happened to enter the room, "She has a broomstick up her ass." The girls erupted in laughter with that remark, especially coming from Donna. Donna was always the kind, sweet, outgoing girl that got along with everyone. Maybe it was because she was older and knew she would be ending her career on the runway that she could become more brash in her statements, it was just a surprise that those words would flow from Donna's mouth. Donna continued, "Connie feels threatened by Tiffany because she's young and vibrant and any fool can see that she is special. We could all see how she took over at the show yesterday. It was a special moment for us. We saw a super star being born. Of course there was a certain amount of jealousy from all of us because we all wanted to be like Tiffany. We get over it though and the least we can do is be her friend. Connie doesn't work that way. She'll hate Tiffany to her dying days because Tiffany made Connie look plain in front of that crowd. Connie was always the star and now she will become a supporting act with Tiffany gathering most of the attention. Connie can be very vindictive and she and Melissa are very close. Melissa is a shrewd business woman and she can see nothing but money coming from Tiffany, so while she is young and beautiful I know Melissa won't do anything to Tiffany, but I would worry about Connie." "What could Connie do if Melissa needs Tiffany's money?" "She could do a lot of things, trust me Connie may appear to be a bitch on the outside but she's even worse inside. About six months ago there was a model that worked here who was murdered and I think maybe Connie might have had something to do with her death." "Connie?" Brenda asked. "Yes, Connie." Donna stopped talking as the door to Melissa's office opened and Connie exited. Her look seemed to have changed. She seemed a bit more at ease. "I'll talk to you later, when do we cut the cake?" Donna asked. "Right after lunch." Brenda had heard her first lead and knew she had to talk to Donna to find out what else she knew and she would have to warn her friend about Connie, Tiffany could be in danger. Brenda knew that once Cheryl was gone it would be easier for her to make lists and keep track of things without tipping anyone off as to her real purpose for having this job. Ron came by for his usual daily visit. Cheryl started giggling when he came through the door and his mouth dropped when he saw Brenda. She was going to miss all the drama going on at the agency. "Checking the air balance in the coffee room again Ron?" Cheryl asked. Most of the girls hung out in the coffee room when they had nothing to do so Ron made it a habit to spend his time in there too, unless he was doing something in Melissa's office. It was a well known fact that Ron had a crush on Melissa and she flirted with him mercilessly, loving that she could play with him like a cat plays with a mouse before she eats her prey. "I think I'll check the air balance in here today," he replied, all the while staring at Brenda. "From the look on your face, I think you would like to check something else out," Cheryl said. Ron turned bright red, he knew he was busted but he couldn't draw his eyes away from Brenda. He was used to seeing the models, they were pretty but seemed to lack in the figure department, but Brenda had curves and she was pretty. She was also a lot shorter than the models and you didn't have to be six-foot six to look good with her. Brenda had never dressed to show herself before and Ron had just kind of looked past her but now that she caught his eye and there would be a lot more air balancing going on in the reception area. "Ron, today is Cheryl's last day and we are cutting a cake a little later, you're welcome to come by if you'd like," Brenda said as she gave Ron her biggest smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," he replied as he talked to the roundness of Brenda's breasts that were showing seductively above her dress. Ron put his measuring devices away and slinked slowly away through the door. Both girls looked at him in disgust and waited for the door to close. "What a pig, for a minute I thought your breasts had eyes, he's one person I won't miss," Cheryl said. "He doesn't mean anything, he's just being a guy." "A creepy guy, maybe if he got laid he wouldn't be that way, of course what girl in her right mind would want some guy to talk to her tits all night long?" Cheryl asked, as the girls erupted into laughter. Brenda's face turned serious as she thought about what Donna had said about Connie, had Connie really killed Natalia, or was it just supposition on Donnas part? Brenda had to learn more about Connie. "Cheryl, do you know anything about what Donna was talking about, you know, Connie killing that girl?" "Brenda, Donna's a really sweet person but I think her imagination gets carried away sometimes. Some of what she says makes sense but I don't know about Connie having anything to do with Natalia's death." "I'm sorry but it scares me thinking I might have to work with a killer." "God Brenda, Connie's not a killer, she certainly wasn't strong enough to cut Natalia's throat and dump her body in the river. Donna has a wild imagination." "Still, why would Donna say something like that?" "You're going to learn that all the girls here strive for attention and will do and say anything to be noticed and I think maybe this is one of those times, Connie isn't a killer." "Why would Donna suspect Connie then?" "It goes back quite a ways, even before I started working here. The girl before me filled me in to what was happening around here and explained to me that I was to stay out of Connie and Natalia's way. She told me that they hated each other and would do anything to ruin the others career. After she left I could see what she meant, all they ever did was snipe at each other and try to get on the good side of Melissa at the others expense. Now here is where things got strange. There was a party about three months before Natalia died where a lot of cocaine was being past around. Natalia wanted nothing to do with it but from what I've heard Connie pretty much sniffed up half of Colombia. After that I heard Connie started using the stuff almost everyday and that was about the time she began visiting Melissa for her meetings. This infuriated Natalia because she wanted to be Melissa's favorite and she knew Connie was using coke by the plane load so she went to Melissa and told her all about Connie's nasty little habit. I saw Natalia come out of Melissa's office and her face was red with anger. She turned around and said, ?If you're not going to do anything about it, then I'm going to go to the police and let them handle it,' and slammed the door shut. I never saw her again after that and I like everyone else, thought she had run off with one of her boyfriends. The next thing we heard she was dead." "Did you tell this to the police?" "No, I didn't think it was important and it was the farthest thing from my mind because I had just found out that I was going to have a baby." "At least I can see why you don't think Connie had anything to do with it, but what if Melissa had told her about Natalia's threat." "Maybe she did but how was I to know and besides if I said anything to anyone about it she might kill me too. Something's are better left alone, I had a baby to worry about, not whether Connie was a killer." "I can see your point, maybe it's best to let sleeping dogs lie. Hey, it's lunch time, lets cut your cake." The cake was cut and shared with all present and by the end of the day it was gone. Cheryl departed right after eating a piece of cake declaring that it was the best carrot cake she had ever eaten. "Brenda, you're missing your calling, you should open a bakery, it would sure beat catering to a bunch of spoiled women like you'll have to do around here," Cheryl laughed. All the girls giggled at that remark knowing it was true. Cheryl made the rounds kissing and hugging each girl as she did. Last was Brenda. Cheryl had come to love this sweet, sensitive girl. Her bright eyes and special smile made Cheryl's last days here bearable. Cheryl had found a true friend in Brenda. "I'm going to miss you Brenda," she said as her eyes filled with tears. Brenda held her friend and tried to speak but the lump in her throat wouldn't let her, she just held Cheryl tight to her and let the tears flow. The two finally broke their embrace and Cheryl started to giggle. "It looks as though I'll be here a bit longer while Brenda repairs her makeup," she said. Brenda looked at the wall mirror and gasped when she saw the two black lines running down her cheeks. "Oh God, I didn't get this on your blouse did I?" "No silly girl, and who cares if you did, it's maternity wear not some fabulous blouse that I want to wear over and over again, now go to the powder room and fix your makeup before Mario sees you like this." Brenda did as instructed and returned to give her friend one last hug. "I'll call you Cheryl, and you had better let me know when you have the baby or I'll never forgive you," Brenda said. "I will, and watch out for Mario, he doesn't know how he feels about you yet, but when he figures it out, you'll be in trouble, bye Brenda." With that Cheryl turned and left her job far behind, she had a new one to start, being a mom.