My Life Would Suck Without You

The Secrets Out

Ariana walked into the office with a huge smile on her face. People seemed to be coming out of the woodwork to congratulate her and she couldn't be more thrilled. It was six months to the day. Six months ago Doreen had tasked her with putting Gisele on the cover of a major magazine and she'd met that deadline ... with no time to spare. Ariana was understandably proud of herself. Despite all the personal turmoil in her life, her career had not suffered in the slightest.

Donny was hunched over a table with some co-workers when he saw her walk in. His smile matched hers. "You did it, Ariana! This cover is outstanding; more than anyone could hope for."

Her co-workers were so impressed that they stood up and actually started applauding in appreciation. Amy, the newest wannabe agent in the office, ran up to her with pen and magazine in hand. "Oh, Ms. Grande, could you sign my copy, please?"

Ariana smiled indulgently and marveled at how she never imagined she would ever be signing her autograph again after she gave up her dreams of the stage. She took the magazine from the younger woman and pulling out her own black sharpie, scrawled her name across the magazine cover, being careful to not write over Gisele's picture. It was one of the best Cosmo covers Ariana had ever seen. The cover was artfully done with Gisele's naked body wrapped seductively in a shear green fabric which beautifully accented her red hair. She was turned slightly to the side which accentuated her small four and a half month baby bulge. The eye catching title enticed the reader to look inside to find out ... "How Orgasms during Pregnancy are the Most Intense of My Life, according to Supermodel Gisele Snow".

Ariana suddenly looked worried. How would Doreen react to Gisele's pregnancy? She still hadn't announced her own and at six months it was getting pretty difficult to hide.

"Do you think Doreen will be upset when she finds out about the pregnancy?", she asked Donny when people had started to slowly return to their desks.

Louise, Doreen's secretary, who had just entered the office couldn't help but comment on the question.

"Oh thank God... you're finally admitting your pregnancy so we can stop walking around like we're on egg shells."

Ariana whirled around in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Well...", the older woman looked up from her Cosmo magazine. "You've been shouting at people and bursting into tears for no apparent reason and half the time you walk around looking like you're in a dream world. Plus, you're eating like a pig, but the only place you're putting on weight is your stomach", she grinned and shrugged. "You'd have to be a complete idiot not to realize it."

"You think Doreen suspects anything?", Ariana asked nervously.

"Doreen Remington is many things, but idiot is not one of them."

Just then, Louise's computer beeped loudly and she quickly reached over and silenced the noise with a click on the keyboard. "Speak of the devil... she's just entered the building."

Ariana stared at her in amazement; there must be some sort of underground network in this office that she had no knowledge of. Louise would probably be broadcasting their conversation as soon as she left ... let's just hope it was the intranet and not the world wide web. She looked up at the double glass doors just as Doreen came sweeping through with a wadded up magazine tightly gripped in her hand.

"Ariana! What's the meaning of this?" Doreen was holding a crinkled up copy of Cosmo in her hand and waving it around for all to see. "My office. Now!"

"Yes, ma'am." Ariana meekly followed her into the bosses' sanctuary. These meetings never went well. The last time she'd fainted dead away.

The older woman silently indicated for Ariana to sit down and started pacing nervously around the room. Stopping suddenly, she bore down on Ariana. "You've obviously known about this pregnancy for some time." Ariana nodded. "But you didn't bother to tell me."