The Proposal Ch. 06

Immersion Playground

Book #1: The Proposal

Chapter 6

A few minutes before ten Tuesday morning the doorbell rings at Charlie's front door. Charlie thinks it odd that Teri wouldn't ping her when she arrives and come into the office.

Charlie opens a ping. "Teri? The door's open. Come on back to the office."

"Uh, Charlie, I'm not there yet," Teri replies.

"Oh! Sorry. Well just come on in and back to the office when you get here. Now, let me see who is at the door. See you in a bit." She closes the link while she's walking to the door. She opens the door to see a smiling woman holding a dozen lovely yellow roses.

"Ms. Charlie Rose?" the woman asks.

"Yes."

"These are for you," the woman says, handing her the bouquet.

Charlie is stunned into momentary silence. "Who are they from?" she asks, trying to figure out who would send her flowers, and why.

"Don't know, ma'am," the woman says, backing away from the door. "There's a card attached."

The young woman nods curtly before jogging back to her delivery car. Charlie is still standing in the door as the young woman guns the car backwards into the street, stopping with a short squeal of tires before racing away.

She places the roses on the counter while she looks for something to put them in. After snipping the ends of the stems and placing the flowers in the water-filled vase, she is arranging them when Teri knocks lightly on the door before entering. Charlie looks up at her knock and waves her into the room.

"What beautiful flowers," Teri says, walking up behind Charlie. "Who are they from?"

"I don't know," Charlie says as she finishes arranging them in the vase. She picks up the card. "Let's see, shall we?" She opens the little envelope and removes the card. Flipping it open, she reads the message aloud for Teri. "Charlie, thank you for all you have done for me over the years, but these flowers are to thank you for suggesting that I write a couples interface for immersions. I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. Hugs and kisses, Rick." She smiles as she closes the card. Placing it back on the counter she turns to Teri. "They're from a friend. They are to say thank you for an idea I gave him."

"Must have been some idea," Teri says somewhat wistfully.

"We've been friends a long time, and he's a really good guy," she says, escorting Teri to her office.

"Is he single?" Teri asks hopefully.

Charlie giggles. "No, I'm afraid that not only is he happily married, but he is old enough to be your father."

"Oh," Teri says in disappointment, settling into a chair across from Charlie. "All the good ones are taken," she says with a dramatic pout.

"Oh, I'm sure there are still a few good ones out there," Charlie reassures her. "Now, the reason I asked you here today. There are a couple of reasons, actually. First, do you remember the shoot you did with William Barker a couple months ago? It was the shoot up in San Francisco for the fall line of Tindle's?"

"Yes, why?" Teri asks, nodding.

"It seems you made a good impression on Bill. Bill is well-known and respected in this area and that reflects positively on you and me as well. He was most impressed by your willingness to take direction, your work ethic, and your—as he put it—lack of drama." Charlie takes a deep breath for effect. "It seems that Mr. Barker is the lead photographer on a major print campaign and he has asked for you specifically as the face of that campaign. I can't say more until you sign the non-disclosure agreement." She sends the NDA to Teri. "I recommend you look it over carefully before signing."

"Should I sign it?"

"Teri, you know I can't give you that kind of advice. But if it were me, yes, I would sign it." Moments later the signed document arrives back.

"Okay, now that you have signed the NDA, here's what I can tell you. Peugeot—that's a French car company in case you didn't know—is going to try to reenter the US car market. There's going to be a lot of net media, a lot of signage, and Bill wants you to be the face of the company. There's no guarantee that you'll get the position, but I think you have a leg up on everyone else because Bill selected you personally. The NDA you just signed states you cannot talk about this with anyone other than me, as your agent, Bill, and representatives of Peugeot. That means no mom and dad, no boyfriends, no girlfriends. In other words, if you want this, and trust me, you do, keep your mouth shut, okay? If this leaks, and they track it back to you, you're out and you'll be stuck modeling winter coats in the middle of summer for the rest of your career."

Charlie watches as Teri sits in stunned silence. She can appreciate what the young woman must be thinking. Teri Shorr, twenty-three years old, just had the world opened before her. At almost six feet, Teri is tall, graceful, and— with her enormous brown eyes and blond hair—staggeringly beautiful. Charlie's been coaching Teri, steering her career for the last six years, since she first started modeling. It appears that not only is Teri about to step into the major leagues of modeling, but Charlie's little podunk agency is the one that's going to put her there. Charlie has worked hard, selecting only those girls she thinks will work hard and 'avoid the drama,' as Bill calls it, to represent. Finding beautiful girls is easy. Finding beautiful girls that have a good work ethic and are not too full of themselves... that's the hard part.

"I don't know what to say," Teri finally squeaks out.

"You say, 'Thank you, Charlie, for being such a good mentor to me,'" she suggests with a big smile.

"Thank you, Charlie, for being such a good mentor to me," Teri repeats with a laugh.

Charlie rises from her stool and steps around her table to give Teri a hug. "Congratulations Teri. I think you are on your way to great things."

Teri hugs her back fiercely. "Thank you, Charlie, for all you have done for me. I'll never forget it."

"I certainly hope not!" Charlie says with a smile. "I want you to tell all your high-powered photographer friends what great girls we have here at C. Rose Agency."

"That's not what I meant, Charlie..." Teri begins with a sniff as she struggles not to cry, still holding tightly to Charlie.

"I know dear, but I'm trying to not cry." Charlie hears Teri blubber once before sniffing again as she releases her.

"Do you think I have a shot?" Teri asks, settling back into her chair.

Charlie props her elbows up on the table she uses to sort pictures. "I think you are the candidate to beat. Just go in there and be yourself. Teri being Teri is what got you the opportunity... Teri being Teri is what will clinch the deal."

She nods in understanding. "I'll try."

"No, don't try. Just be yourself. Trust me," Charlie says, driving the point home. "I'll let Bill know that you have signed the NDA. In a couple of months, we'll probably get together and talk about your deal. There is going to be some time when it'll appear nothing is happening, but trust me, the wheels are turning on this. Win or lose, I'm very proud of you, Teri," she says sincerely. "You've come a long way from that sixteen-year-old that came around looking for a summer job."

Teri sniffs again, tears threatening to spill again. "I just wanted to be a gofer, or carry bags, or something. I never thought you'd want to put me in front of the camera."

"I know talent when I see it," Charlie says, patting Teri on her hand. "And remember," she adds, putting a finger to her lips in the universal symbol for quiet. "Any questions?"

Teri pauses briefly, thinking. "Millions... but no."

Charlie laughs. "I know exactly how you feel. Remember, you are potentially my first big star, so this is going to be a learning experience for both of us. Bill is a good guy. Between the two of us, we won't let anything happen to you," she says with more confidence than she feels.

"I don't know how to thank you for all you have done for me," Teri says, her eyes filling with tears again.

"I didn't do it, Teri, you did. I was there to offer a steadying hand if you needed it. You didn't. Please don't cry. If you cry, I'll start to cry, and then I'll have to go redo my makeup," Charlie says with a sniff. She smiles at the young woman, "I'll always be here for you if you need me, but if you remember what I've told you, you'll be fine."

"Yes, I'll remember."

"Good! Now, do you have plans for the next few hours?"

"No. I can be here all day if you need me to. What can I do?"

"Well, first I want to talk to you about something else, and then I think we should have celebratory lunch on C. Rose Agency. How does that sound?"

"Sounds great," Teri exclaims. "I always enjoy hanging out with you."

Charlie really does like this beautiful young woman, and that's part of the reason she wants to try to help her again. "Follow me into the den," she says, leading Teri out of the room. As they walk down the hall she begins to explain. "Teri, I am going to ask you some questions. They are personal questions and have nothing to do with your modeling or your relationship with C. Rose. If you don't want to answer any question, don't. There won't be any hard feelings." She motions Teri to a chair as she sits down in another. "Do you understand what I am saying? If you don't want to talk to me, we can leave right now and go laugh ourselves silly over lunch, okay?" She takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what is about to come. "After that nasty business with the vid, I know you're not a virgin. I also know from our past conversions that you haven't had a great deal of luck with men. Is all this still true? The problems you have been having with men, I mean?"

A couple of years ago a boyfriend secretly recorded him and Teri having sex. It probably happens all the time. With the implanted chip, there's no way to know it's happening, and no way to prevent it, but in this case, the boyfriend released the vid onto the net. When she heard him bragging about it to friends, Teri was devastated. C. Rose Agency sued on Teri's behalf and won, forcing the removal of the vid, but Teri has never fully recovered from the betrayal. It breaks Charlie's heart to see Teri, a beautiful woman with so much to give, so mistreated. While Teri hasn't directly asked Charlie for dating advice, she has confided in her on numerous occasions her seeming inability to find someone who will treat her with the love and respect she deserves.

"Men can be such pigs," Teri says with some bitterness. "They start out all right, but it seems they always turn into such... assholes. If I sleep with them, they get all weird, and if I don't sleep with them, they get all bitchy then leave." She looks at her feet. "It makes me wonder sometimes if it's me."

"It's not you, Teri. I've told you that several times and you need to believe me. It's not you. You have so much to offer. If the guy can't see that, well, it's his loss," Charlie says, even though her words ring hollow, even to her.

"All I want to do is find a nice normal guy, like Todd, you know? That doesn't see like I'm asking a lot," Teri says, still looking at her feet.

"I know, and you're not. You just have to hang in there until your Todd finds you. Which brings me to the point of all this. Have you ever had an immersion?"

"What?" Teri asks, looking up, caught off-guard by the sudden change in subject. "An immersion? Sure, once, at an amusement park. Why? What's all this about?"

"Teri, I have an immersion that I want you to experience. It is about love, and passion, and, well, sex at the end. I want to get your feedback on how it makes you feel. I have experienced it and it affected me, and Todd, who has also experienced it, profoundly. I want to offer you this chance to experience it as well."

"Why me?"

"Because, Teri, I feel like you're the kid sister I never had. I think this immersion will affect you in some very positive ways. At least I hope it does. I think you'll have a new outlook about life, and love, and men in particular." Teri looks at Charlie, her doubt clear on her face. Charlie laughs lightly. "At least that's the plan. But other than Todd and me, you are the only other person to have a chance to experience it."

Teri watches Charlie, still unsure. "So, it's some kind of porn immersion?"

"I know it might sound kind of like that from my description, but trust me, it is as far from pornography as it can be. Look, if you're not sure, don't do it. It isn't going to make me mad or hurt my feelings. Really."

Teri gazes at Charlie intently for several moments. "Sure. Why not? You haven't steered me wrong yet."

"Okay, great! The immersion is about two hours long." Charlie pauses while Teri whistles, either impressed or amazed. "After the immersion, I'd like to talk to you for a few minutes about how you feel. That will make the time—" she zones out for a half-second "—Twelve-thirty-ish when we're done. After that we're off to lunch. I have no other plans, so we can take as long at lunch as you like. I'd just like to be back about five or so... so I can make Todd feel guilty that he never sends me flowers," she says with a twinkle in her eye, nodding her head in the direction of the roses on the countertop.

Teri laughs. "Good plan. Are you ready to start?"

Charlie sends Teri the link. "Now promise me you will experience it all the way through. This is a one-time-use link, so if we lose the link you can't try again. Suppress or forward your pings, okay?"

"It's not going to be scary, is it?" Teri askes as she does as Charlie requests.

"No. Trust me. You'll feel wonderful after this. Oh, one more thing. I will be in my office when you come out of the immersion. Just come get me when you are ready to talk, okay?"

"You won't be here when I come out?"

"No. It's better this way. When you come out you will be in complete privacy. You'll understand after the immersion. Just come get me when you're ready to talk, okay?"

"Okay," Teri says, her tone uncertain.

With that last cryptic comment, Charlie turns and walks away.

Teri watches her go and hears the door to her office shut. She sits in her chair a moment, trying to figure out what in the hell Charlie is not telling her. She feels like Charlie is offering her a tremendous gift, one that she would be stupid to turn down, but the comment about complete privacy is so... strange. She likes Charlie a lot, and she finds it humorous that Charlie thinks of her as her kid sister because she looks at Charlie kind of like her older sister. Charlie has been nothing but kind and understanding as she dumped her troubles on her, unable to talk to anyone else. If Charlie thinks this immersion is important, and will help her, she's willing to trust her judgment. Rising from her chair, she moves to the couch and lies down on her back, crossing her ankles comfortably, and drops into the immersion.

***

Just less than two and a half hours later, as Charlie slowly swiveling on her stool, daydreaming, she hears a light tap on her door.

"Charlie?" Teri's voice calls quietly.

"Come in, Teri. The door is open."

Teri steps into the room, fully dressed and put together, though Charlie notices that her makeup is gone. She also doesn't like the look on Teri's face as she stands in the door.

"Teri, are you okay?" Charlie asks, rising from her stool, her concern evident in her voice. Teri nods, her face twisting as she steps to her and pulls into a fierce hug. Teri begins to weep softly, and Charlie is aghast at what she's done. "Teri I am so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you," she says, feeling herself beginning to cry.

Teri pushes her back and sniffs. "No! It was wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. It's the greatest thing anyone has ever given me. I just... I've never felt like that in my life. Is that what it feels like to be in love?" She sniffs and wipes her eyes on the back of her hands.

Charlie backs away, wiping her eyes as well. "Dear God! You scared me to death. I thought I... I don't know what I thought, but..." She laughs a little, still wiping her eyes while trying not to make a mess of her makeup. "Yes, Teri, that is what it feels like to be deeply, truly, in love."

"Do you think I'll ever feel like that?"

"Let's go sit in the den," Charlie suggests. "Would you like something to drink? I have water, beer, a couple different wine coolers, and I think there may be a pop around here somewhere."

"A cooler, please. My mouth is a little dry."

Charlie returns with two wine coolers and they sit. "Do you mind if I record this for Rick and Giselle? I think they'll want to hear what you have to say."

"Not at all," Teri replies, opening her drink. "I have a few things I would like to say to them as well."

***

Rick and Giselle are watching the recording that Charlie dropped into their inbox an hour before. They waited until after dinner to watch the vid together on the screen in the family room, Charlie's attached description of After immersion interview... you have to see this! preparing them for what the vid contained.

"I'm recording," Charlie says, looking at a stunning young woman sitting across from her in another chair, the vid a capture of everything that Charlie sees and hears.

"So, you have something to want to say to Rick and Giselle?" Charlie's disembodied voice asks.

"Yes. First, I want to thank you for allowing Charlie to share this experience with me. I also want thank you, Charlie, for giving me the chance to experience it." Teri pauses and looks at her feet in embarrassment.

"Go ahead Teri. I'm sure Rick and Giselle will be interested in anything you have to say," Charlie encourages.

"Well... Giselle... I don't know you. I may never know you. But I hope one day to meet you. You, through your experience, have shown me something I never knew existed. Every girl dreams of finding true love, but what does that mean, exactly? I never knew, but now I do. I think you have saved me from... a lot of potential pain." Teri pauses, wringing her hands. "I haven't had very good luck with guys. I was beginning to think that maybe all guys are like that and I am expecting too much. But having met Todd, and kind of meeting you, Rick, I know now there are some nice guys out there. It's shown me that I don't have to accept some asshole and that maybe there is a great guy out there for me too." She pauses and takes a sip from her bottle. "Anyway, thanks. That's all I wanted to say."

"You enjoyed the immersion?"

"Oh my God! It was so amazing!" Teri gushes. "I didn't know that's what love feels like. I've never felt anything like that! I felt all warm inside, calm... uh... at peace, you know? I don't know how to describe it, but I've never felt like that about anybody, ever. And the sex! That was..." she stops, eyes widening at what she was about to say.

"Go on," Charlie encourages. "I's really like to know what you think."

"Well..." Teri starts slowly, "It was good," she says, not looking at Charlie.

"Good?" Charlie asks, her voice rising in teasing. "You're a better woman than me then. I practically attacked Todd after I experienced it."

Teri looks at Charlie, her brilliant smile returning. "Okay, maybe a little better than good." She giggles. "Actually, I've never experienced anything like that either. I've had sex before, and sometimes it felt pretty good, but that was so much more than just sex. Now I see the difference between sex and making love. It's not just two ways of saying the same thing." Teri pauses for a moment. "I hope I can find someone to make love to me someday."

"What was your favorite part?"

"My favorite part? All of it. The walk on the beach, the picnic, the proposal. That Rick is such a romantic. I suppose they actually got married?"