Get up Saturday, receive a phone call – tell Vanessa what it is, ask her if she could be my PA. Explain to her what she has to do and go shopping on Sunday for clothes for her. Skip to Monday to attend the meeting.
I woke up at 10am, expecting a relatively quiet Saturday; it was then that I remembered the night before, and the unexpected arrival of my sister, Vanessa Hudgens. Whilst I'd harboured a grudge against her for over six years, I'd decided to try and put it aside while she stayed with me.
I grabbed a towel from the side and headed into my en suite to shower. When I was finished, I threw on a pair of shorts and left my bedroom with the intention of getting a cup of coffee from the kitchen.
"Oh, 'Nessa," I said, surprised to see my little sister sat on the sofa in a towel. "Sorry, I'll just put a t-shirt on." I realised I was topless, and turned to go back into my bedroom.
"No, don't be silly," she giggled. "It's your place, dress how you want."
"You sure?" I asked.
"Yeah."
I went into the kitchen and began boiling the kettle, ready to make myself a cup of coffee when I heard my work phone ring. Sighing, I returned to my bedroom to answer the call. I let out another sigh when I read the ID of the caller.
"Hello, Melissa," I said into the handset.
"Hello, Andrew," she replied. "I'm going to keep this short so I don't waste your weekend." Melissa was my PA, and she had an irritating habit of saying this to waste slightly more of my time.
"Alright."
"I've arranged the meeting you asked for with the board of directors," she said. "11am on Monday morning."
"Aren't you on holiday next week, Melissa?" I suddenly realised that I wouldn't have a PA for the meeting.
"Um, yeah, I am."
"Shit."
"Sorry," she replied meekly.
"No, no, don't worry Melissa, it'll be fine," I replied, feeling slightly cruel for making her feel guilty. "You enjoy your holiday."
"Thanks, Andrew."
"Bye," I said, annoyed at the predicament I was now in.
"Bye," she replied.
"Is everything alright?" Vanessa asked as I walked out of my bedroom. She must have overheard my irritated tone.
"Yeah," I said, sitting down beside her. "It's just I have an important meeting on Monday and no PA to attend it with me." It was now that the idea hit me like a brick to the face.
"Wait, 'Nessa?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think you could be my PA, just for one day?"
"Um, I don't know, I mean I don't even know what a PA does."
"Trust me, it's easy, all you have to do is take notes."
"Is that it?" she asked, sounding surprised.
"What, you're telling me that in your line of work you've never met a Personal Assistant?" I laughed. "Trust me, having a PA is just about looking powerful. You sit beside me, take notes and look pretty and I kiss the company director's arses. That's how it works."
"Well, I can take notes, and I can look very pretty," she laughed. "But won't I be recognised?" She suddenly sounded worried.
"I don't know how many company directors you think watched Spring Breakers," I smiled. "And even if you are, these meetings are top secret. Not a word leaves the room, not even about a celebrity being a PA."
"Alright, I'll do it, on one condition." She grinned and I grew very wary of what her condition would be. "You take me shopping tomorrow."
"You always want to go shopping, don't you?" I laughed.
"Well, don't you want your PA to look hot?" She raised her eyebrow at me.
"I guess you're right. Fine, we'll go shopping tomorrow and you can buy your dresses and shoes or whatever it is."
"Aren't you just the best brother ever," she mocked.
"Yes, actually, I am." I laughed.
~~~~~
"Come on, 'Nessa, it can't take you this long to get ready," I said through her bedroom door. It was Sunday, and I'd agreed to take her out shopping in exchange for her being my temporary PA.
An hour later we were finally on Bond Street. Because of Vanessa's insistence on high-end shopping, I'd been forced to dress up somewhat, and it felt more like I was going to work than going shopping. She'd chosen to wear a figure-hugging dress that stopped just above her knees and black, platform heels, both of which were probably designer, although I wasn't interested enough to enquire. She was only 5'1" but her heels made her at least half a foot taller, and I had no idea how she managed to walk so gracefully.