The morning after her fifteenth birthday, the local newspapers carried a small photo of the "Trattoria Crush." It showed Anastasia, surrounded by a sea of fans, with her father and sisters acting as a human shield. To the public, it was a charming story of a young star's popularity. To Robin Pareto, it was a professional emergency.
Robin arrived at the house before the breakfast dishes were even cleared, her briefcase overflowing with urgent memos.
The Infrastructure Talk"Stasia, last night was a wake-up call," Robin said, pacing the length of the kitchen. "You're a leading lady and a significant shareholder in a tech company. You cannot have your father acting as a bodyguard and your mother sorting through thousands of fan letters. You need a professional secretary and a PR specialist. Now."
Anastasia looked at Sarah and Beth, who were sitting at the table finishing their cereal. She thought about the "infrastructure" Robin was suggesting—strangers in suits, people who didn't know the "real" her, professionals who would create a wall between her and her family.
"I don't want strangers, Robin," Anastasia said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I already have the perfect team."
The ProposalAnastasia turned to her sisters. Sarah was nineteen, sharp-witted and organized, currently taking a gap year. Beth was seventeen, social, charismatic, and knew exactly how to talk to people.
"Sarah," Anastasia said, leaning forward. "You're the most organized person I know. You can track a budget better than Mr. Henderson. Would you want to be my Private Secretary? You'd handle the schedule, the correspondence, and keep the business side of my life from drowning the house."
She then looked at Beth. "And Beth... you know what people are saying before they even say it. You're a natural communicator. Would you want to be my PR and Fan Liaison? You'd handle the press requests with Marcus's guidance and manage how the world sees me."
The room went silent. Even Robin stopped pacing, her mouth slightly agape.
"Wait," Beth squeaked, her eyes wide. "You mean... we'd work with you? All day? Every day?"
"We'd be together," Anastasia said. "We'd travel together, go to sets together, and we'd make sure this industry doesn't turn me into someone else. I'd pay you a professional salary—the same I'd pay a stranger—but the money stays in the family. And more importantly, the trust stays in the family."
The "Yes"Sarah and Beth looked at each other, then back at Anastasia. The idea of the "Jones Sisters" becoming a professional powerhouse was too good to pass up.
"I'm in," Sarah said, her voice firm. "I'll get a filing system started by noon. No more mail on the kitchen counter."
"I'm definitely in!" Beth cheered, nearly knocking over her orange juice. "I've already got ideas for how to handle those magazines that keep calling you 'suspicious.' I'll make them love you."
Robin let out a long, slow breath, a look of realization dawning on her. "It's unconventional... but it's brilliant. No one will be more loyal than they are. And it keeps your 'Circle' tight."
The New RoutineThe change was instant and joyful. Instead of Anastasia disappearing into a world of corporate offices, her sisters joined her in the fray. They turned the sunroom into a bright, airy office.
The best part wasn't the organization; it was the time they spent together. During the long waits between meetings or the drives to the studio, they weren't just "The Star" and her staff. They were three sisters laughing, debating movie plots, and planning their next move.
When they went to the bank to meet with Mr. Henderson about the Apple stock, Sarah sat next to Anastasia with a leather-bound planner, taking meticulous notes. When a reporter tried to corner Anastasia at a lunch spot, Beth was there with a dazzling smile and a polite, "She's not doing interviews today, but I can send you a press kit!"
One afternoon, as they sat in their new "office" sharing a tub of popcorn and reviewing a script for a period drama set in London, Anastasia looked at her sisters. The wall hadn't been built between her and her family; the family was the wall.
"I think we're going to be the most dangerous team in Hollywood," Beth said, tossing a kernel of popcorn into the air.
"We already are," Anastasia smiled. "Because we actually like each other."