It’s been a long time coming. I pull out my phone.
Me: I don’t think my connection with the Buzzards is going to work.
Ophelia: That’s ok. It was a long shot. Thanks for trying.
I feel as if I’ve let her down.
Me: This isn’t the end. Let me put my journalism skills to work. Between my sports knowledge and your writing, we can probably get enough proof to exonerate Xavier.
Ophelia: Really? You still want to help? Why?
Me: Of course, I want to help. Just because the one guy I know on the team wasn’t the way in the door, it doesn’t mean we can’t bust the thing down ourselves.
We are women, hear us roar.
Me: In the interest of full disclosure, I am trying to launch a career as a sportscaster. I want to be reporting from the sidelines someday, maybe even for ESPN. So if nothing else, I’m mad that someone who actually works there would publish such garbage, and that it got through in the first place.
Ophelia: Right? He was a douche at Thanksgiving, and then even douchier to write that article. Xavier won’t talk to me, not that I blame him. I shouldn’t have published the book when I did.
Me: Um, I read it, and unless Xavier is undead, I don’t see how it’s actually related to him at all.
I giggle and blush at the same time. Her book,Stolen Stars, is about a vampire, living as a pirate sometime in the 1800s. It’s about as far from Xavier Henry as you can get.
Ophelia: YES! It’s like that douchecanoe didn’t even read the book but just assumed I was writing about X.
Ophelia: Still, the timing was pretty bad.
Ophelia: I have a gift for that. I need to start thinking before I act. I can be a little impulsive.
From her ClikClaks, I’d say she can be a lot impulsive. I wonder if she has ADHD or something. Not that it matters. We need a plan.
Me: We need a plan.
Ophelia: Agreed, but I’m bad at plans.
Me: Give me a few, and then I’ll get back to you.
About two hours later, I’ve got a plan.
I don’t know if it’s a good one, but it’s a start. We are systematically taking apart the article and proving it wrong. I’m putting together a slideshow presentation about why Xavier Henry would benefit the Buzzards’ defense.
This is where Cal would have been useful. Bastard.
I don’t need him. Like I said, being with Callaghan Entay was the start of my villain origin story. I channel my inner Thanos.Fine, I’ll do it myself.
I email Ophelia my detailed plan of action. She’s got a lot of people to get in contact with, including Phaedra Jones and Bob Miller. I wrote up bulleted notes for her for each talking point.
There’s a lot riding on this, and I’m not sure it’s going to work. It’ll be a great story someday. Hopefully, Ophelia and Xavier will let me tell it.
Even if they don’t, I’m doing the right thing.
ONE WEEK. THAT’S ALLit takes for Ophelia to put her plan into action. I’m not sure how she got all the pieces lined up so quickly, but apparently, everything’s in place and ready to go.
Except for Ophelia’s confidence.
Ophelia: You have to come with me.
Me: And do what?
