Brice:Your team is meeting at Hello, Coffee! at twelve-thirty. We want to present a unified front when we walk into the Maurer Theatre.
I didn’t think I’d ever had a “team” before. I finished getting ready and headed out into the cold December weather. There was a light snow falling, but it melted on contact, creating slick sidewalks. I took my time and headed to the theater. When I got to Hello, Coffee!, Asher and Jeremy were drinking coffee at the corner table.
“There’s the girl of the hour,” Asher said. “How are you doing?”
I sat down at the table and said, “My head is swimming. I haven’t had time to process what’s going on.”
“That’s okay,” McCartan said. His face suddenly became serious as he added, “I’m sorry I didn’t put up more of a fight the other day. I should have trusted you.”
“Hey, I get it. The way the facts were laid out—along with the audio recording—made it look like I’d violated my contract.”
“But I should have known that you wouldn’t have been that sloppy as a professional. I truly am sorry.”
“Water off a duck’s back,” I said.
“Wow,” McCartan said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone use that in an actual conversation before. I mean, I remember when Jinkx Monsoon said it repeatedly on RuPaul’s Drag Race…”
“It’s a Midwestern thing,” Asher said. “We have all kinds of sayings you East Coasters never hear in conversations.”
“Good afternoon,” a voice said. I looked up to see Charles Pearson strolling over. He had his briefcase with him. As usual, he was dressed in a tailored suit that was probably more expensive than my entire wardrobe.And that’s where all my billable hours go.
“We’re waiting for Brice Stark,” Asher said. “Then we can head next door.”
“So, what exactly will happen when we get next door?” I asked.
“We have a game plan all mapped out,” Pearson said. “This is going to be fun. Rebekka Eldridge needs to be knocked down a peg or two, and I’m looking forward to being the man to do it.” I looked more shocked than I intended because he added, “Don’t worry. We’ve got this.”
Brice showed up a couple minutes later, and the entire group walked next door into the theater. Noam Weiss was pacing in the entryway when we got there.
He looked at my entourage and said, “It’s good to see you again, Erika. Right this way.”
My “team” followed him through a side door and into the theater’s corporate offices. He navigated the group to the same conference room I’d been fired out of days earlier.
Rebekka Eldridge sat at the head of the table in a black pantsuit ensemble with a delicate strand of pearls hanging around her neck. The scowl on her face told me everything I needed to know. Along with Eldridge was San Nicolás, Benedikt Einar, and now Weiss.
Asher pulled out a chair for me, which was rather chivalrous. He was turning into my surprising knight in slightly soiled armor.
“Well,” James Pearson started. “I’m glad everyone could make it on such short notice. We’re here to discuss the wrongful termination of my client.”
“What?” Rebekka exclaimed. “She broke her contract.”
“Did she?” Pearson asked. “Mr. Einar, please explain to your client how privacy laws work in the State of New York.”
“Pearson,” Einar started, “You know as well as I do that this area of law is far from exact. We do not know how the courts would rule in a case like this.”
“Maybe, but do you want to take this to court and let a jury decide? Who do you think they’ll side with? Mrs. Eldridge or Ms. Saunders?”
Eldridge started to say something, but Einar held up a hand, then whispered something in her ear. A disgusted look washed over her face. Whatever Einar had said, Eldridge was not happy.
“You’re right,” Einar said. “We don’t want there to be any more bad press, and litigation would drag this show through the mud.”
“So, what do you propose we do now?” Pearson said.
“We’re willing to bring Ms. Saunders back into the production,” Einar said.
“And…?” Pearson asked.
“And what?” Eldridge asked. “What else could she possibly want?”
