Page 600 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

bouncing face-down on the desk.

My gaze darts right to the glass window.

The assistants are clustered together, staring at me, whispering as they thrust their phones into each other’s faces.

On the giant monitor behind them, my face stares back—a flashing red news banner.

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I don’t know what the fuck to do.

Mom, what do I do? What do I do?

My phone is screaming on the desk,

vibrating itself toward the edge,

but I don’t touch it. I can’t.

I’m already up,

my legs moving on terrified instinct.

I walk. I just walk. And walk,

blurring my vision so I don’t have to see the assistants staring through the glass

or the phones pointed in my direction.

I just walk,

hoping my knees don’t buckle before I reach Raymond.

I don’t think about knocking.

I fling Raymond’s door open so hard

it rattles the frame,

then slam it behind me.

He’s already rising from his chair,

face grim as he ends a call,

tossing his phone onto the desk.

“Raymond,” I choke out,

my head shaking,

my hands trembling at my sides,

praying for him to tell me

this is a fucking nightmare.

He won’t look at me, shuffling a stack of papers on his desk. “Allison, don’t make this harder than it has to be.”