Of Course, It's You

Chapter 12

HANNAH

The lead guitarist on stage saw Hannah as she approached and began to punch the arm of the guy next to him to get his attention. The drummer dropped a drumstick, and it rolled in Hannah's direction. Apparently, they all had an idea of who she was.

Hannah smiled and introduced herself. Each and every single one of the band members had a full smile from ear to ear.

She bent over to pick up the drumstick.

"I take it you know what I'm about to say?" She handed the drummer what he had dropped and tucked her long hair behind her ear.

"I think so?" The dark-haired drummer said. "We've been around here for a while, and I see you in all of these pictures in the bars. You're with all of these people. All of them."

"Yeah, you know so many big stars and shit!" The bassist said in a low deep voice.

Hannah chuckled, "I'm not in all of the pictures. But, I was going to ask if you guys were interested in becoming the... 'stars and shit,' and if you'd be interested in meeting with my company sometime? See if we can set you up with an agent? We'll get you guys a time slot in the studio, lay down a few tracks, see if it's to your liking. Sound good?"

There were a bunch of "YOO"'s and high fives around the stage. The drummer even high-fived Carmen after she joined them on the stage, which seemed entirely out of her professional character. Her face seemed eerily pale, but she offered them a tight-lipped smile. Hannah covered her mouth to hide her laugh when Carmen stiffly raised her arm to offer an open hand to the guy.

"Guys, this is only the first step. There will be a lot to discuss and think about. Nothing is signed as of this moment, so nothing is solidified. Schedule that meeting. See what we have to offer you, and then, then you'll be headed down the path you've been looking for. Just, please don't make the mistake of celebrating too hard now and losing your chance. I've witnessed it happen and I really don't want that for you. Plan, talk it over, and then if you sign... then celebrate."

They all nodded.

"Just give that number a call as soon as you can. And make sure you call by this Friday, or it's no good."

Hannah gave them the checklist, so they had a clear picture of what to expect.

Back at the high table, Hannah started gathering her bag.

"You seem to be very good at your job."

She looked up, eyebrows raised. Carmen still looked uncomfortable and a little out of place. Her shoulders were too close to her ears.

"After you just reprimanded me for behaviors that you have zero proof to back up, you're complimenting me on a job well done?" Hannah asked with a terse tone.

"I think... we may have gotten off on the wrong foot." Carmen said, and Hannah couldn't help but catch the nervous movement of the woman's hands as the nail of her middle finger dug and scratched at the skin around her thumb.

"That seems to be the only way you walked in here today; on two wrong feet in impeccably high heels." She returned to organizing her bag, but was too frustrated to care if things were in their right places. "This," she gestured to the small stage. "This was easy. They already knew who I was as soon as they saw me. Most of the time, I have to go into a long-winded speech that I've memorized at this point." Carmen nodded slowly, biting her lower lip. God damn her for looking so good even when she was nervous and almost apologizing. Hannah shook her head to stop staring at it. "I enjoy this. I find it fun, and when you can make someone's day, like we just did, their energy is palpable. It's this tangible, sharable thing and it's exciting." She took a large breath before continuing. "This is how I make a living. It's not glamorous, the hours aren't always appealing, but I've made it work. And I will continue to do so for myself and for my daughter. So, I don't appreciate this whole threatening bullshit. Either fire me or don't. Whether it's because of my attitude right now or if it's because of all the other nonsense you threw at me when you first got here –I don't care."

Carmen nodded again and looked around the room.

Hannah looked down at her phone. There were a few unread messages.

Jules: She asked where you might be and I told her. I'M SORRY!

Jules: I was talking with Jay. He said he heard that she can be a bitch. She threatened to fire him for not submitting documents early. And when he questioned her about it, she then told him that she was moving the deadline earlier the more he talked about it.

Jules: She's already rewritten and revised job descriptions without telling people. I think that's why she's out there with you now. She was about to "dismiss" a lot of the people on one of the other floors.

Jules: Are you alive? Are you still employed?

Jules: Hannah??

Hannah rubbed the bridge of her nose and squinted her eyes. She did not need all of this stress. Couldn't she just go back to how her life was a week ago? When everything was calm and normal.  No, she figured not. But, she had been through worse situations. She could get herself through just about anything.

But instead of having to endure more, she grabbed her bag and slung it over a shoulder and as she left, she was so irate that she didn't even look at Rhonda on the way out. All Hannah could see was red as she made her way back to the office. She left Carmen standing there by herself at the high table and didn't even look back.

Carmen just watched Hannah leave in a fury, and she couldn't blame her. Her job had been threatened and she had been accused of sleeping her way to her successes. Which, Carmen learned, was not the case. And she had no idea how she was going to thank the talent scout that single handedly helped her make this business decision now.