Of Course, It's You

Chapter 34

Carmen

            Halfway through the concerts and awards, Carmen was certain her bladder was going to explode. She told Hannah where she was headed and sitting in the back of the audience had played to her favor.

            As she walked out of the bathroom to return to her seat, someone was shouting her name in hushed tones. When she looked all around for where it was coming from, she practically tripped over herself at who she saw in front of her.

            She thought she was seeing a mirage, some type of optical illusion that was her best friend jogging down the hallway to her.

            What the hell?

"Dani, what are you doing here? Did you fly in for the event? Are you working on a piece for it?" Carmen asked.

            "Um, no- not exactly." Dani panted, placing her hands on her hips to steady herself. Her short, jaw length, jet black hair that was normally styled to perfection, was a mess from running.

            "So you're... not working a piece about the event? I could have gotten you in and an outfit for it you know." She smiled, looking at Dani's attire. She looked all business in her tight black pants, and blazer. The vest underneath it gave a pop of color to it.         

Dani raised a finger to tell Carmen to wait while she regained her breathing. "I've been texting and calling you for hours!" Dani looked around before grabbing Carmen's arm, looking a bit frazzled and almost panicked. She pulled her off and away from listening ears, finding a mostly deserted hallway.

            "I don't have my phone on me. I forgot my clutch in my suite, so Hannah has my phone in her pocket."

            That last bit didn't escape Dani's attention. Her eyebrows rose and a smirk appeared on her mouth. "Hannah, huh?"

            "Dani, what is going on?" Carmen redirected their conversation. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

            Dani's lips pursed into a straight line understanding that the phone in Hannah's pocket wasn't her main concern right now. "Because in essence, I have."

            "Alright, and now you're being cryptic. What the hell is going on? Are you okay? Did something happen?"

            Dani closed her eyes for two heartbeats before taking in a deep breath, steadying herself. "Alright, so you know how I also freelance on top of working for Pathway?"

            She wasn't telling Carmen any new information. She knew all of this. Being a journalist, even a good one, you have to constantly be working - listening to the people around you, asking, writing and even more writing on top of it. Get your name out there, market yourself. 

            She let Dani continue.

            Dani was practically wringing out her hands as if they were a damp wash rag. "I was working on a piece as a freelancer when I heard some... things. And I really did my best to try and halt them; hold them off as long as I could. Give you a couple of days before it breaks, so you can get everything together before the news broke - have all your ducks in a row. And I don't want you to be catastrophizing while you're still working in the middle of this merger, but it looks like you're going to have to anyway. So, I want you to know ahead of time so you're prepared and can have a solid business plan, a response, and get a course of action to take this challenge." Dani was talking fast, even for her.

            "Okay, I'm trying to hear you - I'm trying to listen. But, it's making it difficult when I don't know what we're talking about." They both turned as a man exited the bathroom. He didn't so much as look at them. Carmen continued, "And the only thing that's registering is catastrophe and that something is wrong, because I need a course of action ready. What the fuck is going on, Dani?"