The Merger

Chapter 14

Lucas Handler

Three days. Great things typically happen after three days - besides getting a new pair of golf clubs in the mail and Jesus rising from the dead to save the world, finally being able to get back at Talia seems pretty up there.

For weeks I've been thinking of a way to teach Talia a lesson for the whole bikini thing. At one point, I gave up, deciding it wasn't worth it. But after being presented with information three days ago that is so unbelievably good, Mission Make Talia Sweat is back on and in full effect. And it just so happens that sweat is going to be involved in the literal sense.

We're just having some fun. Talia is probably expecting something anyway, and it would be a crime to leave her in the dark for too long. Although I have enjoyed some of the paranoid questions she's asked over the past couple of weeks.

When Talia's visitor mentioned her dance group three days ago, I almost didn't believe the young woman. Talia doing something outside of work that isn't work-related seemed like a stretch. But after doing some digging online, I found a photo of the group which had what resembled Talia's smiling face in the back. The photo was slightly blurry but those auburn locks no doubt belonged to her. I also came across a flier and found out there's a performance happening Saturday night for a women empowerment event.

I make sure to wear dark pants and a dark button-down shirt. I need to approach this one as carefully as possible and keep it under the radar. After assessing what the situation is, then maybe I can finally come up with a plan to get ahead of Talia. She likes to play dirty, so why shouldn't I?

Ever since that night of the dinner, I've been trying to get some distance and keep things professional. While it's always fun in the moment to joke around and tease her until she cracks, I always leave our meetings feeling a little unsettled. In a few months, I'll become CEO, and then what? Talia will just magically be okay with that and we could somehow learn how to be...friends?

Friends. Yeah, right. In another life.

My insides vibrate as I step into the dimly lit space that's already packed with people. The underground brick-lined room has a stage up front with scarlet curtains drawn together. In front of it are low-level tables and chairs that host people chatting away. I make my way across the slightly sticky floor to the back of the room bar. I order a beer before finding a spot secluded and low-lit enough to keep me hidden. A buzzing energy is still flying through me as I wait for the program to start.

After about five minutes, the lights dim even more and a young woman with jet-black hair makes her way to the stage. The audience cheers as the woman beams back at us. "Hi everyone! Welcome to our showcase, A Woman's Journey!"

I let out a whistle and cheer alongside the audience. The anticipation of what I'm about to see is making my stomach churn in nervousness and excitement.

"My name is Ana and I'll be your emcee tonight. We got lots of great stuff happening. We got spoken word," Ana begins counting on her fingers as she speaks. "We got stand-up comedy. We got dance routines. You name it, we got it!" More cheers from the audience ensue and I glance around to see if I can recognize anyone. So far, I haven't seen a single person I know. When I first read that it was going to be a women empowerment-type event, I expected a lot of women here. But, the crowd is mixed.

The first act is performed by a woman with thick brown braids and tons of rings decorating her fingers. Her words are sharp and almost musical as she speaks out the poetry she clarifies she wrote. The analogies she uses are powerful and every word she speaks only amplifies her poetic cry of the struggles of being a Black woman in America. When it's over I'm blown away that anyone could write or even speak that way.