Just Between Us #Wattys2019

On Wednesday's We Meet Cordelia

TWO MONTHS AND ELEVEN DAYS LATER

"Everest," John called. She looked up from her keyboard and outside her cubicle to glance at her co-worker. "Boss wants to see you in her office." He told her, raising his eyebrows with high expectations.

She opened her mouth widely in reply to the surprise, "Boss??" She echoed.

He nodded in excitement, "Someone's getting promoted..." He sang.

She stood up, made sure her pencil skirt was at an appropriate length and high-fived her colleague. "Make us proud," He whispered while walking away.

She smiled, "You know I will."

Confident as ever, Everest walked into the Senior Editor's office; an office she had only ever had the honor of visiting two times before. The Senior Editor herself, however, she had never met. Well, not officially anyway. She had seen the boss-woman from far away numerous times, but always from the same distance of her cubicle. Even though Everest's boss probably didn't even know how she looked like, Everest had a frequent correspondence system with her via email weekly, cultivating an odd relationship with the floor's Supreme; half of the time, Everest believed her boss hated her, and the other half she thought she was her favorite employee. She could never tell, due to the impossibility of reading her boss' intonation via iCloud.

Still, their somewhat close relationship didn't cancel out all of the things Everest had heard about the woman.

Rumor had it she was arrested once in Shanghai for violating a restraining order against her from the Senator himself, and that she once had a steamy affair with an international rock star whose name may or may not rhyme with Ateven Ayler. One time Everest even heard that in the 70's she went undercover at a crazy cult near Wisconsin in order to write a groundbreaking report on it, and actually ate a live bat to prove herself to the group.

Sure, this may all sound like a huge pile of bullshit to you, but if you were left alone in a room with that woman for two minutes, gazing deeply into those mysterious and quite possibly psychotic eyes, the idea of reality would be completely dissolved in your brain.

At least that's what Everest heard. Still, she walked into the huge corner office as if she were Michelle Obama in a room full of Milanias.

The woman typed on her computer with a furious energy that Everest presumed unnecessary. She pressed every letter on her keyboard with so much strength that Everest wondered how the woman could even hear if her phone rang under the sound of her hammering fingers.

"Mrs. Brookfield," Everest started. "It is a pleasure to--"

"We've decided to publish your interview with Mr. St. Lawrence." She said, interrupting Everest's attempt.

Everest's face lit up... or dimmed down; It was hard to tell. Her expression turned into a weird frozen image. "Is that so?"

"Yes. I found it quite appealing. A young man following the family business in two different countries. I had liked it from the moment you turned it in, but something was missing and now I know what it was. I'd like you to schedule another interview with Mr. St. Lawrence and this time ask him more personal questions. I mean, for crying out loud, the man is a bachelor! Throw in a picture or two of him with the new interview, too. It'll be a hit."

Everest wet her lips, "Oh, uh, if I may ask, Mrs. Brookfield, did you not find the last set of questions interesting enough?"

"They were fine." The woman answered, "In fact if he were sixty-seven we'd run with it. But the boy is a catch. He's young, handsome, smart, rich, and British. You have to know your audience, Everest. I mean, your writing? It's fantastic. But nobody wants to read a perfectly boring article. Nobody cares about Christian Grey's fucking five-year goals. Why is he single? Why does he think he's single? What would be his ideal date? What does he like in a girl? Does he even like girls? These are the questions people want answered."

Everest stuttered but tried to remain calm. "Y-Yes, Mrs. Brookfield, but my... sources tell me he is no longer staying in the United States."

"Everest, this is not your High-School newspaper team anymore. I'm getting you on the first flight to London tomorrow morning. First Class."

She gulped, "I-I appreciate--"

"Listen, if you don't want to do this there are thirty other beginners who would kill their mother's for a four-page spread and a free trip."

Everest scoffed, "Did you just say a four-page spread?" she asked.

Mrs. Brookfield giggled elegantly, "It's your chance, darling. I trust you won't let me down."

Everest rose to the occasion, "I will not disappoint you, Mrs. Brookfield."

"Call me Cordelia." She smiled. Everest slightly bowed in gratitude and walked out of the office."Oh, and Everest!" Cordelia called, making Everest take a step back into the office. "It was a pleasure finally meeting you."

Everest smiled. "Likewise, Cordelia." She turned around to leave once again.

"One more thing. My son Peregrin will be in London as well this week, writing a piece completely separate from yours, but I'd still like you two to meet so you can help each other out. He's much more experienced than you, therefore he'll be able to give you some pointers on the interview and possible questions and all of that. On the other hand... you think much more... outside the box, per se, than Peregrin, which is exactly what he needs in order to rewrite his piece. Stay in London for however long it takes but I want detailed e-mails every day."

"Yes, ma'am."

"You're dismissed, now. Go home and pack your bags."

"Yes, Mrs.Brook-- Cordelia. Thank you."

Everest walked out of the office as if she had just seen the ghost of her dead grandfather.

Or worst, her last lover.

~

Finn handed the popcorn, Cleo the playlist of the night, Harley sat down and waited to tell all about her latest Magnus/Titus show-down, Arcadia texted her new fling, and Bennet took selfies as they all waited for Everest to arrive.

Suddenly, the sound of a text message coming through on Cleo's phone interrupted the sound of Drake's latest song.

"Uh... guys? Everest just sent me a message." Cleo whined.

"What is it?" Harley asked. Finn walked towards them.

Cleo simply turned her phone around for all of them to see, her expression as if nothing in the universe made sense.

"What the fuck?"

Can't come tonight. Going to London meet Baby in the morning; have to pack. Long story. Xx