Five Minutes

Your Woman

This wasn't the smartest idea. In the back of her mind, she knew she had already surpassed her own limitations. Daniel kept insisting that she drink with him, and she reluctantly agreed.

Maybe it was the hoards of people within a certain space that made her sense the perspiration on her forehead. It was very hot. Even in a strapless dress, she felt like her skin was boiling.

"I think I need some fresh air or something," she said, straining her voice, because of the conversations, and the music ricocheting off the walls.

"No, you're fine. Just have another drink and you'll feel better!" Daniel raised his hand to grab her arm. The action was a bit forceful and even while she was drunk, it fuelled her apprehension.

"I'll be back in a minute." She smiled at him and he loosened the grip he had on her. The firm line his lips had formed, however, indicated he wasn't too pleased with letting her go.

She squeezed her way through and managed to reach the outdoor rooftop. While it wasn't entirely empty, it offered the fresh air she desperately needed.

The skyline view of the liveliness of Manhattan was breathtaking. Had she not been feeling nauseated she might have been able to savour the beauty. Countless building and bright lights stretching through the city.

She closed her eyes. The upside of her current state was that her head wasn't spinning. That hinted her drunkenness would diminish quicker and she wouldn't suffer a hangover the following day, right?

The corners of her lips lifted up into a weak smile.

This was a big deal. It still didn't even feel real. She was euphoric.

She opened her eyes, realizing that she felt better than she had moments ago.

Fishing out her phone, she wondered if she should call Ralston right now. Daniel had told her to call him later, but she was eager.

When she'd won the role of Brittany Sloane, he had been ecstatic. Of course she did enjoy having secondary roles in his films and starring in obscure character driven movies with limited releases, but this was her breakthrough role.

"So this is where you decided to go off to," she heard Sallie say from behind her.

Veronica looked up from her phone. "I wasn't feeling that well. I thought getting some air would be nice."

"What's it like being one of Dan's ladies now?" Sallie asked, holding up her hand to her mouth as if she were holding up a microphone. "Is it everything you dreamed it would be? Did he invite you to his yacht?" She reached her hand out to Veronica.

"No, not yet. I don't think that would be the best idea anyway. I get a little sea sick, so going on his yacht doesn't really sound too fun to me."

"Guys, the party's inside."

Veronica and Sallie turned around to see Carson Holmes, their co-star and lead opposite Veronica. He wrapped his bulky arms around both women.

"Yeah, but the better people are out here," Sallie said. "The better people being us two, so you need to go back inside."

Through these months Veronica learned to appreciate Sallie's dry sense of humour. Unless someone spent a lot of time with her, it was difficult to discern whether her comments were harmless teasing or an insult.

"That hurts, Sallie," Carson said.

"Go back inside then. I don't want to see you cry," Sallie spat back

"I will. I'll go into the men's washroom and lock myself in the stall so no one can see my tears." He dropped his hands from Sallie and Veronica's shoulders and headed back inside.

On one hand, Veronica was happy to be returning home; on the other, she would wholeheartedly miss this daily interaction.

__________

"Shh, stop laughing. You're gonna make me fall!"

A few hours and countless drinks later, Veronica and Sallie were tumbling through the hotel hallway, staggeringly drunk and boisterously giggly.

"Stop talking so loud. You'll wake everyone up," Sallie warned, making a poor attempt at whispering.

They continued their trip, Veronica barefoot and holding a high heel on her hand. "Hey, what happened to my shoe?" she asked.

Sallie glanced at the one shoe Veronica still had in her grasp, then looked behind her shoulder before laughing. "You must've dropped it somewhere."

"I have to go find it," Veronica said. As wasted as she was, they were one of her favorite pairs, so she couldn't go back to her room until she retrieved it.

"Maybe someone'll find it and bring it back."

"What if they take it?"

"Why would someone steal a shoe? What would they even do with it?"

"Sell it?"

"Wouldn't they need both shoes?"

Perhaps Sallie had a point. Veronica was being overly paranoid. She'd search for the missing shoe in the morning. When she could walk in a straight line without falling right on her face.