Fixer Upper (A Choni Fanfiction)

Seventeen

Please don't start another Nicki vs Cardi B debate in the comments. It doesn't matter here because Cardi isn't even in the story, so keep your comments out of my story :) Enjoy this doozie of a chapter.

"Oh my God, there she is." Muttered Toni as we watched the one and only Nicki Minaj walk toward us, two guards standing behind her as eyes lingered on at her, including the eyes of my new assistant, Reginald, whose jaw seemed to be on the ground at the beautiful woman who made her way in. "Dude, I'm gonna pass out." She muttered, and I laughed before pushing her toward one of the two chairs.

"Go over there, weirdo." I said before walking around my desk and opening the door to my office. "Hello, Nicki, I'm Cheryl Blossom, it's so nice to meet you." I smiled, placing a hand out for her to shake, to which she did.

"I know who you are," She assured, "I've been looking forward to this all month." She admitted, and I had to fight the urge to explode into a fit of cheers and squeals.

"This is my partner, Toni Topaz," I gestured to my girlfriend, who stood up to shake Nicki's hand. I could see her face going red as she tried to keep herself calm in the presence of someone so amazingly influential.

"Hi, I'm honored to meet you, I'm a huge fan." Toni admitted, and Nicki looked down modestly before moving to take a seat, her guards standing outside by the door.

"You can go ahead and close the curtains, it's distracting, being stared at." Nicki assured, and I did so, getting a pathetically sad look from the black haired man who sat in the assistant's desk outside of my office.

"I'm so sorry for my employees," I chuckled, "They're still somehow not used to seeing famous people walk through the bullpen." I apologized, and she waved it off.

"Don't apologize, I get it. We're all only human." She chuckled.

"Alright," I sighed as I sat down at my desk, looking between my girlfriend and the rapper. "I'm not sure of the say you've had in previous magazines, but here at Bombshell Magazine, we pride ourselves on giving you dictation over your project." I assured, "This is your issue, so we allow you to do with it what you want. We can talk about everything that's happened for you this year, with your album release, or we can talk about how much you pride yourself on the reality of everything. Maybe female empowerment?" I suggested, and Nicki smiled.

"I was thinking about speaking on colorism in the media, and how everyone is classified based on that." She suggested, and I looked to Toni, whose eyes lit up excitedly.

"I can help with that."

...

We had spent about three hours conversing with Nicki on her issue before she and her guards made their leave, allowing Toni and I to breathe for a moment.

"That was nerve wracking." Toni exhaled, sinking into her seat beside where Nicki was at first. "God, she's even more great in person." She gushed, and I chuckled before I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket. I reached into it to read a text from Josie.

"White candle sticks or shimmery silver?"

"Definitely white."

"You are so lucky I love you, or I wouldn't be skipping out on sex in Italy with my wife."

"Go please your wife! Her birthday isn't until February, and we have other friends on it."

"Helloooo, earth to Cheryl?"

"Huh? What?" I asked, locking my phone the moment I was again aware of the woman across from me.

"Stop texting your side piece and give me attention." Toni jested, and I smiled before dropping my phone in my lap and leaning over the desk.

"It was just Josie." I laughed, and she rose a brow.

"It's always 'just Josie,' babe." She accused, and I rose a brow.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ever since Tahoe, you've been texting someone, invested in your phone, acting like you're hiding something." Her eyes seemed sincerely upset, and the last thing I wanted was to upset her.

"Don't worry about it," I chuckled, "it's all just work stuff, I promise." I assured, and she still looked skeptical.

"I hope so." She said insecurely, but I knew I couldn't just tell her about what's happening, because surprises were sacred to me.

I decided that I needed to stay in late, so I could draw up a map on what we would be using for Nicki's issue, so I let everyone home early so I could work alone. Toni said she would be picking me up late in the evening on her way to my house from picking up Mason from my mom's house.

A lot had to be done here, so I spent from three to six thirty drawing out pages, where I could still make room for ads and other shoots and articles. At six thirty, I went to the employee lounge for some food, where I ate and went over details on Toni's party. I had to ensure my guest for my high school reunion, which wouldn't even be taking place until June, which made this early RSVP absolutely ridiculous, but I guess they had a lot of preparations to make.

I didn't want to go home when I was finished at eight, mostly because I didn't want Toni questioning me anymore, and I didn't want to get the cold shoulder she had been sending me all afternoon. She seemed so upset that I was keeping something from her, and I could see it in her body language all day. She didn't even come into my office to ask if I needed anything fixed, which was weird. Something was obviously hurting her. Instead of deciding to leave, I cleaned my office and lit some candles so it smelled like fresh cherry blossom in the air. By the time I was satisfied with that, it was nine in the evening. I shot a text to Toni and pulled up a word puzzle on my phone to play in the bullpen while I waited for her to come get me.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep until I woke up in a fit of coughs. I had to squint when I forced my eyes open, because I was shocked when I was met with something that would change my life forever.

It wasn't until I had heard the blaring bell of the fire alarm that I had actually processed what was happening.

I looked around and picked up my phone to dial 911 as I crawled toward the fire escape on the other end of the room, by my office.

"Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?" Asked the woman on the end, and I choked through the fumes.

"There's a fire at the Bombshell building on Maine street and I'm trapped inside." I coughed, and the dispatcher gave me explicit instructions upon asking me what floor I was on and telling me that responders were on the way. She told me to keep away from the source of the fire and to shallow my breathing. To stay low, and to keep my eyes open.

But I was so tired. I just wanted to sleep.

I hung up with her and crawled into the opposite corner of the bull pen, forcing my eyes open as they told me over and over again to let them stay closed.

"Cheryl?" I heard following the ding of the elevator, and when I saw the familiar silhouette, I knew I could finally close my eyes.