Shy and successful Broadway singer, Carmen, is finally at the point in her career where she is auditioning for her dream role. After meeting Owen at the local coffee shop, it seems like everything is perfectly lining up for Carmen's future. When fac...
All Carmen wanted to do after the long day she had was to eat pizza and watch a movie. But there was no way Amy would let her off the hook without some details, so Carmen decided to give her a call. I guess she can join my pizza party. She does have access to some pretty inexpensive pizza.
Amy picked up the phone on the first ring, "Hey, Carmen! How are you?" Carmen could almost hear Amy bouncing as she chewed her fingernails.
"I'll be okay," she decided honesty was probably best in the long run. "I'd like to tell you in person, though. Okay?"
"I'll be right there," Amy said.
Carmen quickly spoke before Amy could hang up, "Could you bring some pizza and movies?"
"That bad?" Amy asked. Carmen didn't want to get into it, so she just said yes.
When Amy knocked on Carmen's door a few minutes later, she came bearing a lot of pizza, some wine, and a long list of movies to watch.
"Thanks, Amy," Carmen said as she took the pizza to the kitchen. "I'm glad you could come. You have no idea how much I needed pizza."
"Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Carmen sighed, I guess I'm not getting any time to figure this out first.
"The short story is I accepted the offer from Beaksmith, quit my job, and lodged a formal complaint against John," Carmen said in one breath without looking at Amy.
Amy let out a small chuckle as she took plates out of Carmen's cabinet. "Oh, my goodness! I thought you were going to say you broke up with Owen. This is so much better than I was expecting."
When Carmen didn't say anything, Amy felt the need to clarify. "You didn't break up with Owen, did you?"
Carmen shook her head and laughed, "No, I didn't. We're going to go out tomorrow, actually."
"Good, because with this much pizza, you had me worried."
"You picked up the pizza!" Carmen protested. "I didn't ask for a specific amount!"
"It sounded like an extra large kind of night," Amy countered. "Now where's your wine glasses?"
The girls settled in for a night of pizza, wine, and all the romantic comedies they could find.
"So you really quit, huh?" Amy asked quietly between movies.
"Yeah," Carmen spoke with her mouth full of pizza. "I really quit. And I really lodged a complaint."
"I cannot believe you, Carmen. A week ago, you were worried he might fire you if you complained."
"And today I found out he'd probably fire me anyway. I only wish I could take you with me. I'm going to miss seeing you every day."
"It'll be worth it to see John's face when he finds out," Amy picked up another slice of pizza and settled in for the rest of their movie night.
When the second movie was over, they cleaned up and said their goodbyes.
"I'm going to miss you at work, but I'm so, so happy for you," Amy pulled Carmen in for a tight hug.
"Thanks," Carmen hugged her friend, "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"
"Yes, you will!" Amy waved and opened the door. "Oh, I guess I'll talk to you after work."
Yeah, after work. That would be weird.
* * *
Carmen was getting ready for her date with Owen when Amy came over after work the next day.
"So John totally flipped out about it when he found out, apparently. I found out from Miranda because she was actually there," Amy was talking through bites of last night's pizza. "He was livid that you up and quit. Even Miranda was making fun of him for it."
"What did he expect?" Carmen shrugged as she slipped on a cocktail length black dress.
"I don't know," Amy responded. "I guess he wanted to fire you himself and was mad you didn't give him the opportunity."
"Probably," Carmen put in her earrings before looking at herself in the mirror. She looked presentable.
"So anyway, turns out everyone else also felt like John was not a good person to work with and by the end of the day, we had seventeen complaints and, get this, John resigned."
"What?" Carmen stopped putting her shoes on to look right at Amy. "He did?"
Amy nodded, "Yeah, and now they're looking for a new assistant director and I think I might apply."
"Does that mean what I think it does?" Carmen raised her eyebrow suggestively.
"Not yet," Amy smiled and winked. "But it would certainly be easier to have a family in that role than my current one."
"Way to bury the lead on that story, Aimes!" Carmen hugged her friend. "You'd be perfect for it and they'd be stupid not to hire you."
Carmen finished putting on her shoes and grabbed a coat. "I mean, I'd offer to give you a reference, but I think that would hurt more than help in this situation."
Amy laughed, "Yeah, I think you might be persona non grata around there at the moment. The higher-ups aren't too happy about one of their top performers leaving to Beaksmith."
Carmen laughed, too. "If I was one of their top performers, they have a funny way of showing it!"
"I guess they're probably more upset at John for being, you know, John. But I think you losing them money is probably unforgivable."
"Yes, all hail the almighty dollar." Carmen hoped the company would improve when not under John's direction, but it remained to be seen. There was a lot to be done to bring it back to where it was all those years ago when she and Amy had first tried out.
"If anyone can bring that place back to its former glory, it's you," Carmen hugged Amy before grabbing her purse. "And I'm going to be late if I don't leave now."
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