Whirlwind

41

[Riley]

"I should have you send me some of your world famous desserts one of these days. California doesn't make them like you." I expressed lazily, drumming at the keyboard of my computer as my attention strayed from its screen to my MacBook's. Multitasking was currently the situation for me as I did work on one device and chatted over a webcam on the other, all why failing at almost both.

"By the time the package gets there the food will be all hot and nasty, Ry." Tate snickered as his efforts unlike mine remained where it was supposed to, on the skillet sizzling in the background. "Why don't I send you some recipes and you can learn to prepare them yourself?"

"But I like yours." I whined and pouted my lips over into the camera. "It's fine, I need to learn how to cook anyways, so that would be a start."

"It sure is. Need me to send anything else while I'm at it?"

"Whatever you're cooking on that stove over there, and perhaps a puppy to keep me company when I'm all alone in my condo."

"A puppy? Do you really want one?" he asked, then signaled for one of his staff members nearby to take over whatever dish was being concocted as he exited the kitchen and headed to his office.

"I'm considering it. I'd love a Yorkshire Terrier or a Bolognese like my mom has back in Chicago, but I know how your mind is wir

ed and I know what you're thinking so no, don't wire me money for one and don't buy me one and try to surprise me either."

"Well at least I tried." Tate said as he smiled down at his screen, just as the line beeped from another call attempting to come through.

"Dammit, I need to call you back later. My other line is ringing and we've been going strong for about forty minutes anyways."

"Alright, stay safe out there and finish your assignment."

"I got it, I got it." I vowed as we both waved goodbye before I reached over and switched calls, then propped back in my seat. "Oh, it's just you."

Donovan's face brightened my screen as my snarl converted into a laugh at the muddled expression plastered on his face. Between the gangs of people he squeezed in and out of and the loop I had threw him for, he was at a loss of words. "Well ouch. Hello to you too, Riley."

"I'm just messing with you, Donny. How are you my love?"

"I am great!" He exclaimed. "I haven't been this great in a long ass time."

"Oh really? Tell me more then."

"I'm glad you're interested my young grasshopper because this is a big deal. But first, let me start by saying that I can smell your office through FaceTime. Is it vanilla or brown sugar incense today?"

"Brown sugar." I replied as he bowed his head, being satisfied with his accurate prediction. "Now, cut to the chase."

"Yes! So, I've been in a meeting with Columbia for approximately three and a half hours this morning. I was on the verge of quitting once I walked in there just like every typical workday, but I sucked it up and dealt with the career that I chose because when you put yourself in this position, what other choice do you have? I'm glad I did because in the last hour of the meeting, your boy Donovan Morris got promoted."

"What? No way!"

"Yes! Riley, after years of slaving for them and feeling like I was being ignored, Columbia has finally appointed me as a manager in charge of three new artists I discovered on my own that they also want to sign. Turns out that all this time, when they were rejecting me, they were actually listening to me." he rambled while shrugging. "My pockets are looking a lot fatter now and I'm doing what I've always wanted to do under a major label. Guess there's no need to move to Los Angeles after all."