Getting Some

I reach across the table and shake Nick’s hand again.

When I turn to leave, I’m so high on happiness that I practically float out of the office.

Three

Lishelle

I have got The Headache from Hell. I rub my temples and groan as I stare at Linda Tennant, my station manager. She’s sitting on the armchair in my dressing room, while I’m on the folding chair in front of the mirror. The makeup artist recently finished doing my face for the six-o’clock news.

“I’m just saying,” Linda says, “you need to give me more than this. Some sort of concrete direction.”

“All I know is that it needs to be a pledge drive.”

“A nationwide pledge drive,” Linda says, her tone doubtful.

“Yes,” I respond without hesitation. “I’d really like to coordinate this with our sister stations across the country. That’s what will make this fund-raising effort unique—as well as raise much more money for the Wishes Come True Foundation.”

“I’m not saying it isn’t a great idea…in theory. But a nationwide fund-raising effort—that’s going to take time. Honestly, by the time we all coordinate schedules, it could be a year before this event takes place.”

“A year?” I all but gasp. “That’s way too long.”

“I’m giving you my opinion.”

“But we need to do this now. Strike while the iron is hot. The embezzlement story has been big news across the country. This is when people will be more likely to give—a lot.”

“I hear you. And we can definitely try to do something on our end. It’s the coordinating it with our sister stations that’s going to be tough.”

“We’ll work it out,” I say confidently. How, God only knows. But I want to see this happen. Soon. Before everyone forgets about the tragic turn of events the foundation faced. Now is the time that people will happily dig into their pockets and give. But a year from now? Who knows?

“I’m open to whatever ideas you have,” Linda says.

“I’ll get you something.” If it means I have to start making calls to all of our sister stations across the country, then I’ll do that.

When Linda leaves my dressing room, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. I don’t like what I see. Even with makeup, the dark circles under my eyes are noticeable. I haven’t admitted this to any of my friends, but I haven’t been sleeping well since Glenn screwed me over. And I’ve been far more stressed than I thought I would be.

I was able to exact some delicious revenge on my ex-boyfriend, but I realized after that, that the greatest reward would be doing something to benefit all those kids. My friends Claudia and Annelise agreed. Which is why I’m hell-bent on seeing this nationwide fund-raiser come to fruition.

I sigh and turn away from the mirror. Am I expecting too much? Should I coordinate a local fund-raising drive and forget the grandiose plans?

But that’s not what I want. This means a lot to me. I want more than anything to see something positive come of the heartache my girlfriends and I suffered at the hands of the men we loved. And I can’t think of anything more positive than raising money for the terminally ill children who were robbed.

Of course, it also helps that every moment I spend thinking about how I’ll make this fund-raiser happen is a moment I’m distracted from the memory of just how badly my heart was broken.

Two days later, I’m more than ready to get together with my girlfriends at our regular Sunday brunch spot. I arrive at Liaisons to see that Claudia and Annelise are already there, three mimosas on the table.

“Thank God,” I say as I slip into the booth beside Claudia, already reaching for my drink. The mimosa goes down smooth, hits the spot inside me that needs to be soothed.

“And we’re chopped liver?” Claudia asks playfully.

“Oh, hi, you two.” I smile sweetly as Annelise rolls her eyes.

“It’s been one of those weeks,” I explain. “The planning for our pledge drive is stressing me out. My station manager is basically saying that we can’t coordinate a nationwide effort—at least not in the time frame we want to do this. I want to prove her wrong, but I don’t know if that’s possible.”

“It’ll work out,” Annelise says.

Her carefree attitude irritates me slightly. “That’s very Pollyanna of you, but this shit is turning out to be harder than I’d hoped.”

“And I understand that,” Annelise tells me. “I guess I’m just saying that for today you should try to relax, put everything negative out of your mind. Things have a way of working out despite how much we fret over them.”

I examine her then. Annelise has been looking really happy lately, despite the uncertainty in her life, but today she looks especially so. I ask her, “Something going on that I should know about?”

“Oh, yeah,” Claudia chimes. “Annelise has some amazing news. And so do I.”

“Well, spill it.” I sip my mimosa. “I could use some good news, even if it’s not mine.”

Before Annelise can speak, a woman shows up at our table. I’m a little surprised that it’s not Sierra, the cute Asian girl who has been our regular waitress for as long as I can remember.

“Have you made up your minds?” the stranger asks.

I glance at Claudia and Annelise, wondering if they feel the way I do—unhappy that there’s this new woman at our table. They don’t seem particularly perturbed, but I am.

“Um,” I begin cautiously. “Who are you?”

Beside me, Claudia forces a chuckle. “Our waitress, silly. Lishelle, this is Apple.”

“Apple?” I stare at the woman, a tall, skinny, dark-haired woman who looks too conservative to have such a ridiculous name. “Your name is Apple?”

Apple giggles as she nods. “According to my mother, she was drinking apple martinis the night I was conceived.”

“So she got drunk and got knocked up,” I comment dryly.

Annelise’s eyes grow wide with horror. “Lishelle,” she admonishes.

“I’m just saying…I thought only movie stars gave their kids names like ‘Apple’ and ‘Orange’ or ‘Banana.’”

Claudia places a hand on my wrist. To everyone, it must look like a subtle show of affection. But Claudia actually squeezes my wrist—hard. “Looks like you were already drinking before you got here,” she jokes.

“I can go through our specials,” Apple says. “Of course, we have the buffet—”

“Which is what we always have,” I point out. “Sierra would know that.”

“We’re going to have the buffet,” Annelise quickly says.

“What happened to Sierra?” I ask. “She sick or something?”

“That’s something else we didn’t get to tell you yet.” Claudia’s grin is far too syrupy. “Apple tells us that Sierra apparently fell hot and heavy for some guy, and she’s moved to L.A. to be with him.”

“What?” I practically shriek.