Thirty
Austin
I nod at Grantham, my insides churning like a stormy sea. “Thanks for the heads-up,” I manage to tell him, though my throat feels like it’s lined with sandpaper. His news feels even heavier in this festive atmosphere, but it would be devastating regardless. The auto manufacturers and car owners affected by the battery fires are filing two separate class-action lawsuits on Monday, and that may be the thing to sink us. I need something strong to wash away the bitter taste of impending doom.
“Hey, Austin! Man, am I glad to see you!” Turner’s voice booms across the table.
“Turner,” I greet him, forcing a smile. “What brings you here tonight?”
He slings an arm around my shoulders like we’re back in our college days, oblivious to the tension coiled within me. “I told you I’d make it,” he says, his eyes brimming with nostalgia. “It’s great to celebrate a milestone. I can’t believe all you’ve accomplished, and I’m honored to be a part of the beginning. Maybe—”
“Right.” I don’t want to know where he’s going. I try not to let my gaze drift to the bar. “How’d the rest of the tour go?”
“Ah, it was great,” he replies with a shrug. “But I’m so glad to be back here with my buddies and not living out of a suitcase.” He clasps my shoulder.
“How long is the break?”
“I think for a while. We’re taking a breather, some creative differences.”
“Sounds tough,” I sympathize.
“So, I was thinking, EnergiFusion could use someone like me. I’m ready for a change. How about it?”
I blink, processing. How many times do I have to say no to this? Didn’t we at least put him off until Justin returns?
Then Crystal chimes in from somewhere nearby. “That’d be epic!” she proclaims. “The whole crew together again!”
“Crystal thinks it’s a stellar idea,” Turner adds as if her approval seals the deal.
“Does she?” My mind races, but I keep my face neutral. “We’ll have to see what everyone else thinks. It’s a group decision, you know. The board and Justin too.”
“Of course, man, but think about it. It’ll be like the good old days.”
“We’ll talk about it,” I promise, noncommittal. The thought of another drink becomes imperative as I scan the room for an escape route or a sign of Danica. Where is she? Mom is sitting in her place but promises to move when she arrives.
“Great!” Turner claps me on the back with an enthusiasm that rattles my already fragile composure. “Let’s catch up later, all right?”
“Later,” I agree, slipping out of his grasp. I weave through the crowd, my mind spinning. Tonight truly couldn’t get any worse.
I move through the throng of elegantly dressed guests, my eyes darting from face to face. Danica is nowhere in sight, and a knot tightens in my stomach. That’s when Turner slides in front of me again, his presence as imposing as his onstage persona.
“Listen, Austin,” he says with a determined glint in his eye. “I can fill Justin’s shoes as CEO. Leading a band is like running a company, right? You take care of the battery fires, and I’ll handle the rest.”
I pause, considering his words. The idea is ludicrous. Why on Earth would he propose such a thing? But I can’t dismiss it outright, not with him looking at me like this, not here. “The board’s already appointed me interim CEO until we figure out what happened to Justin,” I say, hoping he’ll back down.
But Turner’s nod is full of understanding, not defeat. “Cool, cool. But seriously, I want in. Whatever it takes.”
“Thanks, Turner, I get it,” I reply, my mind racing for a diplomatic way out. “But you know how it is—decisions like this need to be unanimous. It’s not just up to me.”
“Right, a group decision,” he repeats, though the spark in his eyes doesn’t wane. “Just keep me in the loop?”
“Will do,” I promise, my gaze drifting over his shoulder, still searching for Danica. Where could she have gone?
“Appreciate it, man,” Turner says, slapping my shoulder yet again before disappearing into the crowd.
Now, if only I could find Danica…
I scan the ballroom once more, unease creeping up my spine. Where could she be? And I put my phone down somewhere...
As I pivot on my heel, a familiar face from the past comes into view. Dr. Allen stands near a pillar.
“Dr. Allen!” I call out, cutting through the crowd to reach him. I extend a hand. “It’s good to see you.”
“Austin!” He beams, clasping my hand with both of his. “Look at you, all grown up and a success story.”
“We wouldn’t be here without your guidance,” I say. It feels right to acknowledge the role he played in the genesis of EnergiFusion.
“Flattery and stock options will get you everywhere.” Dr. Allen chuckles, but then his eyes narrow just slightly. “You know, I’ve helped many students over the years. Some of them were quite generous with their stock options after finding success.”
There’s an awkward pause. “We don’t have stock options,” I explain, feeling my stomach churn. “The company isn’t public.”
“I see.” His expression cools. “Well, everyone has their way of showing appreciation, I suppose.”
“Of course,” I agree, sensing a growing distance between us. Dr. Allen nods and drifts away, leaving me to wonder how many more times tonight I’ll have to fend off people who’ve overestimated their part in what we’ve accomplished.
“Is it really so hard to believe we want to keep things small?” I mutter to myself, turning back toward the dinner tables. The salads are starting to arrive, so we really should take our seats.
“Who wants to keep what small?” The voice belongs to my mother, her tone sharp and curious as she looks up at me from Danica’s seat.
“Nothing,” I reply. “Mom, have you seen Danica?”
“Danica?” She raises an eyebrow, her lips thinning. “That girl is not the one for you, Austin. She’s…” Her voice trails off as if searching for the right words. “…not suitable. Is it true what they say about her profession? The oldest profession?”
“Mom,” I hiss, keeping the anger at bay. “She’s not… No, she’s not a prostitute.”
“Then why else would she be using you for sex?” Nancy smirks, a glint of victory in her eyes.
I can’t help but smile, despite the absurdity of it all. “I didn’t realize you had such a high opinion of my charm, Mom.”
“Charm has nothing to do with it. You got her the job, didn’t you?” She waves a dismissive hand. “And invited that friend of hers to the party. Marisa, was it?”
“Mom,” I admonish, biting back further comment. There’s no winning this battle, not tonight.
“Exactly,” Nancy says, patting my arm as though to console me. “You’re better off without her, anyway.”
I scan the room one last time, hoping against hope that Danica might reappear. But she doesn’t, and I’m left with the bitter taste of a night gone sour. I take a deep breath and steady myself against the cold truth. I understand who my mother is, a matriarch with an iron will and a keen sense of propriety. And despite it all, I can’t shake the pang of disappointment. Danica should be here beside me, sharing in the celebration, a stabilizing presence on a night where everything seems to be unraveling.
“Actually,” Mom’s voice pulls me back from my ruminations as she pats my arm, “it’s fortuitous that I decided to attend. Did you know your little friend left with some man? You’d be dining solo otherwise.”
Her words are meant to comfort or maybe to justify her disapproval, but they sting like salt in a wound. Danica wouldn’t just leave, not without a word.
“Left with someone?” I echo, incredulity laced with a hope that it’s another one of Nancy’s fabrications. It has to be. “Are you sure?”
“Quite sure.” Her tone is matter-of-fact, almost smug. “I saw them on my way back from the ladies’ room.”
The image she paints knifes through me, a betrayal neatly wrapped in social niceties. But then, my mind scurries to defend Danica. That’s not like her at all. There must be an explanation. There always is.
“Maybe there was an emergency,” I suggest.
“Or maybe,” Nancy counters, her gaze sharp, “she’s exactly what I said she is.” She pushes my phone at me. “You left your phone on the table. I was holding on to it so no one would walk off with it.”
“Thanks,” I say, fighting the urge to argue, to scream that she’s wrong about Danica. But in this opulent ballroom filled with San Francisco’s technology elite, I stand alone, betrayed by Danica’s absence.
It’s a crappy night, no doubt. The lawsuits looming over EnergiFusion, Turner thinking he can step in as CEO, apparently with Crystal’s blessing?, the hungry eyes of opportunists like Dr. Allen, and now, Danica’s disappearance. She’s the icing on a cake made of disasters, and suddenly, I’m too nauseated to take another bite.
“Excuse me,” I mutter, pulling away from my mother’s touch, desperate for air, for space, for anything that isn’t this night. I weave through the tables and out onto the balcony, but the city lights below offer no solace.