City of Sin - Chapter 56
Bee
The office was abuzz this morning. Our first proposed advertisement for Sword Body Wash was going to be aired tonight and everyone was doing last minute preparations.
And Mr. Ellington was beside himself with excitement.
The FCC had disbanded yesterday with the announcement of the government shutdown.
That had been the biggest worry with the sponsorship idea, that they'd cut the broadcast when Layla Torrez started measuring men's penis sizes live on T.V.
Now that wasn't an issue. Apparently the C.E.O.
of Sword Body Wash was just as excited. Hopefully they'd still blur everything out. The whole thing was ridiculous.
"I assume you're staying for the viewing party tonight?" Kendra said and sat down on the edge of my desk.
"Even though it's the stupidest marketing idea ever?"
Kendra laughed. "Don't be bitter that Mr. Ellington didn't go with your idea. We'll all have a good laugh. It'll be fun."
"Does Layla Torrez even know what she has to do? She'll probably walk off before they even tape the segment."
"Apparently they never tell her what she's guessing until she's on the air. That way she can't prepare."
"I feel so bad for her."
"Yeah, me too," Kendra said. "But do you know who I don't feel bad for?"
I peeled my eyes off the report I was writing and looked up at her face. She was smiling at me.
"Who?"
"Carter told Marie that Mason is going around the office talking to his buddies about his new girlfriend nonstop."
I smiled to myself. "Really?" He still hadn't said those words to me.
But he had said that we were exclusive and that he wasn't going anywhere.
We were a couple. I felt my cheeks blushing.
Hearing that suddenly made the fact that my ad pitch had been rejected in favor of a pornographic ploy not matter quite as much.
"Yes, really," Kendra said. "So what Marie and I are both wondering is why you didn't tell us about this huge step?"
"We hadn't exactly discussed those labels yet. Did he really say that?" I couldn't help the smile that was now plastered to my face. Just thinking about Mason gave me this warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach.
"He did. I never thought you of all people would end up with Manhattan's hottest playboy."
I laughed. "I think that title is a little bold. He's not really like that."
"Not anymore. He's given up his life of sin. You really have a hold on him."
I felt my face blush again and looked at the beautiful roses on my desk. They had arrived this morning with a note from Mason, saying that he had noticed the other ones he had given me were wilting. Which he had noticed while he was banging me on the desk. I'm sure my face turned even redder.
"And you've also been playing hooky."
"It was such a mess out yesterday. Getting to work is hard in the snow."
"Mhm. So on a scale of one to pre Patrick cheating on you, how in love with Mason are you?"
I wanted to believe that I was just falling in love with Mason.
That I hadn't actually crossed that line yet.
I wasn't the type of girl that just fell head over heels for some guy.
With Patrick, our relationship had progressed slowly.
But with Mason? It was like I had sledded down the steepest slope imaginable right into his arms. It wasn't just that I wanted to be with him every second.
I needed him. He made me feel happy and desired and whole.
That was it. He made me feel whole again.
I looked up at Kendra. "I've never felt this way about someone before."
"Holy shit." She dragged out the 'o' and 'y' in holy. "You like him more than you liked Patrick?"
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. For some reason I felt like I wanted to cry. I liked him so much more than Patrick. And it scared the hell out of me. I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him too.
"Hey." Kendra scooted off the edge of her desk. "Bee, what's wrong?"
I wiped the tears quickly off my cheeks. What is wrong with me?
Kendra wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. "Tell me, Bee."
"Nothing good lasts forever."
Kendra laughed and pulled away. "That's not true. Look at Marie and Carter. They're so happy."
"They're the only example of a happy couple that I know. They're the exception. I've just gotten used to the idea that I'm going to end up alone. Like you said, I'm meant to be a cat lady."
Kendra smiled. "Mason sounds a lot better than a clowder of cats. I know you were scared to get back out there. But you shouldn't be scared now. The hard part is finding someone worthy of your love. You've already found him. And from what it sounds like, he's completely smitten with you."
"Until he gets bored with me."
"Hon." Kendra put her hand on top of mine. "Stop selling yourself short. I know how Patrick made you feel. We've all been dumped. It sucks. But it doesn't mean you give up and buy cats."
I laughed. "I know." I was so scared, though.
The thought of Mason leaving me too terrified me.
Patrick had promised me that he'd never leave me either.
A promise was only as sincere as the person giving it.
I wanted to believe that Mason was sincere.
He seemed so sincere. And that's why it was so scary.
Because I believed him. And I loved him. I was so in love with him.
***
The conference room had been turned into a mini theater for the viewing party. Jenkins was sitting at the front next to Mr. Ellington. His left knee kept bouncing up and down, clearly jittery with the anticipation of how all this was going to turn out.
"It's on, it's on! Shhh!" Jenkins yelled as Layla Torrez appeared on the screen. They had dressed her in an outfit that was not at all appropriate for a weather girl to wear. Layla immediately asked what she was guessing today.
The voice of Brian Scott, the news anchor, came through with a touch of humor. "Penis sizes."
The whole conference room laughed at Layla's shocked reaction. But I just felt bad for her. The stupid men at Kruger advertising were making a joke at her expense. This could ruin her career. A few seconds later the segment went to commercial break.
Mr. Ellington stood up and faced all his employees. "Here's to another successful campaign. And to the FCC disbanding." He lifted up his glass of champagne.
It seemed a little early to celebrate the success of the campaign. Layla still had time to run away screaming. "This is so horrible," I whispered to Kendra.
"I thought it would be funny, but I feel really bad for her. Did you see her face?"
"What would you do if it was you?" I asked.
"Well, it's still going to be blurred out, right?"
"I think so?"
"Well, no harm then, I guess," said Kendra.
"They're in a public park in the center of Miami. It's after work. Tons of people are surely walking around."
Kendra shook her head. "That poor girl."
The news came back on but I tuned it out. "Jenkins is such an ass. Imagine if he were in her position."
Kendra laughed. "No one would watch the segment if Jenkins was the one guessing. Unless he was in that dress. Hell, I'd watch that."
"Gross." I looked up at the screen. Layla had just pulled out a ruler and was measuring some sweaty guy's junk. "Thank God they blurred it out."
"The FCC may not be censoring shit, but no respectable news station would show a flaccid dick to the general public. But considering how low cut her top is, he's probably erect."
"Do we really have to sit here and watch this?"
"It's kind of hilarious though. Oh my God." Kendra nudged my shoulder and pointed to the screen.
"What?" I turned my head toward the T.V. Layla Torrez was taking off her dress. "She barely ever guesses wrong."
"What a terrible day to lose."
"That whole park is seeing her in her underwear. Or not..." Layla had just turned away from the camera and unhooked her bra. "Isn't Sword going to get backlash from torturing a weather girl?"
"The body wash that gets Layla Torrez naked? It's not a terrible sales pitch."
The broadcast had cut to commercial again.
The phone in the conference room started ringing and Mr. Ellington immediately grabbed it.
"Kruger Adver..." A smile curled onto his lips.
"We'll send over our next pitch in a few days.
" Pause. "You too." Mr. Ellington hung up the phone and stood up again.
"Everyone's talking about it. Sword Body Wash is trending on Twitter.
And we just secured our biggest client ever.
" He raised his glass again. "Great work, Jenkins.
This is the kind of thing that makes partner. "
I rolled my eyes. I wasn't going to sit here and watch this shit show.
Maybe Mr. Ellington was right. Maybe I wasn't fit to be in advertising.
I didn't want to do anything like this. Advertising was supposed to be clever and well thought out.
Besides, all that was left to see was Layla do the weather nude, hopefully still censored. I could leave that to my imagination.
"I'm going to get going," I whispered to Kendra.
"Running off to Mason?" she asked.
"And to lick my wounds."
"Your idea really was better. This is the most ridiculous news segment I've ever seen."
"Yeah." When Mr. Ellington turned back to the screen, I quietly stood up and tiptoed to the door. When my hand wrapped around the handle I heard someone clear their throat. Shit.
"We could probably all use some coffee, Bridget," Mr. Ellington said.
"Actually, I was going to get going. It's almost six and..."
"And? I pay you to work the same hours as everyone else. And you took off yesterday. Which means you owe me more time."
Seriously? I worked longer hours than everyone else here. Especially him. And yesterday was the only day I had ever taken off. I was allowed to have two weeks vacation. Working longer hours after taking off wasn't part of that. What an asshole. I swallowed hard.
"If you want special treatment, maybe you should start dressing like that Layla girl."
Jenkins snickered.
Fuck you. "I'm just not feeling well," I said.
"You can take a seat after you get coffee. Decaf for me. What does everyone else want?"
"I think I'm going to throw up," I said.
"Ew. Get out of here. And don't throw up on the carpet. I'll just dock your pay."
I put my hand up to my mouth for good measure and grabbed the door handle. I ran out of the room and to my desk. I wish I did have to throw up. Because I knew just where I'd do it. All over that perverted, sexist's desk.