Chapter 5 Lucy #3
“A murder?” I repeat softly.
“Yeah, twelve-year-old kid…I’m talking to his mom tomorrow.”
“Marsh…”
“You get used to it.” He barely shrugs a shoulder. “You have to.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I linger on this. “Was your first one hard?”
“My first murder story?” His brow creases and his lips twist. “So, all through college I would report on heavy topics like that and it didn’t mean anything.
I always told myself that this was the name of the game, it came with the territory.
But when I had to interview the family…I threw up in my car afterward. ”
“I can’t even imagine,” I respond, my breath hitching.
“You kind of have no choice but to separate yourself,” he says. “It’s the only way you’ll survive.”
I let this sit. What I don’t say is that I can relate to him more than he thinks.
“Where were you before The Journal?” I ask.
“I was always freelancing for a bunch of different places. It’s new having to go into the office but day one kind of set the bar.” He gives a half smile. “I used to work under Nadia Lewis when I was a new grad at CNN. She kind of taught me everything she knows.”
This little detail catches a spark within me.
Nadia Lewis is someone I admire. Every woman at The Journal admires Nadia—hell, every woman in journalism should admire her.
Her career is not only one that could have a full thesis, but she’s a role model for women of color journalists everywhere.
At twenty years old, she published a controversial piece about policing in America, which led to five cops in Los Angeles losing their jobs.
By twenty-five, Nadia was a news editor at CNN; at thirty-four she became the managing editor at BBC News before returning to Los Angeles to manage the news team at The LA Journal.
Nadia leads stories from politics to business, sports, and world—she is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to journalism. “I’m a big fan of hers,” I say.
“She’s really great.” Marsh takes his cup of tea and takes a sip. “Okay, now tell me about these stories. What do you need from me?”
I lean back and collect my thoughts. “I’m going to write my first story tonight sharing that I’m in a relationship. Ideally it can go live this week.”
“You’re jumping straight into it,” he says like a statement more than a question.
“I have to,” I respond. “I think every day that I’m not talking about this new relationship, I’m wasting time. I need at least five or six stories under my belt to prove to The Rue that I’m getting traction.”
“Fair enough,” Marsh says. “And then what?”
“I was thinking that maybe I map out the stories and we do…activities around these stories.”
“Activities?” Marsh repeats.
“Yeah, like things couples do.”
“Please elaborate.”
“Like meeting each other’s friends and families…going furniture shopping?”
“Lucy.” Marsh frowns. “When was the last time you were in a relationship?”
The question feels like I was just singled out in the middle of a lecture hall and now everyone’s heads are turned to me. Like I have a giant sign above my head that says, Has Never Been in a Serious Relationship.
“Marsh, I’ve been in a relationship before,” I say, dismissing him. “I’m literally always dating.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
I lean back and look at the spicy tuna in front of me. “A few years?” I lie, hoping it sounds convincing.
“How many years?”
“I don’t know,” I say defensively. “Why does it matter?”
“It doesn’t,” Marsh replies. “But it sounds like you want us to do things that feel like what couples do.”
“I don’t need you to lecture me on how to write these stories, Marsh. I’m not telling you how to write your news stories.”
“Fine,” he says. “Okay, so we do these activities. Then what?”
“That’s it. I’ll think of some dates for us to do, and between that and all the things for the wedding that should be more than enough for me to work with.”
“And it’s too late to back out of this, right?”
“Yes.”
“All right,” Marsh says. “I guess I’ll await my itinerary.”
“Get excited.” I take a piece of sashimi and pop it in my mouth. “Dating me is going to be a lot of fun.”
Can a Serial Dater Settle Down?
By Lucy Reid
August 13
I’m not the kind of person who seeks out relationships.
My main goal in life isn’t to be chosen by anyone.
I don’t long to have the what are we? conversation after going on a few dates.
In fact, I try to avoid it at all costs.
The reason for that is I enjoy my alone time, my freedom, my own life; one that’s not tied to another person.
While I classify dating as my favorite pastime, being in a relationship is very different.
I don’t want to have my own drawer full of underwear in someone else’s bedroom, or a cabinet full of tampons and makeup removers in someone else’s bathroom.
I don’t dream of someone being able to call me their girlfriend.
That is, I didn’t…until recently.
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