Thank God It's Friday
Friday was a slow news day as is often the case after the staff is run ragged on a big story the day before. It would have been totally uneventful if the Six o'clock show hadn't been a complete meltdown. The tip off should have come when Chris' IFB didn't work on the live shot, so they used the two-way radio to make contact, that caused even more confusion. Then they lost the signal in the middle of the live report, which meant that Tracy and Tom, the two anchors had to cover... always a risky move.
"I'm already two minutes short!" The producer wailed.
"Roll VTR 2, Dammit, that's the wrong fucking tape!" Lisa punched out of the offending video with a snarl, and spun around to the audio engineer. "Tom sounds like he's in the toilet, can you do something about it at the break, Ron? Camera one don't move till I say you're clear...what part of that don't you understand?"
Laura stood against the back wall with her arms crossed listening as it all fell apart, and knowing that any intervention would just make it worse. So she took off the headset and headed back to her office where she found the General Manager waiting for her.
"I talked to Don Farmer this afternoon, he says we'll have those Live trucks in about two weeks," Art told her, taking a seat in the chair closest to the desk.
"Good 'cause Live 2 crapped out in the middle of the Six."
Art shook his head; "I'm surprised it lasted this long. Well at least we'll be ready to go for May Sweeps...I haven't seen your plan yet."
Laura flipped open the planner on her desk with a frown, "We're going to break down and assign the special reports on Monday, so you'll have the plan on Tuesday. The consultant is coming on Wednesday that's Dave Wilson from Target Research. So, by middle of next week we should be mapped out and ready to go." Laura rubbed her thumb along an eyebrow thoughtfully, "We're one month out so I'd like to go ahead and announce that Chris is taking over the Six. Any problems with that?"
"Whatever, it's your show, I hope you're right about this." Art stood up and walked to the door, "Yesterday was pretty...interesting. If we were a metered market, it probably would have spiked right off the scale."
Laura gave a wry half smile, "Let's just hope we can carry some of that momentum into May." She caught sight of the Six o'clock crew filtering into the newsroom, and with a sigh she went out to join them for the post mortum meeting. Accurate, since the sooner they buried this newscast, the better.
************
Mainstreet Liquid Company was crowded with people rejoicing over the end of the workweek, and the contingent from Channel 8 was doing its best to out celebrate the other patrons. The music blared as Laura threaded her way through the crowds carrying drinks for Lisa and her boyfriend, the former linebacker from Texas A&M.
"Here y'go." She said, sliding the mugs on to the table. "Next round's on you." Smiling, Laura crunched on the ice in her Coke. "So ..." The News Director paused awkwardly, wondering what to say next.
"Jesus, Kaz. Your social skills really haven't improved." Lisa started to fold a bar napkin into a tiny square. "You're supposed to start with something like...Trey, how 'bout those Aggies?"
"I don't give a rat's ass about the Aggies, and to pretend otherwise would be insincere."
Trey grinned broadly, "Pretty much what I'd expect, UT grads have no manners."
"Oh, I can be civil...at least for Lisa's sake." Laura chuckled. The conversation drifted to other topics, shared acquaintances, restaurants, and since the three of them were Texans, they eventually talked about football.
"Musta been hard to leave those season tickets behind, Kaz." Lisa was still folding things, this time it was a paper coaster.
"Who said I left 'em behind?"
"You still have Cowboy Season tickets?" This from Trey, "Guess you'll fly back for the games, huh?"
"Probably for some of them...then I'll sell the rest." Laura shook her head, "I just couldn't let 'em go...even if the coach is just adequate."
With a straight face Trey deadpanned, "If only Jerry hadn't fired Jimmy..."
Lisa slapped his arm. "Stop it...he's never coming back."
The couple exchanged the familiar responses affectionately, and Laura looked away, slightly uncomfortable with their intimacy. It's a conversation about football, for Christ's sake. Trey excused himself and headed for the men's room and Lisa turned to the taller woman, "So, what do you think?"
"I think you found a keeper. Is he housebroken?"
"Very funny," Lisa said leaning in on her elbows and watching the well-built man stop to talk to someone on his way to the back. "It's weird how much you can care for one person." She smiled slightly, "You need someone Kaz."
"Don't need, don't want." Laura answered, swallowing the last of her Coke. Then she caught sight of a bright blond head bobbing through the crowd and heard an infectious laugh over the music and the babble. "Life is too complicated anyway."
Lisa followed the News Director's gaze and heard the laugh. Interesting. She took another swig of her beer and willed the reporter to come over to the table, pleased when she saw Chris head in their direction.
"Lisa T...Where's your hunka hunka burning love?" Chris smiled at her boss even as Laura's brow creased in a frown. "Is this a department head thing or can anyone join in?"
"No, come on." Lisa moved her chair over to make room for the smaller woman. "What'll you have?" She asked spotting a waitress and waving her over.
"Another Corona, extra lime...How's your back?" She directed the question at Laura.
"Good. Told you I was a quick healer."
"Great, now I can stop feeling guilty." She leaned forward conspiratorially "Stick with me and you'll never be bored. Hey, Trey, what's going on?" Chris greeted the man easily as he returned to the table and sat down, her green eyes crinkling with her smile.
"Just arguing football with your boss here. Saw you nearly blow yourselves up yesterday...How'd you get so close?" He looked up at the waitress. "N'other couple of Buds, please ma'am," he ordered before turning back to the three women. "Sheriff's guys must have really fucked up."
Laura listened with half an ear as Chris gave an amusing account of yesterday's ordeal, studying the blond haired woman and her mannerisms as she gestured to make a point. She's always comfortable...no self-consciousness, no awkwardness. Laura smiled slightly as she felt a stab of envy. She had always been taller than anyone in her classes, a bit of an oddity, and it was easier to withdraw and be aloof than to get close to any of the other students, it didn't help that she'd gone to an all-girls Catholic school. Later on in college she'd been too busy. She'd had a lot of acquaintances but no real friends. Lisa had been the exception and only because they started out as roommates.
If Laura was brutally honest with herself, she could admit that she would never have been a good reporter. You have to want to see below the surface and you must be willing to pry. The reluctance to be a reporter led to a job as a producer and then to managing editor. News Director was the next step, and she accomplished it all without ever really getting involved. You just present the facts...it's up to someone else to judge. Just another form of self-preservation: Don't get close to anyone or anything.
But for the first time Laura Kasdan found herself wanting to get to know someone better, wanting to get below the surface. It was more than a little disturbing. Laura had decided that she would push the feeling away for the time being and take it out later to examine it a little more closely when a shot glass full of golden liquid was placed in front of her.
"Lisa said you drank tequila...it's two-for-one shots on Friday nights." Chris held up the other shot glass and raised an eyebrow in silent challenge. "Here's to change," she toasted, "May we all get what we deserve...if we're lucky, it'll be what we want." Laura picked up her glass and the four of them clinked their drinks together. With a grin Chris tossed back the liquor, squinting as it went down, then grabbing a slice of lime she bit down on the sour fruit.
Laura picked up another slice of lime smearing it across the top of her hand. The salt shaker was next. The dry mineral stuck to the dampness and she shook off the excess. Lifting it to her mouth, she licked off the salt, blue-white eyes smiling at the younger woman. Without looking away Laura swallowed the tequila easily in one gulp, feeling the familiar burn all the way down. Oblivious to Lisa and Trey looking on, she leaned forward, her voice dropping and said, "Chris, I can drink you under the table, so don't start something you can't finish."
Green eyes flashed, and Chris sat up straighter at the challenge. "That sounds suspiciously like a dare."
Lisa rolled her eyes, "Don't Chris..." Trey waved at the waitress to get her attention, gesturing for two more shots. "You're encouraging them! Stop it!" Lisa scolded, punching her boyfriend in the arm.
Laura felt a tingle in her gut. Tequila at work. You're making a huge mistake. For whatever reason, she couldn't look away from the intensity of the other woman's gaze. Again she was struck by the color of Chris' eyes; they were almost grass green in the light of the bar. Lord knew she had been around attractive talent before; good-looking people were a dime a dozen in the television news business...but this was different, she told herself, because Chris was different. Charisma, charm, appeal...whatever, it flowed from the small blond woman in waves. Laura was fascinated and annoyed by it, wishing for something she wasn't quite sure of, and willing to ignore the warning bells going off in the back of her mind. It's just a game, right?
What do you think you're doing? Chris had her own doubts about where this was going. You have zero tolerance for alcohol and you've already had two beers, plus, you skipped lunch. You're playing with fire here...never ever overindulge around your boss, remember the rules? Be very, very careful.
Twin shot glasses arrived, and over Lisa's protests, Chris and Laura repeated the earlier ritual. Her tongue numbed by the liquor, Chris ran it across her teeth, still tasting the tequila and a little of the lime. Feeling a little artificial courage, she decided to try and dig a little information out of the News Director. "So, is it a big deal to win the U.S. Amateur golf thingy?"
Lisa choked on her beer and Laura looked over at her for a second before answering with a half smile. "I thought so at the time."
"And you won it twice?" The reporter continued.
"Yeah."
"So why aren't you, like, playing golf for a living?"
"Yeah, why aren't you playing golf for a living?" Lisa seconded the question.
"Because I already have a job."
"That is a half-assed excuse," Lisa interrupted. Laura raised an eyebrow, waiting for the next shot. The argument was an old one, and the News Director could almost predict what was coming next. "You have this fabulous game that you only take out on special occasions, then you pack it up and put it away. We all would have killed for your game..."
"Who would've killed for her game?" Chris asked.
"All of us on the golf team at UT."
"Why?"
Lisa blew out a breath. How do you explain it to a non-golfer? She looked over at Trey, knowing that as an athlete, he understood, then back at Laura...no help there. "Because she's good, really good, and it's such a fucking waste!"
Uncomfortable with the attention, Laura pushed her glass to the center of the table. "Yes, well, if I need a career counselor, I know who to come to. Have a good weekend guys, I've got to go." It was a nice try, she thought, her mouth twisting into a rueful half smile. It always comes back to disappointing someone, doesn't it?
"Laura?"
Blue eyes snapped at the use of her name, and the anger that always seemed to bubble just below the surface rose up to assert itself. "It's Kaz, not Laura, just Kaz, okay?"
"Right." Chris bobbed her head once in understanding, and said carefully "I'm very drunk now, and since it's your fault, could you please take me home?"
"Oh for..."Laura rolled her eyes as Lisa and Trey started to laugh, the tension neatly diffused by the reporter. "How is it my fault? Nevermind, can you walk?"
"It's not the walking, it's the standing up."
"Well, come on." With surprising gentleness Laura helped the smaller woman to her feet, steadying her then reaching for her briefcase.
"Are you all right to drive, Kaz?" Lisa asked with some concern.
"I'm fine." She said shortly, and because she didn't want to be at odds with the other woman she added, "I'll be trying to qualify for the Open in Austin next month...we'll see how it goes."
A smile spread across the other woman's face and she felt Trey squeeze her hand. "Cool." Lisa said, her earlier irritation forgotten. "Be careful driving home."
*********************
Chris was disappointed that Laura wasn't on the motorcycle and that she wasn't going to get a ride. Grumbling a little, she accepted help getting into the passenger side of the Jeep, and watched as Laura climbed in next to her. "Can we get something to eat? I've really got the munchies."
"I thought you were drunk."
"Yeah, well I wouldn't be drunk if I had gotten some lunch. You and the tequila took unfair advantage of me."
"Sure we did. Drive through at Sonic okay?"
"Perfect." Chris leaned back into the seat, looking around at the immaculate vehicle. It was an older Jeep with a metal dashboard and reinforced cloth doors, built before sport utility was supposed to be luxurious. She decided it suited the dark woman sitting next to her, tough, good looking, and always dependable. "Do you ever take the top down?"
"Top down and doors off...it's my favorite way to drive it." That was more personal information than she usually gave out in an entire day, and Laura frowned as she pulled into one of the slots at the Drive Inn.
"You're thinking too hard again...your eyebrows get lower and lower when you do that."
"Excuse me?"
Chris gave a sigh as though explaining something to a child. "It's like 'oops, I gave away too much, how do I take that back?' I'm a reporter, remember? I see that all the time. You could just loosen up...I'm no threat to you." The green eyes were frank and honest, "I promise, you will never have a reason not to trust me."
For a minute she could almost see belief in the clear blue eyes, then it was gone as Laura turned and unzipped the window to reach for the speaker. "Don't make promises you can't keep. What do you want?"
I want to know what's going on behind those blue eyes, I want you to teach me what you know, and I want to know why you're in a job you so obviously hate. Wanting's a bitch, isn't it? Chris shook her head slightly, it's not good to go there, she thought. "I want a big ol' Cheeseburger, a big order of tots and a chocolate shake."
"When you said you had the munchies, you weren't kidding."
"Yeah, it's a severe character flaw." Digging in her briefcase she pulled out some money and handed it to the other woman. Laura took it and answered the squawking speaker. "Two Cheeseburgers, a large order of tots, a chocolate shake and a Coke."
"Gotta have your caffeine fix?"
"That would be my severe character flaw." Don't even get started on character flaws, Laura's inner voice shot back. Change the subject to something safe...Not something work related though. "Where do you play softball?"
Chris smiled, seeing through the tactic, "This Sunday we play at one thirty. We use a field at Northridge Park, do you know where it is?" At the News Director's nod she continued, "You really should come out, it's a lot of fun...You know we're playing Channel 4, it'd be a good chance for you to meet some of the competition, and their News Director always plays."
"Who's the News Director over there?"
"Lance Barker runs the show."
"Pretty boy Lance?" Laura laughed unpleasantly. "A word of advice Chris? No one in TV ever goes away, they just change markets."
"So you know him?"
"Yeah, he was a producer with me in Austin...Lisa knows him too," She added thoughtfully.
"Anyway, it should be a pretty good game, you should try to make it." Their food arrived and Laura passed the bag and the drinks to Chris as she paid for the order.
"Okay if I eat in your car?"
"Go ahead." A suspicion was starting to form in Laura's mind as she unwrapped her cheeseburger. "Don't eat so fast...you'll throw up."
"Can't help it, I'm starved," Chris wolfed down the burger and started on the tater tots. The younger woman ate with single -minded intensity, not what Laura would have associated with someone who claimed to be smashed.
"You're not really drunk, are you?"
Laura could almost see the laughter in the blond woman's eyes, and Chris answered without apology. "I would never get snockered in front of my boss...but I shouldn't be driving. I just wanted to spend a little time getting to know you away from the office."
"Why?"
"Because I think that you're the best thing that could have happened to us. Understand that we've been beaten down by Jerry Nelson. Nothing we did was ever good enough, smart enough, or aggressive enough. Now here you are. You've got some baggage, sure, but no one doubts that you can run a newsroom. It's only been a week, but there's already a change."
Laura didn't say anything, she just balled up the wrapper and put it in the bag, so Chris went on, "Y'know what's impressed me the most? Not once this week did you say 'That's the way we did it in Dallas.' I waited to hear it, and I never did. Do you have any idea how extraordinary that is?"
A short bitter laugh answered the reporter. "I'm not sure than anything I did in Dallas is worth repeating here." Laura tipped her head back and closed her eyes listening to the sounds of the busy drive inn outside the confines of the Jeep, not knowing what else to say.
Chris finished her meal and began stuffing the trash into the bag. "I think you need a friend, that's all." She tried to shrug casually, suddenly a little nervous. "You're in a new place and maybe we could do something...sometime...outside of work." Oh that's just great, she cringed inwardly. She's smart, she's gorgeous, of course she's not gonna have any trouble making friends.
Laura started the Jeep and repeated the mantra again and again: Don't need, don't want. She put the trash on the tray outside and zipped up the window, still not trusting herself to speak. Put an end to this, right now.
"Chris, I don't...It's not that I...Look, I'm the queen bitch of the universe, the Kazmanian devil, She -Ra Princess of Power, the News Nazi...yeah, I know all the names." Chris' look of surprise almost made her laugh. "Being friends with me is not healthy...professionally or personally." She didn't look at the reporter, afraid of what she might see, and concentrated on maneuvering the Jeep out of the parking lot and out into the street.
They completed the ride in silence, and for the second time that week, Laura pulled into the driveway of Chris' house. Clearing her throat she turned to the younger woman, "What about your car?"
"It's only a couple of miles to the station. I'll go for a run tomorrow and pick it up." She opened the door and climbed out, "At least you should come out on Sunday and watch us kick some Channel 4 butt. Bring your glove, we can always use an outfielder." With that she closed the door and walked up the path to the house. Laura waited until she saw her step inside and turn out the porch light, then she threw the stick into reverse, backed out and headed for home.
Chris watched the taillights disappear down the street, disappointed and a little hurt by Laura's reaction. What difference does it make? It's just a brush off, It's not like you haven't had that happen before, and she's right you know, it's not a good idea.
But she couldn't help feeling that it wasn't right. They were supposed to be friends, why else would she have felt that incredible pull when she looked across that interstate median to see the tall dark woman walking toward her. It was like she had been waiting for something or someone and now that all the players were in place, the show could begin.
Okay, Chris, now you've gone off the deep end. One thing's for sure, life isn't going to be dull around Laura Kasdan.