Chapter 2

It had been two months since the closure of Kerrington Publishers Company. I woke up, almost kicking my laptop off the bed. My days had been filled with sending job applications to different publishing companies, but to no avail.

For some unexplainable reason, my heart was beating so fast as if I had just finished a marathon. The only marathon I was doing was editing my cover letters, which would lead me to run all through the night to early mornings. I tried slowing down my breathing, and when I was calmer, I steadied myself on the edge of the bed and turned to look at the other side of the bed. Terrence was missing.

I propped myself up and took steady steps to the bathroom which was dry and empty. Looking at the alarm clock that seemed desolate on the bedside drawer, I noticed that it was ten minutes to noon. Surely, I had slept all morning, and it made sense why Terrence would be missing as he had an important meeting today morning. Dancing to the small breeze on the bedside table was a yellow sticky note that begged me to read it.

I smiled as I reached out and grabbed it, knowing it was one of the many cute texts that Terrence sent me for motivation. 

“Good morning my love.

I have gone to the office for a meeting. I am sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye. You looked so peaceful and beautiful sleeping; I did not want to wake you. I have left some pancakes in the fridge, feel free to help yourself. I shall call you once I’m done.

I love you. 

Oh, and before I forget, Mr. Kerrington has been blowing up your phone all morning, so I put the phone on silent. Call him. I think it’s something urgent.”

I frantically scanned the room in search of my phone, only to see it on the charging socket. I smiled at how Terrence managed to always make me happy with the smallest things. What more would I ask?

I unplugged the phone from the charger and unlocked the screen. True to the note, Mr. Kerrington had tried to call four times but to no response. He had not left any voicemail as technology was not his favorite invention, and as he often said, “If I can not reach you with the phone, how will I reach you with a recording?” He always reminded me of my father who blamed every negative thing on millennials and technology, even the death of his cat was due to loud millennials.  

I tried to think of a reason why Kerrington was suddenly calling me, as he had not said much after the company’s shutdown.  

“They said we should join the Chirp Company. I declined.”

“Chirp? Why?”

“Well, apparently people prefer gossip to real news now.”

“Oh wow! So, what next?”

“Do not worry. They shall pull out and we shall start afresh. I know it!”

“After how long? It’s not easy to...”

“I know it’s not easy, but we will.”

Recollections of the speech he gave after the long wait sped through my mind. Kerrington held his head lower than usual, apologizing to everyone for the short notice, and promising to re-employ every one of us as soon as he got back up. He maintained his calm posture even when the board members walked out laughing at his sorry speech.  When Martha raised a hand to ask why he refused the deal, Kerrington went ahead to say clear as day, that he was not going to sell out his beloved company to a big soulless conglomerate. That speech earned him a few claps around the room, and I could not have been prouder of him fighting so hard for what he believed in.

It was true that a big percentage of Americans switched to channels like TMZ and bought bundles of magazines from Chirp company as they were more concerned about what Rihanna had for breakfast than what media and publishing companies like us had to say on the election violence.

Walking out of the office with my red dress and a box of my office files, I still had hope in Kerrington Company. It was not going to be easy for sure, but it was going to happen.

One month. No word.

Two months. No word from Kerrington.

Until this morning. 

I stared at my phone, unsure of whether I should call him back or not. What did he have to say? Did he manage? Is he asking me to just move on?

Out of curiosity, I dialed back his number. At the same time that I pressed call, my stomach grumbled, reminding me of my hunger. I walked out of the room with the phone in my ear and headed to the kitchen. After the second ring, there was a silence, and then:

“Hello. Charlotte?” a gruff voice was heard on the other end. 

“Yes,” I said as I opened the fridge door looking for the pancakes Terrence had mentioned in his note. 

“It’s Mr. Kerrington. You used to work for me at Kerrington Publishers before the company shut down.”

“Yeah, I know it’s you, Sir,” I said in an undertone, surprised that he thought I would not have his number. Did he think I was that disloyal?

I took the plate of pancakes from the fridge and set them in the microwave as I waited for Kerrington to inform me of the urgency of his call.

“Oh, right, good. Listen Charlotte, I am going to be brief and straight to the point. I hope you don’t mind that.”

“No, I actually prefer that.” I turned to switch on the coffee maker, getting anxious about what Kerrington had to say.  

“I would like you to be Editor-in-chief at Kerrington Publishers?”

“I don’t understand sir. What do you mean?”

“I mean, I am got full ownership of my company and I would love to have you on my team as Editor-in-Chief.”

I sat down on the nearest stool as the surprise almost made me lose my balance. I could not believe this was happening – finally!

During the two months of unemployment, I tried my best to get another job as an editor, but my attempts bore no fruits. I had been frustrated and broke, and had even thought of giving up and changing my career. 

And now, on the verge of losing all hope, there was a bright light at the end of the tunnel.

“Charlotte, are you still there?” Kerrington’s gruff voice brought me back from the reverie I was in. 

“Yes. Yes.”

“So, what do you say? Will you like to join the new Kerrington Publishers?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Oh, great! That’s good to hear. But I fear that I have to clarify some things before we continue. The name of the company might be old, but it is new. Therefore, you will not be paid as much as you were hoping to be paid when the company was still as prestigious, as I have to restructure the budgets before we get a strong footing. You understand that, right?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good then. One more thing. I know you only agreed to work for me seconds ago, but I already have a task for you. You have heard of the Annual Editor’s Conference, right?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Well, it is happening in a week’s time from now in New York, and I would love for you to represent our company.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yes, you. You are the editor-in-chief after all. Now, normally, I would put you up in a hotel so that you could have a smooth stay. But the company is too new to financially arrange that right now. I would therefore request you to find your own accommodation if that is okay with you. Please let me know if you have a problem with that, and I could talk to someone I know in New York to help you out”

All this was happening too fast, and with the hunger, I was currently experiencing, my thoughts were hazing around at a deadly speed. I had no money in my name to book a hotel in New York, and I would not want to trouble Terrence as he had already done enough to support the both of us.

Maybe he could help. He lived in New York after all.

But I have not spoken to him in what – ten years?

But we’ve been friends for what – twenty?

“Charlotte?” 

“Oh- no worries. I think I can find accommodation for myself.”

“Good. Good. The conference shall be three days long. Update me on everything, and all the best! I am looking forward to working with you Charlotte.”

“Me too Mr. Kerrington.”

Ding!

The microwave cried out, and so did my heart at the thought of seeing him again.