After we’d wrapped and shot promos, I headed back to my desk. I spent most of the morning and afternoon looking over story ideas and segments for the next few days of shows. Marty and I arranged the news segment to include more local coverage. It had been made clear by the success of Dawn’s story about Mayor Thomas that the show was lacking in that area.
Marty left at around dinnertime, and I stayed through the first two evening news segments. When I went to fetch my things to go home, Dawn was waiting for me at my desk. I stared at her surprised for a moment, not expecting her to have shown up here.
She looked annoyed at me. “Why did you turn Steve Fischer down?”
It took a moment for what she said to register. “I knew you were responsible for that!” Dawn stared me down, arms crossed over her chest.
“I pulled a lot of strings to get you that offer,” she said. “That was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work for them. They’re one of the top stations in the country.”
Honestly, I knew it was a kind thing for her to do. She’d obviously been well-intentioned. But I was still too angry at her for leaving to care if her motives were pure or not. “First of all, while I appreciate the gesture, I am more than capable of taking care of myself.” Dawn looked as though she was going to offer a rebuttal and I held up a hand. “Second, unlike you, I feel like I have a duty to this news show. I’m not just going to bail.”
“You’d throw away an opportunity like New York, to stick with some mediocre morning show that’s going to take your career nowhere?” Dawn shook her head. “Really, I thought you were a little more ambitious than that, Liz Mudd. I guess that’s the difference between you and me.”
“And what is that?”
“I don’t settle,” Dawn said bluntly.
“Clearly,” I replied. We glared at each other for a moment before I continued. “Here I thought you were this entirely different person than you turned out to be.” My hand reached for my jacket and purse off my desk, and I looked up at her one last time. “Have a great life in San Francisco, Dawn. I wish nothing but the best for you, truly.”
Dawn didn’t answer, just stared back at me. Finally, I sighed loudly and turned away, walking out of the building without looking back at her again.
Chapter 10
Dawn
By the end of the week I’d packed for San Francisco. The longer Liz and I went without speaking, the worse I began to feel. When moving day arrived, I’d become so distracted I barely had time to think, never-the-less worry about my relationship problems. After the last of the boxes had been taken down to the moving truck, there was a knock at my door. When I went to open it, I was surprised to find Liz standing outside, holding a bouquet of flowers.
“What are you doing here?” I asked her, surprised.
“I was leaving work, and I saw the moving truck,” she admitted. “I figured you were leaving. I just wanted to tell you good luck.” I took the flowers from her carefully and sat them on the counter next to the door. “That’s the first time I’ve ever bought anyone flowers too.” When she said it, I couldn’t help but smile.
We didn’t speak for a moment, only stared at one another. Finally, she leaned in to kiss me, and our lips met softly. It was tender and brief. Afterward, I felt her hand against the side of my cheek. She still didn’t say anything, but I pressed my face into her hand. When she pulled away, I found myself aching for her.
“Take care of yourself,” she said with a small smile.
“You too,” I replied, as I watched her begin to turn away from me. She didn’t look back, and my eyes followed her until she reached the end of the hallway and disappeared into the elevator.
The five-hour drive felt dreadfully lonely. I realized quickly that I’d grown more attached to her than I’d realized. By the time I reached my new place in San Francisco, I had become so consumed with getting things in order she had slipped my mind completely. It wasn’t until I found myself laying in bed that I thought of her again and she stayed with me till I finally drifted to sleep.
Monday came quicker than I’d anticipated it to. I arrived early to meet with Stewart, the manager of the station. After a small tour, we briefly discussed the plans for the first show that evening. As promised, Stewart had me covering events across the bay area, and I stayed busy throughout the entire day preparing.
Chris, the cameraman, and I set out in the early evening to bring a live report from the opening of a new restaurant in downtown San Francisco. I sat up front in the van as we drove and could feel the prying curious eyes glancing at me every couple of seconds.
“I can’t believe it’s you,” Chris finally said, in shock. I turned to look at him, and he looked flustered. “I mean… THE Dawn Reynolds. You’re a rockstar.”
I blushed at the compliment, removing a strand of hair that had fallen into my face. “I just do my job,” I said, trying to remain humble.
“My dad and I used to watch you growing up when you worked in New York. Is there any place you haven’t been?”
“I’ve always wanted to go to Fiji,” I admitted. Robert and I had planned a trip years and years ago but had never gotten around to it. Thinking of a romantic trip made me think of Liz and how I’d wanted to go places with her. Now, it was just a fleeting dream.
“You were really great on Rise and Shine too,” Chris said as he turned down the street towards the restaurant. “I couldn’t believe you were doing a morning show.”
“You watched Rise and Shine?”
“Well, my dad lives in Santa Barbara. He loves it. I was just up visiting him and caught the show. I think it was the second week you were on the air? I always thought that show was pretty drab until you came along. Really helped it out a lot. What are they going to do now that you left?”
Honestly, I had no idea. I shrugged and looked out the window. Chris got the hint and returned his attention to driving.
When we reached the restaurant, the owner and a few of the staff were outside to meet us. It was a cute little Italian bistro, family run. The sight of it made me think of the Rodriguez family in Los Angeles and their small hole in the wall place I’d loved so much.
“Alright Dawn, I’m all set up and ready when you are,” Chris said after he’d situated his equipment. I adjusted my business suit and my hair before I turned to look at the owner. She was a beautiful young blonde woman, with enchanting hazel eyes and a dazzling smile.
“I’m Dawn,” I said, reaching out to shake her hand.
“Elizabeth Downey,” she replied, taking my hand in hers. “But you can call me Liz.”
A shiver went through me when she said it and I did my best to maintain my composure.
Chris gave me the signal that we were about to go live “5...4...3...2..”
Before I knew it, the week had blown by.
When the weekend came, and I was alone with my thoughts again, no work to distract me, I found myself feeling lonely all over again. Saturday morning early, after nearly going out of my mind, I packed a bag and loaded into the car. I filled up the tank before I made the five-hour drive down the long stretch of coastal highway to Los Angeles.
As I made it to the outskirts of the city, I pulled over at a rest stop, digging through my purse for a familiar card. Liz’s business card. The one she’d handed out on our first day. Scribbled on the back was her cell phone number. When I dialed it, I sat back in the seat taking a deep breath. What was I even going to say? I came back to Los Angeles to see you? I didn’t have to think about it long, however. The phone went straight to voicemail, and I found myself hanging up.
Instead, I drove to Liz’s sister's house, where I’d spent several nights. As I pulled up into the driveway, I noticed a car. Someone was home. A few moments after I’d knocked, a young brunette answered. She looked very much like her sister. Just seeing her sent a shiver through me.
“Is Liz here?” I asked abruptly, without thinking to introduce myself.
The woman studied me for a moment. “
And you are?”
Although it had not been the first time someone hadn’t recognized me, I found myself slightly offended regardless. “Dawn,” I said curtly. “Dawn Reynolds.” As soon as I said my name, her eyes went wide.
“I’m Kathy, Liz’s sister,” she explained. “She moved across town. We just got her settled this morning. I can give you her new address if you want.” I had Kathy write me down the information on a piece of paper and took off shortly after. When I arrived at the apartment complex, I sat outside in the car for a while, wondering if I should even go inside. If I should prolong this any longer. Finally, I saw her walking down the sidewalk, taking empty boxes to the garbage, and I quickly made up my mind to leave. Deciding it was better off if I didn’t interfere with her life any longer.
I ended up stopping at one of my old favorite Chinese takeout places on the way back. My drive took me to the outskirts of town and over to my favorite outlook. I backed the car up, popping the hatch open so I could sit in the back of the car and admire the view. As I ate, my mind wandered for a while. That was until a familiar voice echoed in my ears.
“Can I sit with you?” Liz said quietly. I looked up, my heart thumping madly in my chest from the surprise.
“What are you doing here?” I barely was able to speak. She offered a smile and came to sit down beside me. Without asking, she took one of the boxes of food and opened it, reaching for a fork.
“You aren’t the only person who is good at stalking,” Liz replied, taking a bite of food. It took me a moment to realize what she was implying.
“You saw me at the apartments?” When Liz nodded, I sighed. “I wanted to see you again.” What I wanted to say, was that I couldn’t stop thinking about her. How I didn’t want her to not be in my life. Instead, that was all I could manage.
“You could have come and knocked,” Liz argued, giving a small smirk. I smiled at her, finishing off my food and setting it behind me.
“Could we try long distance?” I finally asked her. “I can come down on the weekends.”
Liz studied me for a moment, looking as if she was considering it. “I did long distance once, and it didn’t work out very good. I don’t think I can do it again.”
I sighed, reaching out to touch the side of her face with the tips of my fingers. She leaned into me for a moment before she pulled away. “You’re making this incredibly difficult,” she admitted.
We sat in silence for a long while before Liz finally sighed. “Okay,” she looked at me. When I stared confused, she elaborated. “Okay, we can do long distance.”
“Really?” I could hardly believe it. Liz nodded, and I sighed. We met together in one fluid motion, kissing softly. When we fell together, lying against the back of the car, looking up at the sky that was slowly starting to fill with stars, Liz let out a small laugh as I nuzzled my face into her neck. I kissed her softly until she rolled into my arms, and there was nothing but her.
Every weekend that followed, I spent with Liz in Los Angeles. I left the moment the show ended on Friday and would stay until Monday morning early. We never left each other’s side. Four months passed of it becoming a treasured routine. Finally, it began to wear on us a little. Monday’s would become harder. The weekdays more painful. I knew the conversation with Liz was coming.
And then it did, one Sunday evening, over Thai food on the balcony of Liz’s apartment.
“I think you should stay,” she said, reaching for my hand. “I was talking to Jared, and they said they’d take you back at the station. You could anchor again. We could see each other all the time like a normal couple,” Liz said.
I sighed softly, letting my fork rest on my plate. For a moment I didn’t look at her, pondering on what she was asking of me. I’d just started getting accustomed to my job in San Francisco. While it wasn’t quite like I’d imagined it being, it was reporting work. More than I’d ever been offered at WATV.
“Liz,” I said calmly, reaching out to take her hand in my own. “This is working. Why can’t we just keep doing what we’ve been doing?”
Liz offered a small smile, squeezing my hand. “I know,” she replied, though I could tell by the look on her face that she didn’t quite understand why I wouldn’t consider it. “I just thought I’d ask.”
The conversation stopped abruptly after that. We finished our meal in quiet and then distracted ourselves the remainder of the evening, wrapped in each other's arms.
Monday morning came the quickest it had ever come. I was barely outside of the LA city limits when a wave of emotion overcame me. It was quickly interrupted by a phone call. Stewart, from the studio in San Francisco.
“Dawn,” Stewart said when I’d answered. “I’m assuming you’re on your way home,” I muttered a yes, and he continued. “Great, we have a fun story for you to cover today. The Greek Festival. It starts tonight, and we thought you’d love to go out with Chris to get us some footage. What do you say?”
I sat on the line silent for a long moment. Over twenty years I’d been covering the news. Twenty years I’d spanned the globe, interviewing people from every country imaginable. Famous people. Celebrities. Average everyday citizens. I’d covered wars, births, deaths, marriages… Everything in between. Yet, here I was, driving five hours from what had been my home for over a decade, to do coverage of a Greek Festival. Five hours from a woman I very well might be falling in love with...
“I’m going to have to call you back,” I told Stewart abruptly, hanging up the phone. When I did, I pulled over at the next exit, stopping at a gas station. I rooted through my phone for Tyler's number and dialed him quickly.
“Tyler?” I asked when he answered. “I have a proposition for you.”
Chapter 11
Liz
The week that Dawn left, the days passed by incredibly slow. I found myself eager to distract myself with work. Marty had me helping hunt down a new co-host almost immediately.
“I’ve been watching the show for years,” the man said as he sat down across from us. Marty, Tyler and I had been trapped in the WATV conference room for what felt like days. The three of us exchanged glances when he said it.
“Who was the host before Dawn?” Tyler asked curiously.
“Uh, well... I’m not really good with names..”
By Thursday, it felt as if we were never going to find a good candidate. That was until Jenny Bowin came in. She was the most charismatic person I’d ever met. Dark brown hair, bright green eyes, and a dazzling smile. All three of us were captivated by her the entire time she interviewed.
“How do you feel about being on a morning show?” Tyler asked her. “A morning show that hasn’t had the greatest track record.”
“I’m all about seeing the positives,” Jenny smiled at all of us. “Liz Mudd made the show a huge success for LA. I like to think I can help contribute.”
After we’d finished quizzing her, Tyler asked her to step outside for a minute while we discussed. As soon as she left, Marty and I nodded enthusiastically at him.
“She’d be perfect,” Marty said with a smile. “Such a nice girl.”
“I like her,” I admitted. “Hopefully she’ll get along with Kate.”
“Well, let’s take her down and find out,” Tyler said, as the three of us went to get her from the lobby.
Not surprisingly, the entire crew liked her, including high-strung Kate. Once she’d gotten a tour, Tyler took her back upstairs to sign paperwork and left Marty and me to get back to work on stories for the next day.
“Have you talked to Dawn?” Marty finally asked me after he took a sip of his afternoon cup of coffee. When I shook my head, he offered a small smile, patting me on the back. “Probably for the best kiddo. Sometimes that’s just the way things go.”
It seemed as if that was how it always went for me. Maybe I wasn’t cut out for the dating world. I found myself laying my head down on my desk.
“At least we have a great new co-host for the show,” Marty said, knowing how to chee
r me up. As soon as my mind got focused back on work, everything else seemed to dissipate. Except when Marty talked about Jenny, it made me think of Dawn all the more.
“You’re right,” I finally said, sitting up again. “Anyway, let's get back to this stuff.”
Jenny was on the air the very next day. She was perfect and fit right into the show. At the production meeting, she was full of ideas and was super enthusiastic about the social media aspect. It felt as if it was meant to be.
Yet every night when I went home, I couldn’t get Dawn off my mind. When I’d get settled for the evening, I’d pull out my laptop and pull open the website for the news station in San Francisco, hunting for clips of stories Dawn had reported on. As promised, they had her out on the field constantly. Every time I saw her, I ached.
Saturday came, and Kathy helped me move into a new apartment. It was a cozy place, nothing fancy, but it worked fine for me. I wasn’t home much anyway, so as long as there was a bed and a place to shower and eat, I was fine. Once she’d left, I cleaned up a bit. Mid-afternoon I got a phone call from Kathy, stating that Dawn had been by the house. When I saw her drive off from the parking lot an hour later, I couldn’t help myself.
I wasn’t sure what took me to the lookout. She could have gone a hundred different places, but she’d ended up there. We sat and chatted for a while, and it felt wonderful to have her beside me again.
Admittedly, as much as I was skeptical of the long distance relationship, it worked great for a while. Life was busy during the week anyway. Work kept me consumed. Though I’d miss seeing her on occasion at work, and at night when I’d get home, I’d always feel lonely. Finally, after four months I couldn’t take it anymore. I wanted her to stay.
“I need you to hire Dawn back,” I said to Jared. “For the evening news. I know that one of your weekend anchors just left for Seattle. Let Dawn come back.”
Jared studied me curiously, squeezing a stress ball in his hand as he thought. I hadn’t interacted with him much, but we’d passed one another on occasion. All I knew is that if there were any chance of getting Dawn back at the station, he was the one to talk to.
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