“Baby you deserve it” Karin said sleepily from the couch where she was laying with her head on the arm.
Cassie reached over and caressed her casually. “Come on sleepyhead, let’s get to bed” she smiled.
“I’m so proud of you Cassie” Karin said as she watched Cassie mentally steel herself for going on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
That more than any award or anything else anyone could say thrilled Cassie as she watched her in the mirror where they were putting the last minute touches on her makeup and hair. She smiled her brilliant smile at the woman she loved so very much. “I couldn’t have done it without you” she replied.
“I just emphasized your talent” Karin smiled in return. The relief of knowing that they had fulfilled the ridiculous terms of Cassie’s contract was like a weight off her shoulders. She felt more relaxed than she had in a very long time. She knew it wouldn’t last with what was still to come but for the moment, she would let Cassie have her moment in the sun.
Karin watched on the monitors as Cassie carried her four Grammy’s onto the stage as Oprah had requested. It provided a comedic backdrop and allowed Oprah to tease and discuss the wins. She jokingly said that Cassie should let her keep one or two as she had so many now. Cassie fiercely protected them and the audience roared in appreciation.
“What’s this I hear that you’re engaged?” Oprah asked as she leaned over and grabbed Cassie’s left hand so the camera could zoom in on her ring. Karin unconsciously turned hers around at that exact moment to hide the stones in the palm of her hand.
“Yeah, I hear that too” Cassie answered with a grin and made no attempt to pull out of Oprah’s grasp.
Oprah looked at her, her eyes twinkling as Cassie looked at her oh so innocently. “You’re not going to tell me are you?” she asked.
Cassie’s grin turned into a smile “everyone keeps asking me that, it is a beautiful ring isn’t it?”
Oprah waited. Cassie waited. The audience waited. Karin’s heart stopped. For a moment she thought Cassie was going to blow it but she was a good poker player and out waited the host that was on a time constraint.
Finally Oprah made a joke and went on with the program. “What if you hadn’t won anything, would you still have come on the show?” she asked with a grin. The whole point of the show was the ‘winners’ as there had been others interviewed besides Cassie Summers.
Cassie was gracious and nodded and said “would have been a bit anti-climactic though wouldn’t it?” and the audience shared a laugh with her and the host.
Cassie’s segment ended after all the band members had been brought out and introduced and they played “Phoenix” for the audience. As she came off stage Karin breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that the vultures were circling now, everyone had been playing nice before but the media wanted answers. They demanded it and would viciously begin to attack Cassie if a statement wasn’t made soon. Karin considered for a micro-second telling Cassie that the engagement was off and removing her ring but the thought of doing that tore her heart infinitesimally and she stopped herself immediately.
They got through the other interviews that day with similar results. Cassie didn’t answer those direct questions and her hosts, who may have suspected who Karin was but weren’t quite sure, were professional enough to let her off the hook. Other members of the press weren’t being as kind already. Speculation about the ring and who Cassie Summers was engaged to were running rampant. Karin knew that something would have to be done shortly.
The next couple of weeks were insane. Cassie was on many talk shows, radio shows, and asked to do countless charity events, speeches, and be the spokesperson for various products. All of this was filtered through Karin’s office and handled by the appropriate people on Cassie’s behalf. Cassie got to approve each and every one that she wanted to endorse or veto any that Karin’s team thought were good for her. Karin made sure Cassie was a part of each and every decision. Her label was going crazy with the amount of calls they were getting that they referred to Kreske Public Relations. Karin had always worked closely with Cassie’s label since it was the keystone of her career. Karin and her team had just notched it higher on both of their behalf. During this chaos, Karin made a strategic withdrawal. At first Cassie thought she was imagining it but finally, finding herself in New York at their apartment and Karin in Houston with another client she realized how little time they had together or had spoken in the craziness of her career lately.
“Are you angry at me or something?” she asked that night when they managed to speak on the phone.
“No, why would ask something like that?” Karin asked in return, she was distracted with the things she was multi-tasking on her bed in her hotel room, after all she did have other clients and projects to supervise.
“Because I never seem to see you anymore, or hear you, or or or” she ended in a sob as the fatigue of the past few weeks got to her.
Karin could hear it and wished she was in front of her “I just thought you should enjoy the perks of winning baby, I love you, I just have a lot of work to do, that’s all” she said gently.
“There’s more to it than that” Cassie said astutely.
Karin grinned, just because Cassie was country didn’t mean she was stupid, in fact Karin had never even thought that. She had always respected Cassie and her talent. “I’m just working” she said without saying what she wanted to.
“You’re keeping something from me aren’t you?” she pushed.
Karin nodded, nope, this woman wasn’t stupid by any stretch of the imagination, she was astute and she knew Karin well. Perhaps too well. “People magazine offered an outrageous sum of money for you to give them an exclusive on who you are engaged to” she offered instead.
Momentarily Cassie was distracted “they did?” then “I don’t care...” then after a moment “how much?”
Karin told her and heard Cassie’s gasped. She smiled, it was all a game. Bigger than a chess set but a PR game...
“That’s tempting but you’re deliberately trying to change the subject. What’s going on Karin? I need to know.”
“Do you trust me baby?” Karin quietly asked, focusing on her reflection as she listened into the phone.
“Of course” Cassie replied indignantly.
“I’ll be there in a few days. You have the weekend off for a change. The band will be home and glad of the break for a few days. I’ll join you this weekend and explain everything that’s going on and my plan. In person, you and I. How does that sound?”
Cassie grasped at the straw being handed her. She felt an ominous threat to their relationship and briefly wondered if perhaps Karin was going to return the ring or break up with her. A million bad things went through her mind and hung on her over those next few days.
Cassie was sitting in the back seat of the town car that was waiting to pick up Karin Myers at the private terminal entrance. She watched admiredly as Karin walked out looking polished and so New York despite her Midwestern upbringing. Cassie loved that about Karin how cool and sophisticated she could look but then she would remember how she had looked on the ranch and smile knowing this woman was comfortable and a chameleon in her own skin.
“Hi baby” Karin said as she settled into the back seat giving her a bear hug and a kiss and then she reached for the seat belt.
“How was your flight?” Cassie asked solicitously.
“Not too good, turbulence over Tennessee, some storm heading up the Eastern Seaboard” Karin replied.
“So what’s your plan?” Cassie couldn’t wait to ask anymore.
“Shh” Karin glanced at the driver, who while discrete and behind a window could still be listening. Karin felt paranoid but knew she had just cause. Kreske had been making noise about renewing Cassie’s contract, bigger and better.
They talked about mundane things on the way back to the high rise in Manhattan. Karin told Cassie about a few new offers that had come in that day that she would have to decide about s
o the teams could get on it. Cassie talked about another album she wanted to release later in the year. She had so much material that hadn’t been included on the last one she had more than enough for another.
Finally they were at the apartment. Karin was surprised how relieved she felt to see the old building. She couldn’t wait to get inside and be alone with Cassie.
“Now will you tell me what is going on?” Cassie asked as they shut the front door.
“Shh” Karin shushed her once again putting her finger to her lips “how about I shower and change and we take D.O.G. for a walk and we eat at one of those cafe’s over on Malardy Street?” she answered using her eyes to emphasize things.
Cassie reluctantly agreed, she had no choice but she was dying to know what was going on.
As they walked down the streets of their neighborhood towards Malardy with D.O.G. looking proud to be walking with them, Karin said quietly “I’m putting in my official resignation on Monday.”
Cassie turned to her in alarm “can you do that?”
Karin smiled and gave a little laugh “yes, I’ve had enough. All these years in the business and I’m burned out. I’ve stuffed enough money away that they can’t touch it or so I hope and besides, after what they just put us through this last year, I won’t allow that to happen again. To anyone. I want to be there for you baby, whenever you need me.”
“What will you do? Will you manage just me?”
Karin shrugged. “No, I can’t manage you because they would consider that an attack. I actually don’t have any long term plans. I might consult. I do have a lot of contacts in the entertainment and other businesses that are valuable. I certainly won’t hang out my own shingle and go into competition with Kreske. I know that would be a death sentence” she smiled wryly.
Cassie thought for a while quietly and then asked in a small voice “what about my career?” It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy and scared for Karin, she understood the pressure that Karin had been under but she had also done a hell of a lot for Cassie.
“You will have managers and public relation firms coming at you from every angle” Karin told her watching her as they strolled along.
They came to a small bistro with outside dining that they could sit at with D.O.G. He settled himself next to Karin’s chair, happy to have her home, happy to be loved by his person, happy to be admired by the strangers who talked about him and petted him. They sat and continued their conversation.
“I’m not certain I would ever be comfortable with another manager” Cassie said slowly as she realized the impact Karin’s resignation would have on her career. Then she had her other more insecure thoughts “are we okay?” she glanced at Karin’s left hand to be sure she was still wearing her ring.
Karin smiled seeing the glance. “I decided a while ago that I was going to do this. I know I was being paranoid that my phone was bugged, or yours was, or the apartment. That’s why I decided on this walk.” She stopped to read the menu that a smiling waiter handed them.
“May I get you anything to drink?” he asked solicitously.
Karin waited for Cassie to order her beer before saying “I’ll have a large glass of orange juice, a shot glass of vodka, and a pan of water for my friend here” she indicated D.O.G. who laughed and smiled and wagged his tail expectantly like he understood every word.
He smiled in return “right away” and turned thinking some of these customers were so eccentric. The vodka was probably for the dog.
“Baby, I need a vacation. Maybe a career change. I don’t know. My apartment is almost paid for or rather I could pay it off at any time. It’s a huge tax deduction. My investments are fairly sound. I’m set for life if I choose to retire.” She grinned at the thought.
Cassie was incredulous. “You retired?” She laughed. “You aren’t serious are you?”
Karin grinned at Cassie and that turned into a smile. “I’ll turn in my resignation Monday. It gives them a month and I can really have them up to speed in no time and turn everything over to my team members. I won’t let them use and abuse me anymore. I’m done. Your career I will help you with, advise you if you want. I can’t do what I did with Kreske because that would upset them. I can however advise” she stressed this word so that Cassie could get the innuendo.
Cassie was a sharp cookie. She got it. Karin wouldn’t be abandoning her at all, instead she would advise Cassie on what she should do in the future. It was a tremendous relief. She didn’t want Karin to be under Kreske’s thumb anymore either.
“Then after everything is settled there, then we will let you take People up on their ‘exclusive’ offer. What do you think?”
“You think we should make money off of our engagement?” Cassie was appalled.
Karin grinned “you don’t have to take the money baby, donate it to one of your favorite charities. Hell, let’s start a charity in your name. That’s actually a great idea and a good tax deduction. We could use the money that People gives you as seed money.”
Cassie loved the idea. The GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgender) community would benefit. She liked the idea of helping out youths whose confusion would be addressed. They were the innocent victims of prejudice, ignorance, and stupidity.
They discussed a charity all through dinner. Karin had given Cassie a new bone to worry. She had adroitly turned the subject from her own resignation from Kreske’s and the possible danger that might warrant. She wasn’t sure there was still a danger. Her knowledge and experiences went with her. She hoped they would be reasonable about it.
That night before they went home she bought a gadget at the ‘spy’ store on 6th. Supposedly it could detect bugs. She paid a mint for the little hand held palm pilot like thing and prayed it worked. They demonstrated it in the store, showing her how it worked as Cassie stood outside with D.O.G. wondering how long she would be. They discussed it all the way home and Karin tried it all over their apartment. She found one bug and even though she was expecting it, this surprised her. It was attached to the phone in the kitchen which anyone who knew her knew she rarely used her landline. It created a bit of paranoia for both of them as they swept the entire apartment time and again.
The next morning Karin called a phone number she had been given at the ‘spy’ store if she wanted a more ‘thorough’ sweep. It was a little sleazy and she didn’t really like how paranoid they felt or that it cost her a lot of money. They swept the apartment and even the patio and along the outside of the building around each window. They didn’t find anything else and the bug they found in the phone was confirmed. The guy zapped it with something and they threw it down the dumpster. Cassie meanwhile called out a locksmith and they changed all the locks in the apartment including those on the windows. By Sunday they felt a bit more secure.
“Baby, I want to show you something” Karin stated after the locksmiths were gone.
“OH?” Cassie asked flirtatiously and Karin shook her head with a grin.
“No, that’s later” she promised and then taking Cassie’s hand led her into the bedroom. “Do you notice anything, look really close” she advised.
Cassie looked around and saw the same fairly sterile room it had always been with the warm plants on the wonderfully large windows. She’d slept here dozens of times so she didn’t really know what Karin was getting at. She shrugged “what am I looking for?”
Karin smiled. “How good is your depth perception?” she asked.
Cassie’s eyes narrowed wondering what she was getting at. “What are you talking about?”
Karin walked over to the doorway to the bathroom “come here, maybe you can tell from here.”
Cassie walked around the bed to the bathroom doorway and looked around the room but could see nothing and was becoming annoyed. “What?” she shrugged.
Karin was pleased she had never noticed. “Look at the size of the bathroom and the size of this room and tell me what you see?”
Cassie did as she was asked and still saw nothin
g; she was exasperated “I don’t know what I’m looking for?” Depth perception?
Karin walked back around the bed and to the wall that was behind the bedroom door and against what was the bathroom and gently pressed against it well over her head, much to Cassie’s amazement the entire wall began to move forward pivoting on hidden hinges creating the illusion that wall was complete and the edge of it part of the complete wall. Cassie walked around the bed to look and saw herself looking at another door which Karin pressed a palm print to and had another door sliding open.
“What is this?” Cassie asked, it looked like something out of the Matrix.
“It’s a safe room” Karin told her. “I found it when I remodeled and accidentally at that, when I ripped down walls to replace the drywall this was revealed. It’s not listed anywhere that I could find and I hid it as soon as I could and quite well I might add” she smiled at her own cleverness.
“What’s it for?” Cassie asked as Karin began to walk into the small cubicle.
“It’s a room in the event of a nuclear blast that you could live in for weeks, possibly months if you had to. Only a direct hit to the building would bring it down and possibly intact. I’ve read up on these things, there are few that are known in New York. If someone was to break in you go in and shut the door behind you. If someone even found the room they couldn’t get in.”
“What’s to keep them from drilling through the walls?” Cassie asked looking at the cold little room in surprise. A bank of television screens lined one wall and a telephone.
“Solid concrete for one with a steel lined framing and then added steel paneling and more concrete” Karin showed her a diagram. “If the building came down it’s designed to ‘bounce’ per say and protect those inside, I’m not so certain that would work but theoretically you could survive here indefinitely.” She indicated some boxes under a couple of bunks and then two more bunks that flipped down from the walls “those are full of dried foods that would keep you alive indefinitely.”
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