Detective Faith

I got it! The news station job! It’s mine! They called me a few hours ago and I just got back from celebrating with Zoey, Elise, and Anna. After we ordered dinner at our favorite Italian place and a super expensive bottle of wine we settled in and I told them all about my job and what I’ll be doing in about a month.

“So the editor and I make up a hiring team for writers, we’ll be doing the interviews for about two weeks after they sign me on to start getting writing staff going before they launch the paper. I’m responsible for weeding through the unqualified candidates, background checks, that kind of stuff. While the editor reads their samples and goes through people that way. Basically I send him the people I think are qualified on paper and the editor chooses the final candidates on talent.”

“That’s so cool, Faith!” Zoey said taking a bite of her garlic cheese bread.

“Seriously, it’s good you’ve found something like this, it seems like a better fit.” Anna said sipping some wine.

“And you don’t have to be around Kevin anymore.” Elise blurted out.

“That’s definitely a perk,” I said laughing, “That reminds me…” I said pulling out my cell phone, “I know this borders on creepy and completely inappropriate, but I have a hunch. Can you guys look at this photo and tell me if she looks familiar?” I said showing Elise, Anna, and Zoey the picture I took of Hannah the other day.

Elise, Anna, and Zoey all looked at each other shrugged their shoulders and looked at the picture. There was a pause when they all confusedly looked at me.

“Uh…we know who that is Faith, this is weird. How did you know we’d recognize Hannah Fitzgerald?”

“You know her NAME?” I said a bit angrier than I wanted to sound.

Elise looked at me while putting sugar in her tea, “Hannah is pretty influential in the fashion world, Faith, she works as a fashion consultant for Vogue and goes from magazine to magazine, fashion show to fashion show, judging the work and artistry and reports back to Vogue.”

“What does that mean exactly?” I said blank-faced.

“She writes about designers or magazines that she deems fashionable, it can make or break a designer or a new publication, she’s ruthless.” Zoey said dipping her garlic bread in the marinara sauce, “She recently came to visit our magazine; we’ve all been really worried about what or if she’s going to write about us.”

The pieces started to fall into place. “Faith? Why did you think we’d recognize her?” Zoey said putting her napkin down and taking a sip of wine.

“Oh….every time I see her she’s wearing the latest and most expensive clothes and her hair is always flawless, I figured you guys might have seen her working or shopping in a designer clothing store because I know that sometimes Anna has to shop for the magazine and sometimes you guys go along. I never realized she was so influential in your world.”

We let the issue drop and changed the subject. After awhile, Anna had something to say.

“I have an announcement,” Anna said putting her silverware and napkin on her plate, “Theo and I…we had sex last night.”

Zoey, Elise and I shared a smiled. I rubbed Anna’s arm and Zoey gave her a side hug while Elise reached across and grabbed her hands. Anna smiled and started turning bright red.

“Things have been going really well. I don’t really know what made Theo want to work so hard for me-“

“Because you’re worth it,” Zoey said.

Anna smiled and looked down.

“I too have an announcement,” Elise said, “I have four tickets to a night club with an up and coming band coming to town with your guys’ names on it. Next weekend. We’ll get dressed up and wear dangerous high heels and short skirts. It’ll be fun, we can flirt with boys and get tipsy.”

I had a twinge of unease about that idea. I had gotten over Kevin pretty easily because of his behavior at work and how he treated me but I wasn’t sure I was really ready to go out and be seen and flirt with anyone. I got lost in my thoughts as my three friends carried on conversation. Something was taking precedence over the fear-inducing night out and that was Hannah. Something still wasn’t right. She has a fabulous job, why would she want to slum it as a secretary? Then it hit me.