London Harmony: Squid Hugs (3 page)

That afternoon, I was going through my emails and paused at a troublesome one from the auxiliary studio in the Walker's building.  I was about to call June about it, when almost on cue, my earbud crackled to life and I heard J-Dub saying, “Stems, Zil, can I see you two in the conference room for a moment?”

I replied as I nodded, knowing what it was most likely about, “On my way.”

Jen echoed in the affirmative.

I took another look at the troubling email and then took my iPad and walked out into the conference room.  June walked out of her office and we exchanged silly nonsense grins, born of years and years of practice. I flopped down into a chair bonelessly and she followed suit.

She was about to ask something when Jen came sauntering in.  I mean, walking in.  She grinned at us and sat at the head of the table since June and I were sitting next to each other.  She got a regal look on her face and then spoke without her English accent, sounding very American,  “You're probably wondering why I've asked you here.”

Then she broke down giggling as June narrowed her eyes playfully.  “Alright, smartass.  Get your cute little butt over here.”

Jen stood and scooted backward, butt first, and sat beside me.  Then J-Dub smugly said, “You're probably wondering why I've asked you here.”  She stuck her tongue out at Jen, who giggled a little with a little smile.

I had to grin at their antics.  I really liked how the company felt more like family than a stuffy old business.  The banter felt more like that between siblings more than between coworkers.

I was nodding, I had read the email.  June flicked her fingers on the screen on the table and the glass wall went opaque and her screen was displayed on it.  We were looking at the email from Hector Gomez, the manager of our auxiliary studio.

June said, “Hector had been suffering some odd chest pains the past week.  We finally convinced the man to see a doctor.  It seems things were a little more serious than we thought.  He's going in for coronary bypass surgery tomorrow and will be out for six weeks for recovery.  Thanh Ha will be out too, to care for him.”

I winced, though I had the same email since I was the general manager, June just had a courtesy copy.  Hector was a good man.  A little obsessive compulsive like Annette, but that made him a good branch manager.  The man was tough as nails and had the air of that quirky uncle that everyone seems to have.  We knew that if he was complaining of discomfort, then it had to be something bad, because he never complained about anything.  He was only thirty-five so it was odd to have heart problems, but his father did die from a heart attack at a young age too.

I asked with concern coloring my voice, “How is Thanh Ha handling it?”

His wife was of Vietnamese origin and was pleasantly petite and plump.  She always had a smile for everyone and she had a wicked sense of humor.  I could see why the Spaniard fell for her.  She was our receptionist of the auxiliary branch.  They truly made a great husband/wife team there.

I swallowed as I hoped that they took the time to hug before he went under the knife.  A familiar chill ran through me at the thought.

June ran a hand through her hair, letting the strands filter through her fingers.  She did that when she was worried about somebody.  I could see that worry in her eyes, which she tried to hide, for someone she termed as 'one of her own.'  She felt responsible for every single person at London Harmony, and this must be worrying her sick.  “As well as can be expected.”  She turned to Jen.  “Can we send her some flowers and a card and some flowers and a card to Hector's hospital room?  I'd like for anyone who wants at both studios to sign them.  If anyone wants to visit him before visiting hours are over, they can leave work early.”

Jen was nodding as her fingers were flashing across her iPad screen.  “On it boss-lady.”

Then June told her, “I'll be heading over there to keep things running smoothly and get things caught up, as they were slipping a little as Hector started feeling ill.  I got this shit.  Jen, I'll need you there with me, I'm suspending any new recruitment until Hector is back in the saddle.”

I stopped her, shaking my head.  “No it would be better if I went, I know all the irons they have in the fires there J-Dub.  I have things running here like a well-oiled machine and I can maintain most of it from the auxiliary studio.  Just kick back and let me do my thing.  Your time is more valuable on the music and recruitment end.”

She looked at us then slowly nodded. “Ok, sounds like a plan ladies.  I dub thee auxilary-ites until we get our happy couple back.  Zil, can you...”

I finished for her. “Inform all employees of this and set up contingencies and contact avenues.  And have Cherry re-route and call forward the appropriate contacts to Lunar Base Two.”

June squished her lips to one side of her face and said, “Ummm yeah.  What she said.”

I rolled my eyes at her and teased, “Not my first rodeo.”

There was a look of... pride?  On June's face, and I blushed.

Jen shoved my shoulder playfully.  Oh, dear lord, Jen and I were going to be in the same office for six weeks.  I repeated over and over in my head, “I will not let her distract me.  I will not let her distract me.”  As I got distracted by her questioning smile.  I shrugged and we stood.

I watched Jen leave the room then started back to my office, I paused at my door and called back to June who had disappeared into her office already, “And don't touch my desk when I'm gone!”

An evil giggle came in response and I threatened lamely, “I mean it, woman.  I have a system.”  Silence mocked back.  She was so going to pay.

I flopped down in my chair and allowed it to glide back to my desk and bump into it as I said aloud, “Ok, let's get busy Zil.”  And I set about making the arrangements.  I smiled, I was in my element now.  The busier, the better.  Bring on the stress and make it my biotch.

***

The next morning I pulled up to Jen's place, she was waiting for me to pick her up in one of her professional business suits that looked to be painted on.  I grinned as she demurely slid into the passenger seat and brushed her hair back over her shoulder.  I paused, taking her in, I don't think I have ever witnessed even a single hair out of place on her for as long as I have known her.  It just isn't fair to us mere mortals.

Then I leaned in and retrieved my morning hug, as was my due by universal decree.  I grinned as I uttered, “Grawl.”

This got her looking down and grinning after we released the hug.  “Morning to you too you silly bird.”

I put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb.  “You ready to take Lunar Base Two by storm?”

She chuckled and shook her head as she said, “You truly are an odd nut, aren't you Sally?  Just call it the Auxiliary like everyone else.”

I was nodding in mock agreement as we headed west.  It was so odd to be heading away from London Harmony on a workday.  It was something ingrained into me for the past eight years and change.  I sighed.  Ok, I admit it I really must be a workaholic.  My life was split down the middle between work and the friends I surround myself with in my odd little family.

I felt a twinge of pain at the thought of family.  Maybe I should call mom.  I have avoided going back home, for over thirteen years now.  I occasionally call and send letters and cards on special occasions.  I just couldn't bring myself to be in that house again.  Maybe it would be different now that so much time has passed.  I think the memories were eating at them too.  I missed them.

I was pulled out of the caustic line of thought by Jen, I heard her saying, “Earth to Zilrita?  Are you right?”

I looked over to her and smiled, pulling myself back to the present.  “Yeah, sorry.  Was just thinking.  Have you ever been to the other studio besides when we go out to Walker's?  Well besides the party we had when we finally opened the doors for the first time that is.”

She nodded. “I've had to drop off a few packages from time to time that get mailed to the wrong location.   Thanh Ha and I would gossip.”  Then the evil wench added with a teasing crinkle of her nose, “Mostly about you.”

I shook a fist at her absently, narrowing one eye as I concentrated on the road, it was stop and go traffic during the morning rush hour.  She rested a hand on my arm when I relaxed and laid it on the center console.  Breathe Zil.  In, out, and repeat.

She tilted her head.  “She calls you Rita.”

I nodded and tried to sound casual when half my attention was on the hot hand on my arm.  “She has troubles pronouncing the Z.  So she's in the minority of people who use my old nickname.”

She nodded and we pulled out of traffic into an almost empty car park... no parking lot.  They won't succeed in British-izing me.  I grinned internally.

I studied at the old converted warehouse, it looked like it had stepped right out of the past.  We had it renovated when we purchased it and restored it to look brand new.  We only needed about a third of it for our secondary studio where the artists, in genres outside of the rock and pop purview, were recorded.

The rest of the building was taken up by our jazz nightclub, Walker's.  We partnered with none other than Eliza Montrose, modern jazz legend, to run the club.  Each night, the first hour or two features music from every genre of music by up and coming artists that have been invited to play by London Harmony.  It gives our scouts an easier time of evaluating potential artists for our label, in addition to them trolling the underground scene.  The rest of the night is filled with smooth jazz that simply drips honey and resonates with your soul.

Liza herself, Lil Walker, always starts the night with her playing that sweet sounding string bass of her's, Audrey.  I smiled at that, knowing that Audrey held a secret of her own which explained the richness of her tone.

We pulled over to the east side of the building and parked near a little black door on the far end.  I had to grin, it was identical to the door on London Harmony's parent location.  Painted on it was our circular blue logo with a building silhouette and some gold lettering that read, “London Harmony Auxiliary, Meetings by appointment only.”

I looked over at Jen.  “Tell me again why we are here almost twenty minutes before the day begins.”

She sighed. “Not everyone is obsessively punctual like some silly goth we won't mention.  And when they arrive, if there is something that needs doing, it is good to have the receptionist already there to assist.  It is called professionalism, look it up.  Or have Fran quote it verbatim from that dictionary in her head.”

She winked at me and I gave her a sour face, and said indignantly, “I'm professional, you British tart.”

She chuckled teasingly as we slid out of the car and said drolly as she smoothed her skirt as I stepped around to her, “Apparently.”

I bumped her hip as she looped arms with me.  I grinned, feeling like I was escorting a lady to the door.  She waved her card over the doorjamb and I opened it for her when it buzzed.  We stepped into the dim lobby and Jen called out,  “Lights please.”

I grinned at her and said, “Cherry doesn't live here.  Maybe we should have matching systems, have more parity across the board between locations.”

She smiled at me as she pulled out her iPad.  “Why must you give her that silly name?  She's just a computer.”

I cocked an eyebrow as she used an app to raise the light level in the lobby.  “Hey, she's more than a computer.  If she wasn't, why do you call her a she?  And I named her after the robot in the Cherry 2000 movie.”

She snorted as she looked around the lobby,  “You are aware that Cherry 2000 was a sex robot, right?”

I gave her a toothy grin in response before I turned to look around the lobby too.  It was such an eerie effect.  If you didn't know where you were, you'd have thought you were standing in our main studio lobby, right down to the sweeping staircase going up.  The only difference was the glass wall behind the receptionist desk on the other side where the glass elevator should be.  But the wall still had the brass letters that read London Harmony, with a smaller Auxiliary below the name.

We had gone through great expense to duplicate the lobby like this.  But instead of the studios on the second floor, they were on the first floor beyond the stairs.  The entire second floor of London Harmony was duplicated back there too.

If you took the unfinished stairs up, that was the admin level, with a much smaller Pit and conference room and one management office instead of two.  It was like the admin level had been left out in the rain and shrank down two sizes.

The entire concept was to make the artists feel at home no matter which location they were at, and to give that same feeling of arrival into something great, something unexpected.  We have been doing it in phases.  At first, it was pretty utilitarian when we first opened the location.  Then every few months we would work on an area to give it the doppelganger effect.  After two years, we are finally adding the finishing touch, the grand staircase followed by the glass elevator for accessibility.  The stairs were roped off at the top and were just days away from completion.

I made a note that even though cosmetically everything was the same, we needed to upgrade the network, computer, and automation systems to match.  I didn't want... sorry, we didn't want the Auxiliary to feel like the ugly stepchild that just got the hand me downs.  We wanted total parity.  Which is why they were getting the upgraded mixing panels in the main sound room here first, then the main office would get its upgrade right after.  We couldn't have both down at the same time.