ERICA FEELS SOMEWHAT BETTER IN her office, grounded by the work at hand, with Greg just down the hall. She fights the urge to go down to the third floor and see if Mark is there. He was adamant about no contact at the office. Erica opens the file on her show—there’s a development meeting at nine—and starts to write down ideas. When her mind is engaged, everything else falls away, her synapses click, her motor hums. She jots down thoughts on the set—she envisions a news desk, which will be her home base, and then a comfortable seating area for the more human-interest and lighthearted segments. She also wants to get out of the studio regularly, doing segments and interviews that take her around the region, the nation, even the globe.
There’s a knock on her open door, and Greg steps into the office. Erica wants to get up and run into his arms. Instead they exchange a conspiratorial smile. They agreed that displays of affection are off-limits at work. Which only makes it more exciting. Their secret.
“Good morning, Sparks.”
“Ditto, Underwood.”
“There’s breaking news. Our sources at the Pentagon tell us the president has unleashed an airstrike on ISIL’s suspected technology center outside Alleppo, Syria.”
“He’s not wasting any time. Does this mean our development meeting is canceled?”
“No, just delayed. I want to put you on the air to discuss this development. As for your show, Nylan called me this morning. He wants it on the air ASAP. He’s going to build you your own studio, green room, dressing room, hair and makeup station, the works. He wants to start running teaser promos in two weeks.”
Erica stands up. “All very exciting. But let me go get presentable.”
“You look exceptionally presentable to me.”
“Shhh—loose lips.”
“You had to mention lips.”
Erica sits down in the makeup chair, and Andi gets to work on her hair. A somber Rosario asks, “Did you hear about Mark Benton?”
“The IT guy?”
“Yes. He was mugged this morning on the way to work.”
Erica’s heart starts to race. “Oh no. That’s terrible news. Is he all right?”
“He got beaten up pretty bad. He’s in Beth Israel Hospital in a coma.” Rosario picks up the spray gun. “Are you all right, Erica?”
“Me? Oh yes, I’m just sorry to hear this news.”
“Do you know him?”
“We’ve met a couple of times. He seemed very nice.”
“And a real genius with computers,” Andi says. “My laptop crashed once and all my files got erased. I was in a crazy panic, I went down to IT, he fixed it for me in ten minutes.”
“I hope he’s going to be okay,” Erica says.
The women work their magic. But by the time Rosario is done, she has to blot and repowder Erica’s sweat-dappled hairline.