“How did it…” James looked up from the papers and saw the look on his boss’s face. “Oh, it didn’t,” he pulled a face, regretting his initial words.

Bette just breezed by, eager to shut the door and shut out the world. Her office gave her a place to think about things. About how had things gone so wrong, so quickly.

As if she needed more time to think. That was all she’d done all day, all night, all weekend. Bette’s head felt as if was stuffed with cotton. The lack of sleep was causing a headache, with extra pounding behind the eyes.

Everything had been planned out in detail. That was the question of the morning, of the day. The headache, the attempt to stay awake, and the continual rumination over the events of the party were keeping her from getting any real work done.

The light knock on the door was almost a relief. Perhaps something to take her mind off?

Then she felt herself tensing. What if it was Jodi? Did that portend good? Would it portend ill?

Bette mustered her courage. “Come in.”

She let out her breath as James, the person who knocked, walked through the door.

He held a cup of coffee out before him, like an offering. “I thought you could…”

“Thanks.” Bette found a smile to give him.

“If you need anything.”

Bette took a sip and gave him a nod.

“I’ll just,” James motioned towards the open door, but remained standing in place.

“Everything should have gone so well. Tina was even there.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Jodi wanted her to attend. And she brought a woman with her, Kate, a director.”

“Really.” Not that James always followed the doings of Bette’s circle of friends, but he had long-ago learned that following Tina’s doings, at least tangentially, could be in his best interest. At least useful when it came to discerning his boss’s interests, and that bit of information was certainly interesting.

“The two of them seemed to be fawning all over each other. Whatever.”

She broke for another sip of coffee.

“But then Kit was drinking. Something that everyone was turning a blind eye to, I might add.”