Tina ends the call abruptly, leaving Alice mid-sentence, and drops her phone into the depths of her purse just as the elevator doors glide open to reveal the bustling office floor. She steps out into the hallway, where the familiar aroma of roasted coffee wafts toward her. A cup is handed to her, but she pauses in surprise, realizing that the person offering it is not her usual secretary.

”Um, hello?” Tina says, raising an eyebrow in curiosity as she takes in the sight of a young woman in her twenties. The woman has strikingly long blonde hair cascading down one side of her head, while the other side is shaved close to the scalp, creating a bold contrast.

The young woman beams at Tina and offers a friendly wave. ”Hi! Your regular secretary had an emergency and had to leave. I’m your temp for today,” she explains with an enthusiastic nod. ”My name’s Dena, but you can call me by my stage name, D-Rock,” she adds, extending her hand for a handshake while using her other hand to smooth her hair. ”I’m a DJ.”

Tina responds with a polite smile and shakes Dena’s hand. ”Okay… well, I won’t be calling you D-Rock, so…” She gestures over her shoulder toward her office. ”I’ll be in my office. Just give me a ten-minute heads-up when it’s time for me to head upstairs….”

Dena nods. “Right…” She then winces. “Should I be writing this down?”

Tina stares at the young woman blankly. “If you need to…” She takes a sip of her coffee and immediately hands it back to Dena. “And this coffee is cold….”

“Oh, sorry…” Dena points over her shoulder. “Want me to warm it back up?”

“No. I’m fine…” Tina says as she turns on her heels. “What the hell?” She mumbles as she walks into her office and closes the door….

***

Later that afternoon, the click of keys echoes through Bette’s office as she scrolls through her inbox. A gentle tap at the door breaks her concentration. “Yes?” she calls, eyes still on the screen.

The glass panel slides aside with barely a whisper. Bette lifts her chin to find Joy in the doorway—the barely five-foot powerhouse of an artist, her melanin skin glowing, silver hair swept into a loose bun with stray wisps, clad in her signature jeans and loose tee.