Postgrad Partners

Why is she here?!

Tori's first meeting at Neutronium Records was feeling less like the first step of her music career and more like the first major exam of a class she didn't study for. Hours practically flew by as she and Nora West were going over the fine points of contract after contract to the point that words were starting to blend into one inky blob on the papers. When she raised her head up to blink and rub her eyes, Nora looked at her from across the desk, looking and sounding totally unfazed by their nonstop page-skimming.

"You feeling alright there, Tori?" Nora asked with a polite smile in her direction.

"Oh...oh, yeah!" Tori set her hands back down on the table, even though her eyes were still sore, "Just getting a little stiff from all the important reading we're getting through!"

"Well, not to worry," Nora briefly stretched her own arms before returning them to her clipboard and pen. "I just have a few more questions for you, if you don't mind..."

"Not at all!" Tori shook her head, naively unaware that she was setting herself up to be blindsided, "Ask away, Ms. West!"

"Alright...so do you have your own means of transportation here in Miami?"

"Yes! The red Honda HR-V that I drove here today in!"

"Excellent, and you've already found a permanent place to live?"

"Yes, a studio apartment just outside the commercial districts! Not a bad commute to get here, in fact!"

"How lovely. Now, have you been sleeping well with my daughter?"

"I—wait, what?!" Tori almost fell back in her seat, staring straight at Nora, whose expression looked completely calm in comparison. "W-What did you say?"

"I just asked if you've been sleeping well," Nora laughed softly, "I know jet lag can last a long time for people not used to traveling often, and you do look a little ragged."

Tori blinked, confused if she had just imagined the last part of that question or not. Shaking her head, she just answered plainly, "It hasn't been too bad. I've been sleeping very comfortably, actually."

"Not too comfortably, I hope..." Nora said under her breath.

"What was that?!" Tori knew she wasn't imagining things now. She dropped the papers she was holding and glared straight at Nora, who was still reading nonchalantly, "Is there something you want to tell me?!"

"Tori...are you feeling alright?" Nora raised an eyebrow toward her, sliding her papers neatly into a folder, and got up to walk toward her client, placing her hands gently on her shoulders, "It looks like you're having first day jitters. Maybe we should take a break?"

"N-No!" Tori shook her head and stepped back instinctively, "I'm not jittery! You're just—"

"Ah...ahh..." Nora raised a finger over her lips, nodding to her left and right, "People are trying to get important work done here, Tori. Why don't we go outside for lunch? I know a great restaurant down the street you're sure to love." She walked toward the door, holding it open for Tori to follow through.

Unable to even feign a shred of confidence, Tori nodded silently, collected her bag, and followed her girlfriend's mother out of the office and to the parking lot.

Once outside, with Nora's back to her, Tori quickly pulled out her phone to send a warning text to Jade.

TORI: YOUR MOM'S HERE IN MIAMI! TEXT ME BACK ASAP!

As soon as she hit the "send" button, the text bubble floated up her screen, but was immediately followed by a red error message.

-UNABLE TO SEND. RECIPIENT OUT OF RANGE.-