Press Release

45: Freedom of the Press

Awakening the next morning, Minnie smiles at the note Harry has left on his pillow. It simply says, "Working out with X. Love you, H." Her heart skips a beat (or ten) at the signature. He'd said the words aloud, but it's still new and different. In a romance novel, the story would have ended with the hero's words since that's always the happiest moment, and Minnie will forever hold the memory close to her heart.

But her story isn't over. She's got to figure out what she's going to do about her career as a publicist. Daisy, hearing her mistress moving around, bounds into the room and jumps on the bed.

"You're getting too good at that, girl! When Harry gets bored with us and kicks us out, you'll have to learn new tricks back at our apartment," she lectures the dog, who has kissed Minnie's hand while receiving her morning rubs, happy as a clam in its shell. If she were Snoopy, she would be doing that dance where the dog stands on his hind legs while twirling around and lifting his nose into the air. But she's not Snoopy. She's merely Daisy. Still, she is content.

Pushing the thoughts of her career out of her head, especially since she knows there is a list of potential clients a mile long that will pay her exorbitant amounts of money, Minnie cuddles with Daisy until her bladder can stand it no longer.

Rising, she avails herself of the bathroom, taking a quick shower and sliding into more of Harry's most comfortable clothes. Yes, she has her own, but sliding on a pair of her boyfriend's underpants with one of his shirts makes her feel safe and cocooned. Today, she pulls on one of his sweaters, pulling the sleeves over her hands into paws.

In the kitchen, she finds yogurt and fresh fruit so she prepares breakfast for herself. Wandering outside, she stares at the pool while consuming her healthy meal. Her mind roams, latching onto her success stories. There are a lot of celebrities who are better off because of her. They managed to turn their behaviors around (at least in the public eye), get a handle on the demons that were torturing them, and build brilliant careers. But after each vision of one of her triumphs comes a picture of a client for whom she failed. The ones who still call her in the middle of the night. Those who don't ever want to do a new project without Minnie by their side. The needy ones. They used to be her raison d'etre. The broken ones. But it's exhausting work, and after the experience with Charles....it's a career for which she no longer has a passion.

She's still sitting on the patio lost in her reverie when Harry kisses her on top of her head. He's hot and sweaty from his workout, so it only makes sense that Minnie help him shower and cool off. Right?

After the joint shower pleasure fest, Minnie is once again adrift as Harry greets Mitch before the two move to the studio to work on the new album. She wanders around, organizing his DVD collection alphabetically before she flops on the sofa with Daisy to watch a movie or ten.

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"We see Za-ver?" Titus asks, as Meg buckles him into his car seat.

"Yep. He says we can swim at his place," Meg announces, thrilled to get to spend more time with her....whatever he is. Today she decides she's going to pin him down on that topic.

At Xavier's house, Titus can barely wait while Meg changes into her swimsuit, a bikini with a high waisted bottom covered in maroon flowers and green vines plus a scalloped maroon top with straps more like a bra than a typical bikini.

"Xavier?" she calls from the bathroom where Titus is standing outside pounding on the door. "Can you help him get into his floatsuit?"

"Uh, sure." He has no idea what that is, but he assumes it's in the duffel the kid is holding while he sniffles. Sitting down criss crossed in the hall outside the bathroom, Xavier strips Titus' clothes off, tossing them to the side.