Underneath It All

Chapter 5

I walked into that office confident, but nervous as hell. I had no idea how Mark was going to take this idea of mine, but I had to try, even if just once.

I had gotten here too early though, because as I peered into his office, it was pitch black. Soon.

Until then, I went to my computer, finding I had an email from a..... a Tom Brady.

Hey Miss Russo, it's Tom. I really enjoyed the last interview we did, though I think I looked a little odd at times, but I'm just critical of myself you could say. We should do it again one day.

Tom

I squealed so hard in my head that if I did make the sound I wanted, all those around me would never take me seriously again. For one, it was Tom Brady. If you got an email from Tom Brady, you would be jumping for joy too. But also, this was just what I needed for my idea for Mark.

This was so perfect you could say it was almost too perfect and convenient. Oh well, I was taking it.

Just as I was printing this out to show Mark, low and behold, you showed up. Always fashionably late as he would say. He was just late.

I grabbed my paper and followed him, which no doubt annoyed him, but I didn't care.

"A little eager today Nora?" He asked, setting his stuff down and sitting.

"I know it's early to be talking to you, but I have a proposal that I think would be great for the magazine." He sat in silence before gesturing me to keep going.

"I interview Tom Brady again."

He smiled and then laughed. "Look Nora, as much as I would love to do that again and loved what it did for the magazine, it was a one time thing that somehow spanned to two interviews. We've beat that horse enough." I smiled back, this time, I had an answer for him.

"And I usually would agree with you, but this morning I received this." I handed him the paper with my email on it. As he looked it over, a smile grew on his face. It wasn't a fake smile, but his genuine smile and I knew I had him.

"This is really from Tom Brady?" He asked and I nodded my head. We had to exchange emails at the beginning of all this as part of an agreement that he could email me with any grievances he had about the interviews, so I knew it was his.

"This is amazing Nora, he really is fond of you." He looked almost amazed, and that's when he started to laugh. He did this when he seemed to come to some sort of revelation. 

"He, Tom Brady, has something for a writer of mine! This is amazing! Nora do you know what this means?" I was pretty sure I was the one who brought the idea to him, but I just agreed with him. I didn't want to pull him down now, this could lead to something good for me.

"What?" I asked, playing dumb.

"We can take advantage of that! You can get more interviews, geez you could get more in-depth than anyone ever has with him!" I smiled wide as I let him go on. This is what I wanted and it was going to come true.

"Nora, if this all goes correctly, you are about to send this magazine, company and you on a ride of a lifetime. This is just fantastic. For some reason this guy likes you. I'm going to take full advantage of that and you should too." I nodded as he stood up, handing the paper back.

"I'll send him an email back then, get lunch and try and convince him to another interview." I said, and he shook my hand. "Perfect, perfect. Learn everything you can, leaving nothing unturned. This is your chance Nora, don't blow it."

I had no intention in blowing my real shot at getting to the top. I left him in his office beaming, my coworkers scowling at me angrily. I'm pretty sure they were angry that I was the favorite of both Mark and Tom right now, but I had to let that go, my career was on the line.

I sat back at my computer and decided to email him back immediately.

Hey Tom it's Nora! I would love to do lunch, how about this Wednesday? You can pick the place and time. I would love to talk about some more great prospects with you if you are up for it.

Nora

I sat back and smiled, how great this was. Tom had an interesting life, even if he intended to make me believe it wasn't at all. He truly interested me and I wanted to know him as a person, but why not make some career gains off that either?

This was going to be the beginning of a new life for me. One that had more possibilities than I could of ever imagining before he came into my life.