Handling It.

2. Your Sushi is Ready.

"And that's all we have for this episode folks, I've been Rick Bennett, my guests have been TwoSet Violin, and we're checking out. Anything you'd like to plug?"
The duo rattled off the different social media platforms they were active on, and the outro song played as they disconnected their headphones and leaned over the table to shake hands with the plump, balding man in his late fifties.

"I'll be back." I told Coda as I walked quickly but quietly towards the door into the hall to head the boys off. She nodded happily and returned to her phone. During the recording, she had 'accidentally' leaked a video of the duo recording the podcast on her Instagram and Snapchat stories, and waited until they'd both crossed a thousand views before deleting them. Since then she had been inundated with messages from friends of hers, and twoset fans from across the internet, and she had been happily finding new and exciting ways to dodge the questions.
"Did it work?" Eddy asked, as they stepped into the hall and headed towards me.
"Like a charm." I nodded. I had texted them a warning before we did anything and both of them had shot us an enthusiastic thumbs up through the glass. At least they weren't fighting me on everything. I'd worked with too many people who didn't see a method to the madness. It was exhausting.

They followed me back into the room I had just exited and happily greeted Coda. "I hear you're the little birdie whispering about our activities." Brett grinned, adjusting his light denim jacket and taking a sip from the coffee in his hand.
"Tweet Tweet." Eddie added, extending his arm for a fist bump. I was concerned that Coda would lose herself again for a moment, but she beamed at them in acknowledgment.
"It's crazy." She admitted. It was. Her phone had barely stopped buzzing since, and I was beginning to doubt that even I could handle that level of bombardment.
"Well we appreciate it." I don't know if that was necessarily the truth, but Eddy sure as hell made it sound convincing. Coda kept smiling at them and I began to wonder if she actually had any feeling in her face whatsoever. My cheeks hurt just looking at her.
"Now." Eddy started, sitting on the arm of the couch beside her and emphatically slapping both of his knees. "We have to head out, because we have another engagement after this, but can we get a picture first?" Coda nodded and with the kind of speed you expect from a dodgy jumpcut and not from an actual human being, she sprung to her feet and handed me her phone.
I didn't need to be told to take as many shots as I could for safety. A few seconds later, I handed it back to her and felt a pang of regret that she didn't get to spend any more time with them. I couldn't shake how much I identified with her. I made a mental note that if we had any spare time and we were in the area I would suggest to the boys that we stop by before making another mental note to be more professional and erase the last mental note. I admonished myself for even having the thought and composed my mind.
"We have to go." I nodded to Hendrix, and regarded Coda warmly, then lead the boys back down the hall, but not before they had a chance to say a goodbye longer than I ordinarily would have allowed for.
The driver of the Saloon Car was waiting curbside as we exited the building. Their prior engagement was lunch, but mercifully they recognized as much as I did, the importance of keeping time.
"Sushi Train, Sushi Train, we're off to get some Sushi Train." Eddy sang into his phone as they walked towards the car, behind him, Brett danced awkwardly, though still somehow endearingly, and I stepped carefully to my right to avoid my reflection being anywhere near the shot. Years of experience had taught me the last thing that I wanted was someone seeing my reflection somewhere and jumping to the wrong conclusions. I'd have to cover that with them later. The driver held the door open for them and they climbed into the back seat of the car faster than I had seen them move all day.

We made it to the Sushi restaurant and were lead to our private booth by a white guy with dreadlocks who told us his name was Reef. The entire room was lined with yellow toned wood I couldn't make my brain conjure the name of. It looked traditional down to the Zabuton surrounding the low table, and the tea ready for the pour. I smiled politely as Reef gestured for us to sit, and told us they'd bring out an assortment of their finest options shortly. My stomach growled, but I never could bring myself to eat Sushi. Fortunately, I could take the opportunity to double and triple check that their security information was accurate and that they'd be able to access the music hall that was situated within the confines of one of the most exclusive schools in the country. I wouldn't be able to join them, which was absolutely fine by me, the place had always made me uncomfortable. I had grown up with the kinds of people who went to schools like those, in fact, I had been one of those people, and the more distance between myself and them, the better. I would just use that time to catch up on emails and schedule a few more things through the week.