Quoted By:
>Give her the rundown
If Richard were here— the old Richard, you mean— he'd probably tell you to keep quiet about your daring rescue of Pat. Why? Well, he'd invent some reason for it. It'd make you seem weird, or sound like you were boasting, or something. Really, though, he just wanted nobody to like you. You're sure of that now.
It's not that you're not Eloise's friend, exactly. You don't really do anything together. Unless you need something, you don't seek her out, and she doesn't either. But she does like you— you mean, you're pretty sure she likes you— and you can't see how telling her would hurt anything. You just can't. So there.
"Yes!" you say. "I was involved. Actually, I— I rescued Pat from Management's foul clutches, so— if Pat says I didn't, don't believe her. I did. Gil was there!" (Sort of.)
"Goodness. Foul clutches? This is the same Management as..."
"Namway and Headspace! Yes. And Pat's the one who—" You lower your voice. "—who they were making do the whole goo snake thing— remember that? But she didn't make it for them, so they were going to vanish her. But I intervened, and she's safe now, so long as they don't send more after her— but they won't! Since I took care of it so well! Right, Gil?"
You assume the tightening of Gil's lips is meant to mean "I can't remember," but he nods. Eloise tilts her head. "At this point, I wouldn't expect anything else, Charlotte. It sounds like you did her a great kindness, considering what we know— I wouldn't want to run afoul of the brains behind this operation! I hope you didn't, much?"
That one Manager read your mind, but you don't think she got the most important bits. "Nope!"
"I'll have to trust you on that. Please be careful, though, sincerely. I know I've told you this a million times, but this isn't... it shouldn't be your responsibility to handle all of this. I wish there were more I could do, but—"
You wave the folder. "You got this! And I bet it's going to be useful, so don't get all sad and— and self-pitying, and—"
"Oh! I wouldn't go that far. But thank you for the sentiment, Charlotte, I appreciate it. I just worry, is all." Eloise smiles tensely. "There's a lot of nasty people out there."
"Snakes," you say.
"What?"
"Uh..." Maybe you shouldn't have said that. You're not sure if you believe it, and you're less sure you want to. You need Richard here if you want to process all the implications. But while he's gone— Eloise knows about snakes, right? She told you all about them. "Don't worry about it. Uh. Do you think snakes can run a business?"
"Run a <span class="mu-i">business?</span>" Eloise chuckles, but she looks more bemused than amused. "What, are you talking about Headspace?"
"Just answer the question," you say.
(1/TBC)
