The Same Page

[Nevaeh]

OOC: Want to thank Cory and Cori for their continued assistance here. This is yet another piece to keep pushing the story I'm telling.

(Off-Cam)

12/07/16
Los Angeles, California
11:24 am


(Our scene opens up to a posh yet seemingly cozy office, a series of cushioned chairs in a row with up to date magazines and newspapers strewn across the table before them. Not far off was a single desk where the receptionist sat, a young girl with a flash of pink in her hair who would be more accurately seated at a bowling alley rather than this, a psychiatrist clinic. Then again this was the office of one Ember Carmichael, and very little about this woman was what some would call ‘normal’. The seats were not occupied and the door to her office was closed, today there were matters to attend to after all. Matters outside of work.

There was a silence to the whole deal till the office doors did open up and in walked a blonde haired woman dressed in blue jeans, a grey hoodie, and her hair pulled into a ponytail while wearing sunglasses and a pink beanie. The woman tried to act non discreet as she approached the desk. She did seem surprised to see the pink haired woman sitting there, considering how proper Ember could be you’d think some geriatric woman would be in this spot, but nonetheless here we were. The blonde made her way to the desk as she spoke to the assistant.)

”I’m here to see Dr. Carmichael. I have an appointment”

(The assistant looked up at the blonde and smiled.)

Assistant:” Oh yes Ms. Carmichael is expecting you. Just go right in Ms. Summers”

(Nevaeh stood there in surprise for a moment, but it soon wore off as she started heading towards the door. She gave a quick knock before slowly opening it up and poking her head in. As she did she saw Ember seated behind her desk, turning to look at her. Across from Ember, sitting in a chair, was Steph Stefano. She was staring blankly into space through dark sunglasses, without an inkling of  makeup on her face. Dressed in a worn shirt and baggy jeans she was also drinking from a large 7-11 cup that one might suspect was full of something else.

Nevaeh could see the state each woman was in as she made her way into the office, taking off the beanie and sunglasses she was sporting)

’I’m sorry if I’ve kept you both waiting. Went over the route we talked about taking to make sure there was no tail on me. We’re good.”

(Nevaeh, once inside the office and the door closed, started approaching the desk and hugged Ember over her desk. She then went over to Steph and wrapped an arm around her)

”How we feeling today? Better I hope”

”Getting there. Did you know if you mixed peach schnapps, raspberry vodka, sprite, and lime, you get a drink that tastes suspiciously like gummy worms. I’ve been trying to convince Ember to drink but I think she’s about to put me in time out. Or dunk my head in cold water.”

(Nevaeh just looked at Steph with concern. That had been a current feeling she had for the brunette ever since the SVW held event “Rampage” and her….unfortunate outcome in her title match against Misty Whitmore. Since that night Steph had been very hard to get a hold off. She wasn’t answering phone calls at all, texts were simple one word responses. The fact she was even here was a surprise. Nevaeh didn't like seeing her like this and let it be known as she looked at Ember. The good doctor did not seem too bothered, then again she was incredibly gifted at hiding emotions, all part of the trade so to speak. Ember did, however, give a caring look Steph’s way and a smile, then back to Nevaeh. She was concerned of course, but Ember knew that you cannot force someone to want help or to reach out, you just need to be there when they do.)

”Now, now I would never do that. Then again isn’t the ice bucket challenge still a thing?”

(Nevaeh just looked at Ember)

”Really?”

”Really, I’ve heard you can get quite a good amount of PR from it. But alas, no ice.”

Ember flashed a wink Steph’s way at that, slid a little sticky notepad over with the list of ingredients just in case Ember wanted to try later. Steph looked down at it and put the cup down before she began to slowly focus on writing the ingredients of the drink. The effect being two-fold. She wasn’t drinking at the moment at least, and she had something to focus on and clear her mind, especially for the discussion ahead.Nevaeh, though, was still concerned about her. She knew how low you could get after losing such an opportunity. She remembered how humiliated she was losing to Caroline at Unstoppable and the fallout from all of it. Her mind wandered back to the night in the gym where Silas forced her to go up against the wall as he clenched his leather belt. She looked to begin wincing when Ember spoke up)

”Drinks or anything before we get started? The gracious young lady at the front desk is locking the office behind her leaving us and only us here in the office. And I the only person with a key.”

(Nevaeh looked at Ember, who was staring at her. More than likely she noticed her facial expression. Nevaeh just looked back at her for a moment before heading to the opposite chair and sitting down)

’I’m fine. I’m just ready to get things started. I know I’m putting you both in a tough spot, but thank you for doing this, especially you Steph. I know you’re not feeling your best, but thank you for coming and making the call to invite me over to your house. For some strange reason Silas always listens to what you have to say or suggest. You’ve changed it up so much”

(Nevaeh was now trying to use humor to deflect and lighten up the mood some. Steph gave her a small smile before letting out a small belch, covering her mouth with her hand so she didn’t offend either woman. She cleared her throat with a ghost of a grin before aiming the straw back between her lips.)

”Must be my womanly charms. Look, I’m just happy you two are good again. S’all that matters in the short term. Long term, getting rid of the monkey with the rhinestone cowboy hat off your back”

”And that is, of course, the main agenda. And no small task either. I’ve been thinking quite a lot about things after our last discussion as well as you both have no doubt, and safe to say it’s going to take us all at our best. Or worst, depending on the details. Getting Nev free of course is the main plan, though I wouldn’t mind getting those photos away from Silas’ grip as well in the process. But while important to me, less important on the grand scale. Yes?”

(Nevaeh, more adamantly and confidently shook her head now)

’Oh no it’s not. I can handle this, kinda. But the whole reason I’ve gone through everything is so those photos never get out. I’m not gonna let him ruin your life Ember. You’ve worked too hard for it. So to me that is goal number one. Once we know those photos are gone and he can’t blackmail we or you with them, then I can get out. But no other way. At this point I’ll deal with what he’s got on me, but not what he can do to you. I won’t have it and that’s final!”

(Nevaeh was looking at Ember sternly, as if to say don’t even argue with me on this. Steph looked between the two of them before something caught her attention.)

”And... What exactly is it that he has on you? That hasn’t exactly been made.... Clear here.”

(Nevaeh turned to look at Steph and she did realize that she hadn’t told Steph that part. She was hesitating for a moment when Ember spoke up)

”Honestly at this point there’s nothing worth hiding, we’re in this to our chests Nev. Everything should be on the table. Everything.”

(Nevaeh turned back to look at Ember and realized she was right. They were in deep now. Steph was here risking herself for her, she had her back. She had to tell her, everything should be on the table…

..well almost everything. There was another secret Nevaeh had, but one she didn’t feel was too bad. One she was hoping to indulge in later.

For now though she turned back to look at Steph and started thinking up the best way to explain her question)

”Ok um. What he has on me is very...from a best friend point of view...disgusting. Do you remember the friend I came to my first FFW show with, Cassie Mason?”

”.....Yes actually. Sweet little thing who followed you around. Then one day she’s going on about being hashtag scandal free, and the like. Dee-lightful deviant she turned out to be.”

(Steph said it in a slightly slurred tone that made her equal parts impressed and bemused.For Nevaeh, however, she sat there and started feeling the regret she had been feeling for the past few years.)

”Yes well she was...more than a friend behind closed doors at the time. Me and her were….ya know...But at time that’s all I wanted from her. I had spent what seemed like a year trying to seduce her cause I thought it be fun to do. I had her living with me, she did everything for me. Cooked, cleaned. I..I was liking the way it was going, but she started feeling strongly about me…”

(Nevaeh paused for a moment  as bringing this back up just made her feel even more terrible. Steph’s eyes widened slightly and she suddenly looked a great deal more sober. Ember remained quiet, taking in a breath and seeming to asses everything Nev just said. Every word holding significant weight.)

”She told me she wanted us to become serious, couple….I always stressed that I didn’t do that. I’m not a relationship type of person. I simply wanted to pick and choose people to have fun with. She got upset with that, but said she understood. I figured the best way to get her over that was to sit her up with a guy. Date him, but still mess around with me at home. That was my thinking. She dated him and wouldn’t ya know it they hit it off. They were soon together a whole bunch..and when I was wanting attention, wanting her body... she didn’t want to hurt him like that. Soon it was all about him and...I got jealous. I fucked up bad cause Silas could see something was bothering me...and I told him what it was. I fucked up again when he said he could help me get rid of him and I could have Cassie back the way I wanted.”

(Nevaeh paused once more before looking Steph in her eyes, regret dripping off every word)

”Me and Silas hired an escort to try and make it seem like Cassie’s boyfriend was cheating on her behind his back. Silas took photos of them kissing, which was the escort forcing himself on her. He didn't take the bait but we got what we needed. I was with Cassie when she got the photos...she was crushed. Just couldn't function. I drove her to his house and we both confronted him about what he did. He was saying I was lying, faking it, but I kept calling him a liar. I sued her trust in me and she left him. I figured ok cool, now I get my piece of ass back. A few days later she said she couldn’t live in Atlanta anymore, that knowing he was still there was too much. She needed to get away. I went through all of that and still lost her in the end still and for the past few years she’s gone from that sweet young woman into the...deviant she is today..and I am responsible for it. She still doesn’t know what I did to her, how I changed her life cause I was selfish. Cause I just had to have things my way. I hurt her and she still thinks I’m the greatest person ever...that’s what Silas has on me...he knows I don’t want that exposed, but this has gone on too long. If I have to take that blow I will, but I’m not taking Ember down with me. I’m not gonna keep letting people be hurt because of me”

(Ember opened her mouth to talk but then shut it just as quickly, the brunette wasn’t even sure what to say. Ember took a breath and gave a nod, it was all starting to make sense now.  Steph silently broke the gaze between her and Nevaeh and her face contorted into something... Unreadable. It was a quick shift from anger to frustration to exasperation to... Acceptance?

She took the top off the cup and swallowed the rest of the contents down before dropping it in the small wastebasket.)

”Alright. You fucked up. You fucked up very badly. You fucked up to the point that I’m sure you kick yourself every single day or so. Nothing can be done about that. Past is past, so on. That doesn’t give Silas the right to hold this over you forever, especially because you’re obviously very repentant about it. Is... There any way to keep his silence on the matter? No I suppose not.”

’Other than him dropping dead there’s no way in hell he’d ever stay silent about it”

”...I mean if that’s an option...”

(She looked up to see Nevaeh’s face etched in sarcasm.)

”Oh. You’re joking. Heh. Right. Of course. Maybe we’ll get lucky. Heart attack. You know. Or something.”

(Steph’s face had ‘never mention that again’, written all over it as she went back to the cup she realized she had already thrown away... Still somehow holding the straw.)

”Could remove it as an option, ruin all credibility or something. If that’s the case nobody will listen to anything he says, or an expose can bring things to light in the way you wish to tell it. Thusly having Silas no longer even have that as leverage. Not the nicest solution, but it’s one that does not involve y’know, death.”

’That could be done, but not till we get rid of those photos. Which is the real pain in the ass cause we can’t get in that office. He won’t let me near it and the only one who might actually get close is you Steph, but that’s because it’s on the way to his bedroom. If we could just get to those we could figure out another way to get them off his phone, right? But that’s the big obstacle right now. How do we get into the office without him knowing? As it if I have to be careful and rely on Steph to call or text me to set something up without running the risk of him hacking my phone or some shit”

”Well that, we can at least handle. Let’s get back to the office obstacle in a sec.”

(Steph reached into her handbag and pulled out a pair of phones. They were simple looking phones, which of course was another word for cheap. Sliding into keyboards at that, so one can assume Steph might have jumped back in time by about a decade to get them. She handed one over to Nevaeh and to Ember before digging in her back to get the last for herself.)

”Had a pair of guys at my company put in a little overtime for these. These are pretty much a bit higher in class than your standard burner phone. They only have the purpose of calling each other. The numbers will always change from receiving, but you’ll know for certain it can’t be anyone else but one of us on the phone. We’re pre-programmed in there under C--”

(She pointed at Ember.)

”S--”

(She turned her index finger at Nevaeh before turning it inward.

”And T. They’re listed in your address book but the number and missed calls will never show any other information just in case Silas suddenly starts questioning you about a second phone. They’re also touch sensitive so if he thinks he can just open it up on his command, he’ll have another thing coming. The phone will lock until your thumb print presses it again.

Okay. I think I’ve got all the answered covered.”

(At least those beside how she got old looking phones to have Apple Touch technology on them, much less modified to be used for burner tech, or how she even got her hands on burner phones, or why two guys at a company she owned would even pull something like that.As Nevaeh was handed her phone she remained looking at Steph with a puzzled look. She looked at Ember to see the same glare. She then turned back to Steph)

’Umm, ya don’t have to worry about him ever seeing it. I’m never gonna use it in front of him. Thanks Steph, this was really above and beyond what you had to do”

(The elephant in the room was still there and seemingly blowing it’s trunk, Ember was clearly thinking heavily on this but it was a doozy of a problem. Nevaeh was wanting to ask Steph about the phones, but a part of her was sort of scared too. The option was taken out of her hands as Ember spoke up)

”So...the office then? Any thoughts on exactly how we’re going to do that when he’s such a paranoid freak?”

(Nevaeh snapped out of her quagmire as she thought over the right response)

”That’s gonna be tough, but it’s the key. If this is gonna work we need to get that part figured out and lay out the rest later….maybe we might need drinks after all.”

(Nevaeh paused and shifted her eyes to Steph)

’As in coffee…”

(The brunette’s face brightened up on the sheer mention of drinks... Before deflating on the correction of coffee, slumping wearily where she sat. One would ask how many days has she spent fighting sobriety.)

”A sharp mind is going to be needed, dear. Not that I’m debating your ability to plan while intoxicated, but we’ll save that to the post-planning phase. I do believe I have a bottle of sauvignon blanc around here, if need be. Though until then I’ll get a pot of coffee on and we can hash out a plan. How’s that sound?”

(Nevaeh nodded her head)

”Works for me. It’ll come to us in time. Until then we keep things the way we are, I keep making jackass think we’re on the same page. And believe me after Global Wars he’s beyond happy. I’ve even got him thinking I came around to his way of thinking. I just gotta keep it up, shouldn’t be too hard for the next month off. We got time ladies, and we’ll need it for sure. We just gotta stick together, right Steph?”

(Steph looked up and nodded dimly, a slight smile on her face before she seemed to go back to whatever thought was purveying in her head. Nevaeh could see she still wasn’t right, far from it actually, but she took it as a positive sign)

”Great. Ok..let’s start planning”

(Nevaeh grabbed her chair and brought it closer to Ember’s desk. Steph eventually did the same as all three sat down and started throwing out a possible idea as the scene faded out)