{"id":33923,"date":"2023-06-03T13:55:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-03T18:55:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/?p=33923"},"modified":"2023-06-03T13:55:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-03T18:55:28","slug":"chapter-6-strawberry-goes-viral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/2023\/06\/03\/chapter-6-strawberry-goes-viral\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 6: Strawberry Goes Viral"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWell, what do you have on Strawberry?\u201d the salmon-colored stallion barked from behind his mahogany desk.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot much; by all accounts, she lives a quiet life in her hometown of Misty Hollow,\u201d Alan explained to Cecil. \u201cBesides her writing career, she has a clerical position at the town’s veterinary clinic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Veterinarians<\/span><\/i>!\u201d Cecil scoffed, slamming shut the ledger before him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIndeed,\u201d Alan murmured with ostensible deference. Cecil was always raging about one thing or another, but everyone who worked with him was accustomed to that. And Alan had an idea of what track his superior\u2019s thoughts were taking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy daughter left the family–ran off with that good-for-nothing stallion–to become a veterinarian,\u201d Cecil raged, his hoof coming down solidly on the desktop with a satisfying thud.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cVery sorry, sir,\u201d Alan said, nodding dutifully. Sure enough, ranting about his sole offspring\u2019s ill choice in a marriage partner was a favorite topic of the Monk Publishing magnate. \u201cHow would you like to proceed with Strawberry?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGo and see her, get her contracted with Monk Publishing, of course!\u201d said Cecil impatiently, returning to the matter at hoof. \u201cDon\u2019t be such a slowtop!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m on it.\u201d Alan looked at his boss speculatively, certain that the next revelation would lead to more blustering. \u201cBut, there is one more thing you may be interested in\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, say it!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe veterinarian, sir, is your grandson.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI have no grandson!\u201d roared Cecil.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBe that as it may,\u201d Alan said slowly and patiently, as if explaining things to a foal, \u201chis mother was your daughter Caprice, so it would follow–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNone of your impertinence!\u201d snapped Cecil. \u201cAnyway, it is of no matter. Get the contract with Strawberry, by any means necessary.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, sir,\u201d agreed Alan.<\/span><\/p>\n

* * *<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStraw, hello? Straw?\u201d Tabby asked, finding her friend seated at her desk, staring off into space and completely unresponsive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m sorry, Tabby,\u201d said Strawberry with a start as she came out of her thoughts. \u201cWhat were you saying?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was just telling you that Belen went home for the day, so if you need anything, call for me.\u201d Tabby looked at her quizzically. \u201cWhat are you so mopey about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Strawberry sighed. \u201cOh, it\u2019s just these meetings with publishers I have coming up. I\u2019ll be glad when they\u2019re over.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh?\u201d Tabby asked, idly flipping through a stack of mail on the desk. \u201cIs it the sales on your new release? Everyone wants to sign you on now that you\u2019ve gone viral?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cApparently,\u201d Strawberry said, who seemed to have uncertain feelings about her newfound fame. \u201cI wish I could learn to just say no! I’m happy with Norman at the West Winds agency, but this Monk editor was very persistent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA monk? Aren’t they more into, like, illuminated manuscripts than romantic mysteries?\u201d Tabby asked, selecting an equipment catalog to peruse.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Oh, Monk is just the name of the company,\u201d Strawberry explained. \u201cThey’re not actually monks.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Tabby looked at her friend archly, unable to resist twitting her. \u201cWhy would they call themselves monks if they\u2019re not printing religious treatises?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Strawberry rolled her eyes. \u201cI assume it\u2019s the family name of the founder.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just sayin\u2019,\u201d said Tabby, shrugging her shoulders as Thomas entered the room. \u201cBut you said <\/span>meetings<\/span><\/i>, plural. Who else is after you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, actually,\u201d said Strawberry, looking at her boss, \u201cFairfax Publishing; is that any relation to your family, Thomas?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a significant pause. \u201cNo,\u201d said Thomas at length, a bit sharply. Then he added in a softer tone, \u201cIt <\/span>is<\/span><\/i> my grandparents’ business. But they disowned my parents after their marriage, and I\u2019ve never met them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Strawberry looked stricken. \u201cI’m so sorry; I didn’t know,\u201d she murmured.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTheir reaching out to you is the closest contact I\u2019ve ever had,\u201d Thomas said grimly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s terrible!\u201d said Strawberry, clearly scandalized. \u201cI’ll cancel the meeting, of course.\u201d She was already reaching for the phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, don’t do that on my account,\u201d Thomas protested. \u201cHear them out. They\u2019re\u2026 probably\u2026. competent at business.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, even if I cancel with them,\u201d Strawberry said prosaically, \u201cI still have these Monks to deal with.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMonks?\u201d Thomas choked out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, the name of the company,\u201d said Strawberry, mistaking his shock, \u201cnot–\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid you’re caught up in a turf war, Strawberry,\u201d Thomas revealed. \u201cThe Monks are my mother’s family, bitter enemies of the Fairfaxes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh, dear,\u201d said Strawberry, greatly dismayed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Over the course of this exchange, Tabby had become increasingly uneasy. This was one of those family dramas that she had no idea how to navigate, and certainly didn\u2019t have any counsel to give. Still, this had clearly struck a nerve, and she would need to be there to support Thomas whether she had good advice or not. So when he stalked off after collecting some pages from the printer, she followed him back to his office.<\/span><\/p>\n

She found him standing at the window, looking out contemplatively. \u201cIt’s not like anyone at the companies has pieced together the connection,\u201d he said with a hollow laugh, and she wasn\u2019t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. \u201cI just never thought that our paths would cross in this way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh,\u201d said Tabby, feeling very awkward and useless.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom sent them Christmas cards every year, and never received a word in return,\u201d Thomas continued. \u201cThey couldn’t even be bothered to show up at Mom and Dad\u2019s memorial service.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The most insightful thing Tabby could think of to say was, \u201cThey don’t sound that great. I don’t think you’re missing anything.\u201d Perhaps that was insensitive. She wasn’t sure.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, you’re right,\u201d Thomas conceded, not appearing to take offense at the blunt assessment. \u201cIt’s just… they were responsible for my parents during their formative years, and I’ll always wonder… well, it doesn’t matter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou have me,\u201d she said, coaxing a smile from him.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOn that topic,\u201d he said, turning to face her, \u201care you sure we can\u2019t start telling ponies about the wedding? With Elaine moving here next week, it would be nice to not keep it from her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust a little longer,\u201d Tabby said, feeling panic rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas gave her a long, assessing look. \u201cYou\u2019re really going to spring this on everyone at the last second, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe,\u201d she said in a whisper.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be so afraid, you know.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTamara and my mother, if they found out\u2026\u201d Tabby trailed off. \u201cThey\u2019d take over the managing of things and tell me I\u2019m wrong about everything and make all the decisions for me and–and–\u201d She broke off, flustered and irate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay. Don\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Thomas said placatingly, wrapping her in a hug. \u201cIn any case, don’t tell Elaine about any of this stuff with the publisher meetings. I don’t want to upset her.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think she could handle it,\u201d said Tabby, \u201cbut fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWell, what do you have on Strawberry?\u201d the salmon-colored stallion barked from behind his mahogany desk. \u201cNot much; by all accounts, she lives…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1071],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33923","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33923","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33923"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33923\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33924,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33923\/revisions\/33924"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fakiespaceman.com\/toyblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}