Previously...The boardroom of WROC, TV-8, Rochester, New York...

“My name is Michaela.”

“Damn it Mike...I mean…Michaela Parente? You’re fired.”

“You’re fired!”

“You can’t fire me for cause, and the last time I looked, my job performance was rated excellent.”

“You know and I know and everybody else knows that they can’t fire you! Yes…I’m quite aware of that. Shitty thing though, they don’t have to offer you an on-air position.” Jack frowned, and for the first time Michaela realized Jack was in her corner. That the two of them were backed up as if they had painted themselves into that corner hadn’t occurred to her. She was just glad that he was at least sympathetic to her.

“You’re not supposed to be having this conversation, are you?” She laughed softly but her frown displayed her disappointment.

“No…the Station Manager apparently has no say any longer in the hiring of on-air personalities. I can only assure you that you won’t be putting your writing and production responsibilities in jeopardy.” Jack frowned once again and his shoulders slumped as he continued,

“I’d fucking quit except I can’t afford the pay loss and I’ve got too much wrapped up in the folks who still have jobs here. If I bag it, Al Payson gets the job, and he’s on board with the powers that skulk regarding your employment..”

“Let me make this easy for you, Jack.” She opened her purse and handed him an envelope.

“Oh no you don’t! Oh hell no.” He pushed the envelope back across the boardroom table.

“It’s the only way. I need a second chance, and it can’t be here. It’s not your fault that the old guard hasn’t a clue. I know you care. You’ve always been like a big brother to me.”

“Fuck, Mikey…shit…Michaela…I never knew I had a little sister, but since I do know now, I can’t just let you throw away your career because of a bunch of dumb old fucks.”

“I’m not throwing anything away. I figured I’d give them a chance, but your job and our friendship aren’t worth fighting a battle neither of us can win. I know how it works; no bias can be proved in cases where positions are open…they just didn’t feel my audition was...adequate.”

“What audition? You didn’t even get a chance to submit a tape.” As he finished speaking, Jack’s eyes widened and he began to laugh.

“Oh…no…I’ve seen that look before…and I can smell the wood burning in that stove you call a brain.”

“Listen…meet me on set in about…twenty minutes, okay?” He jumped up and ran to the door but paused for a moment,

“And Michaela?” He said it almost sternly.

“Yes?” She lowered her head and shoulders before he finished.

“Fix your lipstick, okay?”

“Are you sure about this?” Michaela turned to Dan Capelli, the weekend morning news anchor. He smiled and said,

“You bet, Mikey!” Somehow coming from Dan, the nickname sounded entirely feminine and almost brother to sister. He leaned closer and whispered to her with a sly grin,

“Let ‘em pound salt.” Michaela nodded, forgetting just what the expression meant, but she did know it wasn’t very nice. A moment later Tamra Steele, the weekend director stepped to the desk.

“I’ll cue Dan and he’ll read this morning’s copy and then he'll turn it over to you, okay? Good luck, Mikey” There was that name again; playfully sister to sister, not just as in the sisterhood, but as if Tamra was her real sister. A moment later they heard the countdown and Dan began,

“Tomorrow on Rochester Am, Alison Nordstrom, Director of Exhibitions for The George Eastman House and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement from the Griffin Institute, takes the viewer on a virtual tour of Eastman House. And now, with tonight’s sports, Mikey Parente. Gee, Mikey, what’s going on with those Amerks.?” Dan tried not to grin, but he was a fairly affable on-air personality, so he was sure no one would notice.

“Well, Dano, we’ve all been wondering when they were going to wake up, and wake up they did! Good Morning Rochester! And they picked a great time and a very challenging opponent to come to life. Led by Nick Crawford’s hat trick and stellar goaltending by David Leggio, the Amerks beat the front running Toronto Marlies. 6 to 1...and in other hockey news, the Buffalo Sabres acquired Center Dave Bolland from the Chicago Blackhawks today for the Sabres number two draft choice for 2012. And in other news...”

A few minutes later and it was over. The conspirators quickly dispersed and met back at the board room. On an early Friday afternoon they were assured of privacy.

“It went well…better than I thought it would as a matter of fact.” Jack half smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“Hell, kid…I know you, but I don’t know you….you were an untried commodity until we actually got you on tape.” He looked at Tamra and Dan and the crew and held the tape up.

“Let me get this in the right hands, and we’ll see how things play out, but don’t do anything at all until you hear from me.” Michaela looked at him nervously.

“Seriously, I’ll take care of this.” He smiled and looked at the rest of the group before stepping closer to Michaela as if to reassure her. And a moment later he leaned close and kissed her on the cheek, causing both of them and Tamra to blush. Dan looked at him sideways and Jack grinned.

“Well, I can’t just shake her hand. I’ll call you tomorrow…it’s the weekend, so give me to the end of the day…Sunday latest. I’ve got a few favors to call in, so hang in there, okay.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Michaela put her head down and for the first time in her life; new or previous, she began to cry.

“Just say thank you, Jack. You’re the best Station Manager the world has ever known.” He patted her quickly on the back and walked out of the board room. Oddly and happily enough, it was Dan who came up and patted her shoulder and said,

“It’s okay, Mikey…we got your back!”

Sunday morning...

“Rooney’s? On Henrietta…sure…see you at eleven.” Michaela clicked off her cell and turned around.

“Do you have to go?” Cindy Wrobowski sat on her bed, patting the mattress and pouting like a little girl. Michaela walked back to the bed and sat down next to her and smiled.

“Well, there’s two things about the appointment…three actually. One? Yes, I have to go. Two, I want you to come with me.” Cindy looked at her and cocked her head.

“No matter what, from this day forward, everything I do is no longer for me.” She pursed her lips and sighed.

“I don’t understand.” Cindy looked puzzled, but her look changed to cheerfully anxious as Michaela smiled at her.

“What I do I do for us…from now on, my life is yours.” Cindy stared and her eyes and grin both widened as Michaela pulled her close for a kiss. After a few moments they hugged as Cindy asked.

“Okay…what’s Three?”

“Since your townhouse is on Henrietta near the restaurant and it’s only nine o’clock….what do you think?”

“Oh…Ms. Parente….your lipstick is smudged. Let me take care of that.”

And they kissed.

Rooney's Restaurant...a while later...

“Well, you’re looking awfully chipper for a Sunday morning.” Jack looked up to see Michaela and Cindy walk up to the booth and sit down. He wasn’t surprised at all at Cindy’s presence, which surprised them in turn.

“Like I didn’t know?” he laughed and motioned for the waitress. A few minutes later the waitress had taken their order and they were left to continue the conspiracy started on Friday.

“You don’t mind if someone joins us?” He looked over at the entrance and saw a familiar figure. The man stood at the doorway and nodded; their communication was lost on Michaela and Cindy, whose back was to the entrance. A few seconds later the man sat down next to Jack and began to speak.

“I don’t have much time; I’ve got to get to the studio, but I wanted you to know I looked at the tape with a few others from the station. You’ve got the weekend gig if you wanted it. I’ll get the contract to Jack tomorrow, and you can look it over before we negotiate, okay? Okay.” Unlike Jack, the man chose not to kiss Michaela on the cheek, but still waited for her to offer her hand before saying his goodbyes.

“I…I don’t know what to say,” she practically whispered; words destined to become almost a catchphrase in her relationship with Jack. He laughed and said,

“OH, thank you, Jack…you’re the best friend ever. I thank God for the day I met you.” With that, he stood up and motioned for the waitress once more. She walked quickly to the table and he pulled out a hundred dollar bill.

“Here, kid. Whatever the check ends up and you can keep the change.” She blushed and put her hand to her face and nodded awkwardly before walking back to the front.

“You two love birds have a nice day. I’m off to Buffalo this afternoon; the Bills should have their hands full with the Eagles.” He blew them both a kiss and walked out of the restaurant.

A few weeks later...

The girl stood off to the side, her heart pounding and her eyes welling with tears. The four figures sat down at the news desk for the broadcast. Meanwhile, a man sat on a stool at Tully’s Good Times Bar and Grill and looked up at the TV on the wall behind the bar, counting down the seconds as the opening credits for the newscast rolled,

“Eyewitness News TV Thirteen with Rachael Barnhart and Jane Flasch, Meteorologist Patrice Walsh and Michaela Parente with the weekend sports……And now…Eyewitness News….”

"Way to go, Mikey!" Jack Welker laughed to himself.

"Way to go!"