Filthy Dirty Laundry (Filthy Dirty Laundry #1) (9 page)

Chapter 15

An hour later, I stride back out
to the car. Johnson must know what's happened right away, since there's a huge
smile on my face. I'm positively beaming.

          “I take it someone's
time at yoga went well?” He's smiling sadly at me. A note of pain is in his
voice. Whatever happened with us earlier, it's still unresolved. There's
something strange in the air between us, now. But I can't focus on that. Not
right now. Not when I have a big story to serve up in the proverbial food bowl.
My story on Missy Amy's dog's chow is going ahead: full force.  I've just
gotten the closest thing to a scoop possible with this story. And I'm grinning
from ear to ear.

          “Yes indeed,” I say. I
can't hold back my smile for another second. “You wouldn't believe what the dog
trainer told me. So much information – it's not just a story, it's a whole
other side to Amy.”

          “Tell me!” Johnson
looks excited. For a second his puppy-dog looks light up. The sad expression on
his face vanishes.

          “I can't!” I say. “I
want it to be a surprise when I present it at the meeting.”

          “For Philip, you mean?”
His smile evaporates. He looks jealous, even angry.

          “For Kendall!” I say.
“And for you. I want to see Kendall's face when she sees what I've been able to
turn the dog food story into.”

          “Oh,” he looks a little
bit less angry now. “That makes sense. I'll just have to listen like everyone
else, then.”

          “Don't worry, Johnson,”
I say smiling, trying to make him feel better. “You're so far from being
everybody else.”

          It's not that I don't
want to tell Johnson what happened. But I want to keep it a surprise. Part of
me is a little nervous that Kendall will find some way to ruin my story, and I
don't want to tell Johnson and jinx it.

          Johnson drives me back
to the FILTHY DIRTY LAUNDRY offices in silence. He's quiet, a little grim.
Certainly subdued. I've never seen him like this.

          I wonder what's going
on with him. I really like him, care about him, take him seriously, but ever
since my accident he's been making me wonder...

          Am I being stupid? Am I
just refusing to see something that's right in front of me, that's been right
in front of me for years? Could Johnson really have feelings for me?  I feel
like that’s crazy. I mean, there were a hundred times he could have asked me
out if he wanted to. I probably would have said yes, given it a shot– at least
before we became such good friends that it would be weird.

I have no idea why he didn't. But
lately he's been acting like...like he's my boyfriend or something. Perfect
timing. The second that I start maybe pursuing something with Philip, things
are also getting sexually tense with Johnson. Men are like buses, I guess. They
all come at once.

          I nervously make my way
down the hallway to Philip's office. Through the frosted glass I can make out
the silhouette of a curvy woman, breasts and ass out to here, bending over his
desk. I feel butterflies in my stomach. My heart stops a little. So – he's
still playing with every woman in the office, isn't it? Good thing I didn't
sleep with Philip last night after all, as much as I may have physically wanted
to.

          Johnson sees my stricken
face. Then he marches straight up to the office door and knocks once before
walking straight in.

          “Johnson, you can't...”

          But he's already
entered. I sheepishly follow behind him, prepared to see some woman in a state
of undress.

          But it's only Kendall,
leaning over her brother's desk in a scandalously short skirt that covers
absolutely zero of her underwear: a skintight nude dress that looks like it
fell off the back of a skinny Kardashian.

          “H-h-h-i...” Johnson's
eyes practically bulge out of his head as he looks Kendall up and down. I can't
help it; a twinge of irritation passes through me. I hate the idea that someone
as good, as humble and noble as Johnson is taken in by a fake like Kendall. But
I guess that's the way things are. People like Kendall do tend to attract all
the office attention.

          Not that Philip
notices. He seems utterly indifferent to the fact that his sister's dressed
like a common streetwalker. In fact, it looks like he hardly even sees her. He
looks up at me and Johnson, his eyes blazing into both of us. Then his eyes fix
on me. Just the knowledge that he's looking at me is enough to make me wet, to
set me aflame....

          “You here to talk about
your stories?” It's the brash, brusque voice of Boss Philip.

          “Yeah,” says Johnson,
at the same time as I say “yes, sir.”

          Johnson looks at me in
surprise. He's never heard me call anyone
sir
before – and it's only
when he looks at me in shock that I realize how weirdly kinky it sounds. I
stare at the floor, hoping Johnson doesn't notice how my face is the color of
Cinnamon Burst lipstick.

          Philip walks towards
us. He gets close to me, close enough that his fingers fringe the edge of my
waist, which Johnson doesn't see. Standing behind both of us, he talks into the
back of my neck. The feeling of his breath on my throat makes me dizzy.

          “Sit down,” he says. He
gestures to Johnson to take one chair, me to take another. Kendall stands,
glaring daggers at us both.

          “Let's talk about your
articles,” says Philip. “You first, Johnson.”

          Under the table I feel
something rubbing up against my ankle. Philip's foot, immaculately clad in
tailored brown leather shoes.
Is he playing footsie with me right now?

         
“Here's the article,” Johnson
slides the paper across the desk. I hope he doesn't realize what Philip is
doing to me. “I also emailed it to you.”

          “I'll read it right
away,” Philip says. “What about you, Sidney?”

          “Yeah,” butts in
Kendall. “How's that puppy chow story coming along?” Her lips curl with
disdain.

          “Great, actually.” Now
is my moment to shine. I'm so excited I could burst. “I'll write it up tonight,
but here's what we've got. The biggest, fakest, most
ridiculouspublicity-grabbing celebrity in the world. A woman who Instagrams her
daily bowel movements, practically. Who makes sure
nothing
that could
possibly make her look good is left out of the public eye. And the one thing
she keeps secret? The actual good deeds she's done.”

          “Good deeds? Missy Amy?
She's a Real Housewife...”

          “On the show, maybe.
Her 'job' is to play a character. A reality TV villainness who pretends to be
totally fame-hungry. But the story of her dog? She adopted it as a stray from
Nepal, where she was trekking. She ran away from the paparazzi for a week. Said
she was on some sort of sexy dirty weekend with the rapper Helmut Bates. But
instead she was volunteering in Nepal. And apparently the whole time she was
working in villages there – no cameras, no publicity – this three-legged dog
followed them around. And she was so moved by it that she asked what is its
story. Villagers told her what happened: the dog had belonged to an American
hiker that was caught in a rock slide along with the dog. The dog chewed his
own leg off to get free and get help, but by the time he reached the village
and brought back help the hiker had died. Since then, the dog's been living in
the mountains, going up and down the same trail his master used.”

          Philip and Johnson's
mouths are both wide open. They're impressed, I think.

          “Well, she was so moved
she adopted the dog then and there. She became so attached to the dog that she
created a charity around dogs like her dog Buddy, to support animal welfare in
parts of the world where dogs aren't regarded as pets.”

          “Yeah yeah yeah,”
Kendall snorts. “So what does this have to do with food.”

          “I'm getting to that,”
I say. “Buddy only eats the best and most fresh meat protein he can find – all
that time living in the wild. His nose was the strongest around. And Missy Amy
knew that. So she set up a business deal. And she coordinated with a local
organic dog food company called Hero Dogs Best to work with her. She'd
subsidize them in exchange for them developing initiatives alongside her fund,
like training guide and rescue dogs to help hikers. And all of this...with no
publicity. No cameras.

 That's my angle. The one
newsworthy thing this woman's done – other than her sex tape – and she chooses
not to publicize it. Does that mean that her fame-hungry persona is just a role
she plays? Or does it show that even among the most awful and shallow of us...”
I give Kendall a knowing look “...there's a complicated person inside there
somewhere. Who knew?”

          The room is quiet.
Johnson's jaw, which had gaped a little, closed up and he regains his
composure. He knocks his knees against mine a little: a gesture of
congratulations. He knows I rocked it. I know I rocked it.

          But does Philip?

          For a second he says
nothing. Then a grin appears on his face. “That's the kind of story I knew Sidney
Stone would get,” he says. “I didn't know that about Amy, I confess. I gave you
the worst story assignment I could think of – to test your mettle. But by God, Sidney,
you can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. It's a talent not many journalists
have.”

          Kendall is seething
with rage in the corner.

          “Anything to add,
Kendall?” Philip asks lightly.

          She crosses her arms.
“I don't see how Sidney's story's going to beat that gossip people actually
care about. Who cares about some hero dog doing a good dead? It's fluff. That's
why Amy knew it wouldn't fly. Divorces, misery, drugs –
that's
what
people pay for. Not some Lassie story. Heroes don't make headlines. That's what
I've been telling you.”

          “All right, Kendall,”
says Philip pleasantly. “How would you do it differently?”

          “I'd find a real source
to spill, not some
hired help.
Find out who she's slept with lately.
Threaten to start a worse rumor if she didn't give up the goods. That her
husband was cheating on her or something. Pressure her into admitting to
something
even if it wasn't true, by threatening to run something worse. None of this
goody-two-shoes crap. Who cares about Tibet or Phuket or wherever the fuck this
place is?”

          “I care!” Johnson says
vehemently. “This story is interesting. It shows that stars are often
surprising. It makes even a plastic robot like Amy, human. And we can't just
falsify sources. I don't care if we're a gossip rag or the BBC, we can't just
make things up for sales.”

          Kendall walks over to
Johnson, grabbing him by the side of his shirt and pulling him up. “How dare
you?” she says. “Don't you know that's how the Daily Mail is the best-read site
online today? They don't give a fuck about truth, just numbers. So why should
I? I don't know what you're thinking, taking some underling's side over me –
but remember, I run the company.” She rolls her eyes. “Pathetic. I don't know
what lies she's been feeding you, what bullshit – the same shit she pulled in
high school, I bet. This poor-little-me crap. I've had it with lying, crazy,
bitches. I spent enough time in rehab to know that damsels in distress are full
of BS. And anyone who believes her is pathetic!” She twists Johnson's shirt. “I
own this company. And you're just a minion!”

          This is worse than I
thought.

          I rise to my feet.
“Stop it!” I cry. I pull Kendall off Johnson.

          “What the fuck?”

          “Kendall,” I say. “All
these years and you haven't gotten over your issues with me and my mom? Which,
incidentally, has nothing to do with me. My mom and your dad – it's not my
problem. Nor is it yours. And it's over now. When will you stop?”

          Kendall grits her
teeth. “As long as you live, I will always hate you, Sidney Stone.  You're
nothing but a pathetic low-life who steals other people's things!”

          Suddenly a fist comes
flying through the air, striking the desk with a resounding thump that sounds
like thunder. “That's enough, Kendall!” For the first time, Philip looks
furious.

          “You and me,” Philip
cries to Kendall, grabbing her arm. “Come with me. Now.”

Chapter 16

          Kendall is staring at
Philip like a petulant child. Tears are running down her face. Fat globs of
mascara are contained within the tears, streaking her pale porcelain cheeks a
raccoon black. She looks miserable. If she hadn't just assaulted Johnson in the
office and threatened me, I'd almost feel sorry for her. She looks not a day
older than she did the last time we saw each other: when we were both
seventeen, graduating from high school. She's gotten no more mature. But it's
more than that. It's not just her pettiness that gives her the look of a frail
child. There's an expression of childlike pain in her eyes. The expression of
someone who has suffered a great deal. I remember everything I heard about
Kendall – that she spent a lot of time in rehab, that she has deep-seated
psychological problems. And clearly her parents' divorce affected her strongly.
I try to see her through the eyes of someone other than her worst enemy, the
girl that she's dedicated her life to destroying. If I were someone else, I
wonder – would I feel sorry for her?

          “You – you – you don't
understand,” sniffles Kendall through the tears that streak her cheeks with
darkness. “You left us, Philip. Went off to Eton – you didn't have to deal with
everything. She destroyed everything. This bitch and her mother. Took Daddy
away from us. Destroyed our happy home, our whole family, our whole life. She
took Daddy from us. And I promise you, Phil I will do whatever I can to make
sure she feels the same pain I felt. I don't care whether it's rumors or
kicking her teeth in or voodoo or witchcraft – I'll do whatever it takes to
make sure she knows what it feels like to lose every single thing you love.”

          “Come on, Kendall,”
says Philip in a low, threatening voice. He yanks her out of the office, into
the hallway. He's angry, but there's a tenderness in him as he puts his arm
around Kendall. Is he siding with her? I feel a twinge of jealousy. But at the
same time, I can't blame Philip. Family is family, after all, and however awful
and witchlike Kendall can be she is still his little sister.

          It's my turn to cry. Hot
tears slide down my cheeks, too. Thank God I'm not wearing makeup like Kendall
is, I think halfheartedly.

          “I'm so sorry, Sidney,”
Johnson pulls me into him, holding me close, stroking my hair and letting his
fingers twine into the blonde curls. “I'm so so sorry. This shouldn't have
happened to you. I didn't know how much pain you must have gone through. Only
when seeing Kendall do I really understand how much you probably suffered,
growing up with someone like that. She's really messed up, that Kendall. I've
never seen anything so unprofessional in my life.”

          “Do you believe her,
though?” I can hardly bring myself to ask the question. My lips are trembling
and my voice shakes.

          Johnson sighs. “Of
course not,” he says. “The only thing I believe is...that girl has been through
a lot. She's really damaged. Psychological problems, drugs, I don't know. She
wasn't ready to come out of rehab. Whatever happened with your mom and her dad
--- that's their problem to sort out. Not yours and not hers. I feel sorry for
her, but that doesn't excuse her behavior, which is downright pathological. And
I'm sure she was just as bad back in high school. Convincing people,
manipulating them, lying to them about you, turning your friends against you I
can see how someone like that would be really effective when it comes to
casting doubt on you – about your integrity, about your everything...”

          “I'll say,” I sigh
deeply, feeling overwhelmed. “I don't know how I can stand to see her here at
FILTHY, Johnson. I can't work with someone like that. Anywhere else they'd 
just fire her for an outburst like that, but we all know the LaFleurs don't
operate a company like normal people. Maybe I should just...” I shake my head,
squeezing my eyes shut to hold back the tears.

          “Quit?” Johnson looks
horrified. “You can't quit Sidney.”

          “What else am I
supposed to do?”

          “Don't let her drive you
away just because she's decided to act like a ridiculous crazy bitch,” cries
Johnson. “Stay and fight back, Sid.”

          “But this is her
magazine! At least, her and her family's. How can I win a fight like that?”

          “By showing them how
strong you are,” Johnson says, squeezing my hand. “Showing them that you are
not a victim. You survived Kendall LaFleur in high school, Sid. And I'm sure
you can survive her as a grown woman, now, too.”

          “You're right...” I
sigh and nod as Johnson gives me one last big hug, embracing me with a full
warm force. He presses his cheek against me, then takes my cheeks in his hands.
For a second I wonder if he's going to...no, surely....

          But he does. He kisses
me on the forehead.

          “A-
hem
,” we turn
in shock. Philip is standing in the doorway. Philip is glowering at Johnson;
the two are staring at each other with barely contained animal rage.

          “Your sister sure has
an interesting idea of professionalism,” Johnson snarls. 'You know I could sue
for office assault, if I wanted to.”

          “We'll discuss this
privately,” says Philip, smiling tightly.

          Johnson lets go of me.
“I'm going to get out of here,” he says. “I have another story to research.
We'll talk some more when I drive you home.”

          “That won't be necessary,”
Philip says, walking toward me. “I'll make sure she gets home safely.”

          “B-ut...”      

          “You have so much on
your plate, Johnson,” the words are calm, but the voice is commanding.
“Especially with all the research you have to do for your next piece – I”ve
emailed you about that, by the way. You won't have time to pick Sidney up. I'll
drive her home.”

          Johnson glares at
Philip, then turns to me.

          “Sidney, do you want me
to drive you home?”

          I don't say anything. I
freeze. I don't want to piss off either Philip or Johnson. So I just gawk like
a deer in the headlights, feeling like a complete idiot.

          “Sidney, I need to
discuss something with you in private.”

          Johnson turns pale. I've
never seen him look so upset in my life. “Look,
boss
,” he says angrily.
“I think your whole damn family has done enough damage to Sidney to last her a
lifetime. You, your sister – you've caused her nothing but misery since the
moment you ran over her with your car. I don't know what the hell you think
you're playing at, but if you so much as harm a hair on Sidney's head, you'll
be hearing from me!”

          And with that, he
storms out, slamming the door behind him.

          “Well, well,” Philip
looks quizzical. “That was interesting.” He goes to the door and locks it. “I
don't want any more interruptions, Sidney.” He sits on the table, facing me. A
slow smile creeps over his face.

          I look helplessly at
the door. Maybe I should have followed Johnson out. I can't take any more drama
or emotional turmoil right now.

          “You know he's in love
with you, right?' Philip says lightly.

          “Don't be ridiculous!”
I say automatically. “Johnson and I are just...” But my voice trails off. The
second I say it out loud I know how stupid it sounds. How could I not have
realized it before? Johnson's feelings haven't been platonic, not for a long
while.

          “But that's not what
I'm here to talk to you about,” he goes on. “I just wanted to apologize. To say
I'm sorry about Kendall. Whatever she's trying to do – whatever she did – look,
Kendall is my sister. And I love her. Growing up, she was my kid sister who stayed
home. When I came back from Eton for holidays – that was the only time I saw
her. And I feel guilty, very guilty, for leaving her behind. I went off to
boarding school. I didn't have to deal with the messy divorce, any of that. And
although Kendall always acted like everything was fine, I see now how much the
pain of that trauma really affected her. I'm sorry that I can't change her – or
move her away from here. I have family obligations. But I do want you to know
that, as a boss, I'm on your side.”

 He stares at my lips. There is a
fierce longing in his eyes. “It's frustrating, Sidney. You don't know how much.
I feel caught between family loyalty and professional passion. I want to see
you work and grow. You're talented, bright, inquisitive. You have the chops to
do top-notch work. It inspires me. Makes me think journalism isn't dead after
all. At the same time....”

          Before I can stop him
he steps towards me, pulls me to him in a tight embrace. “I desperately...I
desperately want to be your lover, Sid. Every part of me wants you so badly. I
dream every day about taking you.”

          I gasp. This can't be
happening. This must be one of my dreams. Before I can stop myself I hear
myself responding: “I dream about you too, Philip,” I whisper.

          Then he kisses me. A
hungry, powerful, passionate, world-destroying kiss, a kiss unlike any I've
experienced before, so passionate that I reel at his touch.

          It's more than a kiss.
It's like sex: white-hot, overwhelming. Like he's making love to me with his
mouth, making me feel so aroused that if he threw me on the office table right
then and there and started to make love to me, I wouldn't so much as resist.

          “Oh....” my moan is
soft.

          “I want to take you
now,” whispers Philip. “God, you have no idea how this is killing me. He kisses
me again. Then he pulls away.

          “I want more...” he
growls, hungrily. “But I can't. Not in the office. I'm sorry – I'm sorry to put
all this on you. We have to keep this a secret. Not just because of office
ethics, but because of Kendall. She'll go crazy if she finds out about us...I
realize that now. And unfortunately, finding out about other people's business
is exactly what she's good at. And I have a promise to my parents to look after
her, to make sure she doesn't fall off the wagon again. If Kendall doesn't grow
up, this may be the last straw...

          “Philip...” I don't
want to know about Kendall. I don't want to hear another word about her.

          “You should be an
inspiration to her,” he says. “Someone who works, does well, doesn't ask for
special favors. You may not believe it, Sidney stone, but seeing you here at FILTHY
DIRTY LAUNDRY may be the best medicine Kendall will ever get from anyone.”