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It seems bigger.
21
Raeann
My face hurts from smiling too much. That’s one thing I didn’t count on after agreeing to so many TV and radio appearances. If it’s not in front of the camera, it’s smiling for the hosts—even when I think they’re being information whores.
Everything is about Micah. They may draw me in with the pretense of talking about the viral video and discussing Pet Threads, but it always devolves into asking about Micah.
He’s my favorite subject, though, so I can’t be that mad, but something about a person smiling in my face while asking me something super personal for the world to hear just turns me off. One of them even had the audacity to come to me and apologize after the radio spot ended.
“There she is!” Tab exclaims as I walk into the store. “Our in-house celebrity.”
Katya pops up from a display. “Raeann, tell me, does Micah Freeman wear boxers or briefs?”
From the back, Jace calls out, “What’s Micah’s favorite color?”
“Whose apartment do you stay in?” Tab adds.
Katya chuckles. “What color sheets does he have?”
“Is he packing?” Jace says, this time sticking his head through the doorway.
“No, really, is he packing?” Tab asks.
She once came into my room when Micah’s toy was slightly visible in my sheets, and I had to scramble to throw it under the bed. I nearly had a heart attack.
“Ha. Ha. You guys are hilarious.”
“What’s not funny is the number of orders we got this morning.” Tab bounces on her toes with excitement. “Our best day yet. You have so much reordering to do.”
“And hiring another employee,” Katya and Jace say at the same time.
“She starts tomorrow,” I reassure them.
I know it’s been a bear working here with me gone. And if these promo spots are actually doing what they say they’re doing, we need to hire that third—and possibly a fourth—staff person right away.
Tab walks up to me, and Athena joins her. With a small smile, Tab takes my shoulders. “You look like you could use a detox from peopling so much. Why don’t you go upstairs and take a nap?”
My lip wobbles. “You guys are already behind. I can help.”
“Hey.” She leads me over to the corner of the store and lowers her voice. “We both agreed that publicity for the store is a great idea, but if it’s taking too much of a toll on you, that’s not okay, Raeann. We can deal without it. We’ll figure it out.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m… overwhelmed.” The truth is, my life revolves around the store and Micah. The two interconnect somehow with no discernible cut-off points. “I just miss, I don’tknow, doing nothing. Taking walks to clear my head, watching bad TV on the couch with you.”
She pulls me in for a hug, but it only makes me feel more guilty. I’m living a dream right now, and all I keep thinking about are the negative aspects. What’s wrong with me?
“I would miss me too, if I were you.”
She pats my back, and I crack up. Taking a step away, I shrug. “I think I’m going to turn down any interviews that won’t let me take Athena onto set. That sort of defeats the purpose, right?”
“I think so. If they really want you on, they’ll make it work.” She folds an extra-large purple dress in front of her. “We got an email today from a local station that wants us both on. That could be good.”
“Yes, please. Anything to take the eyes off me. I’ll let you answer all the questions.”
“That would be weird if any are directed at you, and I answer. Like, ‘Raeann, how is your relationship with Micah Freeman going?’ Then I answer, ‘Oh, it’s going great. He’s so supportive and happy for her.’”
“I can see how that would be weird,” I confess.