Chapter 19
(All)
The evening of the party finally arrived. Emily had offered her office as a place to stash her and Beca’s stuff and serve as a place to change. When they were both ready, she and Beca headed to the lobby of the building where the party was being held. The room was full of ballons and flower arrangements. The DJ had already started, though she wasn’t at full volume yet.
They headed for the bar, which was stocked with high-end liquor and a large beer list. Not wanting to get too far ahead, they both ordered beer and carried them to a place near the doors so they would see their partners easily.
***
“Damn, it’s been a long time since I had my nails done,” Aubrey observed in the cab she and Chloe were taking to the studio. “There was no point at the retreat.”
Chloe nodded. “Same as a vet tech. I’m glad we treated ourselves to this.” They had spent the day getting ready together, getting nails and toes done, then spending a couple hours doing each other’s hair and makeup. It had reminded them of college and they spent a good deal of time retelling old stories and laughing.
They took a minute outside making sure everything was perfect, then strode purposefully into the lobby.
From their vantage point, Emily spotted them entering and gripped Beca’s arm tightly. “Beca!” The older woman turned her head to look and her jaw dropped open. Aubrey had spotted them and they were approaching, both smiling at their partners’ stricken looks.
Beca held a hand out, and Chloe took it. “You are stunning, Chloe.” It was all she could think to say, but Chloe’s blush showed it was enough.
Emily pulled Aubrey into a brief but heartfelt kiss. “You look amazing, Bree. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Em.” Aubrey hugged her to hide her blush.
“Shall we get proper drinks?” Beca asked, Chloe’s hand snugly in hers. They all agreed and headed for the bar. Drinks acquired, they found a high table with two chairs, and Beca and Emily insisted their partners sit.
“So, you’re one of those women,” came a man’s voice, and Emily’s eyes went wide.
Thinking fast, Beca moved to Emily’s side. “Look, dude, you enough damage. Go harass someone else.”
Simon smirked at her. “Birds of a feather, huh? Have fun only selling albums to your own kind.” He sipped his drink with one more evil look at Emily before walking away.
“What the hell was that?” Aubrey asked. It had happened so quickly, she wasn’t sure what was going on.
Emily turned back to her and took her hand. “That was Simon. I’m sorry, love. I never thought he’d approach us here tonight.”
Aubrey put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, Em. Don’t go back down that rabbit hole.” The songwriter nodded and took a long drink from her rum and coke.
Chloe, looking to lift the mood, caught their attention. “Come on, let’s dance. Let him choke on how perfect you are together.” Emily hesitated, but conceded when she saw the worry in Aubrey’s eyes. The musicians helped their partners down and they all headed for the dance floor, which now had enough people that they wouldn’t stand out. The two couples danced for a handful of songs before heading to the bar for refills.
“Thanks, guys,” Emily said as she picked up her drink. “That definitely made me feel better.”
“Hey, why don’t we show off our offices,” Beca said with a grin. “I have a surprise.” Mystified, they all followed. “Up to mine first.”
Theo was in his office changing his tie when they got up there, and Beca stopped in. “DO you have that key I asked for?”
“Yeah, right here.” Theo opened a drawer in his desk and handed Beca a key on a keychain with the label’s logo on it.
“Thanks, Theo. We’ll see you downstairs.” Beca led them down the hall to her own office and unlocked it to let them in. “This is me. It’s not exciting, but it lets me work.”
“Aww, Becs, this is adorable,” Aubrey said from the desk. She had a 3-section picture frame in her hands. The center window was Beca and Chloe, the right was a group photo of the Bellas, and the left was Aubrey and Emily. Beca blushed a bit.
“You’re our best friends,” was her only attempt at an explanation. Chloe returned to her side and kissed her cheek. When they had explored Beca’s office, she herded them back to the elevator. When it stopped, Emily looked at the floor number in confusion.
“We’re three floors too high,” she said as they left the elevator. Beca didn’t answer, leading the way. At an unmarked door, she pulled out the key from Theo and unlocked the door before standing back.
“Emily and Aubrey first.” The couple looked at each other a moment, then Emily pushed the door open. The room was twice as big as her office and also held a piano and desk. When they turned to question Beca, she was sliding a sign into the slot on the door. When she stepped back, they saw it had Emily’s name on it.
“Beca, what…” Emily started.
The older woman held out the key. “Welcome to your new office.”
Emily’s jaw dropped as she slowly accepted the key. She hadn’t actually expected to get a bigger office. She turned to survey it again and spotted a box on the desk. Opening it, she found a framed 8x10 of her and Aubrey. Setting it down carefully, she moved to give Beca a bear hug. “Thank you, Beca. I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything. At least you have a window up here.” She grinned again, and they soon returned to the lobby and refreshed their drinks. Finding another table, Chloe spotted Theo from her higher vantage point.
“Hey, Theo’s got a handsome boyfriend over at the bar.” They all turned to look, spotting the music executive next to a tall, broad-chested blonde man with a glorious beard. The way they laughed and the casual touches showed them Chloe had accurately assessed the pair.
Beca chuckled. “Good for him. I’m glad he doesn’t live for the label like it seems sometimes.”
As the night went on, several people took time to stop and introduce themselves to Beca and talk shop a bit. At the same time, a bunch of other backup musicians came by to talk to Emily, a few expressing interest in working with her in some capacity. Between visits, they all spent more time dancing and drinking.
Although the party showed no signs of slowing down, they were drunk enough by one that Chloe called a cab, insisting Aubrey and Emily stay the weekend. She and Aubrey had exchanged overnight bags on Thursday, so they all already had clothes at each others’ apartments. They climbed into the cab together for the relatively short ride.
When they got into the apartment, Beca declared no one was going to bed without Tylenol and water in their system. “Hangover breakfast is great, actual hangovers are not.”
***
Aubrey was pleasantly surprised to not have a headache when she woke up. Emily was snoring ever so quietly in her arms, and she carefully shifted closer against her back. She’d had a fabulous time at the party, dancing with her partner and friends and meeting people they worked with. She hadn’t been to a party since graduating Barden, and had forgotten how much she liked them.
When Emily stirred half an hour later, Aubrey kissed the back of her neck. “How do you feel?”
Emily yawned before answering. “I’ve been worse. Mostly thirsty, though I could definitely eat, too. How about you?”
“Pretty good, actually. I had a lot of fun last night.”
The brunette turned over for a soft, lingering kiss. “You looked absolutely breathtaking, love. I think half the people we talked to just wanted a closer look.”
Aubrey giggled and blushed. “Maybe, but the best views are for your eyes only. Besides, they seemed genuinely interested in working with you.”
“Some of that is Beca’s influence. They know I work with her and figure I can get them in to work with her, too.” Emily brushed some blonde hair from her face gently. It didn’t bother her that people saw her as a route to her friend; all she wanted to do, really, was write. Playing backup was just a bonus. And she knew better than to allow her friendship with Beca to be taken advantage of.
“I think you’re selling yourself short, Em. Why wouldn’t they want to play with you?”
Emily shrugged. “I’m not saying they don’t, just that it’s secondary to what they really want. But it’s fine, Bree. I don’t mind. I just want to write my music and have it see the light of day.” She bit her lip, pausing.
“What is it, Em?” Aubrey asked, concerned.
“I’ve just been thinking. I haven’t decided anything yet.”
“Thinking about what?”
“Work, and what I’m doing there. I just… being a backup musician was supposed to be just a stepping stone to getting in at the label. Now, it’s practically all I do. I’m lucky to get a handful of hours to write anymore. It’s just not what I envisioned.” The last statement was quieter, almost hesitant.
Aubrey caressed her cheek. “Tell them you’re done with backup. You’re there to write.”
“I know. I just… I don’t want to seem ungrateful to Beca for getting me the job.” Emily closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on Aubrey’s hand on her face.
The blonde kissed her forehead. “Babe, Beca will understand. She wants you to write, too. Better, she wants to record your work. Talk to her over the weekend. You’ll feel better hearing it from her.” Emily nodded and snuggled close.
***
Beca kept her eyes shut even as she woke up, not ready to brave the sunlight yet. Chloe’s arms were still tight around her as she slept. Beca guessed she’d had more to drink, since she was almost always up first. Unwilling to disturb her, she laid still, thinking back over the night, making a mental list of the producers, songwriters, and musicians who had approached her. Apparently, she had enough of a reputation that people were actively seeking her out, which was new. She’d never been popular before, and she didn’t really know what to do with it.
Chloe pulled her closer and mumbled a greeting. Unlike the others, she had managed to still get a hangover, though it wasn’t the worst she’d had. Beca rolled to face her, kissing her forehead. “Headache, love?” she asked quietly.
“Yeah. I need coffee and carbs.” She groaned and hid her face in Beca’s shoulder.
Beca stroked her hair. “Why don’t I go start coffee and make sure the apartment is dark? I’ll come get you when it’s ready.” Chloe nodded slightly, and Beca kissed her forehead again before getting up.
Pulling all the blinds and curtains shut, she made her way to the kitchen, where she only turned on the light over the stove before starting coffee. The pot was just sputtering to a stop when Aubrey and Emily emerged, seeming none the worse for wear.
“Head hurting?” Emily asked.
“Not mine, Chloe’s. I said I’d keep it dark for her.” Beca poured and prepped four cups of coffee, bringing her friends’ to the table where Emily was in Aubrey’s lap. Then she started a second pot before returning to the bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she went and leaned down to kiss Chloe’s temple. “Coffee is ready, babe. And the others are up.”
That caught her attention and she tossed the blanket aside. “Gotta make breakfast,” she said as she pulled on her robe and slippers. She stopped to lean against the dresser.
“Chlo, slow down. No one expects you to cook like this. We’ll order breakfast, absolutely no one will mind.” Beca put an arm around her waist. “Lean on me if you’re dizzy. Let’s get some coffee in you.” She carefully led them to the kitchen and got Chloe seated with coffee. Going to the cabinet next to the fridge, she retrieved the Tylenol and handed Chloe two.
“Thanks, Becs.” The ginger took the pills, then climbed into Beca’s lap when she sat down. They all stayed quiet a while for Chloe’s sake, giving the coffee time to work on all of them. “So, did we all have fun?” Chloe asked as she finished her first cup.
“Absolutely,” Aubrey replied. “It was really nice to dress up and go out.”
“You know,” Beca said, “Theo could probably get us into some pretty lit parties, if we want.”
Chloe frowned at her. “You said you were nervous about large parties.”
Beca shrugged. “I was nervous about this one because it was work related. If I don’t have to impress anyone, it’s less pressure.” She stroked Chloe’s hair gently. “I don’t have to, Chlo, if you don’t want to. I can get the others in if you’d rather stay home.”
Chloe shook her head. “No, that’s not what I was saying. I don’t want you to make yourself uncomfortable or anxious just so I can go to a party.”
Her partner smiled up at her. “No worries, babe. I promise I won’t put myself in those situations when I have a choice. But I’d loved to be able to take you out more often. You work every bit as hard as I do.”
Chloe blushed at that and looked down into her coffee. “I… thanks for that, love. I appreciate you saying it.”
Beca kissed her cheek. “I should say it more.”
Emily got up and gathered mugs to refill. “You two are simply a beautiful couple,” she said when she set their drinks down. “I’ve always thought so.”
Chloe blushed brighter and Beca gave Emily a warm smile. “Thank you, Em.”
Emily and Aubrey stayed while they ordered in breakfast, then spent some time playing with Melody and Lyric. Melody perched on the arm of the loveseat next to Aubrey looking to be pet while Lyric laid on Emily’s feet and rolled around. Emily laughed and declared him the cutest cat ever. By lunch, they were ready to head out, and there were hugs all around.