“Before we start, I need to apologize,” Cary said, beginning her Thursday with the pop star under the stage name that that made her internally cringe, Sexy Dream. Cary received a few rapid blinks of surprise in response, making her wonder if her discomfort was visible, but her client’s confusion faded into a thin smile of amusement.

“When we first met, I said things that were inexcusable. You didn’t deserve to be called a bimbo,” Cary said, mortification weighing so heavy that it threatened her poise. But the smile did not fade, as Sexy Dream stared intently and nodded as if Cary was saying much more than she was. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh no, I didn’t take anything by it,” she replied with a small shrug. Cary would be the first to admit that she wouldn’t be able to pick a ‘sexy’ person from a crowd, but there was oddly captivating about her. Upon close inspection, she almost seemed a bit of a mismatch: a little gangly tall, a few messy strands of bang from her otherwise sleek hair, and a lips that had an odd crookedness to otherwise symmetrical features. But somehow, it only made her more charming.

“And even if I did,” she added with an impish grin, “you wouldn’t exactly be wrong.”

“That’s not true!” said Cary. “I only just learned about the details of...what happened to you yesterday. I’m so sorry.”

“It was years ago,” said she said, eyes staring toward a far corner of the room. “And really, I am at fault. I really should have known better at sixteen, and I should have disclosed it. Two strikes towards my stupid out, huh?”

Cary felt like she should protest, but for some reason, an shameful pity jammed her throat.

“Anyway, my name is Dusty Mathis,” she continued. “And since you were so nice with that apology, I’ll confirm what you’re probably suspecting--this whole ‘Get Us All Jobs’ thing is more-or-less a publicity stunt.”

“Ah. Huh,” said Cary. “Can’t say I expected that to just come out.”

“I figured you deserved to know,” said Dusty. “Even just to assure you. There’s been a lot thrown at you at once, but even we’re making it up as we go. Don’t let it get to you.”

“I kind of got the impression that you guys weren’t really after jobs. Hence my outburst,” Cary said, closing her eyes in embarrassment before she could think what she was embarrassed about. “Er, not that I’m justifying anything.”

“I told you, don’t worry! You could stand to relax a little,” said Dusty with half a chuckle. “Though I can’t help but wonder. Are you still shooting to get us jobs?”

“Well, it’s my job to,” said Cary. “I can’t really shirk out of it.”

“So you’re going full throttle?” Dusty asked. She leaned forward, and Cary couldn’t tell if she was teasing or genuinely scoping an answer. “Going to hook us up with our dream jobs? Get us fulfilling careers? That seems like a tall order for anyone.”

“That’s...sharp of you,” said Cary. “I can give you the industry answer, but something tells me you’d want the personal one”

“You saw right through me,” said Dusty, brushing a few bangs out of her eyes with a smile.

“I can’t give you what I don’t have,” said Cary. “Jobs are like marriage. There are a lot of options, and not a lot of soul mates. Some people can have one that just works, and some need meaning and fulfillment from it. I can point you in the right direction, but the choices from there are yours.”

“And I’m guessing bad marriages and bad jobs have similar ends,” Dusty added

“Exactly. And I’ll do my damndest to make sure my clients don’t end up there.” Cary said. She caught herself with a small cough, surprised by her own eagerness. “Er, wow. I really went off there.”

“I’m glad you did,” said Dusty with a nod. “It’s not the cheeriest answer...but I’m not completely against it.”

“That’s good,” said Cary. She had a weird prickle that made her feel like she had signed a contract she didn’t know was there.

“The DCT label can burn to ash for all I care,” said Dusty, with a casual beat that made Cary wonder if she heard it right, “but I am worried about myself and the others. So if you follow through on your word, I’ll cooperate. Sound good?”

“That’s all I can ever ask for,” said Cary. “Thank you Dusty.”

“Of course,” she said. “Now then, I’m sure you’ve got questions of your own. Anything I can clear up?”

“I think all of my questions would be stupid,” said Cary. “Oh! Wait, you don’t know anything about the job Odila’s trying for, do you?”

“Wait--Odila’s trying for a job?” Dusty said. She looked a little stricken, with a grimace that almost showed teeth. “Huh. That’s...news to me.”

“Something wrong?” Cary asked.

“No I...I’m just surprised she didn’t tell me. She’s normally pretty open about things like that.”

“So the two of you are friends?”

“Oh yes! She’s my best friend in the world,” said Dusty. “And she loves music more than anything. So there’s no way in heaven that she’d want a new career. Unless…”

“Unless?” asked Cary.

“And that’s all I’m going to say,” said Dusty with a wink. “The rest is for you to figure out.”

“Well. So much for asking you anything,” said Cary.

“I already told you, she’s my best friend. I owe her a life debt,” said Dusty. “No offense Cary, but you’re still a stranger. Everything’s an act of building trust. So until then, if you two are tied onto separate tracks of a trolley, I know which lever I’d pull.”

I got your point without the last part, Cary thought

“Oh relax! Have a little fun,” said Dusty, giving Cary a bright laugh. For the second time, Cary wondered if Dusty could look in her eyes and read the thoughts written at the back of her mind. “Even if you’re not keyed, you’re surrounded by a bunch of entertainers now. No harm in kicking back and enjoying the show, yeah?”

“I’d rather have straight answers than a show,” said Cary, which only brought another laugh from Dusty. Despite herself, Cary felt a smile creep across her face too. There was some truth to what Dusty said--when they weren’t being obstructive, there was a ease of conversation that Cary couldn’t help but admire. They were good with people; certainly more than Cary could aspire to be.

But just like Lori, Cary sensed something a little deeper, and a little sadder, behind the mature lithe of Dusty’s words. Perhaps, she thought, it’s my own discomfort with what I suspect happened to her. And Dusty’s silence all but confirmed what Cary prayed wasn’t true: even for an idol, there were no words that could be said. This barb in her past may well be eternal, with no hope for removal and no reach for words of comfort.