A seat at the table

DUI

I wake up groggy to a sharp knock on my door. I sigh, forcing my crusted eyes open, and immediately curse myself for wearing makeup to bed and everything else unusual last night. Another knock rattles the wood, which I'm pretty sure Maria knows is enough to wake me up.

I lie there, thinking of what I have to do today. It feels like yesterday wiped out every important detail I was supposed to focus on, leaving me only with the rubbish events of last night. They are so vivid that I cringe under the covers. I just want to dig a hole and hide.

Sitting up gently, propping myself with my arms, I feel completely drained from the whole interaction. I force myself to stand up, and a small smile hits my face when my feet meet the furry rug beneath me. I stand there for a few seconds, enjoying the feeling, before dragging myself to the bathroom to finally wash off the humiliation gravy.

___________________________________________________

I see True from the stairs. She's on the floor, flat on the kitchen carpet. I climb down the steps and head straight toward her."Are we okay?" I ask.

True looks like absolute s**t. Her eyes are swollen, her cheeks are flushed pink, and overall, she looks like she just crawled out of a whorehouse."I have a DUI," True says flatly, staring at the ceiling.

"What?" I ask, just to be sure I actually heard her right.

Before she can answer, the heavy click of polished dress shoes echoes near the entryway.

"Good morning, Miss Leah," Bauer says, adjusting his cuffs.

"I took the liberty of resolving Miss True's... legal entanglement a few hours ago."

his suit pristine as always, not looking a single bit like a man who spent his early morning inside a police station.

I look between the two of them, stunned. "Bauer? You bailed her out?"

"He did," True groans, finally sitting up and burying her face in her hands. "I went out with these random girls I barely know. Leah, it got so wild, so fast. I don't even remember getting behind the wheel. The next thing I knew, the red and blue lights were flashing behind me."

Bauer nods once, his expression perfectly professional. "Fortunately, no property was damaged, and no one was injured. The charges are manageable, but the paperwork required immediate attention."

"Thank you, Bauer," I say, sighing in relief. "I'll wire the money to your account right now to cover the bail."

"No, don't," True interrupts quickly, standing up on shaky legs. She looks directly at me, her face serious despite her disheveled state. "Leah, it's my mess. I owe Bauer for bailing me out, and I'm paying him back myself."Bauer simply bows his head slightly, acknowledging her words without taking sides. He then reaches down into a small paper bag he brought with him and pulls out a familiar pair of designer shoes.

"The gardener found these near the tree line this morning, Miss Leah," Bauer says, holding up my muddy heels with a straight face.

I let out a long, deeply tired sigh. I don't even want to look at them. I wave a hand, gesturing for him to give them to Maria instead.

Maria quickly steps forward, her hands hovering nervously as she takes the dirty shoes from him. She shifts on her feet, looking tense and anxious, the typical workplace nerves of a maid trying not to upset her boss.

"Will there be anything else, Miss Leah?" Bauer asks, his voice smooth."No, that's all. Thank you, Bauer," I reply.

As Bauer turns and walks out of the kitchen, True stares at me. Her swollen eyes are wide with shock, and a highly suspicious look crawls across her pink face. She looks at the mud-stained heels in Maria's hands, then back to my face.

"Did you get laid in the bushes last night?" True asks point-blank.

Before I can even open my mouth to yell at her, Mrs. Maria sets a breakfast tray on the counter—loaded with perfectly scrambled eggs, two glasses of ice-cold milk, Oreos, and a side of golden toasted bread. Along with the food, Maria quickly places my phone next to the tray.

"The technician got it completely fixed an hour ago, señorita," Maria says in a rushed, quiet tone before disappearing back into the hallway with the shoes.

True rolls her eyes, completely unfazed by my glare. "Hey, I thought it would be good for you! You are literally always in sweatpants, Leah. The only time you ever dress up is to film a quick post for a PR package, and then you immediately rip the clothes off."

I open my mouth to argue, but the words trap themselves in my throat. I freeze as a sudden, horrific realization hits me. My eyes widen, and I shake my head in pure panic as my brain finally fires up."Oh my god," I whisper."What?" True asks, her fork hovering near an Oreo.

"I just remembered," I say, the anxiety rushing back into my chest. "I promised a brand I'd make an appearance at their little cafe today. I'm supposed to post about it on my page, and I'll definitely get paid for it."

I look down at my freshly repaired phone, thinking about the easy check and the pile of free stuff waiting for me if I just show up. I cannot blow them off.

I point a finger directly at her face, completely ignoring her hangover and her DUI crisis."Get up," I order. "You're coming along with me."