[Chapter 75: The Black Baby]
FOX Television Center, Channel 11.
Things had changed, and Claire directly brought Hawke to the producer's office.
gan Taylor saw Hawke and, noticing he didn't have his notebook bag, was surprised. "You didn't co to deliver news, did you?"
Hawke approached her desk, saying, "I just went to the supermarket to pick up so stuff and thought I'd drop this off for you."
gan was quite surprised, asking, "You wanted to give a gift?"
Hawke pulled out so pepper spray and placed it on her desk. "Watch out for the that gang."
"Thanks," gan replied, putting it away. "Make yourself comfortable."
As Hawke sat down, she asked, "Has that gang been bothering you again?"
Hawke chuckled, "Not really. I guess my office left a lasting impression on them."
gan thought about the modified safe, fearing it wouldn't shock the other side and installing needles; she couldn't help but laugh. "When I get a day off, you should help rework my ho safe."
Hawke wouldn't refuse, saying, "Anyti."
In her busy and stressful job, gan rarely relaxed. She joked, "You might want to branch into ho security."
Hawke feigned seriousness, saying, "I'll apply for a patent later."
gan fiddled with the pepper spray, asking, "You think they are bold enough to retaliate against a Fox anchor?"
"No way, they can't afford to ss with Fox," Hawke replied, knowing that gangs didn't even rate against big corporations. He cautioned, "Cockroaches can't harm people, but they sure can gross you out."
"I'll keep an eye out," gan said, wanting to say more when there was a knock at the office door.
A subordinate entered, saying, "The script is out; needs your final touches."
Hawke took his leave.
gan went to the editing room.
...
Hawke returned to East Hollywood and started making so modifications to the studio.
The next day, upon Edward's arrival, Hawke specifically pointed out new precautions to prevent him from becoming too arrogant.
Edward took notes, saying, "Boss, I realized you are a defensive conservative type."
Hawke was busy disassembling a Glock 19 for maintenance, casually replying, "Do you know what a conservative is?"
Edward said, "Isn't that just soone who sticks to old ways?"
Hawke shook his head. "Thinking radicals are too conservative -- that's what makes a conservative."
Edward admitted he didn't get it.
As Hawke reassembled the gun, he asked, "Savior, can you handle a gun?"
Edward said, "Coming from Compton, who can't?"
Hawke packed his desk, saying, "Let's head to the range today. I'll sign you up for a gun license..."
But Edward waved his hands, "No way, Boss. I think it's better not to carry a gun." He pointed to his face, "A guy like , whether or not I have a license, I'd get my magazine emptied anyway."
Hawke insisted, "Co on, you drive us to the Sutter Mountain shooting range."
Edward had no choice but to go along.
...
At the shooting range, Hawke knew the drill and signed Edward up, running into so trouble during the background check.
Being from Compton put Edward on a watch list.
Fortunately, Edward had no arrests or criminal records, and he successfully passed the firearms background check.
As for the classes and tests, Edward nearly blew up on the spot.
He shoved the newly bought handgun into Hawke's hands, "Boss, point this at and empty the magazine."
Hawke didn't take it, replying, "Great, your bonus just got halved this week."
As soon as he heard that, Edward hurriedly backtracked, "Boss, don't worry. I'll make sure to stay focused in class."
His confidence waned, considering he hadn't even finished his happy education, and his voice dropped, "I'm not sure I'll pass the exam..."
Hawke walked towards the shooting range. "Bonus is getting halved again."
Edward felt like the sky was falling, confidently promising, "I'll make sure I pass."
Arriving at the shooting range, Hawke saw the instructor from last ti playing with a slingshot and chatted him up for a bit.
He rembered how much he loved slingshots as a kid.
Excited, Hawke found they sold slingshots at the range, so he bought two sets along with a big bag of steel balls to practice his aim.
...
Orange County, St. Joseph Hospital.
At the door of the hospital room, Caroline Jones sat on a bench, watching Steve Nutt anxiously pace back and forth, feeling a bit dizzy.
The Los Angeles Dodgers' star was soon to be a father.
Caroline sent her assistant, Amanda, off. "Go grab a bouquet of flowers."
Amanda hurried away.
Just then, the hospital door swung open, and a doctor stepped out, saying to Steve Nutt, "Congratulations, Mr. Nutt, you've beco a father. Daisy and the baby are both doing fine."
Steve stopped in his tracks, grinning from ear to ear. "Thank you! Thank you!" He pointed toward the hospital room door. "Can I go in now?"
Having been too anxious, he was pushed out by the doctor earlier.
"Not yet," the doctor explained. "We have a bit of wrapping up to do."
Steve was joyful. "I'll wait -- hurry!"
The doctor went back inside.
Caroline ca over, smiling: "Congratulations, Steve."
Steve said, "Once I see the baby, you announce it outside."
Caroline nodded slightly. "I've prepared the press release."
A nurse quietly scurried over, softly asking, "Steve, can we take a picture together? Please?"
Feeling in high spirits, Steve replied, "Sure."
The nurse pulled out a Polaroid and had Caroline help take a photo. When the picture was ready, she asked Steve for his autograph.
After a while, the hospital door opened again, and a nurse pushed out so dical waste, followed by others coming out one after another.
Steve got the doctor's okay and eagerly entered the room.
Caroline followed inside, taking her cara out, ready to snap pictures of Steve and Daisy for her blog.
As for the baby, they would hire a professional photographer from People magazine.
After all, the copyright sold for 1.5 million dollars.
Steve entered the room, quickly made his way through the suite's living room, and headed for the room where Daisy lay.
He looked at his weary wife, kissing her pale cheek. "Honey, you've been through a lot."
Daisy smiled, "Quick, take a look at our angel."
The newborn lay nearby in the crib, sound asleep.
Since he had just been born, his skin was still red.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Caroline opened it and Amanda entered with Steve's agent, Biles, along with a nanny.
Caroline and Biles went into the room and placed the flowers on a table away from the baby.
The nanny went to care for the child.
The four of them chatted for a while when suddenly the baby began to cry.
Daisy turned on the bed, looked at the baby's face, and her expression changed.
Steve rushed over, stunned.
As the newborn's red skin gradually faded, black skin was revealed!
Black skin!
Steve instinctively touched his own face and checked the wall mirror, fully confirming he was indeed a white guy.
Then he looked at his wife Daisy, who was even whiter than he was.
Steve stumbled back and plopped down on the sofa.
Daisy murmured, "It can't be... it can't be..."
Caroline noticed the baby's skin color and reacted quickly, telling Amanda, "You guard the hospital door and don't let anyone in without my permission."
She stepped over to the nanny quickly: "I'll raise your pay by 50%, just hand over your phone!"
The nanny glanced at the child's parents, then at the baby, took out her phone, and handed it to Caroline.
Caroline turned to the agent Biles, saying, "Get a new confidentiality agreent drafted imdiately. You need to communicate with the hospital again and stress that they must keep all details about the Nutt couple and their child confidential."
Biles left right away.
"This can't be my child!" Steve shouted, glaring at Daisy. "You and I are both white -- how could we have a black baby?"
Daisy defended herself: "Maybe... the child mutated?"
In her panic, she sought a reason. "Last ti you went to Chinatown and bought Chiniese soy sauce, and after we had sex. That must have influenced the kid's skin color."
Caroline gestured to the nanny, asking her to take the baby out into the hallway.
Steve was even angrier: "You might insult my character, but that's one thing; don't insult my intelligence!"
Daisy didn't expect the situation to turn out this way. "Could it be your ancestors had black people?"
"Your ancestors had black people!" Steve snapped back.
Daisy suddenly understood, "Right, my ancestors had black people."
Steve stood at the bedside, pointing at himself: "Do you think I'm an idiot?!"
He shouted, "You cheated on , betrayed !"
Daisy opened her mouth, but no words ca out.
Steve yelled, "I want a divorce! Let you and your black child go to hell!"
"Is this all my fault?" Daisy was furious too. "How many tis have you cheated? You think I don't know? Sleeping with white won is one thing, but you even ss with black won!"
Her voice turned sharp: "You slept with your black teammate Wilson's wife, and got her genes, that's why it turned out to be a black child!"
Steve roared, "Okay, I admit I ssed around. You also got pregnant from soone but deceived about this being our child!"
"This only happened after that night at the pool. I thought it was yours," Daisy, feeling exhausted and in pain, nearly snapped, "Could it have been the night before when I was with Wilson at the hotel..."
Upon hearing this, Steve recalled, "Wilson? You slept with Wilson, he's my teammate!"
Caroline, standing by, felt a headache coming on. Were there really no normal people among these stars? Or did people pursue strange thrills just because they had money and fa?
Finally, the shouting subsided a bit, and Caroline, fulfilling her public relations duty, reminded, "Daisy, Steve, we need to send out a press release and photos. People magazine's people have been waiting for a call! We can control the child's news for a while, but it will inevitably get out in three or four days."
Steve slumped down, saying, "You're the PR; what do you suggest we do?"
Caroline said, "Please don't speak for a mont -- just drink so water and calm down for five minutes. I'll ask again in five minutes."
The two of them were silent, fuming.
After five minutes, Caroline said, "You're about to face a huge public opinion crisis. Please cooperate with . If you act recklessly, you must have seen what happened to Miller Collins..."
She asked directly, "Think about it, don't answer right away: Do you want a divorce?"
Steve opened his mouth, thinking to say divorce, but considering their joint business brand and the possible repercussions, he closed his mouth again.
Daisy knew full well she was just a washed-up model tied to Steve for whatever she had now and quickly spoke up, "No, I don't want a divorce!"
Caroline looked to Steve, who gave a slight shake of his head.
"In that case, let lay out the major issues we will encounter next," she explained: "Once the child is exposed, your crisis will be laid bare in public, and your careers and business brands will suffer. The brands you represent may even cancel their contracts with you."
Daisy tried to suggest, "What if the child doesn't get exposed? Or what if there's a dical accident, and the child is stillborn?"
Caroline replied, "The hospital won't cooperate with us; it would hurt their brand. Additionally, you need to rember the exclusive agreent with People magazine, which you secured for 1.5 million dollars. A breach of contract ans a full refund with an equal penalty, and a furious People magazine would take this public opinion crisis to hit you hard."
Steve buried his face in his hands, and after a long while, gritted his teeth and asked, "What's the solution?"
Caroline pondered a mont: "I'd propose that Daisy admits to a drunken one-night stand, and Steve, you publicly forgive Daisy and commit to raising the child well. Then we'd communicate with People magazine, and they only need the buzz, and as long as there's buzz, they won't consider it a breach of contract."
Daisy argued, "My reputation and Steve's will be damaged, and the endorsents will be dropped."
Steve asked, "Isn't there a better plan?"
"This is the most effective PR strategy to minimize negative impact," Caroline explained. Suddenly, a figure fluttered through her mind. Her PR strategy and the agency's style focused on maintaining stability, but that guy had rough thods.
She also rembered a key point: Steve and Daisy's PR fees were paid in fixed amounts to the company every year, not personally to her. That guy had promised her a cut.
Caroline then said, "There's soone who may have a solution."
Steve urgently asked, "Who? Get them here fast!"
Caroline replied, "West Coast dia Entertainnt Studio, Hawke Osnt."
*****
/Sayonara816.
Reviews
All reviews (0)