A Slice of Life

"And we are back with Joanna!" Ryan Seacrest's voice boomed from my phone, his tone upbeat and full of energy. I was driving back to my apartment, listening to today's recording of On Air with Ryan Seacrest, where Joanna was the guest this morning.

"I like how it's just 'Joanna,' like Madonna," Ryan said with a chuckle, and I could hear Joanna's awkward laugh in response.

'Glad she's getting more comfortable with these interviews,' I thought as I listened in. She had come a long way from the shy girl I knew in high school.

"You started off on YouTube, right?" Ryan asked.

"Yes," Joanna replied.

"I think you're the second person to really break into the industry this way—through the internet," Ryan said. "I have a feeling that's going to become more common in the coming years."

"It's easier to show off your skills through the internet," Joanna agreed. "If you have a good following, anything's possible."

Ryan's voice cut back in, excited. "I mean, it shows! You've taken the world by storm with your first single, 'Runaway.' It's everywhere—radio, streaming, the music charts."

Joanna laughed. "Yeah, 'Runaway' was actually the song that made my channel popular on YouTube."

"How did that feel? Did you ever think you'd be here today?"

"Me? No way!" Joanna laughed again. "But my friends and family did. They were so supportive."

The past year had been a whirlwind for her ever since she signed with the label. They'd been pushing her hard, promoting her as the next big star. Her songs had a unique sound, and people were drawn to her genuine personality.

But I knew the fame had come with its challenges. Joanna had confided in me about the overwhelming pressure. One thing that really troubled her was the strange parasocial relationships some fans had developed. It was unnerving for her—the intensity of it all. She even told me once that after her first album, she was considering walking away from it all because of how weirded out she was.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard my name mentioned in the interview.

"Now, I have to ask," Ryan Seacrest continued, his tone playfully probing. "This song was co-written by you and Daniel Adler. So, how did that happen?"

Joanna's voice seemed to brighten at the mention of my name. "Daniel's a close friend. We met in high school."

"Oh wow, didn't know that," Ryan responded, clearly intrigued. "So, were you, umm..." He trailed off, hoping to stir up some details about our relationship.

Joanna was quick to clarify. "We're best friends. Daniel's been one of my biggest supporters, other than my brother. He's really the reason I'm here today." Her words were filled with sincerity. "He helped me write three of the songs on my album, and honestly, I think those are the best ones."

Ryan chuckled. "It's like all these talented people find each other somehow."

The interview wrapped up just as I pulled up to my apartment building. The polished concrete and glass exterior gleamed under the soft California evening sun, casting reflections of the city skyline. A valet, already waiting by the curb, approached my car as I opened the door.

"Good evening, Mr. Adler," the valet greeted me with a smile, ready to take the keys.

I stepped out, handing the keys over with a brief smile. "Thanks, Jim," I replied, glancing toward the entrance of the building.

As I made my way inside, the doorman, a well-dressed man in his early 40s, stood by the entrance with a polite smile. "Good evening, Mr. Adler."

"Evening, James," I replied, nodding as I walked past.

The lobby doors slid open smoothly, revealing the sleek interior of the building. Polished marble floors stretched out beneath my feet, their surfaces reflecting the glow of recessed lighting that lined the ceiling. Abstract art adorned the walls, giving the space an air of modern sophistication. Tasteful Christmas decorations were carefully placed throughout—twinkling lights wrapped around a grand fir tree in the corner, with ornaments and garlands draped elegantly over the reception desk.

I walked over to the private elevator, reserved only for penthouse residents like myself. With a swipe of my keycard, the doors opened silently, and I stepped inside.

The ride up was smooth and silent, the numbers flashing by as the elevator ascended to the top floor. When the doors slid open again, I stepped into the private foyer that led directly to my apartment.

As I entered, I barely had a moment to take a step into the living room before something small tackled my legs. I looked down to find my little sister, Alice, gripping onto my leg with all her might, her face lighting up in delight.

"Alice?" I asked, surprised.

"Danny!" she squealed, looking up at me with wide eyes. Her arms wrapped even tighter around my leg.

I bent down, picking her up easily, and she let out a happy squeal, giggling in my arms. "What are you doing here?" I asked, holding her up as she clung to me.

She didn't answer right away, just hugged me closer. "Did you miss me?" I asked, knowing how attached she was. I hadn't seen her for two weeks, but to Alice, it must've felt like an eternity.

She nodded, burying her face in my shoulder.

"Hey, kid," I heard Nathan's voice behind me. I turned to see him and my mom walking into the living room.

"Surprise!" my mom said with a bright smile.

I set Alice down and stepped forward to greet them. Nathan pulled me into a quick, one-armed hug, patting my back, while Mom wrapped me in a warm, familiar embrace.

"How was Canada?" I asked, pulling back to look at them.

"Well, you know… it's just snow," Mom replied, rolling her eyes a little. She had never been fond of the cold or Nathan's mom's latest conspiracy theories.

"I saw snow!" Alice said, beaming up at me.

"You did?" I asked, grinning down at her as she nodded eagerly. "Did you like it?"

"Too cold," she replied, wrinkling her nose.

Nathan laughed, shaking his head. "My daughter hates snow. I was really looking forward to teaching her to ski."

I chuckled, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Mom wandered around the living room, her eyes landing on my collection of model planes displayed neatly on the shelf.

"Did you buy a new one?" she asked, pointing to a sleek, detailed model that was definitely a recent addition.

"Yeah," I said, giving her a look. "Don't touch it. It's really expensive."

Mom scoffed. "Why buy something so useless if it's that expensive?"

"Hey, it's not useless to me!" I shot back. "I can't wait to show it to Jay. He's going to lose his mind."

Mom then walked over and sat down. "Did Margot move in with you?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

I paused, realizing I hadn't mentioned it to her yet. "Yeah, last week," I said, remembering how spontaneous the decision had been. Margot and I had been dating for most of this year, and with New Year's only a few days away, the move felt right. It was crazy how fast the year had passed.

"It wasn't really planned. It just… kind of happened."

Mom raised her eyebrows. "And you didn't tell me?"

I gave her a sheepish grin. "Well, I'm telling you now."

She gave me a look. One of those looks.

"What?" I asked, bouncing Alice in my arms. "I thought you liked her."

"I do, I do," Mom said, but there was something in her tone that told me there was more to it.

Nathan jumped in. "Mary, you've gotta stop this thing you have with Danny's girlfriends. First, it was Haley, and now Margot?"

"I don't have a thing!" Mom protested. "I just think, now that Danny's a successful producer, suddenly this aspiring actress wants to date him." She folded her arms, her lips pursed in that way that told me she was concerned.

"Mom," I said, annoyed. "I think Nathan's mom is rubbing off on you."

Mom gasped dramatically. "You take that back!"

"Okay, okay, sorry, that was too far," I said quickly, realizing that was not the thing to say considering how much Mom disliked Nathan's mom.

"Look, Margot doesn't ask me for help. She wants to make it on her own. The only thing I do is make sure creeps in the industry stay away from her."

Just then, the door to the apartment opened and I heard Margot's voice. "You won't believe this—" she said as she hurried in, but her excitement turned to surprise when she saw Mom, Nathan, and Alice in my arms.

"Oh! Mary, Nathan… hey!" Margot said, her voice softening as she came over.

"Hey, they came to visit," I explained, smiling at her.

"How was your trip up north?" Margot asked politely as she walked toward us, her energy calming.

"Cold," Mom answered, offering Margot a small smile, but her tone remained a bit distant.

Alice, still in my arms, started wriggling as soon as she spotted Margot. Her little hands reached out toward her, and Margot's face softened instantly.

"Did you miss me, Alice?" Margot asked, her voice filled with warmth. She gently took Alice from my arms, cradling her with ease. Alice giggled, her small arms wrapping around Margot's neck as if they were old friends. Margot smiled at her. "I missed you too," she cooed, pressing a soft kiss to Alice's cheek.

Alice giggled again, her eyes twinkling with joy as she nestled comfortably into Margot's arms.

"So… what were you saying when you came in?" I asked, remembering that Margot had been on the shortlist to play Andromeda in Clash of the Titans, and she had been waiting for the call. I was surprised the movie was just getting made—I remembered it coming out earlier. But that was just one of the oddities of this world, where there were small changes and big changes. Some countries were in better states than I remembered, and there was even an extra country or two in Africa. Some of these big differences made little difference.

Margot's face lit up. "I got the part!" she said, beaming with excitement.

I stood up, a grin spreading across my face as I walked over to her. "That's amazing! Congratulations!" I said, pulling her into a hug, though Alice was still cradled in her arms, squirming slightly but giggling.

Mom and Nathan chimed in, offering their congratulations as well.

"Congratulations!" Mom said warmly, her previous tone softening.

"We should go out for dinner tonight—celebrate properly," I said.

Nathan immediately nodded in agreement. "Great idea. I'm starving," he said, grinning.

"I'm going to make the reservations," I said, taking out my phone.

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"Animation is doing well. Finding Nemo has exceeded expectations, and now Toy Story 3 is in full production," Victor said, taking a sip of bourbon from the glass in his hand.

Chris, sitting across from him, nodded with a smile. "Everything's on the up. We're hitting all the right marks."

Victor shifted in his seat. "So why has Netflix approached us to produce an animated series for them?"

Chris's face shifted to confusion. "Well, it's a good offer. Honestly, I'm inclined to accept."

Victor's annoyance was evident as he leaned in. "Chris, you do realize why Netflix approached us, right? They're adapting Adler's books."

Chris blinked. "Yeah, Danny insisted they hire us to handle production."

Victor scoffed. "Yes, but Netflix gets everything else. We're just the workhorse. Why did Adler involve Netflix in the first place? We could've done this ourselves, in-house. All the profits could have been ours."

Chris sighed and leaned back, clearly tired of Victor's line of questioning. "It was his choice, Victor. Netflix's platform is growing. This deal makes sense."

Victor folded his arms, his frustration simmering. "Adler might've cost us money in the long run by partnering with Netflix. And now, all we do is handle the animation while they reap the majority of the benefits."

"The studio still makes money, Victor," Chris countered calmly. "We're not losing out on anything. I don't see the problem."

Victor's gaze hardened. "This new project will only delay my...our plans to launch animated films for DC. You remember those plans, don't you?"

Chris shook his head slightly. "Victor, those films aren't a priority right now. This Netflix deal is good for the studio. In the future, we can strengthen the relationship further. Streaming is becoming more popular, and Netflix could be a significant partner. It's for the good of the company."

Victor fell silent, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why did Adler approach Netflix anyway?"

Chris paused for a moment before answering. "I believe he's aiming for a seat on their board. He owns a substantial amount of Netflix stock."

Victor's eyes widened for a moment before he slowly leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I see..."

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