(~(~)~)
"Of course she'll get my job. I'll make that a condition of my retirement."
Esther's voice droops wearily. "What makes you think they'll agree to that?"
"The network thinks the show needs new blood. Calvin doesn't realize that Dana will run the show exactly the way I do." Isaac swivels his chair, looks out the window. "That's not what worries me. What worries me is: who gets Dana's job when she gets mine?"
He hears rustling in the background, wonders what Esther's doing. "Who do you want for it?"
"Natalie."
"And the network?"
"Probably Sally Sasser."
That gets Esther's attention. "That woman scares me."
"As well she should." They chuckle. Isaac tries to imagine what it will be like, being home with Esther every day. He tries to have faith that, despite four decades of marriage, they will have things to say to each other.
"Can't Dana demand that Natalie be made executive producer?"
"Dana can't come out of the gate looking adversarial. The bad blood between Dana and Sally is no secret." Isaac wanted it to be a secret from him. He loves his staff; he respects them greatly. The next one who unloads personal problems on him is going out the window. "If the network proposes Sally for the job, and Dana puts up a fight, Calvin and his people are going to think she's doing it for petty vengeance."
She knows him well enough, knows 'Sports Night' well enough, to know that the next question to ask is, "What do you think?"
"I think Sally Sasser's not a particularly nice woman. Nor is she a particularly talented one. For sure she's not equal to being executive producer of 'Sports Night.'" Isaac's leg twinges, and he rubs it with a frown. For the most part, his body behaves itself, lets itself remain under his control. But there are moments. "I have to lay the groundwork now. I need someone behind the scenes who'll help me convince Calvin that Natalie's the only viable candidate for the job -- before they even realize they need a viable candidate."
He hears a frown in her voice as she suddenly asks, "Isaac, isn't it too soon for all of this?"
He sighs, looking out the window again. He loves this time of the evening. New York City looks almost forgiving in the sunset light. "I'm retiring at the end of the year, Esther. That's not a lot of time at all."
There it is, in the hallway: the gasp that turns too quickly into a cough and too slowly into silence. He smiles. "I ought to go back to work now, dear."
She laughs. "You didn't even need me for this."
"Of course I do." He grins. "I'll see you tonight." He hangs up the phone and waits. After a 'suitable' amount of time has passed, a dark head of hair appears in the doorway, eyes bright with secret knowledge and devious plans. Isaac smiles and waves his guest inside. "Come in, Jeremy."
END