On a Slippery Slope by Melody Fitzpatrick Page B

…” The man raises his eyebrows. “In a cup okay?”
    â€œSounds great.”
    With a pizza box in one hand and a tiny cup of cucumber slices in the other, I tear back across the street. Rodrigo at reception looks up and motions with his hand to … slowwww down. Realizing I must look like a frantic maniac, I put on the brakes and proceed to walk to the staff room, where I check my hair in the mirror, grab a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water from the fridge, pop in a couple of cucumber slices, and slide the piping-hot pizza onto a plate. I put it all on a silver tray sitting beside the microwave and add a stack of napkins … pizza is messy!
    â€œ Still hungry? ” I ask the woman as I walk back into the green room.
    â€œ Oh my gosh, hungry? You don ’t even know.”
    â€œWell how about a nice hot slice of cheese pizza?” I place the steaming tray on the coffee table in front of her.
    Her eyes zoom in on the plate and she squeals with delight. Wow, she must really like pizza!
    â€œYou, young lady, are a lifesaver,” she says as she bites down on her slice. “This has to be the cheesiest — mmmm — gooiest, most delicious pizza I have ever had in my — mmmm — life! And I am not kidding,” she adds, licking her lips.
    â€œI’m so sorry, Senator Bradley,” Andy exclaims, suddenly bursting into the room. “Your salad is on the …” Andy stops mid-sentence as she spies the huge slice of cheese-smothered pizza in Senator Bradley’s mouth. “Oh!” she exclaims, as a look of pure dread registers on her face. “Your salad should have been here waiting for you. I’m usually on top of these things. I don’t know what happened. I’ve really messed up. There’ s no excuse. ”

    â€œAre you kidding? Salad wouldn’t have cut it today, Andy. With two flights, three meetings, and four cab rides, I haven’t eaten in probably seventeen hours. I’m starving, and this pizza tastes like heaven.” Senator Bradley laughs and takes another bite.
    â€œOkay …” Andy says, looking over as I shove a slice of equally delicious pizza into my mouth.
    â€œYummy,” I say, smirking.
    â€œ Um … where did the pizza…?”
    â€œYou have quite a valuable assistant here, Andy! She even thought to bring me this lovely cucumber water!”
    â€œCucumber what?”
    â€œ Um …” I break in, “I saw it on The Doctors ; it’s supposed to be calming and rejuvenating.” I wink at Andy.
    â€œMmmm … totally,” the senator agrees. “This young lady really knows how to think on her feet. Make sure you don’ t lose her. ”
    â€œGood advice,” Andy says, nodding slowly.
    * * *
    A fter supper, back at home, Dad calls me into his office.
    â€œSo, I hear you were quite the little superstar at the station today.”
    â€œSuperstar?”
    â€œThat’s what Andy called you. She said you saved her butt today.”
    â€œI just got one of the guests something to eat,” I say, shrugging. “No big deal.”
    â€œOh, but it was a big deal, Hannah. You impressed some very important people, including the senator.”
    â€œWell, that’s cool, I guess.” I smile.
    â€œIt’s more than cool, Han! Andy is swamped at the station, totally in way over her head. Anyway, she wanted to know if you would be interested in working at the station after school as kind of a gofer.”
    â€œA gofer?”
    â€œYeah. You’d help her out — kind of like what you did today. You’d be her second set of hands.”
    â€œThanks, Dad, but I have this babysitting thing that I’m trying to get off the ground.”
    â€œHannah, I’ve asked around and it looks like Frank’s daughter, Chloe, has all the babysitting locked down in the office. Besides, what Andy is offering you is guaranteed money,