The Fifth Gospel

by Grubb, Michelle

  Flic nodded, wondering if there wasn’t an important “someone” in Anna’s life. When Dee’s attention returned to the schedule in front of her, the conversation was over.

  Before Flic finished her tea, Anna returned and quickly reverted to full professional mode. On the screen, she displayed a detailed publicity schedule. “Ireland is first, predominantly Catholic in the south but, as we know, less so in the north. We need this book to be talked about, so from a marketing perspective, this is the best chance we have to manufacture momentum in these early stages of promotion.”

  Flic understood the Catholic south versus Protestant north divide in Ireland. Obviously, things had improved significantly since “The Troubles,” but a religious angle would certainly generate interest from the press. It was a clever tactic.

  “France is next,” Anna continued. “The French like to protest, and it will be our job to provide them with something they can form a clear opinion on. On the back of Ireland, this is our challenge, but it can certainly be accomplished.”

  Anna detailed the locations she intended to lock in as sales took hold. After France, the tour would take Flic around most of Western Europe before returning to England. It was a grueling timetable, and without even factoring in the lucrative US market, the tour was already a month long.

  Felicity began to comprehend just how life changing the book might prove to be. She watched in awe as Anna outlined the strategies they would employ. Even as they spoke, the social media department at Griffin’s was frantically building a website, a Twitter account, a Facebook page, Instagram account, and a huge array of digital downloads associated with the book and Felicity herself. In between all the marketing and decision-making tasks associated with the actual book, appointments had been squeezed into her personal itinerary—a makeover, photo shoot, and sessions with experts to deliver her a crash course in breathing and interview techniques to name but a few.

  Beyond their obvious difference of opinion, she couldn’t help but be impressed by Anna’s professionalism. After faltering that morning, Anna appeared to have gathered herself and seemed incredibly committed to the task, indeed, committed to Dee. The fact that she didn’t personally believe they should be pursuing publication of the book strangely impressed Flic.

  The graphic team submitted a set of possible covers, including the one she’d seen yesterday, by mid afternoon. Although she loved them all, she was forced to choose her favorite. The image she selected conveyed strong religious undertones, and predictably, it was Anna’s least favorite.

  “Will you always dislike what I like?” Flic grinned.

  “I can’t help it if you have appalling taste.” Anna was gathering her documents from the table but didn’t hide her amusement.

  “I don’t believe for one moment you didn’t have the last say on the final cover proofs.”

  “Then you overestimate my authority. Dee always has the last word.”

  Flic briefly doubted that but knew better. “I imagine you went to Dee with the final proofs and she agreed with your selection. Tell me I’m not wrong?”

  “I’ll tell you nothing of the sort. Besides, you selected the least appealing cover of the final proofs.” Documents secure in her stylish bag, Anna held the door open for Flic with her free hand. “I reiterate—appalling taste.”

  Flic stalled on the threshold, dangerously close to Anna. “In some situations, I have outstanding taste.”

  “And dare I ask those situations?”

  She wasn’t expecting Anna to entertain the conversation any longer than necessary. Flic liked her cheeky response. “Maybe I’ll show you one day.”

  Anna finally blushed. “You should get some fresh air now before the real hard work begins.”

  “You’re changing the subject.”

  “No. I think you might be doing that.”

  “And is this topic so bad?”

  They had been walking toward Anna’s office. She paused before entering. “I’m not entirely sure what the subject is, but I think I’m holding my own.”

  Flic laughed as she continued toward reception and the futuristic coffee machine. “Yep, you’re doing that all right.”

  Chapter Six

  The only break came at seven that evening when Dee ordered food and sent those in for the long haul home with orders to shower, freshen up, and return by nine to continue into the night.

  Anna stretched back in her luxurious office chair. She enjoyed the challenge of a big project, but it invariably took its toll. This time next week, she knew she’d be dead on her feet.

  She was impressed with Felicity’s attitude and dedication. She had been the last to leave and the first to return for the evening stint. On any other project, Anna thought she might like her more. It was a pity she held such radical views. Flic was charming, even she could tell that, and genuine too, with her sense of humor and warm attitude toward everyone. She just wished Felicity hadn’t been the author of Holy Father, Holy Secret. In fact, it was beginning to annoy her that she couldn’t write Felicity off as an unsavory lost cause. The annoyance was, in turn, causing her a great distraction. Felicity’s niceness was distracting, but what a stupid notion.

  Anna stopped swiveling on her chair. She was becoming dizzy. A distraction indeed.

  Her task that evening was to build a framework for the logistics of the tour schedule. On this occasion, marketing and location went hand in hand; the order of appearances would influence her marketing approach. The priority for her team in the morning was to confirm flights, hotels, transfers, and schedule appearances. She was pleased with her team. They had produced an abundance of ideas on how to market the story to maximize interest, and while she was personally struggling with the concept of the pope being gay, something Felicity had said that morning seemed to motivate the others, and the team had run with it.

  The angle they had developed was acceptance, not scandal, and it was brilliant. The only problem was that she didn’t buy it, not for a second. Anna knew the outing of their leader would crush the church, but would the rest of the world take something from their angle? She had to concede it was a unique selling point, and the innovations her team had brainstormed already were inspired. The only problem was, no one on her team was Catholic, and few of them comprehended the magnitude of these revelations. Even fewer cared. In essence, their marketing strategy was to idolize and revere the man they were outing and the man many Catholics would despise. It was a tough sell, but on the balance of probabilities, it could work. She hated and loved the idea simultaneously.

  *

  Flic sat surrounded by piles of paperwork to either read or complete. She had no idea there would be so much information to absorb. She clouted her knee on the desk when a knock at the door startled her. Without waiting for a response, Anna poked her head in.

  “Can I interrupt you for a moment?”

  Flic nodded, rubbing her knee, but relieved by the welcome disruption. Her eyes were tired from reading, and the thought of being distracted by Anna lifted her spirits.

  “I didn’t know you wore glasses.” It was more of an observation than a question.

  Flic smiled. “They just relieve some of the strain. I tend to over focus.”

  “Well, they suit you.” Anna blushed as if she’d spoken a thought out loud.

  “Thank you. I certainly need them tonight.”

  “I have a couple of things to run by you if you have a moment?” Anna replaced her friendly persona with slick professionalism. Flic admired the seamless transition and nodded for her to go on.

  “This is the press release we’re running with in the initial stages. Depending on what’s happening in the media, we have other directions preplanned, but on the whole, this is the direction we’ll be taking.”

  Flic glanced at the press release. “Whoa, it outs me as a lesbian in the first sentence. Don’t you think that’s a little personal?”

  Anna nodded. “In normal circumstances, yes.” She then handed Flic the publi
city and marketing proposal. “But as you can see, we’re not trying to create a scandal. On the contrary, we’re trying to distance ourselves from the negative press that is surrounding this whole situation. We can control that to a certain extent, then eventually, the media will do what they like, but at no stage will we actually suggest that the pope is doing anything wrong. Our line is to suggest that the entire thing has been completely blown out of all proportion.”

  Flic was amazed.

  “What you said to me this morning made sense on some level, and if you don’t think the pope being gay is outrageous, then perhaps the public won’t either. From a marketing perspective, it could be a winner.”

  “Could be?” Flic was pleased her little talk had sunk in.

  “Yes, could be. It certainly won’t be what the press and the public are expecting. It will work in our favor.”

  Flic couldn’t help be a little disappointed. “So, it only made sense for the purposes of marketing?”

  Anna straightened. “I’m not suggesting you’re ignorant. I think you believe what you’re doing is morally sound. But I don’t think you have any understanding of the impact of what you’ve written and the subsequent publishing of your book.”

  “Anna, the pope is gay whether I’ve written it or not.”

  “Perhaps, but for the sake of over a billion people, the Vatican can manage this situation, repair the damage, and in time move on. That can’t happen when there is a novel out there sensationalizing this, fuelling the fires of anti-Catholic demonstrators, and putting into question everything that the Catholic faith holds dear.”

  “Don’t you mean that you hold dear?”

  “Yes, me and over a billion people.”

  “And you think I’m ignorant?” Flic was astounded by Anna’s attitude. “You can’t possibly try to tell me that over a billion Catholics abstain from sex before marriage, refuse to use birth control, or haven’t participated in adultery?” How was someone so highly intelligent and educated so uninformed? “There are loads of gay Catholics in the world. Poor Pope Valentine isn’t the first, you know?”

  Anna turned for the door, flustered and close to tears. “When I was a child, the Catholic Church was all I had. Forgive me for not wanting that to change. And forgive me for not wanting to be a participant in its destruction.”

  Flic had more to say, but Anna was gone. She had more to say to prove her point, but also floating around her brain were the words she might have used to placate or even console Anna regarding the future of her beloved church. Destruction certainly wasn’t what Flic had in mind. She hoped to God Anna’s marketing strategy would work, otherwise the hatred of the world’s Catholic believers might be aimed solely in her direction.

  At one a.m., Dee called everyone to the boardroom. Still looking alarmingly refreshed and alert, she stood relaxed at the head of the table and requested updates from every team.

  Anna reported that her publicist team would work through the proposed schedule when they arrived later that morning at seven o’clock. She produced the first draft of the marketing proposal and markups, including images from the social media team. It all looked stunning and amazingly professional.

  Flic was exhausted. She wondered how these people could remain so focused and effective at that hour of the morning. Dee was the rock and driving force.

  *

  Although they remained guarded, Anna and Flic established a favorable middle ground and continued to work efficiently together as the days passed.

  As it stood, the Vatican remained silent and gave no indication that an official statement would be forthcoming. This was good news for the exhausted team at Griffin’s, but the public were becoming increasingly twitchy. It was possible, due to the tight time frames, that her book might be delayed, but it was imperative that it was released prior to any Vatican confirmation of a gay pope. Of course, if they denied the pope’s relationship with the Camerlengo, her sales would likely soar.

  Silence or a denial was Griffin’s preference, and a confirmation would cause a major rethink. The whole thing was incredibly stressful.

  Anna had come to Flic’s office to discuss her preferences on hotels, and not for the first time, had taken five minutes to catch a power nap on Flic’s sofa away from her own office and Dee Macintosh.

  Flic was usually so far behind schedule that she barely noticed Anna, but tonight she was struggling to keep her eyes open. Without really noticing, she began to watch Anna sleep between tasks, then more frequently until she quit working altogether and simply just watched her sleep.

  She couldn’t remember ever seeing anyone sleep so peacefully. Anna’s eyes finally twitched open, and Flic didn’t bother trying to hide her stare. “Can I get you anything?” she asked. “Tea or a coffee?” Flic’s voice was soft and gentle. She hadn’t meant it to be; it just came out that way.

  “I’d love a cup of tea.”

  Flic smiled.

  “And a doughnut, please? Maybe a jam one if there’s any left.”

  Flic returned with hot drinks and a selection of snacks.

  “Do you always watch people sleep?” asked Anna.

  “I’m not always around sleeping people, so I’m not sure. I’ll make a mental note next time to see where my eyes wander though.”

  “So there’s no one waiting for you at home then?”

  Flic laughed. Something told her Anna didn’t want to be interested in Flic, but curiosity had evidently won out. “If there was, I reckon they’d have pushed off by now or they’d have forgotten what I look like.”

  “Everyone will know what you look like soon.”

  “Yes. I suppose they will.”

  “Does it bother you?”

  “I’m too tired to be bothered by anything other than lack of sleep, but I guess it will sell books.”

  “If this works, you’ll be famous. Have you thought this through?”

  “Nice try.” Flic offered the last pastry, and when Anna declined, she ate it herself. “And a new tack and all.”

  Anna smiled. “I didn’t mean you should pull out. You’re many things. I doubt a quitter is one of them. It’s just that you seem very private. I simply wondered if you fully understood the impact your book is probably going to have.”

  “If your marketing strategy works, my book should have a massive impact.”

  Anna rubbed her eyes. “Yes. Perhaps I’m my own worst enemy.”

  “What’s your strike rate?”

  “Pardon?”

  “What are the chances of your strategy working? Do all your strategies sell books?” Flic clarified.

  “Put it this way, I’d be surprised if you didn’t hit the New York Times number one spot sooner rather than later. You’d better develop a tough skin.”

  “I think I can handle it.”

  Anna’s face softened. It was the first time Flic thought she might be seeing a real person, not just a professional searching for the best-selling angle on a book. “I’m serious and I’m not trying to frighten you, but when your book is released, everyone in the world will have access to it. Everyone will be an instant expert, a critic, and there will be some people who will try to do everything to drag you down. They will write horrible things about you and about your book, and they won’t care that you’re a real person too, with feelings.” Anna smiled knowingly. “I’d hate for you to go into this blind, that’s all.”

  Flic had only thought about fame briefly, and then it was only the good bits like a new car, a bigger house, and a long holiday. The fact that Anna had bothered to counsel her about it gave her cause to set her perceptive comments aside and afford them due consideration later. Anna didn’t have to look out for her in this way, and the notion was touching.

  Not wanting to miss an opportunity, Flic steered the conversation back to personal ground. She wanted to know more. “But an eye for an eye, Miss Lawrence. Tell me about the special someone waiting for you at home?”

  “I wish. Waiting at home is my flatmate, S
eb. We’ve been friends for years. I don’t seem to have much luck in the romance department.”

  The response was far more candid than Flic had expected. She returned the favor.

  “Me neither.”

  “What? Surely you have a girlfriend?” Anna blushed. “I mean, you’re a nice person. I wouldn’t have thought you’d be single.”

  “Yes, I am a nice person. Glad you noticed.” She winked, but her humor was brief. “I think that might be the reason I’m single.” Flic’s last relationship, and most significant by far, had failed miserably, but she refused to harbor the classic brooding routine. She just cracked on with things.

  “So, we’re two single chicks just hanging out in the office until…well, until I go gallivanting off to Europe, I suppose.” Flic finished her tea.

  “Do you believe in God?” Anna pulled her knees under her chin. “I mean you seem to be someone who I’d imagine has faith of some description.”

  Flic hated this question at the best of times, and religion certainly wasn’t something she felt comfortable talking to Anna about. Unless she lied, there was no chance of any common ground between them.

  She hated liars. “If I’m being completely honest, I don’t believe in God.”

  “At all?”

  “I think he’s a myth, just like the tooth fairy and just like Santa.”

  “So why write about it?”

  It was a fair question. Flic considered her response. “Just because I don’t believe in it, doesn’t mean I’m not interested. With absolutely no evidence of validation, I find it fascinating that so many people’s lives are ruled by, or in some way affected by, religion. But don’t get me wrong, I don’t judge people for their beliefs. I simply find it all quite intriguing. If there were a machine to measure judgment on beliefs, I’d wager yours to be a higher reading than mine.”

  “Oh, that’s utter rubbish.” Anna was wide-awake now. “You’ve written a book you know full well will damage the church.”