Tilly moved past her to grab the tripod. “Henry got assignments yet?”
“Meeting in a minute,” she said. “He wants everyone circled.”
“Cool.”
They loaded the equipment together in a quiet rhythm. Savannah hovered close, then backed off, then stepped in again — unsure, but trying. When she reached to hand them a mic cable, her fingers brushed theirs.
She pulled back fast.
Tilly pretended they didn’t notice.
“Need help with anything?” she asked, voice careful.
“I’ve got it,” they said. “Thanks, though.”
It wasn’t cold. Just… neutral. A controlled middle ground.
Savannah nodded, but her throat moved in a small swallow. “Okay.”
Henry clapped his hands over his head. “Alright, people. In the circle.”
Nightside reporters and photogs drifted in. Harper twirled her pen and gave Savannah a quick, assessing look before turning her attention to Henry. Jamie stood with her tablet under one arm, hair perfect, reviewing her 6 p.m. copy while a producer spoke quietly beside her — anchor things, not field work.
Henry rattled through assignments.
Harper was on the city council livestream updates.
A rookie was put on a school program feature.
Jamie was working on tease scripts and A-block prep; she waved her tablet absently without looking up.
And—
“Riverfront follow,” Henry said, eyes flicking between Savannah and Tilly. “Wells, you on that again?”
Savannah nodded. “Yeah.”
“Tilly, you free?”
“Yep.”
“You two take it. Quick VO/SOT turnaround for the six.”
That was that. The group broke apart.
Savannah lingered.
“If you want to switch,” she said quietly, “I can ask Andrew. You don’t have to go back out there with me.”
There it was — the offering.
Tilly tightened their grip on the tripod handle.
“It’s fine,” they said. “We can handle riverfront.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” They met her eyes for the briefest second. “It’s just a story.”
