Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapters 174 Worst Way

*Trisha*

"I think they are blowing this out of proportion just a little, don't you?" Casey rolls her eyes just  like Julia does and looks away from the rec room TV.

"They'll make a story out of anything. Especially when it comes to Nate." I explain while watching a clip of Nate and Mila walking out of another venue hand in hand.

Jonah enters the rec room but without Nate.  We arrived at our destination- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but Nate had taken a nap in his bunk of the tour bus. No one wanted to wake him, but it's almost three in the afternoon, for God's sake. He's been sleeping a lot during the days and not enough at night.

"We'll let him rest another half hour," Jonah announces and heads straight to the buffet table.

"Hun, didn't you just eat lunch? Are you sure you don't REALLY have a tapeworm??" Casey giggles from the couch.

"Blah, blah, blah. This is a judgment free zone." He throws a grape at Casey.

"That's Planet Fitness, you dope." I sigh and look at the time on my phone. "Well, we have that online agenda meeting with management in an hour. Nate will need to be awake and ready for that. It's with all the big wigs, Richard.. and Leslie will be here shortly."

"You guys have a lot of meetings. I thought tour was just that...touring and concerts... isn't everything already planned in advance?" Casey asks. "These meetings are an unnecessary stressor for Nate."

"I know. What the hell do you want me to do about it? I'm just the personal assistant. My job is supposed to be fetching Nate fucking coffee and making sure he doesn't have spinach in his teeth. I don't know how I got roped into all this over the years." 

I realize Nate takes advantage of me a little more than other celebrities would their personal assistants but I'm not just his PA. I'm his anchor.

Over the years, some celebrity/ PA  relationships shift.... evolved past the standard assistant-celebrity dynamic. But we practically started attached to each other's hips and quickly became best friends in a short amount of time. Sure, I'm the one to schedule his flights, wrangle the press, and make sure he has the right mic for soundcheck, but it's more.  Nate relies on me to keep his damn world running. I'm the one who knows when he's overwhelmed before he even says it. I'm the one who makes sure he eats and forces him to take a breath when the chaos of the industry threatens to pull him under.  I'm the one to keep him sober, and I'm now the buffer between him and Richard Benson.

Other PAs wouldn't take the late-night calls when his voice is hoarse, and he just needs to vent. They wouldn't be the first person he looks for in a crowded room when things go sideways. It's not just about the job anymore. Nate relies on me. Trusts me in ways he wouldn't with anyone else. I know him inside and out, which is why during this upcoming meeting, we're suggesting Nate cut down on things and focus solely on getting up on that stage every night. I know Nate wants to take some weight off my shoulders by confronting Richard himself over this, but both me and Jonah agree it should be someone else explaining this to management. Someone who sees how tired Nate is and knows about his health. That's why Jonah is stepping up to be involved in this specific meeting.

"Trish, you look nervous." Evan snaps me out of my thoughts, and I didn't even notice how I was figiting with my hands.

"I hate this shit. I hate dealing with Richard." I take in a deep breath. Jonah sits next to me at the table, and I close my laptop to steal some of his grapes.

"I will be the one to talk, ok? I already know what I'm going to say." Jonah says calmly. How the hell does he always remain calm... all the time? 

*****