Chapter 85: The Comic-Con Preparation
Late May. My Pasadena shop's back office.
Jake and Marcus are here. Katie's on my couch. Wil's on speakerphone.
"20x20 booth," Wil's saying. "That's proper industry presence."
"It's expensive," I counter.
"It's investment. Last year's 10x10 was amateur hour. This year we're legitimate."
"We were legitimate last year."
"You know what I mean."
I'm looking at Comic-Con's floor plan. The booth's in a prime location. Near Marvel's massive display. Walking distance from the main exhibition hall.
"What's the staffing plan?" Jake asks.
"All hands. You and Marcus split days. Katie's doing appearances—"
"Wait," Katie interrupts. "I am?"
"Your show's got following. Fans will come for you, stay for comics."
"That's—using me."
"That's synergy. Unless you're uncomfortable."
She considers. "No. That's actually smart. My publicist will love it."
"There's the Hollywood thinking."
"Shut up."
Wil's laughing through the phone. "I like her. She gets it."
"Gets what?" Katie asks.
"That this is business. Good business. Not just Stuart playing with toys."
"I never thought—"
"Most people do. 'Comic shops, cute hobby.' But Stuart's built an actual empire. Revenue, expansion, industry connections. That deserves respect."
Katie's looking at me differently.
"What?" I ask.
"Nothing. Just—Wil's right. I didn't fully appreciate the scale."
My phone buzzes. Email from Comic-Con.
"Hold on." I read it. Then read it again. "They want me on a panel."
"What kind of panel?" Marcus asks.
"'Building Sustainable Comic Retail in the Digital Age.' Saturday afternoon. Prime time slot."
"That's huge," Jake says.
"That's recognition," Wil adds. "They're positioning you as an expert."
"I've owned shops for two years."
"And you've succeeded where most fail. That makes you an expert."
I keep reading. "There are three other panelists. Two shop owners from New York and Portland. And—"
I stop.
Emma Chen.
Artist and writer. Creator-owned series called "Void Touched."
That memory tingle hits. Hard.
Significant. She's significant somehow.
"And?" Katie prompts.
"And a comic creator. Emma Chen. She's doing signings all weekend."
"I love her work," Marcus says. "Void Touched is incredible."
"It is," I agree. Too quickly.
Katie notices. "You know her?"
"Know of her. Haven't met."
The tingle's still there. Stronger than before.
Important. She's important.
I push it away. Focus on Katie. Who's here. Who's real.
"So," Wil says. "Panel, booth, signing events. This is our biggest Con presence yet."
"Biggest everything," I agree.
After everyone leaves, Katie stays.
"You got quiet. When you saw that name."
"Which name?"
"Emma Chen. You went somewhere else."
"I didn't—"
"Stuart. I'm an actress. I read people. You had a reaction."
"I'm just—focused. Con prep is a lot."
"Okay."
She doesn't believe me. But she's letting it go.
"I should head out. Early call tomorrow."
"Yeah. See you Friday?"
"Friday."
She kisses me. Leaves.
I sit in my office. Stare at Emma's name on the screen.
The memory's not giving me details. Just—feelings.
Important. Significant. Future.
But I'm with Katie.
And Katie's great.
Whatever the memory's hinting at—it can wait.
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