Reboot U - Pt. 03

Carly whimpered as Hal gently entered her, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her decommissioned legs positioned by her partner behind him as his folded legs supported her bottom. As they worked up a rhythm, their eyes rivetted to each other, rivulets of sweat began to stream between her breasts.

Carly broke into a smile. They might be on to something here.

She wanted to try the lotus position and Hal was game to give it a shot -- a little tougher to do with one of the participants having to depend on the other for some of the necessary upward thrust. But Hal convinced her she had "the guns" to do it, and with his strong arms helping to vault her lean taut body upwards, it was an instant sensation and another milestone in their "interabled" sex odyssey.

"I want your mouth," she whispered, and Hal swiftly leaned forward to comply. He pressed his lips to hers, their mouths opening to free their tongues, dancing and coiling, moans exchanged with each ragged breath. He gripped her ass tighter as he lifted her aloft, the feel of her warm, wet body building his excitement with every stroke.

She ordered him to roll her to the side so both could catch their breath while continuing to fuck. He loved that she called the shots when they had sex -- there was still a lot to learn and in meeting her urgent needs his crank was pulled at the same time. She relished her control of the man, teasing and edging him at every turn before rewarding him with cardiac-arresting orgasms.

Speaking of which: "I'm close baby," Hal grunted as he plunged deeper into Carly's pussy.

"Up!" she gasped. He knew what to do -- he withdrew and crawled up the bed until he could feel her grasp his turgid cock, slicked with her juices. She swallowed it whole, tasting the precum and knew her man was about to blow... not yet boy. As she worked his glans with her tongue, she deftly squeezed the base of Hal's shaft. By now he was familiar with the manoeuvre, joking that one day he'd spew through his ears if she wasn't careful. But she was as attentive as she was mischievous, delaying the inevitable until her small expert fingers finally released and he emptied into her waiting, warm, willing mouth as he cried out.

He pulled Carly up to the pillow and tried to give her a kiss. She playfully resisted the gesture. "Hey, mind the protein!" she protested. "No kidding, we're going to have to double-sack The Beast if you keep this up." Her pet name for her man's manhood.

After the lovemaking there was always the piss-taking, and the post-game analysis could be vicious. Hal made mental notes of what worked and what didn't -- the latter list getting shorter as time passed -- and after a final smooch it was time to recharge and regenerate body fluids. They'd left just a few hours of darkness before it was time to get up for their morning run along the waterfront and another day at the office following that.

As they dozed off in each other's arms, Carly dismissed the thought it was finally time to tell him about her decision. Not in the afterglow.

It would wait for the morning. It was a sunny mid-summer day in Toronto, another scorcher with a busy calendar awaiting both of them. But Hal and Carly always made time to work out together, the outdoor, PG-13 activity that brought them closer. Hal ran while Carly rolled by his side, a steady stream of conversation for three miles before they arrived at an outdoor gym by the lake. Hal lifted Carly to the pull-up and parallel bars while he worked the rowing machine and pumped some iron.

It was on the way back that Carly broached the subject, as a cloud passed over the sun.

"So," she said as she glided along, her gloved hands expertly push stroking her wheels. "I made a decision."

Hal looked pensive. "Lemme see, it's Wednesday so... is it Greek or Thai?"

"Always thinking food," she scolded. "No, I mean about Jillian."

"Oh? What decision?"

Carly took a breath and looked up at Hal. "I'm going to do the show. With Jillian."

Hal fixed his gaze on the path in front of him, a grim look on his face. Carly knew what that meant.

"What do you think?" she asked impatiently.

He shook his head. "I already told you a couple days ago at Georgio's. This is a bad idea. A VERY bad idea."

It was Carly's turn to shut up and keep her eyes on the road. "Well, it's settled," she said finally. "She'll be in the studio tomorrow. It could be one and done but we're going to give it a go."

"What -- you did all that without talking to me first?" Hal growled.

Carly hit the brakes and the squeal alerted dogs for blocks. "Whoa! Whoa! Excuse me? Are we actually talking about permission?"

Hal stopped and faced his furious girlfriend. Our first fight, he thought. And of course it had to be about their ex.

"This isn't about permission," he insisted, fists digging into his waist. "It's a courtesy. An opportunity for a final appeal if you will."

"This is my career we're talking about!" Carly shouted, not budging an inch. Now the dogs' owners were turning to watch. "This isn't up to you! I thought it over, I spoke to her, and I know what I'm doing."

Hal rubbed his eyes. "That's wonderful, I hope you sent my regards!"

"Well, I did! She wants to do dinner! At any fucking designer restaurant you choose, her words!"

Hal grimaced at the prospect. He'd rather wait for a food drop from a disaster relief cargo plane in sub-Saharan Africa than sit across a table from Jillian Andersen. He turned and continued his run, picking up the pace.

Thinking he could outpace Carly in her racing chair was an idiotic plan and she was soon back at his elbow. Short of running up a tall flight of stairs or diving into Lake Ontario, there was no getting away from her.

"We're not finished here!" she bellowed. "You stop now or I'll run you over!"

So Hal pulled up and looked at his watch. At this rate they were going to be late for work, and their morning post-workout fuck was pretty much out the window.

"What is there left to say?" Hal spluttered. "If you can't see what Jill is up to, I can't help you. It's all about her, always has been, and when you're not useful to her or her ambitions, she'll pitch you over the side. Again!"

Carly opened her mouth to return fire and then thought better of it. Shouting was getting them nowhere.

"You have to talk to her," she said evenly, turning down the volume from 11 to 2. "And I did. I let her have it. I told her I was going to let her have it again on the air. We're doing it live, Hal. And I think she's big enough to admit she was wrong."

"Oh, you think so?"

"I do," Carly snapped. "Look, Hal, the fallout we've had with Jillian aside, there is an opportunity here. We have an entire generation living in FOMO -- fear of missing out. For a couple years, Reboot offered dollops of advice about changing your diet, how much sleep you need, eliminating destructive habits, seeking inner peace... then one of its hosts grabbed for a brass ring that turned out to be a rusty washer. The grass wasn't greener after all. And in that process she lost both her oldest friend and the love of her life."

Hal's eyes widened. "Say what now?"

"Her words. Again."

"Did you tell her about us?"

Carly stared at Hal. As a matter of fact: "No," she said. "I stuck with the business at hand, which is the show. I am going to tell her about us to her face. We can do that together in you like."

Hal nodded, sighed deeply, looked at his feet and booted gravel off the path. A barefoot runner was coming up fast behind them.

"I just don't want you to get hurt again by that woman," he said quietly.

Carly reached over and took his hand. "I know it may not look like it from your altitude, but I am a big girl and I have been taking care of myself for a while now. I love you Hal, but this is my call."

Hal squeezed her proffered hand and nodded back to their building. "Race you back. Loser gets a quicky blowjob in the shower."

Carly quickly turned and looked down at one of her wheels, seemingly flustered. "Gawdammit, I got a flat! What are the odds of that?"

The return of Reboot U, and its prodigal gal co-host, caused a frisson of excitement in the studio. Carly gave into Hal's request that he accompany her to work that day "for moral support" even though she was suspicious of his motives. Carly was confident that Jill would have her hands full with the full-frontal assault she had planned for her estranged partner without worrying about what harebrained scheme Hal had in mind.

Before they entered the studio, Hal turned to block her entrance, as though he could talk her out of it. He knew better than that.

"What are you doing?" she said impatiently. "We're going to be late. You know I hate that."

"I see you getting all wound up," Hal said. "You need to chill the fuck out -- you are going to need your wits about you with that woman."

Carly scoffed at him. "You keep going on about 'that woman.' That woman! What is it with you? If I didn't know better, I'd think you're still in love with her!"

Hal was aghast at the suggestion. "Are you fucking kidding me? I feel the exact opposite!"

"No Hal, you don't," Carly insisted. "The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. Which is what you SHOULD be feeling. You know why? Because you've got a smart, ambitious and hot girlfriend willing to try every position in the Kama Sutra. So shut up and smile today, okay?"

Hal didn't budge. "First, you chill!"

Carly looked at the clock inside the lobby. A smile curled on her lips. "Open the pod bay door, Hal."

Hal chuckled and opened the door with a grand gesture, kissing her as she whizzed through. "Funny lady! How long have you been waiting to use that line?"

"Dunno," she called over her shoulder as she whizzed by. "Since 2001, maybe?"

While Carly rocketed to the pod studio, Hal was directed to the booth where her boss Alice and sales manager Aaron were waiting nervously. It was standing room only. The clock was ticking and Ms Andersen hadn't shown her face yet. Hal checked his watch -- unlike Carly, Jillian had always treated appointment times as non-binding agreements.

"Next time I agree to a live broadcast, you have my permission to shove that microphone up my ass," Alice hissed as she watched the hour hand move closer to 10 a. m. Hal, already briefed by Carly on her suspicion of a down and dirty relationship between Alice and Aaron, had new information to share with his lady.

Aaron strolled over and gave the unappreciative Hal a brotherly shoulder squeeze. "Soooo," he said. "Big day, huh?"

"Oh I dunno, Aaron, we're about to watch my old girlfriend and current squeeze square off on a live podcast for a bazillion listeners," he said wryly. "Just another day at the office, right?"

Aaron leaned and over and whispered in his ear. "I know exactly how you feel. I've been there."

Hal looked at Aaron skeptically -- he sincerely doubted that. But his curiosity got the better of him.

"Oh yeah? How so?"

Aaron looked around as if he was about to impart the inside dope on Alice's queening fetish. "A couple years ago I bought myself a sweet, candy apple red Porsche Panamera, twin turbocharged V8 with outstanding speed, handling and other panty-removing properties that made it my dream ride. I had arrived and women were gushing on my fine, fine leather upholstery."

Hal forced a smile and made a note to remind Carly to insist on Uber or slip into a wetsuit if Aaron ever offered a lift home.

Aaron's smile faded. "And then, well, I'm in a tough business my friend, sales were off and I couldn't make the payments and... I had to let her go. Broke my heart to hand over the keys. I had to set my sights a liiiiiiittle bit lower. And I bought -- I kid you not -- a Jeep. A yellow Jeep."

Hal could see where this was going.

"But you know what Hal? After a while, I started to appreciate my new ride. Goodbye smooth handling, hello invites to cottages and weekend getaways. Off-road adventure. Strapped my kayak to the roof in the summer, my skis in the winter. It was fun! And then about a month ago, I'm driving by the car lot, and there she was -- the candy apple red Porsche, sitting at the back, under a tree, covered in leaves and bird shit. I went over to take a look and I couldn't believe the price card I saw on the dash -- I could afford it! Then I looked back at my Jeep on the curb... and I knew what to do."

Hal nodded. "You stuck with the tried and true and walked away."

Aaron snorted. "Are you fucking kidding me?! I ran to the sales office as fast as my legs could carry me and traded in that heap for the dream boat! And I'm never letting her go! Do you see what I'm saying, Hal?"

Comparing Carly to an off-road vehicle was bad enough, suggesting he wash the bird shit off Jillian and take her back was quite another.

"Yeah, yeah I get it, Aaron," he said, his turn to give the brotherly hug. "Anybody can be an idiot behind the wheel, but to be a real asshole, you need German engineering. Thanks -- enjoyed our talk."

A small contingent of media reporters were on hand in an adjacent booth, along with a photographer, with many more journos watching intently from their offices. It was skillfully promoted by Alice and her team like a prize fight, the wandering free spirit versus the intelligent and trustworthy stalwart.

What sparks would fly! What did Jillian learn from Dr. Orion Vance, one of the world's most quoted and followed lifestyle gurus? Why did they suddenly part company? Were those breasts for real or did she have work? Would Carly forgive her? And, most importantly to Alice, Aaron and Aaron's Lamborghini salesman, could they work together again? Could they relaunch Reboot U to an even wider and more enthralled international audience?

But first, Alice wondered as she grew more sweaty, could Jillian get her ass there in time?

And then she appeared, with two minutes to spare. From their chairs Carly and Hal watched Jillian work the control room, delivering hugs and giggles and submit to a quick dusting by a producer before scooting into the studio and sitting in her familiar chair next to her former and possibly future co-host. She broke a weak smile and mouthed her apology for cutting it so close.

But Carly wasn't fazed in the slightest, ready to go solo if need be. As always, she had prepared a decent fallback plan, beginning with her thoughts on her missing guest before turning to new reports on the dangers of vaping. An expert was standing by. This was the professionalism she was bringing to the table, and she assured Alice that she was well prepared for any contingency.

Hal watched as the two most important women in his life faced each other, the seconds counting down to the top of the hour. Carly looked composed in her wheelchair, dressed in a fitted navy blazer over a black tank, her hair pulled back smartly. She looked every bit the sharp, together host she'd become -- ready to stir and exploit the drama that awaited them.

Across from her sat Jillian, slightly more subdued than her usual bombshell self. She still had the effortless glow -- tanned skin, blonde ponytail, high-performance athleisure. But Hal could see there were faint shadows under her eyes, haunted, nervous. She looked into the booth but Hal ensured Aaron blocked her line of sight to him -- finally performing a useful service.

Carly dispassionately extended a hand and shook Jillian's firmly before nodding to the producer. The ON AIR light lit up. The familiar soaring Reboot U theme filled the studio, and Hal suddenly wished he was home, under the bed with a pillow over his head, waiting for a succinct report later. He could only imagine what the women were going through.

It was show time.

"Good morning listeners, and welcome back -- we missed you like crazy. This is Reboot U, where we get real about health, happiness, and getting your life back on track. I'm Carly Chen and today... well, today is a little different."

She didn't smile.

"My guest this morning is someone you might remember, even as some of us have been trying hard to forget. I'm talking about my former co-host, a personal trainer, world-class flirt, and until recently the jet-setting partner of Dr. Orion Vance, the man Forbes Magazine once dubbed 'the prophet of performance.'"

She turned, eyes coolly locked on her old friend. "Jillian Andersen -- yes, THAT one."

"Nice to be back," Jillian said, a little rusty off the hop and already having to clear her throat.

Carly went immediately on the attack. "Is it? Because I have to ask... why ARE you back?"

Jillian took a needed sip of water while holding the gaze. "Because I missed this. I missed you. And I think I have something to say again."

"A lot of people have something to say. Doesn't mean they get a mic," Carly shot back. "You ghosted us, Jill. Me, your boyfriend, our listeners. For a man who, frankly, treated you like a branded product."

A soft murmur rippled through the booth. Jillian swallowed but didn't flinch.

"I know how it looked."

"I'm more interested in how it was. What did you actually learn at the mountaintop?"

Jillian took a breath. "Look, I have to say off the top, and it's going to sound like a cop-out, but I did sign an NDA, as any businessman in his position would demand."

Carly shook her head. "You're right, it does sound like a cop-out. Jillian, we're not asking for a peek at Vance International's books or an inventory of his considerable media holdings. We have a business podcast on after this and a host who would give his right one for a glimpse at that info. That's not what I want to know. Vance was your guru, the sage of millions -- what did you, Jillian Andersen, learn at his feet?"

"I learned that optimization can be an obsession," Jill quickly replied. "That if you chase perfection long enough, you start erasing the messy, beautiful parts of yourself just to fit into someone else's algorithm."

"And yet, you dove in headfirst."

Jillian nodded. "Yeah, I did. I thought I was evolving. I thought I'd outgrown all this," gesturing about the studio. "I forgot how to take stock. Count blessing, express gratitude. We hear all the time that 'good enough is the enemy of greatness,' but in our pursuit of that ideal we risk sidelining those things we should hold dear. Our friends, our families. Our values. Not everything is disposable. Or transformable. And we can't have it all. Even people we think have it all really don't. That goddamn much isn't covered by the NDA."

She took a moment and Carly allowed her the time to catch a breath. "I turned my back on all of that to roll the dice. And for what? Turns out I wasn't becoming someone better -- I was disappearing."

Carly leaned in, eyes narrowed. "Let's not forget the trail of wreckage you left behind. Did you think I would just wait? This podcast was our baby. You didn't just walk out on us -- you abandoned you."

Jillian's voice softened. "I thought if I could become someone new, I wouldn't have to face what I left behind. Carly... and Hal, wherever you are -- I was wrong."

A beat of silence.

"Why now?" Carly asked quietly.

"Because I'm done running. And because I believe in what we built. Not the brand -- the message. That people can fall apart and still come back stronger."

Carly wasn't ready to let Jillian off the mat. Not yet. "And how do we know this isn't another performance? Another version of you tailored to sell something new?"

"Because I'm scared!" Jillian cried, her voice breaking. "I've never sat behind this mic afraid before. I am now. Because I know I might not be forgiven. But I knew if I didn't try to make it right with you and Alice and all the listeners... I could never forgive myself."

That hung in the air like a weight.

"What about Hal?"

Jillian looked up at Carly and broke into a weak smile, and dragged a crumpled tissue under her eyes. "Oh, Hal, he won't take my calls. Leaving you behind was bad enough, Carly, but the biggest mistake of my life was walking away from the man who accepted me as I am. I wish I knew how he's doing, that he's not alone."

"Don't worry, he's not," Carly said simply. "He's sleeping with me."

Aw man, she went there, Hal thought as others in the control room gasped and the boys in the media booth locked their eyes on Jillian, who sat stock still in her chair, the colour draining from her face. She was apparently the only person in Toronto who had no idea. Aaron went to give Hal a playful punch on the shoulder but thought better of it under his withering glower.

There was a good ten-second beat as Jillian absorbed the news. And then, a smile.

"Oh, I see... I mean, I didn't expect... no wait, it's not a surprise," she said, scrambling for coherence. And then she chuckled. "Why shouldn't the two brightest, most caring and big-hearted people in my life find each other? You're perfect and you deserve all the happiness and joy you bring each other. If nothing else good has come from my rash behavior, your coming together is something to cheer about. Carly, I am sincerely happy for the both of you."

For the first time in the contentious interview, Carly was caught offguard. Her revelation was intended to hurt, a cold, cruel vengeful punch from behind. But she only staggered her opponent for a moment and instead of felling her, set the table for Jillian's moment of grace. Carly was ashamed of herself and looked into the booth to find Hal, no longer concealed behind the jumpy sales manager. They shared a look of understanding. It was time to dial back the scorn.

Carly looked down at her notes, then back at Jillian. Her voice was quieter now, less ice, more ache.

"You know, forgiveness is hard, but what we've just heard you say was tougher. I know we both admire courage and I think that's what we've just witnessed. You and Hal were there for me when my life took its unexpected turn a few years ago. I believed then as I believe now in turning the page to new chapters. Hell, we built a podcast on that idea."

"So...?" Jillian asked tentatively.

"Jillian, one of the things you must have learned from Orion is that business is not conventionally a democracy. But that's the way it's always been here -- our audience drives us. I don't think it should be up to me or--" giving the stinkeye to Aaron in the booth "-- the sales department. I want to know what our listeners think. We're going to put the future of this podcast to a vote. Right now."

Carly turned to the studio camera as Jillian looked on, surprised that her fate wasn't in the hands of someone she'd known since college but instead with the strangers who paid the bills. And to Jillian there was something honest, and objective, about that, a rock in the tempestuous sea of emotion she had been sailing for months.

"You've heard Jillian's pitch, folks. What do you say? Should we reboot Reboot U? Go to our website right now and click the box SECOND CHANCES. Do you want the blonde lady back in the chair or a rotation of possibly less photogenic experts with iffy communication skills in here instead? Or, should the door slap her ass on the way out? It's all up to you and we want to hear from you now!"

After a commercial break, the interview resumed, the tension in the studio eased a bit, with Carly and Jillian falling into their familiar rhythm. Jillian talked about the travel, the celebrities who visited Orion's retreats and some of the interesting conversations she had with them, along with some final thoughts on the events that drew her back to the Great White North.

The hour passed in a heartbeat, Carly again appealing for audience feedback, and they were done. Whether they were done AND done, was up to the world.

The red ON AIR light dimmed to black. A heartbeat passed, then a soft wave of applause rose from behind the glass. The booth staff -- engineers, social leads, interns, even some of the media reporters -- were on their feet, clapping. Some awkwardly. Some enthusiastically. But the moment had landed.

Carly exhaled, calmly removed her headphones and rolled back from the mic. She'd met the moment. Jillian sat still for a beat longer, then stood, walked around the table, and -- without asking -- folded her arms around her friend.

It wasn't a dramatic, teary hug. It was tighter than that. The kind of hug you give someone who knows where your scars are, because they helped stitch them up. Carly didn't resist. She closed her eyes for a second and returned it.

Then the studio door opened with a soft click, and Hal stepped in.

Jillian pulled away from Carly and froze. She hadn't seen him since she'd bolted for the mountains. He looked good -- same quiet confidence, same familiar twinkle -- but there was a shift. She could feel the pull between him and the woman in the chair. Her successor.

"Hey, stranger," Hal said, sliding his hands into his pockets, a nervous gesture he'd had since Jillian first met him that night at the kegger. But even then, he always kept an eye out for Carly, ensuring she wasn't lonely or situated next to a potted plant with no one to talk to. She remembered thinking that Carly became an extrovert to take some of the pressure off Hal.

Jillian smiled, but it was smaller than usual. "Hey." A hug didn't feel right -- yet.

"You two crushed it," he said, stepping between them. "That was... intense. There was enough electricity in here to light the eastern seaboard."

"Thanks," Carly said, nodding to Jillian. "She held her own."

"I had to," Jillian replied. "I was outnumbered."

They all chuckled -- but there a little lingering tension.

Jillian's eyes flicked between them, noting the shared look, the subtle lean of Carly's chair toward him, his hand resting lightly on its backrest. She caught it. Of course she did.

"So..." she said, tilting her head toward Carly, "that little bomb you dropped back there about you and Hal--"

"Yeah," Carly said plainly. "Sorry about that. Probably should have mentioned that in the call we had."

"Oh, d'you think?" Jillian said, trying to keep it light.

Hal stepped in to defend Carly. "It sort of just... happened. We were there for each other. After, you know."

Jillian smiled, because it all made perfect sense. "Of course. You were always there for her. I mean, when we were together, I saw... something. A deeper friendship that would go the distance. And now it's more. As it probably should be."

An awkward pause stretched. Jillian looked down, then forced a bigger smile and said, "Well, the band's back together, right? The Three Amigos."

"Maybe a new set list," Carly replied, "but yeah."

Then Alice burst into the room, holding a tablet and grinning like she'd just won a prize. Aaron was on her heels and Hal could just tell that the Panamera was probably going to wind up back under that tree covered in more bird shit.

"Okay, okay, don't kill me for interrupting your little reunion, but you'll want to hear this."

She held the tablet up. "The live streaming numbers are OUT-standing. A new record for us. Now that word is getting out -- and it IS getting out thanks to those reporters we invited to the party this morning -- we're expecting an even stronger second wave. We may crash the server!"

"What's the buzz?" Jillian asked.

"The reviews are excellent," Alice said. "Marty Baker is calling it 'the biggest and most anticipated reunion since Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor or even Sonny & Cher!'"

"Who the hell's Richard Burton?" Aaron said, sounding like a properly uneducated millennial.

"He shagged Liz in a 1972 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow," Hal explained helpfully.

"Okay, okay, that's the good news story for business," Carly cautioned, again giving Aaron the stinkeye that said "Suck my elbow!" They were only getting half the story.

"What about the audience poll?'

"The early poll results are in and they're heavy."

Jillian stiffened.

Carly raised an eyebrow. "Already?"

"Oh yes our people are fast. And opinionated. And -- drumroll please--"

Carly shot another look at Aaron as he neared the table with his ready fingers. "Please don't!"

"Seventy-nine percent say yes. Bring her back. Reboot Reboot U with the both of you. We're seeing they loved, quote, the tension, the honesty, the history."

Jillian's hand went to her mouth for a moment, stunned.

Hal whistled low. "Well, I guess the people have spoken."

Alice grinned. "They want more. A lot more. Your follower count is soaring. Congratulations -- you're controversial again."

Jillian exhaled and looked at Carly, who still hadn't reacted much. She declared the democratic vote, but everyone in the studio understood she still had a veto, as unpopular as that decision might be.

"Carly, I'll do whatever you want," she said quietly. "If you say no, I'll walk."

Carly considered her for a long moment. Then: "Maybe we should probably wait for the polls to close on the west coast but... I think Hal is right. The verdict is clear."

Alice gave Jillian a hug and asked her to drop by in the morning to deal with the paperwork. Jillian was stunned to be employed again and back in the somewhat-good graces of her old friends.

Hal broke the business talk with a timely suggestion. "I think this calls for a celebratory lunch. Maybe a little early for tequila shots--"

"Never too early!" Carly and Jillian said in unison.

"... or a green juice. Or both."

Carly grinned. "Only if we toast to the fact that I finally get top billing."

That drew a laugh from the whole room -- even Jillian. It used to be A before C. But not anymore.

As they left the studio they fell into the new configuration -- where once Jillian propelled her gal pal, often recklessly, now it was Hal behind Carly with Jillian to the side, opening doors, pushing the buttons.

It was all going to take some getting used to. But maybe they were starting something new.

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Carly, Jillian and Hal will return - tell me what you'd like to see. Vote now!

ENDS