Sweet Fortune
Stretching on the balcony at 8:00am in the morning always gave Gina real wake up.
The street was beginning to get line up with vehicles, horns blowing out hell, pedestrians lingering on the roadside anticipating the red light. Taxi drivers cursed each other due the reckless clustering of yellow vehicles, impossible for any of them to reverse. Horns honked back and forth the rookie officer rode in on his bike sounding his whistle and motioning his white cloves for all the cars to get into order. The big Apple was an advanced technological version of the jungle. I came up from a pelvic bridge position, a masculine whistle made my neck pivot, a punk rocker looking guy was exiting the pub, eyes dead smoky, pale, dazed from an all night of drinking and partying. The name marked on the roof top Venom. Whether it was meant attract or repel potential customers I didn’t know.
He waved to me, arms covered with enigmatic tattoos and I returned the gesture not for courtesy sake, he obviously enjoyed the show of a hot ass chick stretching in well fitted spandex. I shot him a sultry wink while upside down making on my hands and feet making a full bridge with my body. His eyes widened in surprise then he just stood, removed the leather from his arm to put it on. Withdrawing a cigarette from his the top pocket he lit it up. I straightened reaching my hands to the direction of the sun I clasped neck then moved the stretches side to side. He was still there, one foot back against the wall, exhaling a cloud of smoke without diverting his gaze from the balcony.
A droplet of water splash his forehead shortly morning dew trickled from the shaded clouds the half-burned out his cigarette was ruined by the dribbling drops. “Fuck,” He crushed it under his Pier boot and draped the jacket over the back of his head.
“Perfect, the last thing a need is a stupid cold,” he hissed racing to the Bus stop for shelter. She watched as the tattooed-dude ran down the block the morning dew was created a slight fog from the balcony. Fortunately, she just a good warm-up it saved her from quivering like dirty cat. Her arms extended outward flipping her palms allowing the cool dew to fall on her. She closed her eyes and exhaled in harmony.
“I vote for Chinese. I could go for some spicy egg rolls.”
Patrick declared.
He had composed three presentations, made fifty calls, conducted five video conferences, analyzed several spreadsheets and organized thick portfolio on the company’s targeted Japanese potential investors. From the early morning to 9:00pm in the night he was more than ready to take a load off and relax himself, even for an hour.
“Anything is fine. I’m not fussy except for Thai food I don’t stomach it well.”
Alex told him, saving some important files to his tablet.
“Jude, were there any calls or messages?”
“Only from Hope Gardens, Mrs. Forester’s doctor wanted to inform you her condition has improved tremendously lately.”
She responded while tying her straps on her winter coat and zipping her bag close.
“That’s great news. I should visit tomorrow to see for myself.”
She as doing cart wheels in her mind after glimpsing the strike of joy on his handsome, manly face.
“Charlie is on stand-by in the Parking Lot, we’ll give a lift home.”
He more told than offered her. She insisted not be a bother and she just on her way out at the moment.
“Please, Jude, it’s no trouble at all, we already kept you here these long hours. Damn, if we’re goin’ allow you to step foot on the street,” Patrick assured chivalrously.
She was coaxed to becoming docile.
“How I can refuse then, if it’s two against one.”
The limousine stationed on Brooklyn Heights Judy slightly trip extending her brown pumps onto the wet sidewalk luckily she gripped the car door and brought herself to stand. She draped her bag over her shoulder breathing in sharply, her face heated up like a furnace. She had gone though many embarrassing incidents in her life but would imagine one would occur in front her boss. Her boss who she always regarded as a godly being in her inner most provocative thoughts, she could literally die right then and there.
“Oh my, are you alright?”
Both Alex and Patrick asked instantly, concerned seeing as though she almost took a horrific tumble on the robust asphalt.
“Fine…I’m- fine, tonight, Mr. Forester, Mr. Gates.”
She babbled then closed the door hightailing up the stairs to her apartment building.
They watched through the glass window to ensure she made inside safely.
“I didn’t notice how shy she was before,” Patrick commented taken aback by her timid behavior.
“Me neither, she’s usually very socializing and coordinated in the office.”
“I see, so she got nervous being in this different environment, huh?”
Alex glanced at him bewildered.
“What you mean say, Pat?”
He demanded the enlightenment.
“She fancies you man, didn’t you see, she was like putty just being so close to you?”
Patrick nudged his oblivious friend.
Seriously, I could pick on signals vibrating off a female from even across a room especially I had to encounter her on a daily basis. Pat thought to himself wondering why his buddy wasn’t able to do the same. All through middle school and college he was always type to flirt with every pretty girl regardless if they had a thing for him or not. He relied on his charming skills more instead of his looks which he been told by his aunt, would someday make the ladies faint. Alexander, on the other hand, had them chasing him and worshiping the young Forester like hens in hysteria. It’s a fact he was definitely use to Jude’s reaction for he received it most if not all women. His influential family name was gold everywhere we went, down to the principal and teachers would shower him with special treatment. He would only pick and choose, broke many hearts as Pat could recall. His male peers praised him for dating the every hot chick on campus with such ease. And basically he hadn’t change; he picked and chose stunning models and talk show hosts to accompany him to social events whenever he wished it was child’s play for him.
He excelling in academics and sports only fueled the fire that had the chicks kissing the ground he walked on. He privileged to all the material things and luxury in life but he had witnessed while growing up with Alex that such entitlement didn’t come easy for a Forester. You had live up to being an heir and if you failed? The threat of disinheritance and being disowned would sink its claws all that pressure drove him to climb to the peak of the achievement ladder. ‘Failure is not an option’ the Forester motto he had to emulate and struggle to maintain throughout his boyhood.
“I’ve never really noticed,”
Alex mouthed frankly, disregarding the very notion.
Jude has been his secretary for more than eight years and he always had a friendly-professional relation to her she could considered nearest thing to a sister he had.
“Well, she’s definitely noticing you,” he reverted.
“Pat, our relationship is strictly platonic. She’s a good kid even better assistant, just because she has a normal little crush on me won’t change anything.”
Alex clarified.
“How can you be so sure? Before you know it you and her could walking down the aisle.”
He threw Pat wry look. “The hopeless romantic in you is touching, but I was never or could ever picture myself as the lovey-dovey husband type, much less on a front porch with a newspaper.”
He stated honestly.
“Giving the ‘Playboy for life’ routine again?”
Pat sighed with a defeated shrug.
He could detect Alex becoming uncomfortable discussing such pressuring matters, evident by his growing solemn exterior. So he switched the topic of conversation to the Baseball Championships.