The Twist Of Rhodes

9.)

K. Rhodes

"Damn girl, he got it like that?",  April says to me playfully.

"I don't know what happened, we were just looking and then I found the file and then it just happened. I I don't love him or anything, but i feel powerless to him."

" When he talks to me, when he touches me i lose myself and become some little girl with a crush. I feel like shit because I know his situation, but I also know I don't want to stop." I'm trying really hard to make sense of this to A.

She explaind to me why she doesn't see it as a big deal, "you're not the one that took a vow, he did", she keeps reminding me.

"Take a shower, we're going to get drinks; you need it", she demands.

"Yes daddy", I say with a smirk on my face.

"hurry up!", she slaps my ass.

We get to Moonlit, this new bar that just opened up downtown. April wore a fitted, black mid-thigh dress that perfectly hugged her every curve. I kept it simple but sexy in an oversized boyfriend shirt and jeans, and a simple pointed toe stilletto.

"11:30  April, I have work and so do you," I scold.

"Yeah but it's a Friday, No one goes to work on time on Fridays", she jokes.

"well I don't know whose dumb logic that is, but I plan on being on time.", Turning my head slightly to see a man approaching us.

"I think you have an admirer, and he's walking over, very cute", I raise my eyebrows and whispered to A.

"Hi Miss--", "April", She cut in.

"I think you're very beautiful, I'd regret not telling you", he smiled her way. "Ah yes, sorry I'm Malcom"

" Hi Malcom, you're quite handsome yourself", I heard her say as my mind drifted back to my world and what's been going on.

We. moved from the bar to a little couch in the corner where i sipped an apple martini quietly. We sat, well i sat as a third wheel for about an hour before insiting we leave. I wasn't trying to be a cock blocker but its 11:49 and the last thing I wanted to do is sit here sober, and then be late to work in the morning. I wasn't drinking much because I wasn't really in the mood, plus I didn't want a hangover at work. I mean I love hanging out with April, but this girl can party her ass off. I don't even know why i keep accepting these bar-run offers.

"Here take my car, Malcom is going to drop me off"

"Ugh, April no! You don't know him", I complain as i pull her by the arm toward me.

"I got her, I'm a gentleman and I won't do anything she doesn't want me to." He tried to convince me.

"Yeah and I got you, give me the Patek Philippe; you'll get it back when I get her back safely". I offer.

"What? I'm not giving you my watch", He scrunched his face at me.

"Well then, I'm not giving you my April. Goodnight sir"

I take April's hand and we begin walking away, and  she turns around and gives him a tipsy, flimsy fingered goodbye gesture.

Still holding April's hand I look up, and to my surprise I see Ray and his wife sitting in a corner booth. I was going to keep walking but he's already spotted me. I walk up to the table with a smile on my face.

"Mr. Foster, Mrs. Foster, I presume", reaching my hand out to shake hers.

She smiles back at me and says
"Yes, you can call me Danielle, it's nice to meet you".

Looking back to Ray, I chuckle,
"Isn't it kind of a late night for you boss?"

"Yea we're leaving, but I could say the same for you, I mean we do have to be there at 8", he says looking down at his watch.

"We are too, gotta get this one home", I reply pointing at a tipsy, April .

"Extremely nice to meet you, Danielle!"
"Goodnight". She smiled.

R. Foster

"Sweet girl, who is she?"

"The new assistant I told you about." I say in an almost guilty tone.

"You didn't tell me she was so beautiful", she says.

"Because that's not why I hired her, her impressive resumé is why I hired her", I defensively rebutted.

"You don't have to act like you don't  notice, I expect you to. And I trust you, as long as you don't give me a reason not to.

"No one is as beautiful as you are to me."
I take her hand and kiss it, and we get up to leave. Kalli and I  must have been feeling pretty overwhelmed because, we'd had a pretty interesting day. I guess that does warrant at least one drink, but I definitely hadn't anticipated running into her here. As I pull the car up to the house my text alert goes off, I'm just hoping like hell that it isn't kalli.
I look at my phone, and then I look up to see Dani looking at it. I pick it up and open it, thank god it was just an email, though I'm not sure why a client thinks it's okay to email me after midnight.

At the office the next day, I see kalli sitting at her desk and I call her into my office.
She enters, "can I get you something?"
"You can have a seat."
She slowly takes a seat, her face somewhat worried looking.
"Don't worry, it's nothing, I was just making sure you feel ok, you know-- after yesterday and last night."

"Yea I'm fine, I only had two drinks. Unlike my roommate, I didn't want to come to work like that and I figured I'd be the one driving us home." She explained to me.

"Good I just wanted to make sure you're fine."

"Thanks, what about Danielle?"

"What do you mean....she's fine?" He scrunched his brows in confusion.

"She's beautiful, everything about her; her skin, her hair, her face, she's gorgeous". Kalli pointed out.

"I know, and that's only a part of the reason I married her", I let out without a second thought.

"I'm sorry, is that weird for you?" I ask.

"No that's how you're supposed to feel about her, but it makes me wonder what you need me for."