by Rosemary Rey
“How do I know Magnus?” Gill answered.
“I don’t want to pry. It isn’t any of my business.” I said, unconvincingly.
“He and I dated while he was in college. I was under the impression we were in love, but he was too immature for a committed relationship.” He paused. “He’s a partier, if you didn’t hear. Even back then, he partied six days a week. On the seventh day he rested.” Gill joked. I smiled.
“It’s obvious both of you still have feelings for each other. There were sparks in the air when he laid eyes on you.”
Gill smirked, “If by sparks, you mean that of a canon ready to take down an already sinking ship, then that’s definitely what happened.” I smiled. “I’m happy. I’ve been seeing a great guy. It’s new, but I’m definitely in for the long haul. What about you?”
I tensed at the question. “I’m divorced. I was seeing someone for a short period of time, but I realized we would never work out. And now, I’m going to stay alone for the rest of my life because I’m done with men.” I admitted.
“Does it have anything to do with Dr. Keene?” He asked.
I stalled, pondering the question. “Yes. We had two very different definitions of a relationship, and it was best we went our separate ways.”
“Talk has it you stole the stocks from him.” I shrieked with laughter, startling Gill. I quickly covered my mouth with my hand.
“Sorry . . . I can assure you, Matt gave me those stocks willingly. He used them as a grand gesture to keep me, but I chose my pride and integrity. It didn’t hurt I created this job for myself. I think I brought a lot to the project, so I’m not sitting around cashing a paycheck.”
“Definitely not. You’ve turned it on its head. There’s so much more to this project than before. It was big, but you launched it into the stratosphere. Everyone is excited about what this will do for the corporation and Boston.” Gill sounded really excited about my ideas.
“Do you want to get some dinner? My treat.” I asked.
“I can’t. I’m meeting my beau. He’s taking me out tonight. He’s been away for a week. Rain check?” I felt deflated, but hid it behind a big smile.
“Of course. Go see your man.”
“Hey, but we need to do a housewarming party for your friends and family. They’ve got to see this place while it’s fresh and pristine.” I nodded.
“I would love to, but I don’t know where to start.”
“Well, that’s why I’m your PA. Leave it to me. I’ll plan everything.” I couldn’t help but hug Gill. I locked the door behind him.
I called Carson and Turner, letting them know I was in my apartment and would spend my first night. Carson offered to bring my things, and wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He wanted to see my complete space. I was happy to get some of my things. Thankfully, I kept my guest room clean and ready to move. All he had to do was grab my bags and take my dresses off of the hangers.
I ordered ‘take out’ from a local Thai restaurant Matt introduced me to. I received a call from the front desk about my food delivery. I went downstairs to pick up my food when Carson arrived
“Hi.” I bared a grin.
“I come bearing clothes.”
“Thanks so much for coming.” We air kissed.
Carson followed me to the elevators. “How does it look?”
“Like I died and went to a really posh hotel in heaven.” I remarked. Carson laughed.
“You have the worst sayings.” We arrived at my apartment door. I opened the door slowly, delaying the reveal.
Carson’s eyes widened with surprise and delight. He loved every aspect of the apartment’s new décor. He knew Magnus could pull it off, but couldn’t believe it until he saw it. Once he digested the entire place, he exclaimed, “You deserve this. This is you, Perlz.” He pulled me in for a hug. I got all misty eyed.
“Well, I couldn’t have done this without you and Turner. If it weren’t for Turner’s representation, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this.” I sighed. “I need to ask you a question.” I stated.
“Okay?”
“Do you think less of me for what I did to Matt?” I asked without looking at his face for his reaction. When I dared see his expression, he was looking away, contemplating all the things in my living room.
“I’m on your side, always. I think you would have been better off telling him about the blackmail. They’re all supposed to be friends and clearly they’re not on the same page. Matt . . . I’m sure he fell in love with you. His intentions were clear. The methods of trying to keep you were too much and too soon, but you didn’t think you had a choice. Your hand was forced. I’m proud of you for turning things around on those men, but I don’t know where you’ll stand with Matt after this.” He sighed. “I think your choice was the end of what you had.” I couldn’t disagree. I nodded.
Matt hadn’t called or tried to keep in touch. There was no point in time when I could forget his parting words and forlorn look. There was a finality to our relationship. My concern was how to move on from such a passionate love affair. Not only did I love Matt, but I didn’t think I could be sexually compatible with anyone else. There was no other man on Earth who would make me feel so beautiful and sensual. I grieved losing him most of all.
*****
Carson left to meet with Turner. I ate half of my Thai food, storing the rest in the fridge for tomorrow. I needed to wake up early to commute to my former studio and retrieve my things with the moving company. There was so much to do, and I was physically and emotionally tired. My body was still recuperating from the trauma I suffered in the car crash.
I slept fretfully the entire night. It could’ve been the new setting and the changes to come by my finally saying ‘goodbye’ to my old single life, and welcoming the new one. Carson’s statement of the end of my relationship with Matt unsettled me. In the back of my mind, I kept a glimmer of hope we could resolve our differences and return to the blissful relationship we once had. In the forefront of my mind, I had to push him away to protect us. Hadn’t I?
*****
In the early morning, I got up and emptied my weekender bag. If the bag could talk, it would speak volumes of tales about the passion me and Matt had together during those stolen moments in time. I dressed in my comfy, lounging clothes; t-shirt and yoga pants. I didn’t have sneakers with me, so I wore flats. I grabbed my purse and keys, locking up to make my way to the other door in a city which felt like a trillion miles away.
The last commute to Charlestown was bittersweet. I’d made the trip thousands of times, and once I met Matt they were less frequent. When we broke up, the trip felt long and exhausting. This trip felt no different. It was long and exhausting; overwhelming me slightly. To keep my mind off of the monumental event, I watched people as they traveled with me to their own destinations. I wondered where they were going; what were they going to do when they arrived; was the trip fulfilling for them as mine was supposed to be.
I took my last bus ride and walked the last yards to my place. The moving company was to arrive at nine in the morning. They were to pack my little place up, and bring all the furniture out for the charity truck. When I arrived, I unlocked my little refuge; a space that fortified my independence. I smiled as I thought of how I not only I became financially and emotionally independent, but my sexual freedom and desires were released.
The mail was piled high in the box, and I made a note to change my address online. I went about cleaning out my fridge, taking care to pull out the things I could save from the freezer. My studio was so small I lived without excess. The packing and the move would take no time to make. Clean up would be even faster.
A flurry of activity ensued as soon as the movers arrived. They packed all my belongings. There were three of us in a tiny studio apartment, attempting to stay out of each other’s way. Once they were done, the movers made box runs to store the contents in the moving truck. I stayed outside to keep watch over my belongings as they ran up and down the sta
irs. I got chills a few times, feeling exposed as I stood outside. Thoughts of my kidnapper left me hyper-aware. I looked around my surroundings, ensuring I wasn’t targeted by an attacker. It was a sensation I’d never felt before. I wasn’t the type to be scared or paranoid of random sights and sounds.
After the movers removed all of my belongings from the apartment, I waited outside for the charity truck to pick up the furniture I’d decided not to move. As I paced around waiting, a car honked and I panicked. I looked around frantically, but it was only the truck signaling its arrival. My heart beat wildly, and I took many cleansing breaths to slow it down. As soon as the last item was loaded, I walked back upstairs to clean and dust everything. When I was done, I looked back at the small space proudly, thankful for the safety and comfort it provided during a dark time in my life. It slowly lifted the veil of darkness and allowed the light to bring vitality back into my life.
Slipping an envelope containing my single key under the landlady’s door, I trekked to the bus one last time. A promise of a large tip to the movers allowed me enough time to return to the city by my usual commute. I was famished, but made my way to the apartment to allow the mover time to deliver my things.
When I arrived at the apartment building, I found Gill waiting for me at the front desk area. I was surprised to see him there.
“What are you doing here?”
“Bringing you food. I’m sure you hadn’t eaten.”
“You’re a mind reader. I’m starving, but you didn’t have to bring me food on your day off.”
“I told you, I’m your PA. You pay me good money to take care of you.” He winked.
Despite our short time together as colleagues, I reached for him and gave him a hug. “Thank you so much. I can use a friend today.” I admitted.
We arrived at my apartment and we proceeded to eat. A buzz on the intercom alerted me to the arrival of the movers. I gave them permission to start bringing my boxes up. There was no furniture to bring in, so they stacked boxes on the building’s dollies. It only took three trips to bring everything up. I gave them a check and an extra tip for their efforts and quick service.
After locking the door, I returned to sit at the small dining area. I marveled at finally having a dining space of my own.
“How does it feel to be here?”
“Honestly, I don’t think I slept a wink last night. I was tired, but there was a heightened anxiety over being in a new place, new job, and there is still so much uncertainty. Everything that’s happened in the last month has been such a life altering experience. I lived in a tiny studio and for some reason it felt like a haven. Last night, as I lay in a bigger bed . . . in a bigger room . . . in a bigger apartment, I felt like I was imprisoned in the studio; like it was a punishment for mistakes I’ve made in the past. And this . . . this feels like I deserve good things. I don’t know.” I looked at him with tears in my eyes. “Sorry. I think I answered more than you actually asked.” I laughed. Gill smiled wistfully.
“I can see this has been a big change. One for the better, I hope.” He raised his beer bottle and I raised mine, clinking in good spirit.
“How was the date with your beau?” I asked.
“It was great. His name is John Peter. He’s Haitian, a third year law student downtown. The kindest and most supportive man I’ve ever been with.” I cooed as he spoke of John Peter.
“Well, I’m happy for you. Now, if John Peter had a brother, I would be happy for me.” Gill laughed. We finished our pasta dish. After cleaning up, Gill offered to help me unpack the kitchen. We talked as we worked. I had the essentials and realized I needed to expand my cookware and serving ware for entertaining. The ones I had was sized for no more than two people. At a later time, I would make a list of all the things I needed to fill the kitchen and make a special shopping trip to purchase everything.
Gill and I got more acquainted with each other’s history. He was equally as hard of a worker. Gill was thirty and was born and raised in the Boston area of Chestnut Hill. His parents were professors at the college in the town. They were loving and supportive of the path he took academically and professionally. They’ve only wanted the best for Gill, and are pleased he was a working professional.
After completing the kitchen, we took boxes to my bedroom and started unpacking my clothing and bathroom supplies. Unpacking went just as fast as packing. Thankful I had very little things to unpack, we took all the flattened boxes to the refuse room. I hugged Gill and thanked him for his unwavering support. Closing the door behind Gill when he departed, I entered my bedroom to get ready for bed. Because I hadn’t gotten much sleep over the last week since my kidnapping, I needed my rest for the next day’s dance practice. Being free of a romantic entanglement, it was the only thing I looked forward to all week.
TWELVE
Since starting work at Pentagon, I was constantly running from one meeting to the next. It was hard to pause to take a deep breath. Needing a bit of time to review and prepare for my afternoon lunch with the California architects, I left the large conference room to seek refuge in my office.
“Perla Parisi?” I turned to acknowledge my former marital name. When I saw the handsome man standing before me, a smile automatically lifted and a little flutter in my belly surged through me.
“Nickel?” Nick Salter was one of the foremen at Parisi Construction. I had a very innocent crush on Nick when I worked as Director of Finance at Parisi. I was endeared to him when I asked him once about his given name, ‘Nickel’. He relayed the story of his father naming him Nickel. His parents had him so young they didn’t have a ‘nickel to their name’. I thought it was sweet. I made a joke about his siblings being named ‘Dime’ and ‘Quarter’. He joked back his sister was named ‘Penny’ because money was even tighter. However, Nickel made it clear he went by Nick, but he allowed me to call him Nickel because I loved it, and had I not been married, I could’ve loved him. During my Pentagon research I learned he was promoted to Director of Operations at Parisi Construction Group when it was purchased by Pentagon.
“It’s Mercurio now that I’m divorced. How are you?” I said as we stood in the large open office space. Our attention was solely on each other as the bustle of the cubicles seemed to decrease.
“I heard you two divorced, and you left Parisi. I’m sorry.” He looked genuinely sad for me.
“That makes one of us.” He laughed and looked down. I smiled when I saw a hint of a blush on his light gold cheeks.
“Perla, you look amazing.” Nick complimented me. I blushed. Matt had been the only other person who complimented me with a glint in his eye, and made me feel the compliment was heartfelt. Nick leaned in with arms open wide and gave me a strong hug, and I hugged back, inhaling his spicy scent. Nick was slightly shorter than Matt, but his body was as firm and strong, reminding me of Matt’s Adonis-like body. I wanted to sigh and release my stress into Nick’s strong arms. Upon releasing each other, we stood close, breaking the natural personal space I typically commanded.
“Thank you, Nickel. You don’t look bad yourself. I see Parisi is still serving you well.” I returned. He smiled his amazing, toothy grin. I’d always thought Nick was extremely handsome, albeit a bit too gritty and tough looking for my taste. I was never physically attracted to the biker type, and Nick was the true definition. His sleeve-tattooed arms were covered by the navy blazer he wore with a collared, button down shirt with the Parisi logo. He wore dark olive colored slacks, but paired them with his steel toed construction boots.
As the construction supervisor, Nick must take part in the meetings to discuss where the construction fell in the schedule. I entered the meeting late from my last meeting and didn’t observe my audience. When I presented my portion on the agenda, I went into automatic mode and mentally blocked off everyone in the room to preserve my confidence. During the overall meeting of about twenty executives and administrators, I didn’t notice him in attendance until he called out to me when I walked out of the room.<
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“I see divorce agrees with you. You’re a VP at Pentagon. Incredible.” His grin never wavered and I could see a glint in his eyes as he took my image in.
“Yeah. A recent opportunity came my way and I just had to take it.” I stared into his green eyes as he stared into my brown ones. His sandy blonde hair was cut much shorter than his usually ‘kissed by the sun’ shoulder length hair. He looked amazing; a touch of rebel in an executive’s clothing.
“How are things with Parisi?” I asked.
“They’re better now. It was under a lot of upheaval around the time you left and for a while after, but since the sale, it’s been an incredible place to work. I’m now in charge of operations, and decided to oversee the Pentagram project myself. This is a huge one for us, Perla. The old man used to talk about wanting to be part of a huge project like this one. I just wish he were still part of the business so he could see the end of this thing.” Nick stated about my ex father in law, Geno Parisi.
“I think he would’ve loved this project.” I agreed with a smile. I felt a little flurry as he returned the smile.
“I don’t have much input for the décor and theme of the project, but I think you did a great job presenting . . .” Nick opined before we were interrupted.
“Perla?” The familiar husky voice which set my loins on fire called from a distance. I turned to watch Matt walk from the elevators toward us. My heart froze. In the three weeks since I last saw him, he’d changed his appearance. The most dramatic was the short stylish cut of his usually long black hair. He no longer sported the salt and peppery beard I loved so much. He looked gorgeous, different, but somehow the same. I was excited to see him this way, but I also felt gutted. Matt had deliberately changed his look because he knew I loved his long wavy black hair and the beard which accompanied. He wore a lightweight suit in a sandy color. A mint colored tie laid over a white button down shirt. His shoes were a light camel color. My heart ached upon seeing him in all his glory. The memories flooded my mind as I ogled every inch of him.