by Pratt, Lulu
“She’s doing well. She works at a small café,” I said instead.
“Oh, that’s great. Will you go and see Marshall after work?” she continued with her interrogation.
“I’m not sure. Maybe,” I shrugged, though I hoped for sure I would be able to hang out with Marshall. Of course, I knew the real reason I wanted to see my oldest friend was for the chance I’d run into Charlotte.
“Well, you have a good first day. I’ll call tomorrow to see how it went,” she said, and I knew she would hold true to the commitment.
“Sure thing. See you later, Mom.” I said before ending the call.
After all the countdowns and negotiations, it was finally time to start the job I’d been preparing for over the past four years. It was a graduation of sorts, and I was ready. Walking into the office with the loud soundtrack of airplane departures and arrivals put me at ease. The airport was my comfort zone, and I was finally home again.
Chapter 7
CHARLOTTE
“FORD DELVEY?” Jackie repeated in disbelief.
She couldn’t believe the handsome mystery man was my brother’s longtime best friend. Before I could message her with a need to talk, she popped up at the café on her lunch break. The morning rush had lasted a bit longer than normal. And again, I was on my own, left to handle the preparation and customer service.
Enjoying our daily tea, I rubbed my feet back and forth to relieve some of the pressure after hours on my feet. Jackie was dressed professionally as always, wearing a black pencil skirt and a chiffon blouse to match. She always wore high heels, something I rarely did. There was no doubt she was the fashionista of the friendship.
“Yes, the only Ford we’ve ever known!” I laughed. Our lives had been tangled together for so long, we didn’t know people individually anymore. You either knew me and Jackie, or you knew neither.
“It’s been a while, but I didn’t think I wouldn’t recognize him. You used to obsess over him.” She rolled her eyes as she sipped from a cappuccino I’d made her after she complained of needing a nap.
I couldn’t deny the accusation. When I was younger, Ford was all I could talk about. I’d make up stories of marrying him like in a fairy tale and everything. Jackie was the only person who could understand the craziness of our interaction the previous night.
“I know I’m not making this up. Ford was into me last night. Like, staring into my eyes, following me into the kitchen,” I began, watching as her eyes narrowed.
“You think Ford could like you? Like, like you like you?” she asked louder.
“I mean, you don’t have to make it sound like the idea is so farfetched,” I giggled.
“Oh, knock it off. You know I think you’re the hottest blonde in the world, but how on earth can Ford be into you? Are we forgetting about your overprotective-ass brother?”
“I know. That’s why it doesn’t make sense. It feels… I don’t know, kind of bad.” I admitted the thought that had been troubling me all night.
No matter what I felt for Ford, I couldn’t act on it. Could I? He was my brother’s best friend, and eight years older than me. Did we even have anything in common? There were so many questions I didn’t know where to start.
“Of course it feels bad. It’s like the female equivalent of sleeping with the babysitter,” she joked.
“Okay, that’s creepy.” I held a hand up to stop her.
“Yeah, you’re right. Maybe not sleeping with the babysitter.” She scrunched her nose apologetically.
We laughed, slapping hands as the girl talk heated up. I knew Jackie would understand how I felt.
“What do you think Marshall would do if he knew?” I asked.
“To you or to Ford?” she asked with a half laugh, but both of us knew she wasn’t playing.
My brother had always been too protective of me, treating me more like a daughter than a sister. And Ford was his closest friend. He would feel betrayed if anything happened between us.
“There’s something between us, Jackie. I could feel it every second I was around him.” I shook my head, recalling the sensation.
“Yeah, it’s called danger!” she yelled, and I broke into another fit of giggles.
“I’m serious!” I continued after regaining my composure. “There was something deep and intense about the way Ford looked at me… like all the feelings I’ve been bottling up were reciprocated in a way.”
I knew it was unbelievable, so I turned away, glancing at the passing pedestrians outside to avoid Jackie’s glare. She sighed deeply, placing her hand over mine.
“The last time he saw you, we were still in high school. Obviously, he didn’t see in you what there is to see now. You’re gorgeous, young, smart, funny. Seriously, I could go on and on. You don’t need to convince me Ford was attracted to you. He’d be a fool not to be,” she said.
Shocked, I turned to face her, wondering if she was being sarcastic, but there was no smile on her face. Jackie always saw the best in me, even when I failed to see it myself at times.
“You think so?” I asked, my voice small with doubt.
“Charlotte, you’re the only person who can’t see how much of a knockout you are,” she smiled. “But I’m also serious about Marshall finding out. You know how he feels about you dating. He treats you the same way he did in junior high.”
It wasn’t an exaggeration. There was never anyone good enough for me in my brother’s eyes. He would intimidate every potential suitor before our first date. Eventually, I stopped introducing him to guys altogether.
He’d built a new persona, with a guarded demeanor, after our parents passed away. It was his way of alluding strength, which was something we so desperately needed at the time. Everyone looked at us with pity – the two kids from the perfect home, suddenly orphaned. At the time, my brother’s unwavering strength was necessary, but as the years passed, he failed to return to his normal self.
He still saw himself as my defender, and worked overtime to see to it that no one could have an opportunity to hurt me. It was the reason I’d never experienced love, or a relationship at all. Getting close to me was nearly impossible, because my brother was such a huge part of my life with such strong opinions about who I should date.
A part of me felt eternally indebted to him for all he had sacrificed to give me a somewhat normal life. How could I ever go against his wishes, when he had prioritized me above his own goals and ambitions? It was a constant tug of war between him and the deep emotional appreciation I had for all my brother had done for me. But I couldn’t live my entire life to appease him. The only question was if Ford was worth finally standing up for myself.
“I’ve got to grow up at some point, though.” I shrugged, standing to gather our dishes. “If it were up to Marshall, I’d die a virgin.”
“Charlotte!” Jackie yelled, almost choking on her cappuccino.
“What? I’m serious!” I argued, taking both our cups. “Looks like I won’t lose my virginity before I turn twenty-one, anyway.”
“Do you think Marshall knows you’re a virgin?” she asked in a whisper, though there were no other customers in the café.
“I think he assumes it. I mean, when could I ever have had a relationship that serious?” I countered.
“You don’t need a relationship to have sex.”
“Who wants to lose their virginity on a one-night stand?”
“If the person is special enough, it doesn’t matter what titles you have,” she argued, and I nodded slowly, reluctantly agreeing with her.
Jackie always said my views on relationships were over-romanticized. I was the product of too many fairytale books, constantly searching for my happily ever after. Real life, as she put it, was less of a perfectly crafted story and more of a fantastic ride. In many ways, I was tired of watching others enjoy the roller coaster of love. I wanted to experience it for myself.
She joined me behind the counter as I cleaned the cups. Handing me her mug with the residue of foam c
oating the sides, there was a sadness in her eyes. “I’m really going to miss you making me beautiful cappuccinos.”
“Why would you miss them?” I took her mug before it hit me. “Are you going on that stupid detox again?”
A few months back, Jackie had taken a ten-day juice detox. She was a grouch for the entire time, constantly complaining about how hungry she was. While it did help her lose six pounds, she couldn’t eat anything but raw fruits and the allotted bottles of juice per day.
“No,” she giggled, as though she knew how unbearable she was during that time. “You’re not going to be able to make the cappuccinos, because there’s no café at Josephine’s.”
Josephine’s Bakery was the premiere bakery in the city. Ever since Jackie began working there a few months back, she promised she would find a way to get me into their esteemed program. My heart began racing as I realized what she was saying.
“If you’re playing, now is the time to tell me,” I said, struggling to keep my breathing steady.
“Well, I don’t have anything to tell you. Other than that, you need to give your boss your notice as soon as possible, because as the newest intern in the design program, Josephine’s Bakery would like to welcome you immediately,” she said in the professional tone she used when answering work calls.
“Jackie! I love you!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, jumping up and down as we hugged. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”
“Well, you hadn’t shut up about Ford the entire time I’ve been here, and I was waiting to tell you when you took a breath,” she said with a grin.
It was the best news I’d gotten in a long time. After feeling like my life was in a rut, things finally seemed to be picking up in the right direction. I couldn’t wait to start my new career – one I was passionate about. My heart was full of optimism and excitement, looking forward to the best days of my life.
Chapter 8
FORD
“IN THE PAST, I’ve had supervisors who didn’t seem to know a thing about what I did as a mechanic. They were so far removed from getting their hands dirty, I couldn’t relate to them. More importantly, I didn’t feel they could relate to me.”
My voice was as commanding as I planned. And from the looks on the faces of the mechanics, I could feel my words were connecting. I’d spent my first week trying to get to know as many of them as possible, something my old boss never bothered to do.
In his defense, the team of mechanics at the Minneapolis airport was too large to even consider such a task. Here, I was able to build personal connections and I had a team dedicated to making that happen. I even had an assistant, which my mom got a kick out of, calling at least once a day to show her friends I was a big shot at the airport.
It was surreal being in charge while focusing on something I loved doing. We’d just finished a workshop about a new technique airlines based in Japan were instituting on their aircrafts. Rather than sitting on the sidelines like many in my position would, I got in the assembly line, joining those I had been hired to supervise.
I could see they appreciated that and my willingness to see eye to eye with them. I didn’t want to be the type of boss who looked down on them. I knew how that felt and never wanted to be the one responsible for making someone’s life more difficult.
“My friends used to envy my salary whenever they learned how much I made as a mechanic,” I continued, watching a few people smirk in the audience. I knew they too had experienced the shock from friends and family.
“But I’ve always been quick to explain, it’s hard work!” I announced. “The point I’m trying to make is this – we’re going to have to spend a lot of time together. You’ll be here, and I’ll be here too. So, let’s try our best to make this the most enjoyable environment we can, okay? I don’t want to make anyone’s life more difficult, and if you could do the same, I think we’ll get along just fine.”
The room erupted in applause, with many side conversations breaking out as they leaned towards their neighbors.
“My name is Ford Delvey. If you see me, come up and introduce yourself. I do bite, but you’ll heal,” I smiled, sending them into one last round of laughter before I ended our meeting. “This is it for the day. Enjoy an early release for those on the day shift. And for those of you just getting in, there’s a load of hot pizza waiting for you in the break room!”
“You’re all right with me, Ford!” A tall man announced from the back as everyone gathered their things with smiles on their faces.
I left the room feeling great. The training session had gone well, and my speech even better. I’d never been asked to give a speech at a job before. It felt like I was truly becoming who I wanted to be, leading a team and working towards goals in my professional life.
My office was even coming together, thanks to the hard work of Amy, my assistant. She’d quickly grown tired of my sterile office, reminding me of the stipend I received for décor on my corporate credit card. I still wasn’t used to having a corporate credit card.
“You know it will expire after your first thirty days, right?” she’d reminded me before requesting permission to take on the task of updating my office.
Now, I had things I would never purchase – like a plant that stood about five-feet tall perched in the corner. She’d promised to water it after my initial reaction of shock. She’d also added lamps and a bookshelf. If my calculations were correct, she also purchased a second filing cabinet for herself. She was so good at her job, I didn’t make a fuss about it since it was to help me stay organized, after all.
I was responsible for filing every incident made about every plane in or out of CVG International. Of course, they were all filed digitally, but a hardcopy was still required. Amy took care of all the filing work, which made my life much easier.
My favorite addition to my office was a small wire shelf where Amy placed everything I needed to read for the following morning’s meetings in a carefully organized folder. I liked to get ahead of the day by preparing early. I was skimming through it when my phone rang.
“Hey, what’s up?” I asked after seeing Marshall’s name on the screen. He rarely called me during work hours, so I was a bit concerned.
“Big shot! You still at the office?” he asked in an excited tone.
“Yeah, finishing up here,” I said, curious about his call. Marshall wasn’t the type to call without a reason. We typically only texted, which made it difficult to keep up while I was out of state.
“I need a favor, big guy, and it isn’t an easy one,” he said in a somber tone.
“Yeah? What’s going on?” I closed the folder, giving him my full attention.
“All right, I know this is a crazy request,” he started with humor in his voice. “And it’s going to be boring as hell.”
“Marshall, get to it, already!” I interjected, tired of the prolonging.
“I need to play chaperone tonight, and I need a wingman,” he finally admitted.
“Chaperone? To who?”
“Charlotte got a new job, so she wants to go out and celebrate. A friend of hers is going to take her to a club downtown. So, I need to tag along to make sure they don’t get in too much trouble.”
“Oh? A club?” I stalled for words, not wanting to sound too overzealous.
“Yeah. Jackie said she knows a good spot, I guess.”
“Jackie? She’s still friends with her?” I asked, remembering the young girl from years ago when Charlotte was in junior high.
“They’re still thick as thieves, man,” Marshall chuckled. I knew it was important for his sister to have friends. I imagined he was happy she’d been able to develop a close bond with someone after the devastation of their childhood.
“All right, but I’ve got to be in the office early tomorrow. So, I can’t hang too late,” I tried my best to sound like it was a chore.
Marshall was grateful I could help him out. I locked my office up, eager to get the night started before we ended the cal
l. I’d been looking for a reason to be around Charlotte, and now I had the perfect opportunity.
I raced towards Marshall’s house, so excited I decided to just wear my jeans and work shirt rather than stopping by my house to change. While I wasn’t sure what Jackie had in mind, I knew most places in Cincinnati didn’t have a dress code. You weren’t required to put on a ball gown to have a good time in my city. It was one of the many things I loved about being home.
Rolling my window down, I let the wind blow my hair, which was in desperate need of a cut. I’d just had an excellent day at work, and knew my night would get even better. I had so many questions for Charlotte, already wondering what promotion she got.
I couldn’t remember if Marshall had told me, but I knew she deserved to do more. She had a talent with baking. I hoped she was going to be able to focus on that more in her new role. She was young, but she had a lot of potential and passion, something I always admired.
Riding up the freeway, I felt in control of my life for the first time in a long time. Like things weren’t just happening to me, but that I was playing an integral role in my success. I was in the driver’s seat for a change, in control of my own destiny. For so long, I had been accepting what was given to me rather than claiming what I wanted and going after it. That was over. From now on, I was claiming what I wanted and going after it with full force. Nothing was impossible after securing the job I’d been chasing for years. Things were finally coming together for me. It felt amazing. Almost as good as the Ohio air across my face.
Chapter 9
CHARLOTTE
ANOTHER MAJOR occasion in my life, and another instance of my brother trying to ruin it. The first incident I could remember was my elementary school graduation. At just ten years old, the only thing I wanted in the world was to attend Jacob Young’s graduation party. His family had a pool in their back yard and the entire fifth grade class had talked about attending for the final weeks of school.