by Ramsey Isler
The number 8 is considered lucky in Chinese custom, and the number 88 is obviously doubly lucky. Jess spent hours with designers to create the perfect logo for the watch, and the perfect advertising collateral that exploited the ideas of joy and good fortune. She even arranged for producers at various TV shows throughout Asia to write-in scenes where the main characters gave or received an 88 box for Chinese New Year. Payment for this kind of sponsorship usually meant coughing up a lot of cash, but Jess further capitalized on the popularity and significance of red items in Asian culture by paying each TV network with a single 10-carat ruby from KMC that was beautifully cut by a pair of skilled elven hands.
The results were spectacular. News stations from Tokyo to Taipei enthusiastically covered the impending release of the 88. The Chinese edition of Forbes magazine featured the watch on the cover. When sales finally began three weeks before the holiday, Better once again achieved a feat that was becoming the norm for the company: the new model sold out in a day.
Chapter 19
A few weeks later, after a number of celebrations, new hires, media interviews, and conference calls with eager global retailers, Sam and her friends sat down for their usual weekly meeting. But this one was going to be a little different. Sam actually had real business to discuss for once.
“I’ve made a decision,” Sam said to Yusef and Jess. They eyed each other and waited for Sam to continue.
“The success of the Chinese New Year campaign shows us two things,” Sam said. “One, the Asian markets are finally open to us now. Two, rubies have to become our signature stone. The gems Akida provides us are amazing, and we’re the first company to bring them to this market. We have to push that as far as it will go.”
“So what are you saying?” Jess asked.
“We’re dropping diamonds,” Sam said. “We’re never going to put out another diamond watch.”
“The market might not like that,” Yusef said.
“I think we’re finally at the point where the market will like whatever we tell them to like,” Sam said.
“Damn,” Yusef said. “This is...new. What got into you, Sam?”
“Nothing,” Sam said. “This is the most logical direction for us to go in. We have to press home our advantages and continue to differentiate ourselves from the competition.”
“Okay then,” Yusef said. “I’ve got no problem with that. How about you Jess?”
Jess just looked at Sam with a wry smile. “Yusef, could you leave us alone for a bit? Girl talk, you know.”
“Uh oh,” Yusef said as he hopped out of his chair. “That sounds heinous. Gotta go.”
Yusef was out of the room and heading back to his own office in three seconds flat. Jess leaned a little closer to Sam and said, “You and Akida seem to be pretty close these days.”
“We have a very important business relationship to develop,” Sam said.
“I don’t think that’s the only type of relationship you’re developing.”
“Are you implying something, Jess?”
“No, I’m outright saying it. You’re getting all snuggly with him.”
“I am not,” Sam said. “We have not snuggled, cuddled, or anything else.”
“Yet,” Jess said.
“It’s not on my to-do list,” Sam said. “We have a business relationship that works, and it works very well.”
“So he didn’t make a pass at you?”
“Well...”
“I knew it!” Jess said. “Hot damn. This is a first. Sam Chablon mixing business and pleasure. Never thought I’d see the day.”
“Jess, do you have a point?”
“I do actually,” Jess said. “Have your fun, but make sure you don’t let your feelings get in the way of work. I’ve been there, honey. It ain’t pretty.”
“Thanks for the advice,” Sam said. “Anything else?”
“If you get married, I’d better be the maid of honor.”
Sam smiled. “You can go now, Jess.”
“Fine,” Jess said. “I have to go negotiate the terms for an interview about my marketing brilliance on the eighty-eight campaign.”
“Make sure they have a pastry chef on set for you,” Sam said.
“It’s number one on the list,” Jess said, and she left. The door had barely closed when Sam’s cell phone started to ring. Sam looked at it and saw Akida’s name on the caller ID.
“The man does have impeccable timing,” Sam said as she picked up the phone and hit the answer button. “Hello?”
“Hello there,” Akida said in a cheery voice.
“You’re calling me from Tanzania? This can’t be cheap.”
“Worth it,” Akida said. “How have you been?”
“I’m great,” Sam said. “Still basking in the glory of the eighty-eight model’s success.”
“Ah yes, our wonderful first venture together. I have to admit that my company is getting a pretty big boost from this too. I can’t tell you how many calls we’ve been getting from China recently. It’s a good thing I spent a year learning Mandarin.”
“I guess that pricey education of yours is paying off,” Sam said.
“In more ways than you can imagine,” Akida said. “So when am I seeing you again?”
“I’ll answer your question with another question,” Sam said. “When are you stateside again?”
“You seem to be excluding the possibility of you visiting me here,” Akida said.
“Very astute of you,” Sam said. “I’m not sure Tanzania is for me.”
“It’s a beautiful country,” Akida said.
“I’m sure it is. I’m also sure it’s not for me.”
“Fine,” Akida said. “Perhaps we can meet halfway.”
“What are you thinking?” Sam asked.
“Brazil?”
“I have no business in Brazil,” Sam said.
“It’s not business,” Akida said. “It’s a vacation. You are familiar with this term, aren’t you?”
“I can’t just leave.”
“Of course you can,” Akida said. “You own the place. You can do whatever you like.”
“Why are people always trying to get me to leave my work?” Sam said.
“Because some of us care for you and want you to see that there’s more to life.”
Sam took a moment to consider what he was saying. Akida’s choice of words hadn’t been lost on her. He said he cared for her. That was just a short jump from the L word. For some reason Sam didn’t feel as put off by it as she thought she would. “Fine,” she said. “Brazil. Three days from now.”
“I’ll book it,” Akida said.
“Make sure we stay someplace nice,” Sam said. “And, Akida?”
“Yes?” Akida asked.
“Make sure we have separate rooms.”
* * *
“This is...a bit much,” Sam said as she absorbed the full glory of the place Akida had booked. She was expecting a straightforward penthouse suite. Instead, Akida had rented a whole six bedroom villa situated three blocks from the famous Copacabana beach of Rio de Janeiro. The place was huge, and the rooftop included a private pool which Sam was now staring at.
“Too much?” Akida said as he shed his shirt and shoes. “But we’ll be here for a week. I’m somewhat claustrophobic you know. A simple hotel suite isn’t really adequate. Would you like a swim?”
“Maybe later,” Sam said. She tried not to stare at Akida’s chiseled dark body. He was only wearing swimming shorts now. “Where should I put my bags?”
“Wherever you like,” Akida said before he dove into the pool. He quickly surfaced and said, “We have six bedrooms, after all. Choose one. Choose three if you want.”
Sam put her hands on her hips and gave him a sidelong glare. “You’re not expecting me to share one with you?”
Akida smiled brightly. “I am a gentleman, Miss Chablon. I don’t presume anything.”
“Good,” Sam said. “Let’s figure out the sleeping situation later and h
it the beach now. I’m eager to get some Brazilian sunbathing done and look at fat guys wearing Speedos two sizes too small.”
“And I,” Akida said as he pulled himself out of the pool, “am looking forward to staring at hordes of legendary Brazilian buttocks barely constrained by skimpy thongs.”
“Great place, this Brazil,” Sam said. “They’ve got something for everyone.”
* * *
Two hours later, Sam was slightly sunburned and having the time of her life.
Rio was everything she’d read about, and more. It sure beat Las Vegas, Key West, New Orleans, or any of the other party cities she had visited. Rio had a certain sense of exotic adventure around every corner. There was less artificiality here, and fewer “dudes” to tolerate. The natural beauty of the place was just icing on the cake.
Sam and Akida returned to the villa for a quick regroup and a change of clothes for something more appropriate in the warmer-than-usual weather. The pair of vacationers went to their respective rooms on opposite sides of the house while they shed sweat and donned more comfortable clothing.
Sam finished first and waited for Akida in the foyer. When he didn’t show up after ten minutes, she walked to his room and found the door closed. She reached up to knock on the door and stopped when she heard Akida’s voice on the other side.
“I don’t need you anymore,” Akida said. Sam could hear something alien in his voice. At first she thought it was anger, but as Akida spoke more muffled words, she realized that it was something slightly different. Frustration.
Hmm. A call from a clingy old girlfriend?
“I’m grateful for everything you did for me,” Akida said. “But I set you free. I treated you well and did everything I was supposed to do. Now our business is done. I am sure you will do just fine without me. Now, please, go away.”
Then Sam heard heavy footsteps approach the door. She scampered away as quickly and quietly as she could, turning the corner just as she heard the door open. But the hallway was long, and Akida’s thunderous stride was fast. Sam would never make it back down the hall before he turned the corner. Her mind quickly searched for options. She found one. She turned around and walked slowly back the way she came.
Akida barreled around the corner and stopped when he saw Sam approaching.
“Oh, hi,” Sam said with a carefree smile. “Are you ready?”
“Most definitely,” Akida said. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”
Sam said, “I was just coming to get you. What were you doing?”
“Saying goodbye to an old friend,” Akida said. “Again.”
“I see,” Sam said. “Anything I should know about?”
“No. Ancient history.”
“Ah,” Sam said. “So tell me, how many girls have you brought here?”
“What?”
“Just a question,” Sam said with a shrug.
“I have brought no girls here,” Akida said. “This is actually the first time I’ve been in this house. My travel agent recommended the place.”
“But you have been to Brazil before,” Sam said.
“Once,” Akida said. “And yes, I had some encounters with women during that trip. Not everyone is as pure and chaste as you, Lady Chablon.”
“Very funny,” Sam said.
“I thought so too,” Akida said. “Did you get the answers you wanted?”
“I guess.”
“Good,” Akida said. “Now let’s get back out there and party.”
* * *
Sam and Akida frolicked like college freshmen on spring break. They danced across the golden sands of Copacabana Beach, enjoyed a few ice cold beers at a nearby bar full of tanned gorgeous people, and then ran back out to the ocean for slightly inebriated, slightly dangerous battles with the waves. Sam hadn’t had that much fun in years, but she got the impression it was par for the course for Akida.
When the sun went down and the beaches started to empty, they stumbled upon a tiny Middle Eastern restaurant exuding heavenly aromas. They stopped in, and ordered three couscous dishes, one with lamb, one with chicken, and the other with seafood. It was simple food, but incredibly tasty. Then they found another bar and drank again. So it wasn’t surprising that sobriety was just a distant memory when they returned back to their villa.
“I haven’t had that much tequila since...ever,” Sam said, happily.
“There is a first time for everything my dear Samantha,” Akida said.
“Nobody calls me Samantha.”
“But it’s such a...such a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty woman. Sam is a man’s name. You don’t look like a man to me.”
“I’d believe you more if you weren’t drunk,” Sam said.
“I’m not drunk!” Akida said. “I’m...what do you Americans call it? Buzzed! Yes. I’m just buzzed, baby.”
“Now you’re calling me baby,” Sam said.
“Oh. I guess I did. Did you like it?”
Sam laughed. “Not really.”
Akida stepped forward and stroked her bare arms lightly. “Do you like...that?”
Sam looked up into his dark eyes, but she didn’t say anything. Akida’s playful smile melted away and a forlorn expression appeared. It took a moment for her alcohol-soaked brain to figure out that it might have been because her own face had taken on a distasteful scowl while she fought an internal battle.
Akida dropped his hands and stepped away. “My apologies, Miss Chablon. It seems I’ve made a mistake. I—”
He never got to finish his sentence. His mouth was covered by Sam’s, and she consumed his words until all that was left was a simple, pleased hum.
When Sam broke the kiss, she simply stared into his eyes. “O...kay,” he said. “What do we do now?”
Sam smiled. “Pick a room.”
* * *
A warm Brazilian wind flowed through the open windows of the southwest bedroom of the villa. The air carried typical South American heat mixed with a tinge of salty mist from the ocean. The bedroom’s white curtains fluttered in the breeze. The sun, a golden semicircle on the horizon, cast early morning light over the nude and sweaty bodies of Sam and Akida.
Sam woke first. She moved her head and bumped something boney. It took a moment for her mind to register that it was Akida’s chin. The impact woke him, and he groaned quietly. This was a new experience for Sam—waking up next to a warm body. Even Rupert didn’t sleep in her bed.
“I could get used to this,” Akida said. “Forever.”
“It is nice,” Sam said.
“Something you want to do often?” Akida asked.
“I guess. For now at least.”
“Just for now?” Akida said. “Wouldn’t you want to spend nights like this with your special guy for the rest of your life?”
“I don’t think I’m the marrying type,” Sam said. “But you should feel free to try to change my mind.”
“That was my plan,” Akida said. “But I don’t think it would be good for business back home if I married a white woman.”
Sam laughed—loudly.
Akida glared at her. “I’m serious.”
“I know you are, but it’s still funny.”
“I see,” Akida said as he stroked her left shoulder. “I suppose there may never be a great union of the Kalagho and Chablon empires.”
Sam wrapped her arms around him, nuzzled her head beneath his chin, and said, “It’s okay. I would’ve made you sign a pre-nup anyway.”
* * *
There is nothing more disheartening than returning to work after a vacation. Carefree days spent exploring warm, exotic environs are replaced with the daily doldrums of office work, commutes in annoying traffic, and waiting for the next Friday to arrive. Most people understand this phenomenon well. But for Sam, who had never taken an actual vacation before, this was new territory. She spent much of her first day back planning a way to go home early.
But there was much work to tend to. Yusef and Jess had covered for her well during he
r absence, but there were still things that only Sam could do. Her email and voice mail were packed with messages that required her attention, including a meeting request from Yusef. Sam didn’t think much of it and sent a confirmation for the meeting at three o’clock. She figured it would be quick and she could still leave the office before rush hour.
Three o’clock came and Yusef was at her office door on time, as usual. Sam motioned for him to come in and sit down, and she could already tell this was not going to be a pleasant meeting. Yusef wasn’t smiling, and he didn’t have a pen in his mouth.
“What’s going on?” Sam asked him.
“I’ve discovered something troubling,” Yusef said.
“Jessica’s spending?” Sam said.
“No,” Yusef said. “It’s about some assets the company has; assets that I wasn’t aware of.”
“I’m not following,” Sam said.
“I’ll elaborate,” Yusef said. “While you were gone, we had a glitch with the automated payment system set up for that secret little company of yours that does all our manufacturing.”
Sam’s heart rate doubled, but she didn’t move. She kept still and let Yusef tell his tale.
“I had to set everything up again,” Yusef continued, “and in the process I discovered the name of the company we’ve paying these ridiculously low manufacturing costs to. It’s a company that no one has heard of before, Kithren Industries.”
Sam still said nothing, but her mind was furiously formulating new cover stories to throw Yusef off.
“So,” Yusef said, “I did some poking around. Kithren Industries is owned by another company called Davis Holdings, which is registered as an LLC in Delaware but actually operates in Nevada under the name of Davis Manufacturing, which is owned, oddly enough, by Better Timepieces. Imagine my surprise when I found out.”