Dar and Kerry Series - Short Stories

by Melissa Good

  “Could you pin this?” She indicated her cravat, and the brooch. “I’ll never get it centered.”

  Dar took the brooch from her and stepped forward, entering Kerry’s personal space. She carefully worked the catch on the jewelry, and pinned it in place, as Kerry stood motionless.

  So close, that Kerry could smell the faintly spicy perfume Dar wore, and see the heartbeat pulsing in her throat.

  “There ya go.” Dar finished and stepped back, regarding her work. “Good enough?”

  Kerry glanced down. “Great.” She grinned. “Thanks.” Then she looked back up. “Did you need something? I just realized you’re probably not here to give me a hand dressing.”

  Dar fidgeted, and then re-crossed her arms. “I... um...” She paused, uncharacteristically. “Really, I just came over to say good night.” She shrugged. “Have a good time at the party.”

  “You should go.” Kerry found herself saying.

  “Home?” Dar’s eyebrows lifted.

  “To the party.”

  “I’m not a party animal.” The dark haired woman shrugged. “Besides, most of those people hate my guts. I don’t want to sour their punch.”

  “Mmph.” Kerry frowned.

  “You got a hat to go with that?” Dar changed the subject. “To make you a proper Yankee?” She let a bit of her natural southern accent emerge.

  Kerry suspected she was being teased, so she grinned, but retrieved her tri-cornered hat and settled it on her head. “I’m all set.” She put a hand on the door handle, turning her gaze on Dar. “Won’t you come just for a few minutes? It’s just a party.”

  Dar’s eyes dropped, and then lifted again. “Really not my style. Have fun, okay?” She lifted a hand farewell, and retreated to the back hallway door.

  “Okay.” Kerry sighed, disturbingly aware of how empty the room seemed without her fascinating if perplexing boss in it. But she put aside her disappointment and checked her image one more time in the mirror, straightening her hat before she left her office and headed towards the presentation room.

  **

  Dar slumped in her chair, her eyes ostensibly studying the screen in front of her. She had no idea what was on it, but she suspected it wasn’t pleasant, so when a knock came at her door, she abandoned whatever it was gladly. “Come.”

  The door opened, and Maria stuck her head inside. The sight of her administrative assistant made Dar grin, if for no other reason than she had a bright red ball stuck on the end of her nose. “Maria... is that you behind there?”

  “Si.” Maria entered, and shuffled over to the desk. She was dressed as a clown, with bright red curly hair, a polka dotted outfit, and overlarge shoes. “I am so the ‘it’, no?”

  Dar had to laugh. “Maria, you’ve got more guts than I do, I’ll tell ya that.” She admitted. “I could never pull that off.”

  Maria smiled. “It is only for the one night, and my familias does not celebrate the Halloween, so I have fun.” She clasped her hands in front of her. “Will you not stop by and see the other funny things? I hear Mr. Draefus is coming as the bear.”

  What is it with everyone today? “You know I don’t do parties, Maria.” Dar told her. “Besides, with you and Kerry, our office is damn well represented this year.”

  “Ah.” Maria nodded. “Si, then Kerry is also going?”

  Dar nodded. “Yeah, she’s dressed up as George Washington or something.” She told her admin. “Real cute.”

  Maria studied her face intently. “You know, Jefa, I worry about her in this place. I think she is finding it not so easy to get into how we are.”

  “What do you mean?” Dar’s brows contracted. “I thought she was doing fine. She does a good job.”

  “Oh, no, si, I mean, yes of course she does!” Maria corrected herself. “But I think she does not find the friends here so fast. It is because of what she is doing, I think. The people, they do not know how to be with her.”

  “Yeah.” Dar exhaled. “She’s in a lousy spot.” She admitted. “Everyone in our group has to report to her, and everyone outside it won’t go near her because they’re scared of me.”

  Maria suppressed a smile. “Si.” She nodded sadly. “It is too bad, she is so nice.”

  “Yeah.” That worried Dar, because she did like the kid, and wanted her to be happy at ILS, didn’t she? Kerry was a great assistant, a great employee, had great potential…

  “It is too bad she will not have a friend to have the fun with at the party tonight, Jefe.” Maria presented the politest, most gentile Cuban attack Dar had ever felt. “I think you are the closest to that for her, here.”

  Dar looked at her. “I think I’m being bushwhacked.”

  “I do not know how to, as you say, whack a bush, Jefe, but I am doing a good one, yes?”

  The double meaning of the words almost cost Dar her composure. She scrubbed her face with one hand, and took a deep breath, then relaxed back into her chair, surrendering with far less struggle than she’d ever thought she could. “All right.” She let her hands drop to the chair arms, and gave her admin a wry smile. “Besides, I’ve got this damn stupid thing I bought to wear in the damn closet. Might as well use it.”

  Maria smiled broadly. “Jefe! You did not!”

  “Yeah, I did.” Dar admitted. “So, g’wan. With any luck, the entire room’ll pass out when I show up and it’ll be a short party.”

  “I am going.” Maria looked supremely satisfied, at least as much as someone could with bright pink lipstick circles on their cheeks. “I will see you there, Dar. It is good.” She turned and marched, or rather, shuffled out, closing the door behind her.

  Dar sat for a moment, absorbing the implications of what she was doing. Then she grinned, and threw caution out the window as she jumped up and headed for where she’d stashed her costume.

  **

  Kerry edged into a place near the wall, letting her eyes get used to the low, odd lighting as she looked around the room. The decorators had done a great job – there were balloon headed witches, ghosts, goblins and other… things wafting from the ceiling, along with bats and spiders. Someone had a dry ice machine tucked away somewhere because a low layer of fog obscured the floor.

  Two large bars on opposite sides of the room were dispensing sodas, beer and wine, and there were two very long tables on the remaining walls that had various goodies on them. In the center of the room, a large area had been cleared, and around it were small tables where people were sitting and talking. Two of the tables had been taken over by fortune tellers, and they had a brisk business going around them.

  Spooky music was playing, and the lights were low, covered in richly colored plastic that painted everything in bizarre colors.

  Kerry decided she preferred it to the way the presentation room looked normally. As she glanced around, she saw several eyes turn away from hers, and felt suddenly very self conscious.

  “Hey, Kerry.” Mark popped up next to her, dressed as a vampire. “Wanna ‘bite’ to eat?” He showed his impressively glow in the dark fangs.

  “Yikes.” Kerry chuckled; glad she could at least talk to someone. “This place is wild.”

  “Yeah.” Mark spit out the fangs, and ran his tongue around his teeth. “I hate the taste of plastic.” He commented, tucking the items away for later. “This ain’t bad. I like to just hang out and watch how stupid everyone looks.”

  Well. Kerry watched one of the marketing analysts shimmy across the cleared center space heading for the bar. “What’s that supposed to be?” She queried.

  Mark looked, then tilted his head sideways and looked again. “I think she thinks its Carmen Miranda.” He said. “Either that, or she’s representing the sausage industry.”

  “Wow.” Kerry murmured. “That’s different.”

  “But hey, I love your costume.” Mark went on. “Real slick.” He admired the silk jacket. “I knew you wouldn’t do anything... ahm… “

  “Stupid.” Kerry supplied, with a wry smile. “No, I d
idn’t think my first company party would be the time or place for that.” She said. “Anyway, I’m going to go get a cold cup of something.”

  “Okay, see ya in a bit.” Mark flourished his cape around him and stalked off, bent on scaring as many unsuspecting victims he could.

  With a sigh, Kerry headed off through the growing crowd towards the bar, returning mostly cordial smiles as she approached it. “Hi.” She greeted the bartender, laboring under a full set of blue makeup and chains. “What kind of beer do you have?”

  The man mutely held up two bottles. Kerry pointed at one, and was rewarded with a plastic cup full of her choice on tap. She took it and turned, wondering where to go next.

  “Ah, Kerry. We were just talking about you.” Eleanor appeared at her elbow, dressed as Cruella DeVille, complete with spotted fake fur cape. “Why don’t you come over and join us?” She took Kerry’s arm and led her over to one of the small tables, where Jose and a number of their cronies were gathered.

  Yippee, my favorite people. Kerry sighed inwardly. But at least it was someone to talk to, sort of. She allowed herself to be drawn into the group, and returned the various murmurs and smiles of greeting.

  “Hey, that’s a nice outfit.” Jose commented. “Mozart, right?”

  “Jose, you’re so uncultured.” Eleanor rolled her eyes. “It’s obviously revolutionary period, isn’t it, Kerry?”

  “That’s right.” Kerry nodded. “That’s a lovely cape, Eleanor.”

  The marketing VP beamed at her. “Thank you! Now, see, Jose? Did you ever figure to hear that out of the mouth of anyone in that office?”

  Jose rolled his eyes. “I don’t expect shit from that office. No offense, all right?” He glanced at Kerry. “You are a nice kid, but don’t expect to last long there. Nobody does.”

  “Jose!” Eleanor frowned at him. “Please! Don’t scare her off. She’s the only civilized voice we’ve got in that cesspool.”

  Kerry didn’t expect the cold anger that suddenly grabbed her. She suspected it showed on her face, though, because the two women closest to her backed off a step, and Jose had the grace to look uncomfortable. “Excuse me.” She managed to get out in a quiet, civil tone. “I happen to have a lot of respect and admiration for the person I work for, and I’d rather not be a part of this conversation.”

  “Now, I’m sure Jose didn’t mean it quite that way...” Eleanor started, but she found herself speaking to Kerry’s silk jacketed back as she turned and simply walked away, moving through the crowd with an unconscious grace. “Son of a bitch.”

  Jose grunted. “Thought she’d figured it out by now. “

  Eleanor sighed vexedly. “She’s intelligent. I don’t understand why she still doesn’t get it.”

  Kerry blocked out the words as she headed towards the other side of the room. She was surprised how much her insides were shaking with anger over the insults thrown Dar’s way, and she decided the hell with it. She’d finish her beer and just take off. Had to be something on television she’d be better off watching rather than stick around here.

  “Hola, Kerry.”

  Kerry slowed, then paused as she came upon Maria standing in a circle of some of her friends. “Hi, Maria. That’s such a cute outfit.” She murmured.

  “Muchas gracias, and you, too, look very well.” Maria returned the compliment. “That is so pretty on you.”

  Yeah. “Thanks.” Kerry replied quietly, as she glanced around them. “It’s just something I…” Her words trailed off as her eyes fell on a tall figure that had just entered the room.

  Oh boy. Kerry was startlingly aware of a truth that came home and hit her in the groin so hard her knees shook.

  “Ah, good.” Maria seemingly didn’t notice the suddenly stunned speechless woman next to her. “I am so glad el Jefe decided to come, after all. “ She commented placidly. “That is a very interesting costume, is it not, Kerry?”

  Interesting. Kerry blinked. Her boss was wearing a pair of buckskin leather pants, decorated with beading and shells and a halter like top that covered just the front of her and little else. Her shoulders and arms were bare except for thin bands of beads around her biceps, and her hair had a long, colorful feather threaded through it.

  She walked with a catlike grace appropriate to the Indian garb, and her customary attitude of almost feral intensity fit the outfit to perfection.

  “Uh. Yeah.” Kerry managed to get the words out. “Very interesting.” She finally got her composure back, and licked her lips. “I didn’t think she was... she said she didn’t do parties.”

  “There is always a first time.” Maria remarked. “Dar is never the predictable.” She looked at Kerry with bright, twinkling eyes. “You should tell her how nice her costume is. Maybe she will do another party again.”

  “I should.” Kerry rolled the words around in her mouth. “Yeah, you’re right, Maria. I should.” She took control of herself and started purposefully towards her boss. All of a sudden, the party was definitely looking up.

  **

  Dar paused before she pushed open the door to the presentation room; shifting her posture and glancing down to make sure her urchins were where they were supposed to be. The air conditioning brushed against her bare shoulder blades, and she was conscious suddenly of the amount of skin she had showing.

  Was this a smart idea? She glanced at one of the mirrored panels on either side of the door and reviewed the outlandish figure looking back at her. Maybe not. She frowned at her reflection, and was about to turn around and go back to her office when the double doors opened and Duks emerged in his bear suit.

  It was hard to say which one of them was more surprised. “I cannot believe my eyes.” Duks spluttered. “Dar?”

  Oh well. Dar exhaled, seeing the eyes suddenly looking her way from inside the room. Guess I’m going in. “Yeah.” She plucked at Duk’s furry outfit. “What the hell is this?”

  “It was either that, or a cowboy outfit.” Mariana emerged, her eyes taking in Dar’s tall form. “Hm... you two could have come as a pair if he’d worn that. Good heavens, Dar... that’s quite a getup.”

  Dar shrugged. “Let me go in there, shock everyone senseless, get a drink, and get outta here.” She started past them. “If they don’t run screaming out the door.” Fortifying herself with a deep breath, she entered the presentation room, summoning up as much attitude as she could to cover up the embarrassment.

  She paused just inside the door to get her bearings, and let her eyes adjust to the dark. Not that it stopped everyone nearby from staring, naturally, and as she moved off towards the nearest bar, she heard the whispers start up behind her.

  “Oh, that’s appropriate. Where’s the tomahawk.”

  “Savage... yeah, that’s about right.”

  “I can’t believe she showed up. Did someone die?”

  Resolutely, Dar kept on her path, with each step regretting more and more her decision to come. She’d almost reached the bar when she was intercepted by a short, blond, nattily dressed person coming in the other direction. Warily, she paused, waiting for Kerry’s reaction, her expression hard to discern in the dim light.

  “Hey.” Kerry’s voice was warm. “Thought you weren’t coming.”

  Dar shrugged. “Had nowhere else to wear this.” She replied tersely.

  “Too bad.” Her assistant said. “It’s gorgeous. You look great in it.”

  Hm. Dar’s ego pricked its ears up cautiously. Was that genuine admiration or just Kerry’s usual charming good manners? She decided to be direct. “You’re not just saying that because I’m your boss, are you?”

  Kerry’s eyes lifted and met hers, and Dar knew the answer before the blond woman said a word.

  “No.” Kerry said, with a warm smile. “I said it because it’s true. It just really fits you somehow.”

  Well, then. Dar felt a little better about showing up. She turned and addressed the bartender. “Whadda ya got?” She reviewed the offerings. “Gimme a wine cooler.”

/>   Kerry handed over her mostly full cup. “Can I get a cold one of these? I’ve been carrying it around for a while.”

  They took their drinks and moved to one side of the bar, to a quieter spot near the wall. Kerry leaned back and sipped her beer, watching the crowd wryly. “Dar?”

  “Hm?”

  “Everyone is looking at us.”

  “Umhm.” Dar agreed. “They’re expecting us to act out the frontier Indian wars. I think I’m supposed to knock you over the head, and carry you out over my shoulder.”

  Kerry almost spit her beer out a foot in front of her. She covered her mouth and managed to swallow, then wiped her face. “Oh, god. That’d make the company newspaper.”