by Grant, Bella
He rose from the bed and wandered into the living area, glancing at the clock as he did so; it read half past seven. That meant he had another hour before he had to show up at the office and face his doom. His heart beat like a drum in his chest and he couldn’t even hold the coffee cup with a steady hand as he poured it out. He raised it tremblingly to his lips, but it kept spilling, so he was forced to abandon the task. He resigned himself instead to getting ready. He showered and put on a pair of navy pants with a white shirt. He had never liked the formal look with suit and tie, and instead opted for the white shirt, proceeding to roll the sleeves to his elbow. He thought about wearing a blazer as well but decided against it at the last minute; he was carrying far too much weight already.
He stepped into the warm sunlight as he walked onto the rooftop garage and stared at the multiple high-rise buildings: a sight he was well familiar with. He took a deep breath and walked to his car. He was barely able to focus for the entire time he drove to the office, and he was glad he didn’t have to pass the main foyer to get to his office. At least he wouldn’t run the risk of meeting her there prematurely. As soon as he closed his door behind him, he dialed Miss Facey’s number. “Is she here yet?” he asked nervously.
“She isn’t due here for another fifteen minutes, Sir,” she said, and then paused. “Hang on a second. Hello?” She called as she seemingly took another call on the other line. “Okay, tell her I will be right out.” She hung up, and she didn’t need to speak for Phillip to know what had just transpired on the other line.
“She just got here, I presume?”
“Yes, Sir,” Miss Facey confirmed. “I will set up the conference room and have her complete the paperwork until you get there.”
“Okay. I will be there shortly,” he told her and hung up. Afterward, he stood rooted in his office for another couple of minutes. It was too late now to cancel, and he dreaded her reaction. Then again, maybe he was over-thinking this and she wouldn’t mind working for him. It would seem like a double blessing. Still, he couldn’t escape that nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He paced the floor with his hands dug deep into his pockets, until finally he heard his desk phone ringing. He might as well have crawled to it as he lifted it like it weighed a ton. “Yes,” he croaked into the handset.
“Are you alright, Sir?”
He cleared his throat then. “Yes, I am fine. Is everything set up?” He thought to himself that he had to get control somehow, some time—it might as well be now.
“Yes, Sir; we are just waiting on you now.”
He sighed. “I’ll be right down.” He walked to the window that overlooked the street and took a deep breath. It was time. He couldn’t delay the inevitable any longer. He stepped out into the passage that would lead him to the judgment chamber. He could hear nothing but the pounding of his own heart in his chest, and he smiled at the other employees who looked at him as he passed. They didn’t see him that often, as he was always engaged otherwise, but he would always make the occasional stop to tend to local matters. Now, he felt they could probably see the nerves melting off of him, and it wasn’t hard to imagine they knew something was out of the ordinary.
The walk to the conference room now resembled one to the gallows, and he felt woozy as he reached out his hand to turn the lock. He stepped inside and inhaled sharply. Her head was still held down as she completed signing the required contracts. He walked over to Miss Facey and whispered something in her ear. She cleared her throat, and it was then that Melody looked up and noticed him. “I’ll handle it from here,” he told Miss Facey.
“Very well, Sir,” she said, and walked over to Melody. “Are you done with these?”
“Y-yes,” she replied. “What’s going on? What is he doing here?” She asked with a puzzled expression on her face.
Miss Facey took the documents from her and stuffed them inside a folder she was carrying. “Well, he’s the boss.”
As soon as the woman had stepped out, Melody rose and came over to him. “What’s going on?” She asked, and he could hear her voice trembling.
“Please, have a seat,” he asked of her.
“No, I prefer to stand. Why are you here?” She pressed.
He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. “I am Phillip Conway, and this is my building,” he managed to say. He turned to look at her, and it was then that he saw her muted expression.
“Phillip Conway, PC Innovations,” she said as the realization hit her. “For some reason I just assumed PC stood for personal computer. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know how to, and you were crying and bashing the owner who you assumed had just disappointed you...”
Then he saw her expression darken. “Wait a minute, so it was you all along? This job position was already filled, and suddenly when I met you, a new one opened. What did you expect, that I would run into your arms and be grateful for the opportunity to be your helper and bitch?” She asked angrily.
“No, that’s not it. I know you needed a job so I...”
“So you made out with me, then you created a job post just for me, and then you slept with me. What’s going to happen when you’ve had enough?” She walked back to her seat, but she didn’t sit back down. Instead, she took up her bag.
“Melody, I like you a lot, and I didn’t take you for the girl who would just have a man take care of you, and I saw how distraught you were and that you really needed the money. I was only helping. Trying to help,” he corrected himself awkwardly.
“Well, you can take your job and shove it down your throat. I am smart and intelligent and I don’t need my face or my body to secure me a job. I don’t need this and I don’t need you,” she said and stormed out.
“Melody, wait...” he said as he tried to stop her, but she was already gone. He felt like screaming, and he resented that he couldn’t chase her lest he give his emotions away. Damn it! He returned to the foyer, witnessing the curious stares of his other employees along the way. He was headed for the office, but on a whim walked through the front door instead. He needed some air and a fresh perspective. She was just one girl, and he didn’t really need her, after all. He tried to convince himself of that for the remainder of the morning, but everywhere he turned he saw her face, and he couldn’t even enjoy his favorite cup of coffee without her interrupting his thoughts. He did need her, and he had to get her back. His only trouble now resided in convincing her of it.
CHAPTER 7 - PHILLIP
For every night that Phillip slept, his dreams were plagued with images of Melody’s glossy eyes as she left his office in a huff. She’d been on the verge of tears, and he still wanted nothing more than to soothe her sorrows. Why couldn’t she see that he was only helping her, and that there was nothing in it for him to employ her? He could have kept up the charade and not hired her, and she would have been none the wiser. Several times he tried to call her, but the attempts went unanswered.
This time he tried calling from another line, from his office. “Hello?” He heard her ask.
“Melody,” he began, but before he could say another word, she hung up. He slammed the phone down and grabbed his blazer from the coat rack. He was tired of her rejecting him like this; maybe it would be easier if he was doing this to her face. He got in his car and drove to her apartment. He could see hers from the road, and by the drawn shades he could tell she was home. Here went nothing. He slammed the door shut and armed the car before skipping across the street.
He stood outside the door for a protracted period of time before he rapped on the door. “Just a second,” he heard her say from inside, and his heart pounded harder the closer she got. She was wearing a pleasant smile when the door opened, but as soon as she saw who it was, her expression changed and she slammed the door again. Well, she tried to. This time he would be heard.
“Melody, you have to listen to me,” he said as he forced himself in.
“Please leave,” she said as
she folded her arms.
“Why are you doing this?” He asked.
“I have nothing to say to you,” she maintained, and with that she walked away toward her kitchen. “You know where to find the door.”
Phillip stood there feeling like a school boy, and suddenly embarrassment washed over him. Here he was fighting to be with a girl who he had been nothing but kind to, and she returned his kindness by shoving him out the door. He would take it no longer. “You know, I have been nothing but kind to you, for the entire time that I have known you. I could have walked away that morning and simply said ‘sorry for ruining your outfit’. Heck, I could even have told you it was your fault for not looking where you were going. Instead I treated you to coffee, and clothes, and I was open to giving you so much more. I didn’t offer you the job out of pity; I did it just to help you get started. You could have simply rejected the offer without this grand display of ingratitude. But I will leave you alone Miss Mitchell. I think I’ve overstayed my welcome,” he finished, and walked out the door. This time he didn’t even turn around, but he knew she had heard him.
He was crossing the street when he heard his phone ring. He wasn’t sure if it was her, but he didn’t bother to answer. When he got to the car, he made one last glance at her apartment, and was astonished to see her standing there. He didn’t bat an eyelash, and simply eased the car onto the busy street and down the road. The phone started ringing again and this time he saw on the display on his dashboard that it was Dan. “Hey there,” he answered.
“Where have you been? I’ve been calling you all morning.”
“I was out. What’s going on?” He asked.
“What happened at the interview?” He wanted to know.
“She walked out, and refused to take my calls. I’ve even sent roses to her apartment and they all came back. I just visited and she said nothing other than ‘please leave’.”
“Forget about her, man. She’s just one chick, and there are many dying to get a piece of you. Remember Roxanne?”
Roxanne was an old girlfriend of Phillip’s, but that was a long time and a lot of dollars ago. “What about her?”
“Well, I was thinking we can take a cruise, you know? I and Matt have the whole thing planned, and we just need you to say yes.
“You mean you want to know how much I’ll pay towards it?” He asked, hitting the nail on the head.
“Well, there’s no denying you have much more money than us, plus it would be good for you now. What do you say?”
Phillip thought about it for a minute. Maybe the salty air and the tranquility of the waters would be enough to calm his mind. He loved being on the water, and he went out on his yacht whenever he got the chance even if that didn’t amount to many chances. He needed to work less, and he’d considered giving up his position as Director in some of the organizations; they took up way too much of his time and afforded him little to relax. This cruise thing was sounding better and better the longer he thought about it. “Count me in,” he finally said.
He could hear Dan clap his hands together in glee. “Good move, man. I promise you will not regret this.”
“How could I? Nothing here is appealing at this point. Where are we cruising to, by the way?”
“Around the Caribbean,” Dan announced.
“When?”
“As early as you like. I checked and they still have a few places available, so the sooner we book, the better.”
“So it’s just me, you, and Matt?” He asked.
“Just us. We figure we might get lucky on the way,” he said, implying they could hook up with some of the single ladies onboard.
“Why did you ask about Roxanne, by the way?” Phillip asked, only now remembering the question.
“Never mind,” Dan said. “I was thinking to invite her as a distraction, but I’ll call you with the arrangements.” He hung up quickly before Phillip had a chance to say anything else pertaining to Roxanne.
A cruise, he thought. Not such a bad idea after all, and with that on his mind, he soon began to forget the name Melody, or at least told himself that he was well on the way to forgetting. He refused to be tortured by thoughts of her. It was clear that she wanted nothing to do with him and he would not spend his days pining over her. As the day slowly faded into dusk, so did her memory, until there was practically nothing left to remember.
CHAPTER 8 - PHILLIP
“So, what do you think?” Dan asked as the trio gathered at the pier. The ocean liner was a beautiful one, with three levels, and they stood there as they watched the other passengers board.
“She is a beauty,” Phillip said.
“That she is,” Matt chimed in, only now walking up to the two and hearing the last question Dan had asked. “How are you, Phil?” He asked as he slapped him on the shoulder.
Phillip turned to look at him. “About to get better.”
Just then Matt whistled as a group of girls made their way past them to join the line. One of the girls, a blonde, turned around and winked at him, and instantly he walked off behind her. Phillip and Dan couldn’t help being amused as they took up their bags and followed in his footsteps. They joined the slow moving procession as they filed onto the enormous cruise liner. Once on board, they checked their stubs once more for confirmation of their rooms. Phillip had paid handsomely, so they got three of the best suites on board. Phillip opened the door to his cabin, and saw a large bed with a plush rug next to it; a night table and a stool sat at the end of the bed. To his left he saw a bar area, and when he opened the small fridge he saw that it was already stocked with beer, wine, cheese, and an assortment of fruits and chocolate. Clearly they stocked this room with the idea that a man and a woman would be sharing the space.
Phillip tried to ignore that detail as he tossed his bag onto the chair to his right. He took one of the beers from the fridge and began swigging it instantly. The cold beverage tasted good going down as it counteracted the heat he’d just endured, and which had no doubt dehydrated his cells. At least now he was on board and would get a chance to relax. It was minutes after ten in the morning, and the vessel was expected to leave the dock at eleven. He would stay here until it did, never liking the feel of a large ship as it bobbed and weaved out of the harbor.
He went to lie on the bed and discovered that it was incredibly comfortable. He kicked off his shoes and relaxed onto the pillow, and before departure time, the rhythm of the ocean had already lulled him to sleep. When he opened his eyes again, he blinked a few times, wondering where he was, and then he remembered. He got up and freshened up in the small bathroom close to the entrance before changing off into a pair of shorts that caught him just below his knees, along with a white tee.
He ventured out of his room and to the main deck, where he saw the other passengers mingling. He greeted some of the familiar faces until he saw Dan over by the bar waving to him. He walked over and joined him in drinking a margarita. “Where is Matt?” Phillip asked as he looked around, and before he could answer, they spotted the raven haired man with two blondes now on his arm. He was laughing robustly and having a good time.
“That’s a man who knows how to have fun,” Dan said, and then sat there looking at Phillip, who now had his back against the bar counter and was resting his elbows back on the top, drink in one hand. “So, how about you?” He asked him.
“What about me? I’m here to relax,” Phillip answered.
“Come on, live a little. There is no woman in your life, so you should be having nothing but fun. Go and introduce yourself to one of these fine ladies. There goes one,” he indicated with his chin as a woman walked by, sporting nothing but a bikini and a tattoo on her hip. She glanced at Phillip, but he made no move, so she kept on walking on by. “See that? You didn’t even bite.”
“Why don’t you go make yourself useful somewhere else? I don’t see you with anyone.”
“Not yet. Ahh, here she comes,” he said as he jumped from the stool
beaming. “Phillip, meet Cindy,” he said.
“Hi Cindy,” Phillip said with one outstretched hand.
“Nice to meet you, Phillip,” she said in return. Her hand was light and soft in his, and she felt breakable. He released her almost too quickly.
“Later, bud,” Dan said as he and the woman walked off to a spot she had picked out on the deck. Now he was left alone with his drink, and as his eyes roamed the surroundings, he saw a face he did recognize, a face he knew all too well, in fact. Courtney. She had been his lover for months, until she traded him up for a wealthier man. He was about to look away when she turned in his direction; there was no escaping now. She waltzed right over to him and embraced him like they were old friends.
“Hi, Phillip,” she breathed against his neck. Maybe it was the heat that had been provoked by Melody before, or just how beautiful this old lover looked to him now, but he started getting a sensation below that was driven purely by the physical.
“Courtney, hi,” he said in return.
She looked around him as if searching for something. “You alone?” She asked him. Or someone.
“I am,” he said, and read in her eyes what she was searching for. “How about you?” He asked. “Or are you trading up again?”
“Phil, that was a mistake, and oh so long ago. Let’s start over,” she announced, and moved closer to him in a seductive way. Phillip was in no mind to stop her, and he didn’t stop her either when her warm lips found his and teased him in a rather professional way. Knowing the angles to play, she soon had him making his way back to his cabin, where they spent the rest of the afternoon matching the rise and fall of the waves. Phillip drove into her when she laid all bare for him, and as he pounded her, she clawed at his back, begging him for more. Foreplay wasn’t an option, and nor did they care for it. Right now, Courtney wanted in for his money again, and he just needed the relief. He knew her well enough to know she cared for nothing else but money. It was somewhat refreshing.