by J A Fielding
The day's first hint of sunlight came pouring through the kitchen window. A soft breeze blew through the air ,causing the sheer curtains to sway delicately. Taunya sat on a folding chair at an old card table, a shadow-laden figure with its back to her stood at the counter.
“Nana?” she called out.
“Yes, child. I'm almost done rolling the dough for the cookies. Just you hold your horses.” answered the figure, its back still turned.
Taunya smiled. Her Nana made the best sugar cookies. She would use an old milk cup to cut out the circles and then dust them with a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar – always heavy on the cinnamon. She surveyed her surroundings to find that she was in the kitchen of her grandmother's old apartment. The heavenly scent of sugary snacks filled the air, and she could feel the warmth from the nearby oven set to 350º.
“Nana, can I ask you something?” Taunya said. “What am I doing here?”
The figure let out a hearty laugh, its shoulders heaving with amusement.
“Child, I told you. I'm making you cookies!” the figure answered.
Taunya was not entirely satisfied with this answer, though. She looked down to find herself still in her penguin pajamas and she was thankful for the heat coming from the oven.
“Nana, I've got a problem.” Taunya began.
“Ain't no problem I can't fix with some treats for my sweet.” the figure sing-songed.
Taunya sighed. She looked at the walls of the kitchen, which were painted a light yellow. The countertops were covered in tin foil and there were heaps of flour all over the place. An ancient gray stand mixer sat in the corner, with dough dripping from it's spatula attachment. Taunya thought back to being a little girl in her grandmother's kitchen and how her grandmother would sit her on the counter and let her help cut out the cookies. Somehow, little Taunya's had always managed to come out lopsided, but her Nana's were forever perfect.
“Nana, can I help you?” she asked.
“Now you know you're too big for that, angel.” the shadowy figure replied. It had still not yet turned around. Taunya looked down at the previously empty table to find a stack of I-9 forms in front of her. Work? Again? The figure turned around to reveal a ghastly and decrepit complexion.
The figure boomed aloud in a warped voice, “I expect you to have those processed and in their proper files by the end of the business day or you can kiss your job goodbye.”
Taunya's heart was racing as she scanned the forms. She thought quickly. She opened the oven to find a tray of burnt cookies and threw the growing multitude of papers that were spilling out of her arms into the oven. It erupted in a huge flame and she coughed from the smoke that was now engulfing her vision. There was a hole burnt into the right sleeve of her pajamas and her arm hairs had been singed off. She fell backward onto the linoleum floor.
Taunya bolted upright in bed and cried.
She put her head into her hands and mumbled to herself, “Nana, how could you do this to me?”
She sniffled and wiped her nose on her presently in tact pajama sleeve, leaving a drop of snot to rest on top of a stray penguin's nose. She sucked in air and tried to calm herself down, fearing everything around her. She curled up in bed and hugged a pillow to herself. It was no use trying to go back to sleep, but she wanted to close her eyes for at least a little while and try to shake off yet another hideous nightmare. Her attempts were interrupted by the sound of her phone's alarm. It was nine in the morning, the time that she had planned to get up and begin that day. She contemplated throwing the damn phone out the window, but remembered that she was no longer in the land of the dreaming and that doing so would have incredibly negative repercussions. She opened the screen on her phone in a huff to turn off the offending alarm to find a text from Gina inviting her to coffee in a few hours ('Damn.' she thought. 'Guess she still wants to nag me about Friday night.') and a text from Mr.-Friday-Night, Mike. It read:
Can't wait to see you this afternoon. Until then.
Taunya felt her heart race. She definitely felt she would need an extra dose of confidence to get her through the day and thought that perhaps meeting Gina might not be such a bad idea after all. She knew she could always rely on Gina to be somewhat of a cheerleader when she needed it. She went to the bathroom to commence with her morning routine. She began with a splash of cold water to her face and looked at herself in the mirror, remembering the ghastly figure of Nana in her dream the night before. She didn't want to grow old before her time and she grinned, thinking about the incredibly liberating – if not all too frightening – feeling of burning those I-9 forms in the oven. How she wished, sometimes, that she could do that in real life. She finished in the bathroom and hopped on her bed, grabbing her phone to text Gina back.
I'm in. Starbucks at the corner around 2?
She picked up the business card that Mike had handed her on Friday, his address scrawled on the back of it. The front of the business card was rather plain looking but also very clean and neat. She still did not know what he did for a living as his card simply had his name, cell phone and office phone number, under which it read: Stocks and Bonds. Despite being a grown professional in the work force, Taunya still never quite understood what stocks and bonds were. She imagined Mike must hold some sort of position of authority in his working world to have such a simple and no-nonsense type of business card, yet there was an air of mystery about what it read that reminded her all too much of the business card round table scene in American Psycho.She shuddered at the thought, deciding that perhaps it was best to let Gina in on her little secret if only to give her more of a sense of safety and security walking into a stranger's unfamiliar home.
She received confirmation of their coffee date from Gina and got set on picking out the right outfit for her day: something that would say “professional” without screaming it. One thing was for sure, though. She would be needing a special pair of matched lingerie for the occasion so that she could look and feel her best. She fumbled through her drawer, stopping at the pair of black lace panties from her affair with James. She held them in her hand briefly and smiled to herself. Wrong though it was, James had manage to open her up sexually. She had been a wild woman with him and she longed to find someone with whom she could be that way again.
She picked out her best push-up bra and matching panty set, deciding to cover her amplified bosom with a black button down shirt for modesty. She wanted to look good but not to distract from the job that she was there to do. After all, she had made a promise to herself that she would be sure to act like a professional at all times. She bit her lip thinking about Mike's gorgeous smile, but shook the thought out of her head. She pulled on a pair of sheer pantyhose to give her legs an extra smooth look – not that she needed much help when it came to having smooth skin. She picked out a light gray pencil skirt to put on. It had buttons along either side, giving it something of a nautical look. It was tight yet flattering and it accentuated the curve of her ass better than any other garment in her closet. She chose a pair of oxford heels to complete the look and teetered around her room, making sure she could balance in them properly. Heels weren't really her strong suit, but she wanted to be sure to make a lasting impression and she knew those shoes would be just the thing – along with her form-fitting skirt – to do it. She finished off with some subtle jewelry and examined herself in the mirror. Yes, she was an absolute knockout and she knew it too.
She spent the next few hours leading up to her meeting with Gina surfing on her laptop and printing out layouts she had created for a manly master bedroom. Because Mike had not gone into much detail about his place, she was working from what she had been able to surmise about him from their meeting. She wanted to make his room say that which he already said to the world. She wanted it to read as strong and powerful, yet also sensual and serene. There was definitely a charming sense of serenity about him. She imagined he was a hard and dedicated worker like herself, but, unlike her, he came off as having a fairly laid back sensi
bility. She wished she could feel like that. She so hated the perpetual bags under her eyes and her penchant for over-analyzing everything.
Taunya checked her phone to see that she was due to meet Gina any minute. She had become so engrossed in her research that she had let the time slip by without even noticing. She rushed to compile her Pinterest print outs and random design notes into a manilla file, grabbed her purse, and ran out the door, nearly forgetting to lock it.
Over caramel machiattos, the two ladies caught up about their weekends. Taunya tried her best to avoid work talk, but was also hesitant to let slip what really happened with Mike on Friday night, though she knew it was in her best interest to let her friend know where she was planning on going later that afternoon. At Gina's pestering, however, she finally caved.
“C'mon and TELL me. I know you picked up that hottie last night.” Gina insisted.
“Fine. I did–but it's not what you think. He wants me to do a...um...job for him.” Taunya protested.
This was not enough to satisfy Gina, though.
“A job you say? I can think of a couple of jobs that he'd probably want you to do for him.” Gina teased.
Taunya sighed, thinking that she should have known better than to phrase it in such a way.
“He wants me to do some interior design work for him. All professional. No funny business.” she explained. “It's just a side gig.”
“A side gig? Honey, don't you think you've got enough work going on already that you need a side gig too?” Gina asked.
“Well, it's not like I'm gonna work in goddamn HR for the rest of my life.” Taunya said, instantly wishing she could take her words back.
“Well, excuuuse me.” Gina said, hurt. After all, it was Gina who had gotten Taunya the temp job at Systyx all those years ago. Taunya had her to thank for the years of steady employment and simultaneous misery.
“Sorry.” she began. “But I feel like sometimes there's just something else I'd rather be doing.” she admitted.
“So this interior decorating thing? You're serious about it?” Gina asked.
“I don't know.” Taunya answered, “But I'll never know until I try.”
Gina sighed and looked at her overworked friend.
“Just be careful out there, girl. Strange men just love preying on beautiful girls like you – And by the way, killer outfit! I'm around if you need to make an emergency call or something. I'll see you at the office on Monday.” The two women parted ways. It was already three thirty in the afternoon, leaving Taunya only a half hour to get to Mike's in time and meet her destiny.
She raced down the street in her luxury car, thanking the lord for a built-in GPS to guide her and supple leather seats to melt into. She pulled up to the condo complex and looked at the impossibly ornate building. She could see a doorman standing at the glass doors and began to wonder just how important Mike was at his job. This place was, in her words, “ultra swanky” and she hadn't even walked in yet. She sat in her car and bit her nails. She picked up her phone and stared at the time: three fifty five. Rather than risk being late and looking like a flake, she picked up the phone and dialed Mike's number. Her heart pounded in her chest as the phone rang. She looked down at the jagged fingernail that she had created out of a nervous habit and cursed herself for forgetting an emory board for her purse. Mike picked up:
“This is Mike.” came the voice from the other end of the line.
“Yes, um...this is Taunya. I'm here for the – she cleared her throat – design consultation.” she replied.
“Oh, yes.” said the voice, now in a more sensual tone. “I'll be right down.”
Taunya gulped and imagined just how wonderful he would look in the light of day. She got out of her car and waited at the door, smiling at the doorman and hoping she didn't look too nervous. Mike did not disappoint in that afternoon's outfit. He was dressed in black slacks held up by suspenders and a white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Black loafers completed the look and his beautiful black hair glistened in the afternoon sun. He smiled at Taunya and shook her hand. Once again, she fell prey to his grasp and hope that she would be able to maintain her composure for the rest of the afternoon.
“Would you like to come upstairs?” he asked. “I live on the very top floor so it's a short elevator ride.” he said with a smile.
Taunya smiled back, not wanting to break off their handshake and replied, “Yes. I would love to. This is a beautiful building you live in.”
“Just wait til you see the bedroom.” he said with a sly grin.
Chapter 4
The lobby of Mike's building smelled of sage and cinnamon, reminding Taunya of Christmases as a child and the rapidly approaching holiday season. She felt instantly at ease as she and Mike got into the large and ornate elevator. There was a mirror on the ceiling and Taunya found herself staring up at their reflection as they rode all the way up to the very top floor, too nervous to make idle conversation. Mike just smiled, watching her get light-headed in the express elevator. Taunya thought of the scene in Pretty Woman when Richard Gere's character tells Julia Roberts' character that he always stays in the penthouse because, “It's the best.” She wondered if Mike was anything like Edward Lewis. He certainly had the looks and poise going for him.
The elevator stopped at the eighteenth floor and the pair exited, standing in front of a simple door bearing the number “18” done up in gold-colored plastic.
“It's not much.” Mike said with a sigh. “All I know is that it needs help and I'm far too busy and clumsy to do it myself.”
He opened the door, allowing Taunya to finally see the place for herself. 'Not much?' she thought as she looked around, 'This place is a palace!' It was truly breathtaking. There was a large picture window looking out at the city's skyline. The living room was nearly unfurnished, though, save for a small black leather couch and a jumbo sized flat screen television in the corner. But it was huge and there was an incredible amount of potential that Taunya could see right away. The walls were off white in color and Taunya imagined what a splash of brightness with some paint or wallpaper could do to open up the room even more. To her right was the kitchen area with a large stainless steel refrigerator and stove. The countertops were a beautiful gray granite and there was a small island in the middle of the kitchen for the sink and an overhead apparatus upon which hung upside down wine glasses and a small row of various unused-looking pans. Taunya was nearly dizzy at the vastness of his living area and she hadn't even seen the master bedroom yet.
“Would you care for a glass of water?” Mike asked.
Taunya was pretty parched. All the coffee that she'd had with Gina only served to make her extra jittery but otherwise had been entirely unhelpful.
“Yes please.” she answered, trying not to sound too eager. She was so taken aback by her surroundings that she was almost afraid to speak, lest she give away just how astounded she was at the beautiful space into which she'd been invited. Mike retrieved two glasses from a cabinet and filled them to the brim with ice water. He handed one to Taunya and she sipped it slowly, making sure she didn't gulp it down and seem unladylike. She put her folder full of papers down on the island and smiled.
“This is an exquisite place, Mike. I can't imagine that you would need much help to decorate it.” she said.
She wondered to herself just how much a place like Mike's might cost. It was obvious that he was more well-off than he'd let on.
“So, you work in stocks and bonds. Is that right?” she asked.
Mike chuckled and shook his head.
“That must have been an old business card that I gave you.” he replied. “I used to do that work, but it was so soul crushing. I'm actually a headhunter now and I really love it. It's very rewarding to be able to recruit talented individuals and place them where they can best succeed. And the pay is great” he said, gesturing to the luxury around him.
Taunya nodded. This guy was definitely something out of the ordinar
y. She put her glass of water down next to the file folder on the island and looked at Mike.
“So, let's see this bedroom of yours.” she said, hoping that she was still coming off relatively professional sounding despite her desire to rip his clothing off and fuck him right then and there. It wasn't the money that was attractive to her, but there was definitely something about his confidence that spoke to her.
They wandered into the grand bedroom and Taunya looked at the massive four poster bed inside. She thought back to her childhood wish for a canopy bed and imagined what the posts might look like with some light, sheer material draped over them. 'No. Too girly,' she thought. Then she wondered about the possibilities those posts held to serve as a restraint system and imagined herself shackled to the bed while Mike trailed kisses down her quivering body. She shook her head and smiled weakly at Mike. She didn't know it, but she had been blushing pretty profusely and Mike was picking up on it.
“This room has a lot of potential.,” she managed to squeak out.
Looking up at the skylight in the center, she thought to herself what the stars at night must look like through it.
“I can show you some pictures that I collected online yesterday. I think that a lot of what I researched could be used to make this room even more beautiful,” she continued.