Cougar Boss

by Kerry Belchambers

  We ended up in an old warehouse and Frank went to retrieve something. I looked around for signs of anything worthy of taking home a story, but everything in the warehouse was covered up, probably for protection from dust.

  Frank came back with another man carrying an item that seemed heavy. He was holding a file in his hands next to his counterpart. I realized I was a bit eager as the man placed the object on a table some distance from where I stood.

  My curiosity continued to grow when Frank slowly began to uncover the object because this was the reason I’d been sent to Egypt. The big reveal had me holding my breath.

  When Frank removed the last cover, I looked at the piece placed in front of me.

  “Do you know what this is?” he asked.

  I looked at him, not sure how I was supposed to answer.

  “It looks like a headpiece,” I said.

  “It is a headpiece, but do you know whose it is?”

  I shook my head as I studied it closer. The headpiece featured conventional Egyptian flair with cyan colored angles of gold bead strands. The chains were long and dangling in the back and shorter in front, resembling bangs.

  A lavish fabric asp with genuine gemstone eyes were attached to a band made of gold embroidery. It had to be the most magnificent headpiece I’d ever seen.

  “This is Cleopatra’s famous headpiece,” Frank said.

  My jaw dropped. “Cleopatra, as in the last pharaoh?” I’d studied the history of many world leaders and one of the female rulers had been Cleopatra so I was endowed with a little knowledge regarding the queen.

  “Yes, the ruthless ruler made a great impact to the history of this country. This piece in particular continues to inspire artists, designers and everyone with creative ability.”

  I was completely shocked to discover I was standing right next to one of the most influential pieces of art in modern civilization.

  “This is unbelievable,” I said, realizing I was a little breathless.

  I may not have gone on an adventurous excursion in Egypt like most tourists, but I was looking at the most breathtaking item anyone had ever seen.

  “Now that you’ve seen it, I need you to sign here so I can have it shipped to New York,” Frank said.

  “New York?”

  “Yes, just sign here and here.” He handed me a pen and showed me where to sign.

  I headed back to the hotel afterwards, leaving Frank Connor behind, and emailed Mrs. Gallagher to inform her the job had been done.

  I was still completely star-struck by what I’d just witnessed and couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel and call Rex to tell him all about it.

  When I approached the reception desk, the receptionist I’d met earlier during arrival was still on duty. She handed me an envelope which had come in for me, and on my way up to my room, I received an email from Mrs. Gallagher.

  I had to read it twice to make sure the information was accurate. She stated that my next flight was to Morocco, in the beautiful city of Marrakech and I was to leave Cairo in three and a half hours. The envelope I’d received contained my plane ticket.

  I’d hoped to rest a while longer and had expected to travel back home, but I didn’t mind a little more travel. I just wished her royal highness would inform me of all the other places I’d have to travel beforehand.

  At this rate I could be gone for over a week and I hadn’t carried enough clothes to last me that long, or maybe that was what the platinum credit card was for. The thought was appealing and made the whole thing all the more appealing.

  My flight to Marrakech lasted five hours and it was nine in the evening when I arrived. Like Cairo, there was a driver from my hotel waiting for me. Whatever travel agency Mrs. Gallagher used was very efficient.

  I sent her an email to inform her I had arrived as I was driven to my hotel and read through the email she’d sent me earlier to see what I was there to do.

  I wished she could be more forthcoming with information but she only gave me bits and clues. I assumed I was there to do the same thing I had in Cairo and relaxed. I couldn’t help wondering where she’d send me off to next.

  It seemed she was fond of African countries. I hoped it’d be another exotic country with a rich history and I’d see something magnificent like Cleopatra’s headpiece. The memory of it still sent chills through me.

  When I’d called Rex to tell him, he hadn’t believed it in the beginning. The whole thing was still unbelievable to me too, so I couldn’t blame him. I’d informed him of my next stop and he’d told me to call him if I experienced pangs of loneliness, a statement I found odd because I’d never felt lonely before. Maybe it was probably because I was such a loner.

  I’d had friends in St. Paul, but had lost touch with them after moving to New York. Rex was my only friend now and because of my busy lifestyle, I barely noticed the lack thereof.

  I hoped one day I’d have it easier and start enjoying life, but that day didn’t seem very close. The simple things in life that I should’ve found joy in were absent.

  The kiss I’d shared with Mrs. Gallagher was by far the best experience I’d had since I’d gotten to New York four years ago. I still thought about the kiss and wondered if it ever crossed Mrs. Gallagher’s mind. Probably not as often, maybe never at all, but it didn’t matter because it was in my mind and my heart.

  After a long relaxing warm bath, I decided to take a walk and have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. I was going to have a good time despite the lack of tourist privileges other people seemed to have.

  The hotel was beautiful, just like the one I’d stayed at in Cairo. My room was a fortress, beautifully decorated and furnished.

  I felt like a princess, enjoying the first-class treatment and hospitality. It put me in a league of my own and it was nice because for a while, I could pretend to be someone else; someone who didn’t have any worries in the world.

  After dinner, I stayed up late and read up on Cleopatra’s life as the ruthless ruler of Egypt. It was an intriguing story which seemed to have inspired story tellers and playwrights all over the world.

  It was fascinating how she’d conquered the hearts of Caesar and Antony, but her tragic end was befitting of a Queen who’d done everything, mostly wrong, to maintain her throne.

  It wasn’t her beauty that had captured the hearts of the two great men; it was her remarkable charm, her brilliance, her brash coquette and intellectual command. I wondered if I could ever be like that. Sure, I wasn’t born or bred like the Gallaghers but if I possessed the confidence Cleopatra had, maybe Mrs. Gallagher would take notice of me.

  It’d be so magical to watch her bathing me in her sight like a vision she needed to soak in. Her touch was probably cloud light and soft, just like the silky texture of her skin.

  If a kiss had been so overwhelming it’d rendered me weak, I wondered how it’d feel accompanied by her touch, by more than a touch. I shook my head, trying to shake away the thoughts. Even though erotic thoughts of my boss were harmless, they could alter my working performance.

  But for now, since I wasn’t working, who would it hurt? My thoughts trailed back to Mrs. Gallagher. I imagined myself seducing her, like Cleopatra had seduced the two men.

  I’d wear nothing but the golden headpiece. The image was amusing. I smiled as I thought about it longer. We’d be at a hotel, similar to one I was staying in. Unfortunately, my imagination for the finer things in life was only limited to what I’d seen because I wanted to draw from real life.

  I imagined her lying on white satin sheets in a sexy red teddy exposing her beautifully toned legs and looking at me with her crystal blue eyes. The erotic thought was a turn on that stopped my fantasy because if I went any farther, I’d be unable to focus on anything else when I saw her, if ever I did so again.

  Like Cairo, I met my contact at the hotel lounge and went to appraise some items. This time it was a couple of intricately ornamented traditional dresses called djellaba and kaftans. I thought it odd to come al
l the way to Marrakech to sign for garments-despite their uniqueness and high quality-to be shipped to New York, so I asked my contact what was so important about them.

  Unfortunately, he didn’t seem as informed about it as Frank so I decided to find out more about it later. When I went back to the hotel, I emailed Mrs. Gallagher and went to the restaurant for lunch.

  She surprised me when she emailed back saying I could use the credit card to get whatever I needed, so I decided to tour around later and shop for a few clothes and a couple of souvenirs. I was excited until I read the next paragraph to learn where my next flight was taking me.

  “South Africa?” Rex asked after I shared the news.

  “Yeah, Kimberley mines.”

  I’d told him what I’d been sent there to do and even though Mrs. Gallagher was still not forthcoming with information, I suspected I was going to do the same thing I’d done in Cairo and Marrakech.

  “Hey, get me a souvenir, will you? Something artsy. If she said you could use the credit card for expenses you can say you got it for yourself,” he said.

  “How is Astoria?”

  I lived in Astoria, Queens. It was the only place I could afford and even the small space I lived in still felt too expensive.

  “Same old, same old. Nothing interesting with you gone,” he said.

  “That’s sweet. I miss you too.”

  “Any idea when you’ll be back?”

  “Nope, no clue. I’m enjoying the trip though. It feels easy, too easy. To be honest I much rather prefer running around carrying out impossible tasks. This feels safe, even though it’s pleasant.”

  “You should be enjoying it. From what you’ve told me about Mrs. Gallagher, you can’t really tell what she’ll have you doing next.”

  He was right. I should’ve been enjoying it.

  “So, any ideas why you’re going to Kimberley mines? Do you think you’re going to pick up diamonds?” His excitement and wonder was unmistakable.

  “I don’t know. Cleopatra’s headpiece was an awesome surprise, the Moroccan attire, well, to be honest I didn’t fully understand. So I can’t predict what Mrs. Gallagher wants me to sign for next.”

  “I envy your job. I hope the paycheck will be worth it.”

  “It better be,” I said.

  We talked a while longer then hang up.

  I left Marrakech in the evening and was glad for the first-class ticket because I was going to be airborne for ten hours. I was glad the flight was at night because I got a chance to sleep all through it thanks to a couple of glasses of red wine. They knocked me out and put me to sleep for most of the flight.

  Chapter Four

  South Africa was breathtaking. The environment was definitely different from the North African countries I’d come from. The crisp clean air, the green scenery, the clear blue sky and the lack of traffic proved I was far from home but nonetheless the entire atmosphere was beautiful.

  I was taken to my hotel like the two previous locations, but unlike the rest, there were things to look at and admire. My driver was a chubby black man who was very sweet and friendly.

  “Is this your first time in South Africa?” he asked.

  I nodded, noticing his thick accent. “Yes, it’s beautiful.”

  “This is a perfect place to visit for a first timer. Do you know much about it?” he asked.

  I shook my head. The only thing I was aware of was that Kimberley was the largest diamond mine in the world.

  “Kimberley is the capital of the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. It’s also known as the Big Hole or the City that sparkles. The Big Hole was dug by humans when the mine was discovered and it’s so large, its visible from space.”

  That was impressive. He seemed to know a lot and I was an avid learner. “Tell me more.” He was the first person I’d met in the three countries who gave information voluntarily.

  “If you have time, I’ll love to take you around.” He handed me his card and I quickly scanned it, noting his name was Lungile.

  “I’m not very sure about how long my stay will last, but I’ll definitely let you know.”

  “If you’re going to be around the area, I can take you for a walk along the high platform to view The Big Hole, you can visit museums, national parks, nature reserves, hunting lodges and historic sites.”

  Sounded very interesting and I was certain I’d love the experience, but as I’d stated, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be around. Mrs. Gallagher wasn’t giving me much time to enjoy any place I visited so I doubted I’d get that chance here.

  “You’ll fully appreciate Kimberley if you stay overnight,” he added.

  He sold Kimberley to me and I wanted more than anything to stay, but the moment I arrived to my hotel, I had to email Mrs. Gallagher and inform her of my arrival and then she’d make the arrangements I needed to follow.

  “I’ll get back to you on that tour tomorrow.” I told him when I got to my hotel. I went to the reception desk and checked in and the moment I got to my room, I stripped down and went to take a shower.

  I’d run out of clothes and personal effects and needed to shop for more. I hadn’t managed to shop for anything in Cairo but I’d gotten a few things in Marrakech and I planned on getting a few more in South Africa.

  After some rest, I read the email from Mrs. Gallagher. This time I wasn’t meeting someone. Instead, I was given a location and however I decided to get there was up to me.

  She didn’t mention anything about traveling to another country and that was a bit reassuring. I called Rex to inform him I’d arrived safely. Talking to him made me miss home. I’d only been gone a few days but I was starting to get nostalgic.

  I found myself missing a house I resented living in and started growing concerned about school and studies and how my exams and lack of reading would affect my grade.

  After worrying about it long enough, I decided I’d have to talk to Mrs. Gallagher about giving me a few hours off to do my exams. I hoped she wouldn’t mind since so far I’d proven I was more than capable of handling my duties responsibly.

  Later on, I decided I’d need Lungile’s services after all. He’d take me to the location Mrs. Gallagher had sent, then we’d go shopping and maybe after, he could take me on a tour of the area. This was probably the only trip I was going to enjoy.

  Lungile came back eight hours later after I’d rested enough.

  “I see you decided to take that tour,” he said.

  This wasn’t exactly a tour, but I couldn’t tell him so. “Why do you say so?”

  “Because you get to see The Big Hole after all,” he said.

  I wasn’t quite sure what he meant, but when he parked the car and we got out, his meaning became clear.

  “How big is this thing?” I asked in shock.

  “The depth of the hole is 215 meters. You want a closer view?”

  At the question, I imagined myself at the top of the platform and could feel my heart sinking. At that moment, it felt like I’d developed a fear of heights.

  “How deep is the water?” I asked nervously.

  “41 meters, come on, it’s safe. There haven’t been any reports of accidental falls.”

  The man had a poor sense of humor.

  I followed after him, taking pictures with the phone because this was a sight Rex needed to see. Lungile took pictures of me as we walked along the platform and though I kept a straight face, I was terrified.

  “People dug this hole?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, a lot of people migrated here because of work. A total of 2,722 kilograms of diamonds was produced,” he said.

  That bit of information was quite impressive.

  “Here is a brochure with the history of the mine,” he said.

  I took it from him as we headed to the mining shafts. Lungile had a lot of information regarding the area. I didn’t need the brochure so much as he narrated everything all throughout.

  When we got to the area Mrs. Gallagher had instructed,
I went to look for the person I was there to see. This time it was a woman, a pleasant looking one who took me to a vault full of genuine diamonds.

  Lungile had mentioned a vault with genuine diamonds people viewed and I assumed from the room I was in, I was on the other side of that vault.

  It was fascinating being in a room full of diamonds which had been dug from the very same place. Not a jewelry store or any other place I could ever find myself.

  The woman took me to a red diamond I was too afraid to look at incase I blinked and it went missing and I got blamed for it. But what an exquisite diamond it was.

  “These are very rare to come by,” the woman said.

  I could imagine.

  “You need to sign here and here.”

  She handed me a pen and I signed.

  When I rejoined Lungile, I was still overwhelmed. I wanted to call Rex immediately and tell him about it, but he was going to have to wait because now, I wanted to see everything. I’d call the hotel in an hour to find out if I had any messages or packages.

  Lungile took me where I needed to go. He took me to a couple of museums and national parks, and after that we went for lunch at a gourmet restaurant where they served South African dishes.

  The food was different but it was delicious. After the restaurant, he took me to historical sites and I felt like a tourist. It was a nice feeling because I was part of witnessing something many people never got to see.

  I called the hotel a few times but there were still no messages for me, so I went shopping, got myself some nice clothes and got Rex some gifts and souvenirs.

  By the time I got back to the hotel, I felt like I’d spent a fortune, though in American dollars, it really wasn’t that much. I called Rex to tell him about my day and again, he was in awe.

  I teased him a bit, informed him I wasn’t sure where I was going to next and expressed my worry about school and how I feared I may have been left behind.

  He promised to get me notes and anything I needed to help catch up, but I wasn’t sure it’d help. I’d barely attended classes the previous week because I’d needed this job, and now I was traveling all over the place which made me miss more classes.