Into the Darkness

“

It's nothing, sir.”

“Look, I know I haven't been the most pleasant person to be around but if you need to offload something I'm all ears. Have you met my sister? She talks a glass eye to sleep, try growing up with her.”

She laughed softly careful not to disrupt the other passengers. Placing her cell into the pocket of the seat, she began to speak and for once I enjoyed her company.

“It's not like I'm your typical girl. I do believe in trust but this long-distance thing is hard and when people start filling your mind with things, you question your judgment. Especially when you know they’ve been out on the piss every night.”

I had never been the type to give people advice on their love lives, especially when mine was so fucked up but she looked lost and somehow I tried to be honest, give her that guy’s perspective she needed. “So you ask him directly. Be honest and tell him that’s how you’re feeling. Only you would know if he is telling the truth. Go with your instincts.”

“Kinda hard over the phone. I’ll wait till he comes back in a month. I'd rather do this face to face that way I can tell if he’s telling porkies.”

“Porkies?” I laughed.

“Pork Pies. Lies,” she answered with a smile. She hesitated wanting to say something else but she remained silent so I assumed the conversation was over. I closed my eyes for a moment trying to gather my thoughts, then she asked me about Charlotte. “And um...how are things with your...um...lady friend?”

I laughed quietly which scared her a little. She wasn’t used to seeing this side of me. I felt defeated and probably delirious from the past week’s events, lack of sleep and jacking off. “Okay I guess.” I didn’t feel like elaborating, not when I was thousands of miles in the air travelling the opposite direction to where she was. So I changed the subject, needing a distraction. “Do you have friends in New York?” I asked.

“A few girls and guys that I met on a Contiki tour a few years back. Other than that I haven’t really had time for a social life. I did meet this one woman on my morning run, really nice and so beautiful but wow she has one hell of a screwed-up love life.”

“Don’t we all,” I mumbled under my breath.

The flight attendant came around offering us refreshments. We sat there quietly eating before Kate decided to bring up the latest development on the project for Preston Enterprises. We talked for a while on how it was progressing and the new ideas that had been implemented.

“I noticed that Ms. Preston sends all meeting requests directly to you rather than via her assistant to me. Is that how she normally works?” she asked formally.

“Victoria is one of those women who likes to control every situation.” Much like myself, I thought that was the reason we clashed. That and the fact she was trying to get her hands on my dick every chance she could.

The seatbelt sign came on and we prepared for landing. By the time we got out of the gate and got into the car, I decided to send Charlie an email but was elated to find that she had beat me to it.

* * *

From: Charlie Mason

Subject: Lunch and not so fond memories

Sent: October 1, 2012 1:45 PM

To: Lex Edwards

So Eric and I had lunch with a client today at a seafood restaurant downtown. They ordered the lobster and I couldn’t help but remember that time we ate at that restaurant in Los Angeles where you teased me with the lobster and I threw up on the sidewalk. You do know that you’ve traumatized me and I can never eat it again?

Charlie Mason

Mason & Romano Associates

P.S. Hope you had a safe flight back.

* * *

I laughed to myself unable to hide my grin from the not-so-fond memory. Adriana, Elijah, Charlotte and I were having dinner at a restaurant after going car shopping for Adriana. Charlotte told us she never had lobster because her mother had an allergic reaction to it. Well of course we persuaded her to try it; it seemed harmless at the time. Mine and Adriana’s arrived first and I recall grabbing our lobsters and playing a puppet show in front of Charlotte, teasing her, saying ‘please don’t eat me.’ When hers finally arrived we gave her instructions on how to eat it. She sat there silently watching the lobster. Adriana and I looked at each other wondering what she was waiting for. Eventually she found the courage and snapped the lobster in half but instantly she ran outside and puked all over the sidewalk.

* * *

From: Lex Edwards

Subject: Thanks I just ate lunch