6. Chapter SixChristian
Chapter Six
Christian
U pon concluding another successful business meeting with one of the company’s loyal partners, I decided to have some quiet time alone.
Gazing through the magnificent glass barricades on the topmost floor of the building, I felt relief surge through me. I was confident that I had been able to meet my father’s expectations regarding the company’s administration since I became CEO.
However, I wouldn’t know if he felt the same way since he had never actually commended me. He was a man of few words, and we were quite estranged as father and son. He was an imposing figure, and sometimes, he intimidated me.
But a conscious part of me wanted to believe he didn’t mean for me to feel like that and that he was just hypersensitive about maintaining his empire’s glory.
I breathed.
These last few days, I have had a clearer mind than ever before, and it was as if all of my burden had been lifted. I felt totally different, and it was refreshing.
“Sir?” A gentle voice broke into my thoughts. I turned to see Fiona.
“Yes,” I cleared my throat.
“You have a meeting with the Yukimura Group.” She answered. “At three pm.”
I nodded, glanced at my wristwatch, and resumed staring at the delicate, sublime scene of the horizon.
“There’s still a while before three. What should we do?” I asked.
Though it sounded silly, I felt I was being sincere since that was what was on my mind.
I didn’t know why particularly, but I guessed Fiona had made some sort of wonderful impression of herself since she resumed work.
“What?” Her lashes fluttered.
I turned to face her again. Her nicely-shaped brows had carved into an arc of their own will, and she looked quite puzzled.
“Do you want to do anything?”
“Well, I think I might be hungry.” She said, letting out a sheepish laugh.
I chuckled, fascinated.
“Let’s have lunch then.”
“Hm.” She nodded, and then I led the way back to my office.
She ate her food in silence, and I was forced to accommodate the notion that she might be bothered by something.
“No,” she disputed.
“What then is it?”
“Well,” she breathed and paused for a considerable time.
“It’s nothing.” That was what she finally said.
I just couldn’t take that, but I didn’t want to press it further, so it ended there.
Before she returned to her desk, I asked for her opinions about the Company’s Anniversary Celebrations coming up in about two months.
“What can I possibly say to such an exclusive affair?” She said with a sense of humility I had hardly ever seen in anyone before.
“Well, I’m asking you now, as your boss.”
“Could you also ask the entire staff of the company? Questions about what they expect and feel should be included in the Anniversary Celebrations as individuals.” She responded.
“Is that your opinion?” I wondered.
She slowly nodded.
I was impressed.
“I’d make you CEO for a day one of these days.” I expressed.
She slightly chuckled.
“I’m afraid I’m not so capable. You are so good at everything.” She said.
“No, I’m not.”
She made a face.
“You are way better at art than I am.”
“Art?”
“And many other things I don’t know, but I’m sure of.”
She chuckled again.
“I don’t think so.”
“I do not agree, too.” I let her know.
“I can’t possibly beat you at golf.” She quickly added as if suddenly remembering.
“You may not, but you surely have a flair for it,” I commented.
She smiled just as someone knocked on the door. She immediately sprang to her feet and quickly began packing the takeouts.
Mason walked in, glaring at her with a suspicious eye. She bobbed out of the office and quietly shut the door behind her.
It was rather unusual of her, but I concluded she must have been uncomfortable with Mason. I had noticed the two didn’t really get along.
“Do you have a problem with my personal assistant?” I queried Mason when I had seen Fiona settle in her desk through the conspicuous door.
“No,” Mason denied and wouldn’t say more than that.
Gazing out of my office, I saw how Fiona fidgeted on her chair. She seemed somewhat more restless than usual, spurring an indeterminate feeling within me.
“Here is the report of the inspections in the restaurants in Brooklyn last week.” Mason placed the document before me.
When I was satisfied, I glanced through them, closed them, and put them aside.
“We should have a drink one of these days,” I offered.
“Why do you say so, sir?” He asked, deadpan.
“You look more terrible than ever. Did you have a meeting with Cherie recently?”
He grimaced.
“Ah, you did.” I could clearly figure it out.
Mason and Cherie were divorced seven years after their separation. I had known Mason for that long as well, and I had never known him to be free-spirited or happy.
Occasionally, he met with Cherie because their twin daughters, Kaitlin and Kimberly, who were in their mother’s custody.
From what I knew, Cherie had moved on with another man, and that was primarily the bane of Mason’s existence.
He had been fine all along when Cherie had not yet ventured into dating again.
“Do you plan to sulk all day?” I stood up to fetch us soda drinks.
“You see what you choose to see, Mr. Christian Carr.” He grumpily said.
“So, you mean you are not actually sulking, and I’m only seeing you in that light?” I gave him one of the drinks.
“Apparently.” He opened the can and almost gulped down the entire content at once.
“You are going out of your mind,” I returned to my seat. No doubt, he was still madly in love with Cherie even after seven years of separation.
He sighed.
“Does Cherie know about this? She will probably feel pathetic for bringing out this almost irreversible side of you.”
“She doesn’t care, and it’s not actually about her.”
“What’s going on?”
“It’s Kimberly, she hates that man…as it should be,” he gruffly said. “She wants me to seek custody again.”
“Isn’t that what you want?”
“If that’s what I wanted, she would have been with me from the very onset.” He finished his drink. “I do not want to separate my girls.”
“Oh,” I realized he was just being careful about the relationships in his family. I could understand, to an extent, how important it was to him.
“What do you want to do now?” I asked, glancing at my wristwatch. It was a few minutes to three.
“I am at a crossroads.” He concluded.
Fiona had left her desk and soon a knock came on the door.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, sir, but you have a business call at three.” She didn’t pass the threshold and I still summed everything up to be due to some peculiar feelings towards Mason.
“Yes, thank you.”
When her head had disappeared from the door, Mason also took his leave.
I promised we would continue the conversation over a drink afterward, as it appeared to be more serious than I had thought.
At the end of the international call, it turned out that I would have to have a face-to-face meeting with the client.
Since it was Robust Technology’s first deal with the Yukimura Group, the President thought it best for both of the companies to physically meet and strengthen the budding relationship.
It was not a bad idea, but I didn’t like impromptu. However, I didn’t actually have a choice, so I informed Fiona and asked her to book me a flight for the following morning.
*****
The sun had set over the bluff before we arrived at home.
As Liam swerved inside the driveway, it crossed my mind to invite Fiona over for a drink or two.
It had been a long day for both of us, so I thought it would be time for a respite.
“Perhaps we could play a game as well,” I added.
The darkness must have concealed her initial reluctance, but I could sense it in her voice.
However, she agreed at last.
“Just one game.” She repeated, and we made our way in.
Her presence in the large living room added more verve to the wide furniture space and masses of draping curtains.
It felt nice to have her around, though I wasn’t sure it was appropriate.
However, the appropriateness of the situation was clouded by my desire to have her around me.
She just had this blissful aura around her, and I didn’t think I was the only one who couldn’t completely resist it.
“What are we playing tonight?” She asked, slowly taking off her jacket.
Then she neatly folded it and kept it next to her. I thought she looked more relaxed than a few minutes ago.
“Super Smash Bros.”
“Hm.” From her minimal reaction, I could deduce she knew nothing about games.
“Please help yourself. You can have anything from the kitchen, or should we order some pizza?”
“No, there’s no need for that.” She disagreed and walked over to the fridge while I prepared the game.
“I know it’s been a long day, but I am sure you will enjoy it,” I assured her when she returned to the sofa, handing her the control.
“So…what is the game about?” She asked.
“It’s literally about characters fighting each other. The slain loses. There are several characters you could pick from.”
“I hope I do not get killed too early,” she chuckled.
“If you do not, I will give you whatever you want,” I promised.
“I think I am now motivated.” She sounded as excited as a child who had just been promised a lollipop.
“Cute.” I must have subconsciously muttered.
“What?” She blinked.
“You looked cute just now.” I chuckled.
Slowly, she receded behind me. I could see blood rush on her face. She bashfully looked away.
I must have hit a line I wasn’t supposed to. But before the situation could become terribly awkward, I soon took up the responsibility of introducing her to the franchises Nintendo had to offer in Super Smash Bros.
“He must be especially dexterous,” she commented when I mentioned Mario, the titular character of the Super Mario series.
“Definitely.”
“Do you play him often?”
“No.”
“Why, if I may ask?” She appeared to be curious.
“Though he’s good, I think he might be overrated,” I answered.
“I see,” she nodded, throwing her hair back.
“Who do you prefer then?” She continued.
“Donkey Kong,” I responded. “Him.” I pointed at the TV screen, which displayed the wild ape of a character.
“I feel he’s going to make his opponent clueless of what to expect.” She decided after a critical examination.
“He’s lovable, though.” I chuckled.
“That is his camouflage. I think I know why you like him.” She smiled knowingly.
At last, she settled on Kirby. A character whose replicating powers I wouldn’t have known would entice her. Undoubtedly, I had so much fun playing with her that it felt like deja vu.
We had fun as kids even though I was quite older. Since I had been really close to Allison, there was no way I could have avoided Fiona.
The memories came flooding my mind, putting endless smiles on my face.
She lost in the first game and in the second and third ones, too.
“But I would still give you whatever you ask for,” I said as she reclined against the sofa, briefly shutting her eyes.
“I would be a cheat then.” She flashed her eyes open.
“I don’t think that makes you one though.” I switched off the TV.
She was momentarily quiet.
“For how many days will you be away in Japan?” She asked, somewhat out of the box.
“Three days, at most,” I responded.
Then she fell quiet again, her eyes closed in a half-lidded gaze, and her lips slightly parted.
“I need to leave now.” She rose to her feet, collecting her things from the sofa.
Her mood had suddenly changed, and I wondered what the cause was.
“I’ll see you off.” I got up in a suit.
“No, never mind. We are neighbors, remember?”
“Yes,” I didn’t think it wise to press it further.
“I had a good time here. Thank you, boss.” She comically saluted.
“You’re welcome.”
“Ah, lest I forget. You’ve not had dinner yet.” She mentioned.
“It’s late already,” I concluded, though my stomach terribly grumbled.