Lies & Affairs

one

"I've never met a man as well spoken as you are, Mr. Marshall. You're very well mannered and calm and collected."

Ty'Quan smiled. "I guess I was just raised this way."

"I'll get in contact with the mayor, he should contact your assistant as soon as I tell him about how fascinating this place is."

As soon as the woman walked off, Ty'Quan's assistant sashayed over to him with her gray iPad tucked underneath her arm comfortably.

"You know, she was stereotyping you right?" She asked.

"Yep." Ty'Quan said. "It's because I'm black and well spoken, and I don't use slang unless I have to. And I have something going for myself. I'm used to the stereotypes, though, so it is not a problem."

He was right. Ty'Quan was a very intelligent man and he knew once his career had soared off it would come with problems. A handsome, black man who graduated from college with high grades and comes from nothing with a sort of bad past, he was bound to get judged but he didn't care. He knew how to hold his own.

He fixed the cuffs on his maroon suit before heading outside to answer more questions and take more pictures; Nicole stayed close beside him so she wouldn't get swallowed up in the crowd.

Ty'Quan spotted one of his employees over by a group of women and he went over to show his face and engage in conversation.

"Marcus Bennington, my right hand man. How are you?" He asked.

Marcus was Ty'Quan's best worker. Whenever Ty'Quan needed something, Marcus was there. Anytime there was a meeting and Ty'Quan needed a little push, Marcus was there to back him up. It was how he earned a raise and he graduated from a cubicle to his own office with a cherrywood desk and a big leather chair.

Marcus rubbed his hands over his shiny, bald head. "I'm trying to make it."

Ty'Quan chuckled. "Trouble in paradise?"

"You don't know the half." Marcus said. "Every since my wife got the promotion she's been...distant. We argue a lot."

"It's normal relationship stuff." Ty'Quan said. "There will be days where you can't stand one another. It's all worth it in the end. You did say your wife was a nurse, no?"

"An anesthesiologist." Marcus corrected him.

"Hm. She works at a hospital, does she not?"

"She does."

"Then I'm going to assume that that is her over there with the pink scrubs on." Ty'Quan said, staring past Marcus.

Marcus didn't turn around. "Is her hair up into a ponytail?"

"Yes. And she's fairly short, maybe around....four eleven to five feet two inches tall." Ty'Quan said.

Marcus exhaled. "Excuse me."

He left. Ty'Quan greeted the women one by one and shook their hands before wandering off. He saw Marcus arguing with the short woman who he'd previously spotted before and his curiosity got the best of him; he wanted to see what was going on or maybe that was just an excuse to get close to Marcus' wife.

He'd always heard she was a beautiful woman from the other men in the office, but he'd never actually seen her. Not even in a picture on Marcus' desk.

"Hey, you don't want to argue out here, man." He told Marcus. "All of these bloggers and cameras around, your business is going to be on The Shade Room by the time you even make it home."

"You're right." Marcus said. "Can we finish this conversation when we get home? Please?"

"Hm." She muttered.

"Go help take down some tables or something. I want to be out of here as soon as eleven hits." Ty'Quan said. Marcus left them alone. "Would you like a bottle of water, Mrs. Bennington?"

"No. And don't call me that. My name is Sapphire." She said.

"My apologies." Ty'Quan said in defense.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so rude to you, you didn't do anything to me. If anything, I should be taking a glass and going across the back of your employee's bald head!" Sapphire exclaimed. "I know he probably tells you guys at the office how I'm crazy and all kinds of shit, but I'm not."

"I don't have any communications with Marcus unless it's about work." Ty'Quan said. "Or I ask a question about the both of you, but it's never anything personal. I tend to stay out of couple's arguments because...well...they'll end up making up."

Sapphire scoffed. "I doubt there'll be any making up between Marcus and me. I won't even let that filthy dog touch me."

She sighed. "I'm ranting again."

"You're fine." Ty'Quan said.

Sapphire finally looked up at him only to find out that he was actually a very attractive man. Very attractive. His skin was dark, like chocolate, and he was tall. Her eyes traveled down his husky body, taking in the very minor details like how clean his hands and nails were, how shiny and polished his silver looked, how his suit fit him nicely and was tailored to perfection. Even his shoes were shining in the moonlight.

If Sapphire didn't know any better, she would've been on this man like white on rice. But, she had morals and self control, so she only cleared her throat and looked back into his eyes.

"I just don't understand men." She went on. "They're filthy creatures who do nothing but lie and cheat. Then they wave money or gifts in your face and expect you to just forgive them for every little wrong doing they've ever done to you! Do I look like someone who needs a man's money?! Do I?! I make in between 169 to 221 dollars an hour, does it look like I need a man to take care of me?!"

Sapphire was flustered. She was breathing heavily and just angry all over. Ty'Quan, again, said nothing and just sat there.

"You should calm down before you pass out." He advised her. "You'll get through it, I promise you that you will. Maybe a nice dinner and some healthy communication will smooth things out."

"Healthy communication my ass he never listens to a word that I say." Sapphire said. "I'm—"

She choked on her words and decided to stay quiet. Sapphire put her fingers under her eyes to prevent the tears from falling. She didn't say 'goodbye', or a 'see you later' she just walked away and got back inside of her car.

Ty'Quan was still standing there deep in thought when Nicole walked up to him and tapped his shoulder.

"Yes?" He turned around to face her.

"It's going to rain soon, we should really finish cleaning up so we can go."

"Right. Lead the way."

Nicole walked off, Ty'Quan following close behind her.