Alexander

Madeline and Minds

The beach sand crushes against the bottom of my sandals and my hands stay in the pockets of my beach shorts. I stare out into the deep crystal blue of the water. It reminds me of Madeline's eyes when the sun would shine upon them. The whole Gulf is Madeline's eyes.

As I stare deeply into the Gulf, my mind becomes isolated. "Heads up!" My gaze quickly turns to see a volleyball headed my way, bracing myself, I catch it.

"Sorry about that." A girl comes jogging my way. She looks as if she could be Madeline, but the only difference is her hair is blonde and long. "I guess we just need to watch where we're hitting." She takes the ball from my hand and throws it over to the group of people playing.

"Oh, it's no big deal." I stare into her eyes which causes her to blush. "I'm Eli by the way." I stick my hand out to her.

Pushing her hair behind her ear she smiles, it's the warmest smile I've ever seen. "I'm Dakota." She grabs a hold of my hand and then sticks her hands in the pockets of her red romper.

"Dakota." I whisper her name and it almost feels natural. As I say her name she looks at me almost mesmerized. "Uh, I know this is kind of sudden, but I'd love to see you again." She stares at me in awe. "That is, if it's okay with you?" She snaps back to reality.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. You have a phone, or something?" I take my phone out my hand it to her, after typing in her number she hands it back.

"Dakota, you coming?!" Someone from the group calls to out to her and she turns telling them to hold on.

"My friends are waiting."

"You should go, I'll be in touch." I of she smiles.

"It was nice meeting you Eli." Dakota waves and turns away.

"Until we meet again...Dakota." I smile.

Back at my place, I sit in a chair on the deck of my backyard, staring far out in deep thought. Ever since I met Dakota, I can't stop thinking about her and comparing her to Madeline.

"A drink, sir?" Clark comes out onto the deck with a drink for me and one for him.

"Thank you, Clark. Have a seat." He sits down and enjoys the view with me. "You don't have to call me Sir, you know. You're my best friend."

"Than, who are you today, sir?" I look at him and take a drink from the cup. Than I look back out into the landscape.

"Eli. It's beginning to have its significance." Checking the time, my plane will be leaving soon. "Thank you, Clark, but if I don't leave now I'll miss my flight. There is much work to be done."

"I hope you have a good flight, Eli."

"Thank you, you just sit out here and enjoy yourself. Matter of fact, go out for a night in the town, you're not a prisoner you know. I'll call you when I land. And stop being so formal, you're my best friend, not Geoffrey from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Clark laughs.

"See ya, buddy." Clark stays on the deck drinking and enjoying the view and I change back into a suit and tie.

Madeline's smirking face comes into my mind and her voice becomes a memory: "You didn't forget about me, did you, Alexander?" Madeline's fierce eyes smile at me.

"How could I forever forget about you, my love. You're what keeps King Towers together."

I remember after that she laughed such a beautiful laugh, that it made me fall even more deeply in love with her.

After getting off the plane, I wait before returning home. Standing in the airport lobby, I think about if that's really where I want to go. I have properties all over the U.S. I could go wherever I wanted.

Staring out the window, I begin to stare at my reflection, and just as quickly as I stare at it, it disappears, and Madeline's reflection replaces my own. Her expression is so calm, so subtle.

"Mr. Carter." Madeline's reflection fades and my heart dies a little. "Mr. Carter." The voice sounds familiar, so I turn to see Ariel, the woman from earlier.

"Ah, Ms. Ariel. Why aren't you working?" I stare back out the window hoping Madeline's reflection comes back and sadden when it doesn't.

"I'm on break. Mr. Carter, are you okay?" Glancing at her concern runs through her face.

"I must assure you, Ms. Ariel, that I am in fact okay. It is my mind that is worried."

"Well, can I get you anything?" Looking at her, she awaits for my response and I stare out at a plane taking off.

"Ms. Ariel, I appreciate your attempts to be caring and friendly, but I regret to inform you that, I am not ready for a romantic relationship. You see, I'm a very dangerous man." Ariel, in shock can't think of what to say next and stutters to get anything out. "Good day Ms. Ariel."

Going back to my place, I figure since I'm here, I might as well take a shower and get back to business. Dressing in dress pants and a nice shirt, I decide to visit one of the clubs I own, just to make everything is running smoothly.
I find it funny how people work for me, but don't have the slightest of clue of what the man they work for looks like. If they were as observant as Ariel, they'd catch on.

"Well, I thought I'd never see you again Mr. Carter." The barista, Vikki pours me the usual and sets it on the counter for me. Her long red hair is nicely put in a tight bun and her fingernails are long and painted purple, she has on red lipstick. The girl reminds me of a black widow.

"It's been far too long, Vikki." Being in the business that I'm in, I make it my job to remember all of my employees names, and know everything there is about their lives. I figured since they don't get to know who I am, I should at least get to know who they are.

When I finish my drink, I ease my way to the VIP section of the club. Shifting through the crowd, I'm careful to make sure no one sees me going back here. In the VIP section is actually a hidden door, behind the door is where I do my business and handle everything that is needed to be handled. I'm like security, I watch on the multiple televisions everything and everyone that goes in and out of my club and plan my next move. It's basically like a stake out, except I'll never be a policeman, or work for anyone in that matter. You see, I am my own boss and nothing will ever change that.

As I wait, about an hour goes by when I notice two suspicious guys dressed in black suites trying to seduce Vikki. "Well, what do we have here?"