RED HOPES

Alanis

I scribbled on the blank page as I studied my case, trying to bring the focus which was lost somewhere in the fifth Street five days ago, yes five freaking days had  passed since the incident took place yet the scenes were as fresh in my memory as new,  my corny conversation with that woman pricked me like thorns and yet she was all I could think as soon as I woke up. How was she doing? Was she okay? Yeah like I wasn’t the one who assigned my most trusted men to look after her and report every minute detail to me. Like a parent asking for his child’s performance with the teacher.

Even after knowing she was fit and fine, with just a minor cut on her head, my mind  wasn’t at a bit at peace. I’ve seen and read criminal cases way worst than these,  dealt with psychopaths, murderers yet nothing bothered me to this level, like she did. Her wounds haunted me in the nights while her dreams shook me abruptly in the mornings.  Maybe it was a crime I saw from my own eyes, I thought. Or maybe because I jumped into the crime scene? I blamed it on the reasons, knowing full well that my horizon had parred those flimsy excuses yet my conscience forced me to be obstinate.

I got updates of her condition time by time as Ashton was reliable enough to monitor her condition. He texted me sincerely, covering all of the details from her moderate concussion to her finally being discharged. The grandfather’s clock ticked loud against the rather silenced walls and our legal director Evelyn looked at me, the conversation was thick about matters in business of the firm. And after half attentively studying the file I worded. “Bring a revised version of this case.” The woman nodded her head and left.  A long sigh escaped my lungs as if a big block had been lifted from my chest, floating into nothingness.

I needed to work, this was my life and Reverie Ames held no leash to my thoughts. I turned the pages of the file abruptly bringing the focus back with the speed of a bullet, Reverie possessed my brain but no more, as there lied a twisted and interesting case in my hand. Serious crime, an evident plot hole and here I was decoding it, brushing up my points for the hearing tomorrow. I loved how this part of the job when you finally understood the politics behind and are ready to ruin someone. And like I imagined, the case rested in justice as I delivered my points of defence infront of the jury. Fierce stance, with sharp and strong doubts, my voice echoed in the courtroom. And to prove my points there were witnesses swarming around if not I created them for my client who made everything as clear as the water in rivers.

Soon the days passed and as I expected, there was no trace of Reverie Ames in my mind and just these blissful days at my work place. Well blissful in the eyes of mine atleast. The days were harmonious and conflict-free with hearings in the court to the banter in the courtroom, my mood improved too, life felt at ease again with no gunshots or dazzling grey eyes and peach lips, the lemon tea spilled out of my mouth as my mind played tricks against my will, ruining that crisp suit into stains.

Interrupted by a phone call from an unknown number and I straightened my back, picking the call it was my office’s phone “Good Afternoon Mr. Carter this is Evans from….” I recognised it soon since this was the channel which almost diced my reputation into fine pieces. “We reached you because our channel wants an exclusive day out kind of interview.” The latter spoke in utter respect.

“I see.”

SV channel’s people came after two days, Markus executive producer, Editor and management head Mrs. Vesper sat across the table one was scribbling something in his book while the other spoke about paperback. “… and this is how we’re gonna run the show.” He completed his explanation. I didn’t see him breathe for the past two minutes.

“So it is a day-out kinda show?” I cocked my brows, my fingers rubbed the A&D initials on the paperweight.

“Yes.” He added while his partner kept her face immersed upon the laptop screen. Old and rigid was what she seemed. I knew she was the head of news department, responsible for all of the affairs. At first I had the urge to say no, by the past experience yet my mother supported this imbecilic of an idea. Maintaining professionalism was what she mastered in, thinking of that day, she wasn’t fazed by any of it. She actually had a miniscule of admiration toward Reverie.

I listened carefully before stating my own concerns, they were respectful enough to answer all of my questions. The contract seemed up-to-date too yet I added my own clauses. “My assistant will get back to you with the revised contract.” I smiled  and nodded in acknowledgement as this was new to me, yet something out of ordinary was always welcome. I decided to schedule an interview in the coming days while they had a full plan ready before me. “We’re approaching our best in the line host. Thank you for your time Mr. Carter, we’ll update you soon.” Evan nodded before leaving my office, the only normal human I thought.

As I rubbed tiredness out of my face, craving voluntary break from all those busy days I was immersing (escaping) myself into.  A chirpy matter of only protons bolted inside, sniffing my relaxed self,  with a large cup of my favourite black tea resting between her fingers. “I assume you’re not busy.” She spoke with a ‘typical mother’s’ smile, a hurricane was in it’s wake I figured.

“I assume there’s a door which needs knocking” a sigh skipped my lips before grabbing the simmering hot tea from her hand, tea was never a bad idea and she knew it.

Yet it was never a Carter family thing to knock, I say invading, they call it healthy bonding. And my mother has been healthy bonding all of her born days.

“Anyways, I wanted to talk about Catherine and your pending date.” She  placed her words on my table, her brows raised in half excitement and half anger. “Seriously what have you been doing? Why didn’t you go on a date yet?” her next two questions remained unanswered as it was hard for me too, to figure what in the hell was I doing? Saving Reverie, keeping a tab on her condition and trying to get rid of her haunting thoughts. The girl occupied ninety nine percent of my sanity, while the rest one percent was somewhere unknown.

“Congratulations to me!!” I spoke reminding her of my other achievement, a revival case, the woman just waved her glazed nails swiping my achievements away.  “I—I was busy with this case and the interview you’ve been pestering me about?” I dumb reasoned her, throwing the thoughts in the back of our discussion.

“Yeah, that’s that but you should blow some steam out, I don’t want my son to drown into work and not enjoy his youth!” her lips puckered in a pout which was her trump card she always threw whenever things ran out of her hands.

“I have had enough fun Mom, I don’t plan to run under the mountains someday and present penance for my sins.” For God’s sake I never lacked women or the pleasure part of it, neither did I oppose the idea of a relationships it was fine unless and until it was mine. I found it exhilarating, to go an extra mile? To walk hand in hand on the sea shore?   Plan dates and bake cookies together? No thank you, I was doing great and made my peace with it since the longest time. And now as I was used to the freedom, romance felt like a pink tinted chain shackling me in it’s tight hold of lameness.

“Alan! You’re 29 I’m not forcing you to marry the first girl you see, I wish to see you loosening up, having a love life you would cherish for eternity. You need a partner, I know not right now but you will get this one day eventually when I’ll be old and still beautiful.” A long sigh escaped her lips before she continued. “Look at those lines on your forehead, you work day and night soon work will engulf you and there’ll be nothing left.” I could see that concern lining her tear line.  When it came to these kinda talks my mother excelled in them somehow hitting a cord which I thought was already broken, she convinced me in the end.

“Fine!” I shook my head. “Wasn’t Elvin managing this department well?” A dry chuckle worked up my throat. And her bitter scrunch answered my sarcasm. And as soon as I decided to go on a dinner date with Catherine, Mom took a flight like she wasn’t the one who forced me into it. Classic Ashley.

Like decided, after talking it out with Catherine we finalised a dine out ‘date’ and she seemed cooperative most of the time for my convenience. The woman was sophisticated which would work good if we thought about the future. We booked the best hotel and sat across the round table with dim lights and soft music blending with the ambience of this place. A large floor to ceiling window with a crazy skyline stood majestically before us. A smooth smile arched her lips upward, she was all grace and class, one could easily be swayed by her delicate features.

Clinking of forks blended with the soft music in the back. She was decent, but the spark didn’t ignite enough for me to feel more for her. On the hind side, I was just grateful that she wasn’t some hot head with attitude brimming from her head and sarcasm leaking the corners of her mouth. ‘do not think of her.’ my inner voice warned. She had been taking over my thoughts but not today.

“Don’t mind me asking, were you forced into this?” Catherine lifted her neatly made up face wiping something off of the corners of her mouth which seemed clean already.

“Why would you assume that?” I asked, I wasn’t thinking about any other woman, nor did I make her feel lonely, even though I wanted to drive back and study my next case I never portrayed my disinterest.

“Well you never reached me out in the last fifteen days, and all of a sudden we are here dating without any prior notice.” Stating the evident facts with a polite yet practical smile, Catherine continued her graceful chewing.

“It’s just work summing up and the whole scandal kept me busy.” I lied not completely but I did ditch her earlier, but I made it up with some topics of her interest which I had zero idea of, the trick somehow worked and we were good, the date went smooth than I had expected, it lacked appeal but that was fine until it won’t meddle with my work.

Catherine left with a good bye and there wasn’t more I could say in return than a good night. The idea was to date the rest and future? I left that decision for another day. Through the whole ride I just kept thinking about what was missing, she was compatible, nice and suited me professionally. She didn’t speak like her tongue dipped in venom, nor did she look at me like she would run for my life with a dagger in her hands. I shook my head, forcing those bitter thoughts in the back of my mind.

I kept thinking hard before a car overtook me with a sharp turn, filling the air with nothing but rings of pollution. While I was totally aghast, Fresh anger grew it’s stems in my stomach as I followed the rash driver, whoever it was they were obviously breaking the traffic laws. I couldn’t just tolerate it, not in my presence.

I peddled on the accelerator, my car tailing them, while my fingers hitting 911 in the chase. I managed to drive beside it, steadying my speed as I couldn’t see the driver. Our cars almost colliding. Soon the cops started tailing it with horns and lights yet the driver never stopped. A sharp break and there it was. An abrupt stop and the car stopped with a loud screech, with mine in the back. I stumbled on the breaks, the impact was slightly high, so was my anger.

Stepping down my car, I walked with fury to knock some sense into the driver, but the cops reached them before me unlocking the doors. Following the cops I reached next to the wide open car door and as soon as my eyes swept upon the front seat.. an unbelievable gasp escaped my lungs “Fuck!!!” the rash driver was none other than  Reverie Ames in her chaotic might, with a slurry speech and an unavoidable glance, clutching that steering wheel with her soft hands. “What in the ‘big Bang theory’ is this??!!” Right when life felt at ease, she came stumbling down like the meteor wiping my peace off of the ground. Was NYC this small?

“This is a drunk driving case, we need your licence ma’am.” One of the cop spoke in helplessness. She blinked softly, not understanding how that little gesture fluttered my heart as it raced towards the end.

“I’m not drunk officer, I’m a responsible driver, Reverie Ames.”  resting one arm upon the steering wheel while the other stayed upon her thigh, covering her half exposed leg, the slit ranged between risky and decent. If not for all this, her slurred speech gave enough evidence that she was oh so drunk!  I gulped the dryness in my throat looking away, irritated by how the officer’s eyes lingered upon her for a good amount of time.