The First Lady & Me

Chapter 2

"Do you think that if I don't put my stuff on airplane mode, I'll put everyone at risk?" I ask Eliza as she pulls her Mac out of her bag. "Are you trying to put us at risk? Cause if you are, I'm going to move away from you but, know that 'I like you. We're cool. Don't kill me'" She laughs as she playfully scoots away from me. "Nope. No survivors" I say, trying to pull her back over. "Ugh. Fine. Give me a weapon, I'll help with the mission" she says, holding out her hand like I'd actually give her something. I go in my pocket & pull out a pen. "Go for the neck" I say & she bursts into laughter. "Oh, if we were really trying to make it happen, we would fail. So. Hard" Well, actually, I know how to use a pen to-nevermind. It doesn't matter. "I'd hate to put a lovely person such as yourself at risk. I'll just put my stuff on airplane mode." I say. It's probably easier that way anyhow. "Mr. John, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were flirting with me" she giggles as she looks between her phone & her Mac. Am I? My mind tells me it's possible. I haven't had to flirt for awhile. "I suppose I am Mrs. Eliza" I say. Her phone buzzes & it takes us both by surprise. "Damn. Already?," she asks aloud, frowning at both screens. "Just a second" she tells me. "What?" She answers in a strict tone. Oh, are we mad madam? "Nope. I don't like the sound of it at all... Well, you asked me so I'm telling you... Then don't ask me... I don't know why you asked me either then... That's fine... Yeah, okay... Bye" she huffs as she looks at me. "Husband," she says, waving her phone at me. "Oh" is the only thing I can say. I can't see myself or Brenda ever talking to each other that way. "I swear, I don't know why that man always asks my opinion on something, if all he's going to do is what he wanted anyway. It's so belittling, makes me regret ever offering my comments at all" she says. She looks like she may cry. If she does, I may have to talk to this husband of hers. She seems like a wonderful person. She should have her lipstick ruined, not her eye makeup.

Why did I think that?

"Maybe by the way you answered the phone?" I ask. She was kinda rude. "He always does this to me. Though in that moment, I thought it was someone from work. They've been emailing me nonstop about things I don't have any authority over. It's quite aggravating" she responds. I know what that's like. "Do you like where you work?" I ask her. "Being a CEO is something I like. The work is busy but I get the job done" she replied, giggling. I never thought she'd be the person to giggle. I thought it would be a laugh or nothing. It's a sweet sound. Makes her look younger. "CEO? How long have you had that gig?" She looks at me sideways. "If you want to know how old I am, you could've just asked. I'm 36 & I've had the 'gig' for about six years now" she replies, smiling. She never ceases to amaze me. "That's not what I meant but thanks for the info. I meant if you've been CEO for sometime, why don't you have authority over.. Everything really? By the way, I'm 38" I say.

"Not too much older. But, two years ago, we did a merger with our now big sister company & some protocols along with other things got changed. Since they have three CEOs, anything big my team wants to do, has to be ran by those CEOs as well. It's hell because they're complete sexist, bigoted assholes & I'm the only female CEO" she responds, shaking her head. Damn, that sounds like a rough one. But, she 'gets the job done'. "What do you do?" She asks. Uh... "Things" I respond. I can't tell her what I do, at least not yet. "'Things'? Thats all you're giving me, 'things'?" She asks again. "Yeah. Things. Secret things" I whisper. "'Secret things'? Like what?" She asks. Dear brother.. "Maybe you didn't catch when I said 'secre-" "-oh yeah! That's right, you can't tell me. Just when I thought you couldn't be cooler" she chuckles. My heart warms at the thought of her thinking I'm cool, even though I'm damn near 40. A few hours of talking about the miscellaneous, the plane is landing.

"DC Bound" she says, pulling her computer bag strap over her shoulder. "Yeah. Do you have to go to baggage claim?" I ask. I don't need to but I'll go with her if she needs to. "No. I was only in LA for two weeks. I just have a suitcase. You?" She asks in return. "No, I just have my two carry-on cases" I say as we unboard the plane. "Is someone coming to get you? If not, you can ride with me & my brother?" I offer. Phil won't be too thrilled since he hates everyone & everything. But, who cares? He'll live. "I'm fine, thank you though. Hugh is coming to get me. I miss that man, even though he infuriates me to no end" she laughs as I laugh along with her. My brother is standing next to someone in an immaculate black suit. His arms are folded & looks less than thrilled to be waiting for me. He's holding a post-it with my name on it. Bastard. "Phil!" I say excitedly. Sure Phil is a little bitch but he's my little brother, so he's my little bitch. "Yeah, whatever. Get your shit & let's go" he responds, grabbing the latch of one of the suitcases. "Garrison? Of course I am happy to see you but I was expecting Hugh. Is he in the car?" I hear Eliza ask the man in the immaculate suit. I stop & walk back over to her. "Are you kidding me?" I hear Phil ask. But, no one cares what he wants. "Uh.. No ma'am. Your husband is uh.. away on business" Garrison, I think, says. You can tell he didn't want to tell her that. "But... He promised. Garrison, he promised me he'd be here" she replies, on the brink of crying. "I'm sorry Mrs. Lorince" he replies, collecting her suitcase. I can't stand to see her like that, heartbroken. I have to do something. Even if it doesn't work, I have to try. "Hey, is everything all right?" I ask. She peers up at me & looks to be stopping her tears. "Its nothing. Hugh just had something to take care of & couldn't make it as all. Its alright" she says. Its not alright & she's not alright. But I decide not to say anything about that. "Do you need a ride? My offer still stands" I say. She smiles as she tries to inwardly collect herself. "That's quite alright. I thank you though. Garrison is here for me. Tell your brother I said hello" she says as she walks behind Garrison out the airport. I walk over to Phil who has left my suitcase in the middle of the walkway & is now sitting in the seats by the entrance/exit. I mentally flip him off as I grab the latch & make my way over to him. He stands. "Are we actually leaving now? You know I've got better things to do than wait for you at a damn airport" he says, surprising me by holding the door open. "Masturbating is not something better to do" I laugh as Phil sarcastically chuckles along. "You don't know how to do it right then" he says, acting as if he's won. "Never had to worry about doing it" I reply. Take that 'L' little bro.