Choking On Sapphires

14 Tighten Up

He's reading a newspaper as you grace the dining room with your presence. You walk into the morning light flooded room cheerfully, your heels echoing on the stone floor.

"Good morning Alfie." he hears you chirp, before he can turn his head to greet you he feels your hand slide across his upper back, your hip rests against his shoulder, you're smiling down at him, your face painted and your hair styled.

"It is." he says in a voice still gruff from sleep with a lazy smile.

"You sound like you slept hard." you state as you give his back a short back and forth with your hand before sliding hip first into the seat to his right, you share a corner of the table.

"I 'spose I did, yeah." he nods, taking another bite.

"Since we're breaking in formalities while we're home, hope you don't mind if I sit closer," you say in a tone that warrants a response. "Feels strange to speak when so far away sometimes." you add as an explanation of your actions.

"Don't be ridiculous, Gen." he motions with a fork in hand as his eyes stay on the paper. "Your house, luv. Do anything your little heart desires." he takes a bite off his fork then shakes it at you.

"I know it's my house," you state obviously with a slight snort that makes the corner of his mouth pull back at its rare appearances. "But friendships aren't just about what one of the people involved want, are they?" you say in your corrective but sweet way.

"They are not." he nods, he looks you over, dressed in a sheer white blouse, a matching silk slip shirt underneath. Your hair in defined waves that were gathered at the nape of your neck. Your black skirt hugging you exactly as it should, hitting your waist and reaching just past your knees. He sees your black leather heels crossed over each other on your dainty feet. "You look very sharp this morning, ya workin' today too?" he asks as you as he watches you sucking the cream off a spoon mindlessly as you mix your berries around in the bowl.

Your eyes swing over to his as you nod, spoon still in your mouth as you move saucers around. "Thank you," you say sweetly with a nod. "I work every weekday Alfie, you're just out of the house. " you say with a smug expression. "But yes, Joseph is loading up the truck, I'm doing personal deliveries today." you elaborate as you pop a raspberry into your mouth.

"How much extra to get those personal deliveries?" he asks suggestively and raises his eyebrows. You shake the spoon at him, laughing before you take a sip of tea.

"I'll walk it up from the rows for you myself and you can take it to work, free of charge." you offer, grin still in place as you chew.

"Now that doesn't sound as good for me. Pass." he frowns in faux disgust.

"I'm making personal deliveries to those whose places I intend to buy." his head turns back to you with interest.

"Getting into real estate, eh?" he says, his voice sounding impressed.

"Gotten into real estate." you say with an amused hum while you chew. "I've got the money to front it all so I've been pursuing it more actively as of late." you elaborate, continuing to eat politely as you spoke. "I knew I couldn't come in as an outsider and have anyone let me buy their places without much fuss, so I've been buttering up all the business owners. Particularly those without a bit older, without children so I can be the sweetheart who swoops in and offers to take it off their hands." you wink at him, your fork punctuating your statement. "I'd like to buy up a little shops and houses and the like, nothing too big, ya know? Too much hassle, big is. Once I get it set up it'll be profit and perks. I'll have the businesses stay running. Fix it up, charge an admittedly higher but still humane price and have all the eyes and ears of the people that live there. I have no intentions to be some sort of slum lord or something soul-sucking such as that." your eyes move back to his subtle slack-jawed expression, his face listening, chin pushed out towards you with interest. You blink at him over the edge of your teacup. "As you know, buying real estate is a good way to hide and move money." you lean in just slightly, he can see the excitement in your eyes at your plans, enjoying the light-hearted tone to your voice as you moved and discussed your plans with him openly.