The Hourglass (UNEDITED)

Chapter 10

McGinty’s was packed to the rafters as Jace would have expected. It was a good bar to let down your guard and kick it back as could be seen by the fact that the majority of the patrons are businessmen or people from the corporate world.  As he walked, Jace loosened his tie from his shirt and let his eyes rove about searching for Cedric. He warned him that he would be a little late and Cedric said it would be okay. When he found a black-haired man laughing hysterically as he threw his head back from the mirth, Jace walked over to him recognizing Cedric immediately. When he rechaed him, the other man looked up and his face brightened when he saw it was Jace.

“Jace, you made it,” said Cedric, getting up immediately to hug Jace. Jace was caught off guard at the embrace, not returning the hug to the other man. Cedric stepped back and stared at Jace with hitched eyebrows.

“Aren’t you Americans supposed to be friendlier than that? If I hugged like that back in England, they would have looked at me as though I had escaped from the mental institution,” laughed Cedric, slapping Jace at the back. Jace tried to smile but it was not that easy. At least he had a taste of Cedric’s character back in at the Sunday lunch. He wondered where Tara was.

“We are friendly Cedric, it’s just that, sometimes some of us are not that quick to show our hospitality,” said Jace. Cedric nodded, not at all bothered by Jace’s seemingly lack of enthusiasm. Jace suddenly noticed the table of gentleman and one woman whom Cedric was sitting with and that they were staring at him intensely. Cedric looked at what Jace was string at and he jumped as though he seemed to remember something.

“Oh Jace, these are my colleagues from work who have come with me to the conference. That is Bill, Simon, James, Wyatt and Anna. Guys, this is Jace, Tara’s childhood friend.” Everybody greeted Jace he did likewise with them. So they were all English, just like Cedric, as Jace noted from their accents. His face plastered with a tight smile, he sat down when Cedric had given him his seat and opted to find another one for himself. Jace had thought it would be just him and Cedric, he didn’t expect his colleagues to join.

“Jace, can I get you anything? Whisky, brandy…what?” Cedric offered. Jace looked up at the jovial man and smiled his charming smile.

“I’ll have my usual, shore-shank-redemption,” he answered and looked at the others and smiled.

“Shore-shank-redemption? As in the movie?”

“No, as in the drink. You all should try it, there’s nothing like it. Does you good,” Jace said looking at Cedric’s colleagues as he recommended the drink. The other man just nodded, vowing to try it once they order their next drink. The lady, Anna looked up at Cedric and smiled at him.

“I’ll have that too Cedric, sounds intriguing,” she said in her English accent. Cedric smile right back and promised to have hers and Jace’s drink in no time. It was akward then when Cedric left, especially for Jace since he was here because of him and now he had to mingle with complete strangers.

“Let me ask you something, mate,” began the one of whom Jace was not sure of their names among the ones Cedric had mentioned. He was not comfortable with not knowing, so he asked.

“Is it Simon?”

“No, I’m James,”

“James! Sure, go ahead James, what do you want to ask?”James pulled his chair forward further to tuck it in the table and leaned forward too.

“I hear you’re married which begs the question, are able to stay faithful? I can see how a handsome mate like you can have all the women here running after you, eager to topple your wife. Are you able to keep the fidelity?”