So, Here I Am

Chapter Five The Party

A.J. McLean     26 years old

Maggie's only child, adopted when she was 28.    They are very close, joined at the hip.

Grew up in the Dorset countryside, and in London

Can, and very often do, tell each other anything and everything.

Ancestry assumed to be black African, maybe some Carribean.

Dark caramel colored skin, brown eyes, soft but defined features.   6' 0" tall, muscular, toned. Great abs, doesn't work out, just good genes.   Very good looking, pretty almost.   Dreads to his backside.

Masters degree in Computing Science, models part time.   Smart, intellectual, kind, concientious

Goes above and beyond for those he loves.

Single, with a couple of long term relationships, both of whom cheated on him. Wears his heart on his sleeve.

One of his exes is Soraya Brunet, who he admits, was the love of his life.

Maggie has told him vaguely about his birth mother, but he insists Maggie is the only mother he needs or wants.  He is not interested in trying to find, nor have a relationship with, his birth mother.

Soraya Brunet     26 years old

Maggie's 2nd cousin, through marriage.  She is like a younger sister to Maggie, and she adores her.

A.J.s ex.

Manager for Maggie's Home Staging Company.   Shares a flat in London with 3 other girls.

5' 8", Voluptuous, hourglass figure, long, naturally blonde hair to her waist.

Smart, driven in her work, sweet, funny, athletic.

Can be precious about stuff, and can also be a right princess.

After lunch and the check presentation, Maggie McLean gave a heartwarming, inspirational speech to her grantees.   She stressed the importance of helping one another, this was an exclusive club they belonged to now, after all, and they should support each other as such.   They should seek and give advice, network with each other, there would be mentoring workshops, and they could even apply for loans if they needed to.   She wanted their charities and foundations, to be successful, she joked that it made her look good !

"Don't forget the party at mine tonight", were her parting words.

Larry "Party ? We're going, aren't we ?" he looked pleadingly at Laurent.

"Wouldn't miss it" Laurent replied, surprised, but happy he would be seeing Maggie again.

Then it hit him like a train. What if Miss McLean had another half, an equally powerful and successful man, or woman, to dance with at the party, that held her close at night ?   He didn't get that from her, though, and especially not with a woman.  His gaydar was pretty reliable, but he also couldn't sense a man in her life either, and his instinct on that in the past had been spot on.

That evening the guys are getting ready in their suite, again doing the last minute check that they looked good. Larry threw himself together with the usual backwards jeans, T shirt, Letterman jacket, and Jordans.   Laurent, however, was having slightly more trouble with his outfit.   He'd already changed three times, and was now debating a fourth. 

"What's the prob, bro!" Larry huffed, exasperated, as they were going to be really late, and for once it wasn't going to be his fault.

"Just want to look right" Laurent said, eyeing himself in the mirror for the twentieth time in ten minutes.