Whirlwind

21

[Melanie]

"Well tell them I have to reschedule that meeting too...No...Dammit, Nia just fix this! That's your job right? ...Uhkay, good day."

Nothing was worse than me being in a hurry and everything I needed to cooperate doing nothing but working against me. Like any other day out of my week, my schedule was jam packed with phone call after phone call, meeting after meeting, and negotiation after negotiation. When those two things weren't occupying my time, instead it was the clusterfuck of thoughts and most of all worries surrounding my personal life. I used to be able to separate the two, never allowing one to interfere with the other and have me distracted. It was something I had to force myself to do because I knew how emotional I was, and I knew how tumultuous my personal life got at times.

With no effort to leave one at home and the other at the office or in Chicago, I would be a wreck twenty-four seven. As of lately though none of that has been the case. I was dashing around the streets of New York like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get everything on my calendar completed, all while my mind was trying to wrap itself around the change in my relationship with Lamarr. The adjustment we made and were giving a chance wasn't one too nerve bending, but it was one I was trying to get used to, yet one that was difficult to get used to. Meeting up with someone close to me during my much needed and rare out of office lunch break was something I was sure would do the trick. It would help me turn this 'personal life' switch off that had been on for days now until I got home and had to deal with it. That's only if I could make it to the address Sidney had just sent to me in a text in time.

"Brother Jimmy's..." I mumbled to myself, realizing the location was in en route of the trail I was stomping down. "Great, I could use a drink and some high calorie food."

My heels continued to clack against the concrete while the wind clashed along with its echoes, the two being the only things keeping me focused on my upcoming destination. The crowds of people swarming around me were either escaping their own workplaces for the hour or touring the city, and the heap of the two made for more frustration for us all. In those moments though it was relieving to have my mind temporarily somewhere else, somewhere else being something far from what my mind was occupying all morning. Witnessing the traffic and upset natives of NYC move around the sidewalks kept me entertained too. All until my phone rang for what seemed like the one hundredth time since I left my office.

The two of us were on the same wavelength at this second, but what could be more expected of the Harris sisters? Sidney was calling to see where I was just when I was a few feet away from the door.

"Calm down, kiddo. I'm walking inside right now." I spoke clearly into the speaker, making my way through the glass door no less than a millisecond later. Her image came into view within an instance and she was already done with her Palmetto Punch. As my finger ended the call while my body eased into the seat across from her, Sid's eyes stayed sealed to my every move.

"What is that look for?"

"I'm just shocked you're actually here. My sister is always busy, so to see her in front of me right now is a bit surreal. I have to make sure it's real."

"I am not that busy." I argued, sitting my purse down beside me then reaching for the menu she had placed in front of my seat.

"Oh yes you are. If it's not your job then you're traveling, planning a wedding, in counseling or something else that is clearly more important than bonding. I'm surprised you didn't just wait until later to call me up and get back to your wedding planning. That's what I've been good for lately." she claimed, and I could hear the slick mockery and mesh of shrewdness dripping from every word.

"Don't even make it sound like I only talk to you for this wedding. Speaking of this wedding..." Sidney raised her eyebrow once my eyes looked up from the menu to lock with hers, and bobbed her head giving me the 'go' to explain what I meant by my statement.

"What's wrong now?"

"It's nothing," I quickly lied. "I really just needed a break from the office. It's a busy Monday per usual and there's a lot of things we need to talk about, you know like old times. We can start with my trip to Chicago." Her brow that had been in the same arched position for a minute now finally fell as she gave me a slight nod. My little sister, she knew me well and she knew I was being dishonest, but I could bet by the end of this conversation she would dig as far as she needed for a precise answer.

"You sort of went around my question but I'll let that go for now. How'd that trip go for you though?" Bingo, see what I mean?

"It was decent. The company finally closed a deal but daddy was daddy, if that's what you're trying to get to."

"I figured he would be. That old man is such a pain in the ass and you just love him to pieces." I had to agree with her, mentally agree that is because I wouldn't dare say it aloud as she did. Even if it was more than apt to do so since he was indeed a pain in the ass. But my lack of response was all due to me being comfortable in being a daddy's girl. Something Sid made sure she shunned away and everyone in our family, immediate or not, labeled me as.

"I've been wondering. You think we should get him back into dating? You know, just to make friends at least?"

"Isn't he a little bit too old for that Mel?" she retorted back. "Besides, this is our father we're talking about here. I wouldn't put it pass him to already be doing just that. Why do you think he keeps you and hundreds of other people busy with his company?" she added with a deep emphasis on 'his'. "So he can live the life he pleases, I mean papa was a rolling stone."