"Has he taken the offer?"
I pour myself a cup of coffee and sit in front of my boss's desk.
"He hasn't called yet. But I'm sure he's going to." I say as I sip the hot liquid.
"How are you so sure?" He asks, his blue eyes squinting at me.
"Jerry," I say, always hurt when he does this but I always play around with him. "You know how much it hurts me when you are unsure of me." I playfully bring my hand up to my chest as if I was really hurt by it. He chuckles.
"Only because he's your first big client." He says and I nod, rolling my eyes as I take another sip.
"Yeah but the firsts are always the best." I state and he nods. I stand to my feet. "I'll talk to you later, boss." I say before I slip out of his office. I wave to a few co workers before I make it to my office. My phone rings as soon as I sit down and I'm quick to answer.
"Faye Brooke speaking." I say, hoping its my new client.
"Faye." I hear my mothers' worried voice. I shut my eyes and slouch in my chair. "That man is here again."
"Mom." I sigh. "He's the mailman. He's just dropping off your mail."
"He's taking too long." She says, arguing with me and it's hard to argue with someone who has a disease that eats away at your memory.
"What is he doing, Mom?"
"He's got something in his hands but I can't see. Please come here. I don't know what to do."
It's times where I wish she would call to ask how I was doing that I miss the most. Alzheimer's has taken my mother from me and I can't get her back.
"I'll be there as soon as I can." I say routinely before I put the phone back into its place.
~••~
Dad passed away two years ago and after that my mother started having brain problems. She was diagnosed after one scary night. I had gotten a call from our neighbor in the middle of the night. He told me my mother was packing the trunk of her car with luggage as if she were leaving for a long time. I asked him to give her the phone while I was leaving my apartment. I knew something was wrong as soon as Bill had called and I was terrified.
After I had asked her what she was doing, she told me she was going on her honeymoon and that Dad was waiting for her at the airport. I cried on my way to her, wishing Dad was really here. After the diagnosis, I hired a nurse to keep an eye on her while I couldn't. She's becoming worse and it's harder to not worry about what she's doing even if the nurse is there. With work being so busy, it's hard to get from Central New York City to the suburbs in Brooklyn.
As I pull into the driveway, I take a deep breath, preparing myself for what mood she'd be in today. I enter the house, walking into a sonata. My favorite piece, Moonlight Sonata, plays in the living room and I'm apperceive it's my mother. A sense of nostalgia washes over me; a younger me runs through the house to get to the living room to sit beside Mom on the bench and listen. She used to play so well and I had always thought she would become famous for it but she never wanted to go there. She was a stay-at-home mom while my father worked for a butcher company, making the money we needed. I walk into the living room where my mother sits at the piano, swaying her head side to side as she plays. Her music always calmed the house whenever she played. She played the same piece for my fathers' funeral. I sit, strenuous not to interrupt her. As she plays, I can't help but just think about work, something I tend to do a lot more of now. But my mind always goes back to Harry and what he's planning to do. Hopefully, he calls. Hopefully, he sees that we are only trying to help him. Even if he doesn't take the offer, it was an honor to at least speak with him.
"Faye, I didn't hear you come in." Mom says as she pulls me from my flocking thoughts. "How are you?" She stands from her bench and walks over to me. I stand and walk into her embrace. She totally forgot about our phone call that only happened a half hour ago.
"I missed you." She says, pulling back and beaming at me as I smile back.
"You look ravishing, darling." She looks at my black dress pants and cream-colored blouse. "But why do you always dress like this?"
"I work for an agency in the city." I inform her and she nods slowly as if she remembers but I know she doesn't. She turns and walks away, leaving me to feel sorry for what she has to go through everyday. I can only imagine what it feels like to forget about everything that's happened in my life.
~••~
I stare up at the ceiling of my bedroom, wondering if my life is going to be like this for the rest of it. My phone vibrates next to me and I think about ignoring it, maybe throwing it at a wall but I can't.
"Hello?" I answer, not worried about what the person on the other end may think of me right now.
"Well you sound even sexier on the phone." I hear that deep accent and shoot straight up.
"Mr. Styles. I mean Harry." I correct myself immediately, my mood changing.
"Meet me at Rhodes Diner in fifteen." He says but hangs up before I can answer. I smile to myself as I hurry to get dressed and rushing out of my apartment.
~••~
I walk down the street of the diner after parking my car. This place is sketchy as hell so I hold my bag close as men with hoods walk by. A man with a can of loose change, smiles at me hopefully. I keep walking but stop, sighing, turning around and digging in my purse for some change. I can never ignore someone who is in need. I dump the change I have left in there and smile back at him as he nods and I walk away. I finally see the diner and hurry inside. The place is packed and I can't see Harry. People are staring now as I stand in the middle of the diner. I hear a ding and look up to see Harry behind the counter.
What the hell?
He walks out of the kitchen, stripping his apron as he approaches. "Glad you can make it." He says, gesturing for me to sit at a table. I make my way to the back of the diner and sit.
"You work here?" I ask as he slides into the seat across from me.
"Is that a problem?" He asks, folding his hands on the table in front of him. A smirk plays on his lips and I roll my eyes. "Oh come on." He laughs. "I'm just kidding. Relax."
"Why did you want to meet?" I ask, eager to get to what I hope is the answer to the question I've been asking myself all day.
"Well, Faye, if you would like to know." He clears his throat. "I'm going to take your offer."
A smile quickly takes the part and I clap my hands but he puts a finger up.
"But." He says. "I need money ASAP."
"We can do that." I nod, ready to start working.
"How?"
"I can get you a fight tomorrow night." I say and he nods in approval. "Why do you need it 'ASAP'?" I ask.
He chuckles. "Excuse me?"
"What." I shrug. "I'm your agent now. I have to know things. Things that I hope won't get you killed."
He shakes his head with a smile. "I won't get myself killed." He says as he slides out of the booth. "Would you like something to eat?"
~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~••~
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