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Introducing appearances
Thanks For The Flowers
‘And where might you have been yesterday?’ Hilliard inquires with a naughty smile ‘if you must know I was featuring in a hip hop video.’ I announce at the breakfast table. Leigh going completely ashen like he never bothered to listen to the music! Emery stares at me like he knows something I don’t ‘Sadie and Viola’s project?’ he inquires ‘indeed.’ I confirm playing with my omelette majestically. ‘Sadie?’ Koen probes ‘my consort to the summer open.’ I explain ‘the lass who strokes others behinds in greeting! Is she coming away with you this weekend?’ Hilliard pries excitedly ‘I’m advancing towards that result.’ I announce primly ‘you mean to say she has declined your machinations thus far?’ Leigh inquires the interest in the room piquing in search of my response to this absurd insinuation. There was a belief I fought to keep by me; that since I was the one with the highest rank I would have the easier time with the fairer sex. Sitting here with my posse and telling them I was working for a woman’s approval was not going to favour me well. ‘I hadn’t the time to ask her yet, though she seems drawn enough as it is.’ I declare as Hughes walks to me primly bringing my phone ‘Lady Sadie.’ He announces. I smile; just in time. She seems to have the wonderful habit of charging in to save me in tough spots!
‘Your chauffer answers your phone for you?’ she says in greeting ‘morning to you too.’ I reply ‘Wassup. What happened last night? You disappeared.’ She says lightly ‘if I remember correctly you walked away with Ambrose Michael.’ I remind her ‘oh yeah; sorry about that. He’s weird like that.’ She shrugs ‘I wouldn’t say he’s weird, if he’s weird I’m weird. What made it awkward was that we were fighting for your attention.’ I declare ‘he won didn’t he?’ she realizes ‘it’s my fault. I should have whipped out some glow in the dark body paint as well.’ I lightly sigh as she laughs into the phone, the entire table watching me like I was television. ‘Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for the help yesterday.’ She says ‘you could thank me over lunch but I’m not sure I can make it there on time.’ I say making it look like she’s the one who’s suggesting it. She sighs ‘ would you like to come to lunch with me?’ she investigates ‘I can push a few things around to have you as my wonderful inconvenience.’ I say pensively ‘great. Meet me at the plaza at around half past?’ she requests ‘I’ll see you then.’ I assure her ‘and don’t try kissing me this time.’ She adds comically ‘don’t tempt me and I won’t.’ I retort as she chuckles and hangs up on me. I turn to my omelette and poke at it with intent, the myth set back into place...
The plaza has no burly gentleman today. I’m of the idea that Ambrose Michael is no longer around. I walk in to the reception, wondering exactly where she expected me to chance upon her. I look around for a second then reach for my phone just as a colourful swing blouse catches my eye. I look up to find her there , shorts under the blouse and boxing sport shoes on her feet as she walks up to me. ‘Ready?’ she inquires ‘sure.’ I retort as cheerfully, noting her hair was down today, a shoulder length mass of jet-black curtain. I would probably have hair like that if I kept mine long; which I would never do. ‘Let’s bail then.’ She says turning around ‘we’re not eating here?’ I wonder ‘no. This place is for old sugar daddies and their whores.’ She declines. I turn tragically to see if anyone from management has heard her but no one is ill mannered enough to bid her reply as she saunters out of the plaza and into the sunny day. I follow her down the street to a blue motor bike ‘what do you think of bikes?’ she inquires touching it and looking over her shoulder at me ‘I wonder how your hair is so perfect if indeed you rode that here.’ I reply
She smiles ‘worried I’ll ruffle your suave swipe back look?’ she investigates with a bright smile ‘I’m not one to take such concerns seriously.’ I deny ‘there’s a term for men like you; metro sexual.’ She explains lightly ‘I’m no such thing. I get dirty.’ I assure her ‘of course you do, right before your pedicure.’ She says pointing at my tended to nails ‘you’re lucky I want to kiss you!’ I decide. She smiles at my lack of remuneration ‘if you hop on I might reconsider.’ She says removing a helmet in the same electric blue of the bike ‘you want me to get on the motor bike for a kiss?’ I investigate in case my scheming mind has lacked else to do but scheme against me as well. She smiles ‘I might consider kissing you if you get on for a short ride.’ She elucidates tapping industriously at the back of the machine. I take in a deep breath; I have to win her favour for the spring open to be a success! If this is what it means then tarry no more duke Angelford! She smiles as I mount the monster ‘there we go. She says straddling it ‘now hold on.’ She instructs wrapping my arms around her limber waist before she puts the helmet on and starts the thing as though I wasn’t thinking of sliding my hands up to her filled bra cups! Mother would most definitely censure this psychosis!
‘It wasn’t that bad!’ she says as I slunk down the fourth puny glass of Margarita dip into my mouth; it’s official! She is beyond obliged to come away with me next weekend! ‘You almost drove into a fast moving truck of vegetable produce!’ I grunt as she chuckles into her tangerine glass. ‘He almost drove into me.’ she corrects me ‘you were on the wrong lane!!’ I shriek needing a fifth glass of Margarita dip ‘it’s a Sunday! Which sane person delivers vegetable on Sunday?’ she argues lightly ‘I have no idea; someone who sells vegetable on Monday perhaps!’ I hiss tapping my empty glass impatiently at the waitress who brings me three more. ‘You shouldn’t have too many of those considering I might have to drop you in school. Seeing as how anti-locomotion you are.’ She warns me as her Mexican chicken salad; chilled to combat the weather arrives in a silver platter. It occurs to me that her licence should arrive as such to the authorities. My fruit and ham chef salad follows suit. She carries both platters to a table and sits down, pulling her own chair and everything.
This is a quaint little place. None of the ton would be seen here of course but it has it’s delights, like the electric waterfall in the corner and the plastic piranhas that jump out of it from time to time. The tables are small enough for intimacies to occur in public as was with the couple feeding off each other a few tables down. That couldn’t be healthy! There had to be a health risk from exchanging fluids and solids in that manner. Catching my attentive gaze at her back, she turns around to the couple and then turns back ‘it’s rude to stare.’ She warns me ‘that can’t be safe.’ I announce in disapproval ‘you’ve never done that before?’ she probes shocked ‘embarrass myself in public?’ I pry ‘it’s not embarrassing. It’s a public display of affection. You’ve never liked someone so much you didn’t care if the rest of the world knew it or not?’ she wonders ‘no. Have you?’ I investigate in recompense. She smiles and digs into her salad ‘is that a yes?’ I urge ‘you ask too many questions.’ She concludes ‘maybe because you never answer any.’ I retort ‘I answer a few.’ She shrugs looking back up at me ‘such as?’ I inquire with a smile ‘I would like Mediterranean pitas after the salad.’ She divulges ‘am I the servant again?’ I wonder looking around as she laughs ‘fine; no I’ve never felt the urge to embarrass myself in public by openly showing my affection for someone.’ She reveals
‘And therein dies the preaching of Sadie Weema the PDA supporter who has never taken part in it!’ I announce triumphantly ‘you don’t have to fall off a bridge to know it hurts to do it without a bungee cord’ she shrugs ‘some things you have to experience’ I retort ‘says the man who wanted to kiss me last night in public.’ She says condescendingly ‘and I would attempt it again today if you didn’t have spinach on your tooth.’ I announce starkly playful about it as she reaches for her napkin and covers her mouth with a smile much like a blush. I smile back and dig into my salad with a chuckle ‘I’d think you want me to kiss you.’ I note of her misdemeanour. Her eyes widen at the insinuation and then she looks away. Does she really want me to kiss her??
‘So you are a lawyer who wants to direct music videos.’ I change the topic ‘I’m not yet a lawyer. I’ve just began. I have this insatiable energy that needs to be applied to anything my mind is placed on and most of the time I’m listening to music. I picture the song and speak to the artist about it and if they like it then I shoot their video for them.’ She reveals ‘how many have you shot so far?’ I investigate. She smiles ‘one.’ She says with a little chuckle ‘any more in the pipelines?’ I prod ‘I’m talking to a few people here and there.’ She shrugs frivolously as the waitress arrives with another glass of tangerine for her ‘thanks Marceline.’ She says taking it
‘do you both want Mediterranean pitas?’ Marceline probes. She smiles and turns to me ‘chicken tomato wraps.’ I order ‘and dessert?’ she asks ‘sherbet fruit pie.’ She orders ‘same here.’ I concur smiling at the very interesting Sadie W. ‘what do you want to do?’ she inquires ‘apart from be an actuary?’ I wonder ‘yeah. What do you want to do apart from be an actuary?’ she prods with a smile. I smile and wonder why the gene of ambition had never been in my structure. ‘Your boyfriend.’ I state for lack of anything even remotely ambitious to reveal.
She sits back ‘you barely know me.’ she says with a smile that whispers she is flattered ‘as you said; you don’t have to fall off a bridge to know it hurts to do it without a bungee cord.’ I argue out. She seems entertained by the recompense ‘some things you have to experience.’ I add ‘bold in speech but very frail in action. You could be a politician.’ She concludes changing the subject ‘I doubt I would get far if I were to govern near you.’ I note as I recall the video shoot that turned a song about love gone wrong into a song about the world gone wrong. She smiles ‘you’d probably threaten to kiss me if I don’t comply with your rule.’ She chuckles ‘either that or I’d date you.’ I offer cocking a roguish eyebrow at her ‘I haven’t even decided if I’m going to let you kiss me and you’re already jumping into a relationship.’ She reminds me ‘is there such a sin as knowing what you want and going for it?’ I inquire ‘only if you’re a woman is it considered a sin of aggression. When you’re a man it’s considered boldness and courage.’ She announces as Marceline brings her pitas and my chicken tomato wraps ‘feminist as well.’ I note pleased once more with my choice as her phone starts to ring, something of a rap song. She smiles and picks it up; how many will frown at her for that?!
I dig into my wraps as she talks to Viola about something or another, the discussion mainly about the video it seems until she looks up at me and shifts in her seat then gives a small smile. Is the conversation about me now ‘I can’t talk right now.’ She whispers. It is! She’s talking about me! ‘Okay. I’ll see you later. Bye.’ She says hanging up and digging into a pita as I smile inquisitively at her. She smiles back at me and takes her glass of tangerine cordial ‘you want to say something?’ she pries cheekily ‘no.’ I decide ‘she said a tonne of white roses had just been delivered for Me.’ she clarifies ‘that wasn’t me. I’d send you white tiger lilies.’ I announce. I would. They seem more like her than anyone I’ve ever met, a tiger and a lily moulded into one such beautiful woman. She grunts as it occurs to me who it is; Ambrose Michael! ‘So do you plan to attract all your clients?’ I inquire dryly. She looks up at me ‘I’m sorry; who dropped me at the plaza and assured me that my look was fetching for the occasion?’ she retaliates ‘touché.’ I grunt finding that I didn’t have much more to say to her after the tonne of roses waiting for her arrival at her residence...
The rest of the lunch passes in awkward silence as I watch the piranhas with more interest and she picks up a conversation with Marceline about the dessert menu’s limitations and the plans for summer or some such thing! I dismount the treacherous bike, feeling morosely endangered by her driving as I spot the flower shop across the street. I thoughtlessly walk to it and pick out a white lily with the tiger spots on it and turn to her, seated on the bike watching me. I walk to her and remove her helmet for her and then place the lily in her jet-black hair ‘now you’ll have to drive slowly so it doesn’t fall off.’ I announce with a little smile before I turn for the plaza where the bullet is parked, the bike igniting behind me. What should it mean to me that some big hip-hop guy was courting her? I’m an aristocrat! Though that may mean nothing to her it meant a lot to others; I’m sure it would mean a lot to Ambrose Michaels if he found out I was the next duke of Angelford!
