by Carl Henegan
This advanced grasp of numbers and percentages directly contrasted to his social capabilities. Eye contact ceased to exist at any level. As for conversations, Adam consistently avoided them each and every time.
His dark unfashionable clothing screamed not to be noticed. Adam had the face that no one remembered enabling him to mesh into any crowd. His height reached about 5’10” although Garcia discovered that he claimed it was an inch taller. Garcia figured that Adam weighed no more then one hundred and forty five pounds so finding clothes off the Walmart rack worked out for him.
No designer frames were attached to his black rimmed glasses. They were far too large for his slender face but in an odd way still fitted him. He had a weak chin that lacked the ability to grow facial hair but the hair that grew on his head lacked any style. He simply brushed it to the side allowing it to rest awkwardly on top on the frame of his glasses.
Before retiring for the night, organizers of the tournament approached the remaining three men to pose for photos. Members of the Metropol promotion department also took the pictures for advertisement. They took several photos of the final three as a group but more taken separately of the man of the hour, Garcia.
The watching crowd moved in closer trying to catch the words of the men as local television stations spoke to them. Magazine writers that worked for different Moscow publications also managed to pull them aside for exclusive private interviews. As always all the media outlets went after Garcia first before settling for the others.
Fifteen minutes of fame never looses its luster. Many strive for it, but never achieve it. Celebrity gravitated towards Garcia so he never had to seek it so he embraced it. This attention may have been new to them but for him it was commonplace, granted to him without a request. If he had the choice he would be more then happy to return it but the spotlight had a way of placing a shine on some that cannot be dimmed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Garcia posed confidently with fans and scantily dressed women who often followed the tournament. Even in the world of poker, a steady flow of groupies latched on to the players. Garcia loved the prestige and attention but this hardly distracted him from his main goal of wining, but wasn’t too sure about the others.
Tony Swinton gushed in every single camera flash buying into the hype with every socially starved penny in his pocket. His confident persona did not fool Garcia, even Tony was aware that he was more lucky then good. Yet the spotlight clouded his thinking and Tony somehow convinced himself that he actually had a chance to win. Idiot.
“Mr. Swinton, how do you feel about your chances now?” the reporter asked.
Tony flashed his best camera smile. “I have to be honest with you. At first I was just hoping to make it through the first round but now with only three players, we’re on an even field. It’s my game to lose just like the other players,” Tony said.
For Adam the unwanted attention grew to an unbearable level. He fidgeted with the string hanging from his grey Walmart jacket the entire time. Every few minutes Adam rubbed the palms of his hands against his faded jeans then toyed with them awkwardly in front of him. His eyes drifted to the door several times as if he wanted to make a break for it.
* * *
To Adam’s relief, the interviewers looked over him as a favorite and focused on the other two men.
The sudden spotlight was not the only thing that made him feel uneasy. The sudden trust into the spotlight did not appeal to Adam. The social circles he once observed from the sidelines moved around him and far too close. He felt like a misshaped piece in puzzled world that he had never seen where the beautiful people interacted.
This new world did have its perks. There were the women and not just any women. Stunning women of many different nationalities approached him wishing him luck then would present an easy smile or affectionate touch that would sometimes caress his hand before releasing it. Other times he received kisses on the cheek with phone numbers slipped into his pocket, the front pocket.
Eventually the photo ops along with the crowd tapered off. That was too bad because Adam began to get comfortable with the attention. Tony still lurked about but Garcia was already gone.
Yuri walked up to Adam. “Mr. Barrie I do believe that you’re the only one that I haven’t had the opportunity to take a photo with.” Yuri motioned for one of the camera men to come over. “You mind?”
“Oh no sir not at all,” Adam smiled.
After two photos were taken, Yuri quietly slipped away out of the room and back into the hotel. The day finally drew to an end. Adam felt a bit sadden by the sudden end to the post game party and this surprised him. Why do I even care?
A fleeting thought past across his mind. I could always prolong the evening. He recalled the hotel’s brochure advertising a glass ceiling restaurant not far from the main entrance. He considered stopping through for dinner. Perhaps I’ll even be recognized there.
He glimpsed at the large wall clock posted above the poker table then decided against it. Guess I’ll just call in for room service.
The walk back to the Metropol seemed longer then he remembered. He stood before the grand splendor of the polished brass and gold plated elevators wondering about one thing. Who in the hell keeps all this so shiny? The polished surface reflected his poignant image as vivid as a mirror.
The antique elevators were restored to pristine condition. An oversized arrow set above the gold doors moved in a semi-circle as the method of indicating the current floor location. The arrow moved down to the third floor just as he looked up at it.
The floor indicator was a far cry from the modern digital age. However it blended with the hotel’s early world décor. The arrow moved again clock wise making its way to the L for the lobby. Two floors away then one then, ding, ding, ding. Even the elevator’s chime reflected the intended period.
As the mirror smooth doors slid apart a voice surprised Adam.
“Do you mind if I escort you to your room?” she said.
Her soft voice spoke in a seductive murmur. Before turning around he could smell the sweet perfumed fragrance that rode an invisible breeze directly into his path.
A slender hand gently rested on his shoulder just before she moved in front of him. Her slim but shapely body blocked his path. Adam words evaporated into the mindless mist that encompasses everyone who arrives as the very moment of being infatuated.
Adam’s heart fluttered the moment she saw her. Her smooth completion appeared as flawless as porcelain and her jet black hair hung perfectly straight. The hair reached down past her waist line and was cut perfectly straight across like a fine silk curtain. The hem of her dress hung only slightly longer then the length of her hair. The edge of the dress rested just above the center of her shapely thighs. To add to her physical beauty, her chest and hips were alluringly disproportional to the extremely small waist.
Adam nodded instead of chancing on making a verbal mess out of his loss for words.
As soon as she turned, he brushed his palms against his jeans as they entered the elevator. He fidgeted with the side of his pants then the draw string on his jacket trying not to stare. When he looked at her, she stared back so he quickly broke the eye contact to focus on the interior of the elevator.
The inside lined with mirrors trimmed with dark mahogany wood. Everything had a deep rich glow about it. Still for Adam it paled in comparison to the woman standing next to him.
He couldn’t help but try to sneak another glance at her. With the assistance of the reflections, Adam silently stared at the Asian beauty standing next to him. Both had to endure those first awkward moments of quiet between strangers.
In the reflection their eyes touched but this time Adam did not turn away. The alluring lady continued to stare tilting her head from one side to the other maintaining a gentle smile.
Her smile sat neatly placed within the most beautiful and inviting red lips that Adam had ever seen. She appeared to w
ant his attention but he was not confident enough to pursue her. He would not second of third guess the attention he thought was there.
Even with the lack of social experience, Adam was not oblivious to reality. Perhaps she does want my attention. The potential of winning a half million dollars made him a lot more attractive in the eyes of some and he was fully aware of that. Plain and simple, he became the flavor of the week by making it to the final three, nothing more but potentially less.
What the hell. He tossed the overanalyzing to the side and chose to just live in the moment. Why not taste a little of the free flowing champagne? Was there really a difference between the lure of money and physical attraction women have for men simply because of their power? The answer was clear; he needed to allow the opportunity given, to take his life in the course was it was veering.
Adam thought of, among all things, his college years. The college days ─ much like the high school years for that matter ─ were filled with cramming for exams and not quite fitting in with the status quo. The few like minded friends he did have shared the same social deficiencies.
With a consistent nearly perfect grade point average and photographic memory, school and only school came natural for him. As for anything else, no self illusions would allow him to think that he was envied by others. For that matter even he did not want to be himself.
Now the social tide shifted and it was the rare chance to dance with the beautiful people. Or as he and his friends would say in college, “A chance to walk in Donald Trump’s Ferrogamos.”
Adam wondered what was in store for the night, if anything. He smiled into the reflection fantasizing about him and the Asian beauty standing next to him. This would be an opportunity to experience the life he had only seen in the movies; the good life.
Surreal would not just be an obscure word, but a lived encounter. He smiled even wider within. Who are you kidding Adam? The girl just offered to walk you to your room and you’re already fantasizing about being the honorary of the inner circle of high society.
The beautiful woman winked then blew a kiss at his mirrored reflection.
But then again, anything can happen, he thought.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Two nights passed since Garcia appeared at the Memphis bar. Tensions elevated and Mike felt as if his sixth sense was stuck on high alert. No matter how peaceful the course of the night went, the sustained feeling of pending bedlam would not go away.
Anticipating unspecified events at unknown times racked Mike’s nerves to an exhausting level.
He focused on the daily operations since this seemed to be the only thing that calmed him. Kelly wasn’t quite herself. Her short conversations with him remained stiff and all business. The perky sociable girl he knew had been replaced with a more ridged model. Did is say something to piss her off? With all the concerns of Garcia and the safety of the customers it was possible but not intentional.
* * *
Kelly sunk into her own private world. She tried to avoid the thoughts but could not help reeling over the conversation Mike had on her phone.
She didn’t care for the facts but now everything made perfect sense. Apparently Mike’s cool nature towards her had more to do with just not being interested then just being a gentleman. Not that she was listening in but from what she gathered Mike had a wife and kid. She never put that together. What an idiot.
She imagined that she must have looked like a complete fool throwing herself at Mike. Ever since the previous day’s ride to work, she found it difficult to look him in the eyes. The next day she planned on putting in applications at other places.
Mike watched her from a distance. He knew her too well not to notice that she was not herself. She aimlessly moved about wiping tables or just standing in a dark corner. Instead of the normal pep in her step she felt drained and just went through the motions of her nightly tasks. Her slow walk dragged across the room ready for the night to be over.
As much as she wanted to pull Mike aside she couldn’t do it. Any other time she wouldn’t have to even think about it. Mike would have picked up on her sadness and taken a moment to listen to her concerns. This time he kept his distance. But she should not be surprised Mike had much more then her insecurities on his fragile plate.
He remained worried about the night. Admittedly the entire evening felt peculiar for her also. Plus with all that happened recently, time to cater to anyone including her just may not have been there. Mike’s focus stayed solely devoted to the well being of everyone as a whole. This, she knew, would have to be his main focus. She had very little doubt that it would have to remain that way for awhile.
The entire staff knew of Mike’s sixth sense and how he used it as a guiding force. Kelly felt that gut feelings had very little clout; it would only take him so far. She felt that Mike was in uncharted territory with no compass. The limited room for error may not be worth the risk. She saw Mike’s lost of focus every sense Garcia entered the club.
Kelly’s pure perspective could see that Mike was far too absorbed. With his back to her, he felt comfortable watching her boss from the other side of the nightclub. His robotic movements merely mimicked the motions he had done for so many years. His mind was elsewhere.
She could not shake the deep desire to comfort him. This superseded any self-gratifying decisions. Before she talked herself out of it, she walked over to him.
The tap on his shoulder surprised made him jump. Mike turned quickly and his eyes widened when he found Kelly standing with her arms stiffly to her side. She wrestled with the right words and felt her face contort as the mental chambers turned inside. Her lips quivered ever so slightly before she cut her eyes to the air, turned, and marched away.
“What in the hell was that about?” he yelled.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
As Kelly walked away it reminded Mike how these moments made him appreciate the single life. God created the world just like he created women, there to enjoy but never to figure out. He puffed his cheeks as he watched her stoop away.
Certifiable, he thought. Her petite body sashayed across the room as the multi colored club lights darted against her. He thought about going after her but it would have to wait. He’ll have to dive into that mystery, but not now.
Before he could return to his own thoughts everything changed. Kelly stopped in her tracks and made a military like about face.
“Oh hell here we go,” he mumbled.
Her expression filled with determination. Instead of returning to a higher perch Mike remained at the bottom of the stairs that led to the main bar. He waited for whatever was about to come. She stomped past him then up two steps before turning to meet him at eye level.
Like a sudden alteration of the seasons, the atmosphere changed all around them. Colorful lighting altered from flickering and festive bright hues to slow moving dark tints of blue and red. The house band switched from Sugar Ray’s, I Just Wanna Fly, to Sade’s hit Is It a Crime.
The noise level in the club followed suite. Voices lowered to soft whispers sharing secrets and hidden fantasies. Kelly and Mike stood silently locked in a visual confrontation.
“Michael Andrews!” Kelly started with conviction and sternness across her voice. The unfamiliar tone surprised him since it was one that Mike had never heard.
“Yeah, what is it on Kelly?” After he spoke, he realized that his voice was laced with irritation.
“Why you never told me you were married!?”
The question made Mike leaned back.
“Where did that come from?”
“So you are married?”
“What? What do you mean? Married? Wait, wait, hold on a second here. I’m not married, who the hell told you that?”
As stunned as he was about the question he was relieved that it wasn’t anything serious.
“You engaged!?” she said holding her ground.
“Where in the world are you getting this stuf
f?”
“Girlfriend!?”
“No, nooo unfortunately no one is willing to put up with your boss trust me,” he said still in disbelief.
A sense of relief overcame him since this was the stuff he could handle. Kelly opened her red lips ready to fire off more questions but he caught her.
“Hold on what is with the twenty personal questions?”
The lights dimmed more in a wide spread cast of colored shadows. The deep blue lights faded to allow a deep shade of scarlet to cloak the area. One single spotlight lowered on the female lead singer as she crooned the crowd with Sade’s lyrics.
Kelly took one step down moving even closer. Her slight elevation remained just shy of Mike’s height. As she stared deeply into his eyes he saw the exact moment that everything changed forever. A right of passage opened to a locked away world.
His mind opened allowing his eyes to fully see through past the once sturdy wall and into her spirit. She opened the door and the chance to turn back had long past by placing the ball in his court.
The song lyrics poured like liquid harmony. Words intertwined with the seductive saxophones pouring its aphrodisiac waters into the subconscious. A widespread music induced hypnotic effect touched the club’s patrons including Mike and Kelly.
Like everyone else they were drawn by the irresistible urge to touch the joys of life. With everything transforming around them, Mike and Kelly’s view of one another changed in an instant.
Quickening breaths from Kelly’s nostrils blew against Mike’s face. Her fragrance filled his senses pulled him closer with a reassuring ease. Heat emitted from her body as the enticing essence of desire claimed its latest victim. He felt himself slip between the cracked psychosomatic glass walls.
Her head tilted to one side as her eyelids lowered. All of the passion and desire inside of her waited for the flood gates to open. He had the key to turn away or unlock the ripples that crossed the deepest oceans as her lips parted slightly then waited for his.
