Chasing the Wild Sparks

by Alexander, Ren

  “Oh, yes I do. Thanks, babe. We’ll talk again later. Let me know of any breaking developments, okay?”

  I nod and wanly smile at her news allusion. She returns it with an encouraging smile as I get up from my chair and go back to my desk.

  I turn on my phone and wait for it to show me my messages. If anything, I need to call Ricky to see how Finn did last night.

  No messages.

  I call Ricky.

  “Hadley? Is everything alright?” he sleepily mumbles.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you up. I’m sorry. I was just worried about Finn.”

  I can hear him stretch. “You haven’t talked to him?”

  “No. I was wondering how he was last night when you took him home.”

  He yawns and then clears his throat. “He was a fucking mess.”

  “He was? More so than when I was with him before you left?”

  “Yeah. He cracked when I put my car in drive.”

  “Why? What did he say?”

  “You’ll have to ask him. I can’t tell you any more than I already have. I’ve said way too much and I know he’d be pissed if he knew I told you what I did last night.”

  “He might not remember what he said, though.”

  “I’ll tell you if he gives me the okay to, but only then.”

  “Can’t you just tell me one thing he said? Anything?”

  “He knows he hurt you.”

  My hand grips the phone and I fight to not break down. “He does?”

  “Yeah. You need to talk to him.”

  “Did he get into his apartment all right?”

  “Yep. I even set his alarm clock for him and picked out his suit and tie. I drew the line at brushing his teeth and taking out his contacts.” He laughs.

  “Okay.” Unable to hold it off, I start to cry.

  Ricky sighs. “Talk to him, Hadley. He was so fucked up last night.”

  “I think he hates me now.”

  “He doesn’t hate you. Just talk to him. Don’t let this break you two up.”

  “Thanks, Ricky.” I hang up my phone and stare at the empty screen. Is Finn thinking of me or has he thrown our love away?

  I finally get into doing some work when a short rap at my door makes me jump. Before I can say “come in,” the door opens and Rod strolls through, as per his usual entrance.

  “Here you go.”

  I finish typing a sentence and swivel around in my chair to see a crisp sheet of paper on my desk. “What’s this?” Picking up the paper, I peruse it. “A blanket waiver? What the hell? For real?”

  Rod proudly claps his hands together. “That’s for my foul language. I’m covered for six months, baby!”

  I notice Morgan’s name on it. “Morgan actually drew this up for you? What did that cost you? Your truck? A kidney? Your virginity? Your soul?”

  He frowns at the virginity remark. “I’m not allowed to mention the words kite and festival ever again. Also, something about reproducing. No matter. I’m covered to say whatever I want, whorebang!”

  I roll my eyes. “I’m not signing it.” I put it down and return to my nearly finished task.

  “Oh, you will eventually. What’s going on over here?” He walks over to the window as I type the last bit of a report into the computer. “Another funeral? Why don’t they save them for one day a week?”

  I stop typing and peer at him over my shoulder. “Are you serious?”

  “It would also save time and let’s face it, it’ll save gas, thus the environment.”

  “Oh, Rod.” He snickers as he stares out the window with his hands in his pockets. I look back to my computer.

  “Thanks for letting me drive Wilder’s car to his apartment last night. That was fucking awesome!”

  I slowly spin around in my chair, but I can’t look at him in the eye. “Sure. I thought you might enjoy that.”

  “Did you like it when I had it up to 110 on I-64?”

  I shuffle some papers on my desk. “I didn’t really notice how fast you were going. I was huddled in Morgan’s backseat.”

  He lowers his gaze to the floor. “Yeah. I guess not.”

  I clear my throat. “So is that a requirement when driving a car like that?”

  His face lights up like a football field at night. “Fuck, yeah! I think red with the white racing stripes give it that extra push.” He punches the air and grins.

  “You sure are making use out of this insane blanket waiver.” I hold it up and he laughs. “You can never tell Finn I let you drive it. He thinks Ivan did. He would probably have Ricky arrest me or something.”

  He wickedly smirks. “No. He’d put you on the Air and dare you to do naughty things to him for The Wild Side.”

  I regard him dubiously. “You’re weird.” He chuckles and turns back to the window.

  “Did Amos catch you in his office having phone sex with the trash man earlier?”

  He swiftly turns from the window. “No. Amos is on vacation.” Suddenly, he giggles and excitedly takes a seat and whispers conspiratorially, “Get this shit! He took a cruise!”

  I shrug. “So?”

  “One of those gay cruises!”

  “Oh, shut up, Rod,” I mutter incredulously.

  “I’m fucking serious!” he heatedly whispers and leans over my desk. “He had me book the damned thing!”

  I tend closer to him and whisper, “Rod, Amos Vaughn is not gay!”

  He animatedly gestures with his hands over my desk. “He’s seeing a yoga instructor named Juan. I swear to God, Hadders!” Rod throws his hands up into the air. “Why doesn’t anyone fucking believe me?”

  “Because you’re not very credible.”

  He pounds a fist down onto my desk. “I am so incredible! You’re the one who’s lame!”

  I roll my eyes. “That’s not what I said.”

  “I’m not deaf, woman!”

  “You might not be deaf, but you are close to being a woman, notwithstanding the fact that you are an idiot,” Morgan says, walking into my office. “What’s going on in here, Rod? Are you laughing at old ladies getting mugged again?”

  “For the tenth time, Morbid, she wasn’t getting mugged! She was hit be a rogue skateboarder! It was funny as fuck!”

  “Hilarious,” she deadpans.

  “Yes, Rod. We couldn’t stop laughing as the ambulance pulled away from the curb,” I say monotonously.

  Morgan pokes his head. “Something is not right up there.”

  He swats at her, but only catches air. “Morgasm, please, refrain from touching me. I know it’s hard to and I’m fucking irresistible, but you have to try. I’m just not interested in that kind of relationship with you.” Shrugging, he leans back in his chair and crosses his ankle over his knee. “You probably heard correctly that I’m well-hung, but you’re an engaged woman now. It has got to stop!” His grin stretches across his face.

  Leaning down, Morgan puts her hands on the arms of his chair and slants close to his face. “Listen here, small Rod, you wouldn’t know what to do with a woman like me.” Rod stares at her, fear evident in his wide eyes as he gulps loudly. Morgan slowly shakes her head and licks her bottom lip. “You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me. I would crush you like the cigarette butt that you are.”

  “Shot down, Rod,” I teasingly mouth. Faux glaring, Morgan stands and he scowls at me as I laugh at him.

  “There you are! Good!” Val says from the doorway. “I hear I missed some good dancing!” She walks in and shuts the door behind her. “I want to see it.”

  “See what?” Rod shrieks, still stuck in an inclined position from Morgan’s beat down.

  “Dancing. What did you think I meant?”

  “Dancing,” he immediately recovers and sits up.

  I look at Val in surprise. “You want us to dance now?”

  “Why not? Let’s find some music and lighten the mood around here. I haven’t seen you guys dance since Christmas.”

  Rod pouts, “I’m not in my dance m
ode! I don’t even have my lucky shoes!”

  Morgan tauntingly scoffs, “You didn’t get lucky last night, so I guess they’re not so lucky. Though, they probably see more action than you do.”

  Rod morosely pulls his phone out of his pants pocket. “Shut up.”

  “You have your music with you?” I ask in disbelief. My phone can only make calls. Barely.

  He looks at me like I just came up from the Dumpster in the alley. “In case of emergencies!”

  “A music emergency?” Morgan asks, trying desperately not to laugh.

  “Isn’t this one?” he asks while scrolling through his collection.

  “No Streisand.”

  “Bite me, Morticia.”

  Morgan snatches his iPod. “I’ll pick.”

  “Evil woman!”

  I check my phone, but the screen is still quiet. Nothing from Finn all morning? No calls. No emails. Before sadness can envelop me, Morgan sets the iPod down as Madonna’s “Material Girl” starts. I laugh as Rod grabs my hand and Morgan shoves the chairs out of the way. Val sits on the edge of my desk and grins.

  Rod pulls me to him and I go from laughing at the song to laughing at his cartoon tie in my face. “Stop breaking my concentration, Hadders,” he scolds.

  “Sorry,” I whisper, trying to be serious, but can’t.

  He whips me out and I spin away from him. Yanking me back, he clutches my hip so I’ll lift my leg and bend backward. He then pulls me up and lets go of me. He turns around and I follow suit as we shimmy against each other. He reaches finds my hand, whirling me around his body so that I face him. Grabbing my arms, he marches me across the room until we hit the wall, and then I do the same to him. I dance away from him and Rod gyrates his hips around as I bound back to him and gyrate mine around him as well. Val squeals and claps. Biting his tongue, he runs his hands up over his chest as I encircle him. He looks so funny when he’s trying so hard to be sexy. He grips my hand and spins me around, bringing me to his chest and dipping me; swaying me in a half circle around him.

  “Yes!” Val cheers as I smooth out my skirt as Rod fixes his tie. “I love it! You two are great! I’ve decided. We’re having another party soon. It’ll be at a club so I can watch you two dance all night.”

  Rod sulks. “I don’t know if she’ll be allowed.”

  “Rod.”

  He glowers at me. “What?”

  “Finn isn’t going to keep me from going to a party. He’ll most likely be working or busy anyway.”

  “After last night, you think Wilder really would not go with you? He’s going to be up your cooch more than a tampon!”

  Val screws her face up. “Gregory!”

  “Eww, Rod.”

  “Dick Rod.”

  “What? It’s true! You actually think he’s going to let me touch you again? I’m surprised he’s not parked outside or out in the waiting room. Seriously.”

  “Was it that bad last night, babe?” Val asks while Morgan shuts the music off.

  “No.”

  “Yes,” Morgan and Rod reply in unison.

  “Ha! You owe me a Pepsi, Morgue.” She pinches Rod’s arm and he squeals, “Fu—dge!” Val and I laugh at his awkwardness.

  Morgan counters, “You owe me a Shut the Hell Up.”

  “He just drank too much,” I mutter.

  Rod snaps his fingers. “I saw that on a tombstone, once!”

  Morgan retorts, “That’s a good excuse.”

  “Well, he was drunk! He was also upset about the dancing.”

  Morgan crosses her arms. “Hadley, he was sober when he freaked out about you dancing with Rod.”

  Val looks at her watch. “Has he called to apologize yet?”

  “No.”

  “Perhaps it was just a shock to him and he didn’t know what to do with his unanticipated jealousy,” Val reasons.

  “Maybe,” I reply.

  Morgan says, “No way. He’s been jealous over you and Rod for a while now, Hadley.”

  “He has no reason to be jealous. I love Finn, not Rod!”

  Rod puts his hand on his chest and winces. “Ouch. That cuts deep, Hadders.”

  “Stow it, Rod.”

  Val sighs. “I have a lunch meeting I have to scoot off to. We will finish this conversation later, babe. There’s a lot you’re not telling me. I know it.” Val narrows her eyes at me as she carefully takes herself off of my desk. “Thanks for the dance, kids! That made my day!”

  Rod watches her go into her office. “She is so cool,” he says. “It’s always nice when you come to work and your boss forces you to dirty dance.”

  “That’s technically sexual harassment,” Morgan states in lawyer mode.

  Rod throws his arms up over his head and swivels his hips. “Harass away then, ladies!” Morgan rolls her eyes, yet turns to hide her smile.

  “I wonder when Val wants to have a party,” Morgan quietly asks. “I’ll probably be as big as a house by then.”

  “I know!” Rod bounces. “She could have it on June 20th!”

  “Why?” Morgan and I both ask.

  “Because it’s Summer’s Eve!” Rod giggles uncontrollably.

  Morgan tries to scowl at Rod, but laughs instead. “You’re such a douche.”

  Rod giddily asks, “Spring Fresh?”

  There’s a knock on the doorframe and we all look up from our laughing fit. “Sorry,” Rhonda, our blonde receptionist, says with a shy smile aimed at Rod. It’s not a secret that she has a huge crush on my ridiculous friend. She’s cute, but Rod says she doesn’t do anything for him. I think she’s pretty with her dimples and sweet smile. Morgan claims it’s because she doesn’t have a penis.

  “Hadley, Security said they tried your extension, but they couldn’t get ahold of you, so they tried me.” Oops. Dancing on the job again.

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “Finn Wilder is downstairs wanting to see you.”

  “He is?”

  “Yes. Security wouldn’t allow him up because he’s not on the schedule of visitors today. I guess they don’t know that he’s your boyfriend.” Rhonda giggles as she peeks at Rod and shifts nervously. “They wanted to verify with you if it’s alright to allow him up.”

  “No.”

  “No?” she asks, surprised.

  “No. I don’t want to see him right now.”

  “Okay. Do you want me to tell them that you’re busy?”

  “No. Tell them I don’t want to see him.”

  Her eyes widen, yet she nods. “Okay. I’ll let them know.”

  “Isn’t he supposed to be on the Air pretty soon?” Morgan observes, looking at the clock.

  I check the clock as well. “Yes.”

  “What the hell is he doing here then?”

  Rod sneers, “A recon mission.”

  “You’re really not going to see him?”

  “No. He said some really hurtful things last night, Morgan. I can’t even look at him.”

  “I’m proud of you. That takes a lot of strength.”

  “I know, so someone please keep me from running downstairs right now.” She hugs me and I hold onto her. “I want to see him so much.”

  Rod heads for the door. “You can. Morgue’s office overlooks the parking lot.” We quickly walk out and go around to the other side of our office suite to Morgan’s office. The hallway does a U shape and we enter her spacious, and expensively decorated office. Rod runs over to the window like a little kid watching a parade.

  “Rod! He might see you!” I hiss.

  “He’s not there yet. His sweet car is, though.” I surreptitiously move to the side of the window and wait for Finn to come out of the building. Is he putting up a fight down there? I’m sure the guards recognize who he is without knowing he’s my boyfriend. A few of them know that he is, but there are always different ones popping up, since we share the building with four other businesses

  “Do you think he could overtake the guards and get past them?”

  I almost la
ugh. “He’s not John McClane or a superhero, Rod.”

  Morgan says under her breath, “An evil villain is more like it.”

  “Morgan. He’s still my boyfriend… I think.” My voice unexpectedly catches and Morgan puts her arm around me.

  Rod turns from the window. “Doesn’t he wear glasses?

  I take a tissue from Morgan’s desk. “Yeah, but he hates wearing them in public. I don’t even see him wear them much when we’re together.” And fuck if he isn’t hot wearing them, too.

  “That kind of gives him a secret disguise.”

  “There he is,” Morgan says. Finn is walking out from the main entrance two floors beneath our window. He’s wearing a black suit. Both of his hands are in his hair as he strides to his car.

  “He should really watch he doesn’t mess up his hair if he has to be on camera soon.”

  “Shut up, Dick Rod.”

  Finn reaches his car and plunks his elbows up on his roof. His head droops, his hands cupping the back of his neck. He stands that way for almost a full minute.

  Rod gapes. “Is he crying?”

  I stare at Finn to see if maybe he is, but I can’t tell. Why would he cry over me? I’d probably be a huge weight off of his shoulders and mind if he didn’t have to deal with me anymore.

  “No. Finn said he never cries.”

  “He must’ve been a dream of a newborn.” Morgan and I look over at Rod like he just told us he’s allergic to kites.

  “Well, he should cry. He just lost the best fucking thing that will ever happen to his sorry ass.”

  Not taking my eyes off of Finn, I say, “He didn’t lose me, Morgan. I’m just hurt. I need some time from him.”

  Morgan moves next to me. “What the hell did he say to you, Hadley?”

  I look over at Rod and he shakes his head before looking up at the ceiling. “Hadley, I already heard most of it. I’m sorry.”

  “Great. Now you also know why I’m the worst girlfriend ever.”

  He closes his eyes and crosses his arms. “Stop it.”

  I swing my arm out to my side. “You said it yourself, Rod. Guys like that done to them, and I don’t do it.”

  “That hardly makes you the worst girlfriend ever,” he growls, glaring at me.

  I make the mistake of looking out at Finn at the same time he glances up at the window. He does a double take and I swiftly move away. He had to have seen me since we’re not that high up.