“You went out?” Miranda asked squinting at a digital clock on the oven. It read 8:15.
Karin nodded “I’ve been up since 6 and took D.O.G. for a walk. Since we had guests we bought some groceries.”
Miranda headed over to the coffee pot which smelled absolutely delicious. This wasn’t regular coffee she suspected Karin hadn’t made this either. She lifted a cup off the rack and poured. She could have inhaled just the fumes and been happy it smelled so good. The first taste was not a disappointment either. The bagels were delicious as well, pure New York. She didn’t care where she was, it wasn’t the same as the one she was devouring with cream cheese. Molly walked in and asked “what is that delicious smell?” and they both watched as Karin put away the rowing machine under the couch and got on a bike that looked like a normal bike except for the tripod stand which made it stationary and began peddling madly. She was doing pretty intense biking as she continued to sweat to an MP3 player she had attached to her pants with one ear bud in her right ear. She closed her eyes as she mouthed something to herself. Molly and Miranda exchanged a look and laughed.
“What do you think she’s listening to?” Molly smiled at her mother as she ate her bagel and they both watched their friend.
“Probably opera” Miranda said sardonically.
“Naw, probably 101 ways to get ahead” Molly countered.
“Ha, ha, ha you guys, I’m trying to get in my 10 miles in under half an hour so I can get your sightseeing in before your brother is off work” she informed them “furthermore, I don’t listen to opera in the morning” and then she concentrated on her breathing.
The two of them laughed at their host as they got in their morning sustenance and caffeine.
Karin was in the shower when Miranda tried to wake Jana to get her going for the day. It wasn’t a pretty site as the teen was reluctant to awaken and sprawled across the bed and Miranda was grateful Karin didn’t witness it. By the time Karin came out of her bedroom wearing slacks and a pretty blouse and carrying a matching jacket the tantrum was over and Jana was up and eating a croissant and drinking orange juice.
“Where are we going?” Jana asked Karin sleepily. Her blonde hair was all in disarray, severe bed head. She really enjoyed sleeping and did it hard.
“I thought we’d take a sight-seeing tour, I have a friend who will take us if you’re up for it?” she asked for forms sake.
Miranda was sitting out on the patio enjoying her morning cigarette and Molly was sitting in the living room leafing through a magazine she had brought. Karin looked at her guests wondering how to entertain them. C.A.T. sauntered in from the bedrooms and headed to the patio. Molly eyed the cat with distrust but he ignored her as he went to the open door and smelled the morning. He apparently didn’t like the cigarette smell as he looked at Miranda in disgust. D.O.G. went over to greet C.A.T. and snuffled along him pushing his nose harder than necessary to incite the cat to play. Karin watched knowing what would happen shortly as she hung her jacket over the back of one of the bar chairs. Pretty soon the cat got sick of the poking nose of the dog and took a sheathed paw and batted at the dog who delightfully pulled back and poked again. They were soon rolling full body contact on the floor as everyone watched. They didn’t seem to watch where they were going either as they wrestled and rolled playing in earnest. To hear them though you would have thought they were in earnest combat with the growls emanating from both of them. D.O.G. barked occasionally and Karin shushed him but in no other way did she interfere with their play. Jana laughed as the dog thought he had the cat pinned only to find himself on his back with a foolish expression on his face.
“Holy Crap!” Molly pulled her feet up before they wiped her out as they rolled by her on the couch. She watched in alarm as they body slammed each other. The cat’s ears were totally back and the dog’s expression was gleeful as they attacked each other time and again wrapping their paws around each other in a bear hug.
Miranda finished her cigarette and came to the door of the patio and asked Karin who was enjoying the show “don’t they ever get hurt?”
Karin shook her head “they’ll stop if one of them yelps in pain but they both enjoy these little work outs. Later they will groom each other and go to sleep for hours on end. They are the best of friends.”
Just then the best of friends were trying to kill each other as they kicked and struggled to get on top of each other.
“This is why I don’t have any plants in here, they’d knock them over” Karin said as they both got on their back paws and boxed.
After a long mock battle they were both panting and called it a draw. It had given Jana enough time to finish her breakfast and she went to get ready.
“Where are we going?” Miranda asked as they went down in the elevator and hailed a taxi.
“A friend of mine owns a sight-seeing tour company and I called him this morning. He’s meeting us and showing us New York City and Manhattan” Karin answered.
They got into the taxi and Karin said “56th street helipad please” as the taxi took off she glanced at Miranda but she was talking with her girls in the backseat and hadn’t heard her.
As they pulled up though Miranda looked at Karin in alarm “We’re going up in a helicopter?”
Karin nodded as she paid the taxi. “Are you game?”
The girls were immediately enthusiastic but Karin could see Miranda wasn’t too thrilled. She let them pull her along though as they entered the building. Karin grinned and followed. She went to the counter and said “I’m Karin Myers and I believe...” but was interrupted by the clerk.
“Of course Ms. Myers, Chuck is waiting in the helicopter. I’ll have someone escort you and your party” she signaled to someone behind them and they all turned to see a guy in a jumpsuit and helmet nod to them and indicate the doors at the far end of the building. They followed him out onto the helipad where a helicopter was warming up. He opened the back door and they all clambered in.
“Hi Karin!” the pilot shouted over the noise which wasn’t that bad once the door was closed.
Karin smiled and gave him the thumbs up as they all got into their seat belts. There was plenty of room for the four of them. Chuck indicated the headsets that were hanging on hooks above their heads and they all put them on. The noise was even more drowned out by the muffling of the headsets. “All set?” the pilot asked, his voice sounding tin like through the headsets and Karin nodded and smiled as she looked to see her friends were all belted in.
“I’m Chuck” he looked at Miranda and the girls.
Karin talked into the mike in front of her face and said “this is my friend Miranda Green and her girls Molly and Jana from Wisconsin.”
He nodded and they took off. Karin heard Molly distinctly go “Holy Crap” as they took off. Both girls had window seats on the passenger side of the helicopter facing each other. Karin and Miranda faced each other and Karin laughed at the glare Miranda was giving her. Chuck took them up and down the river and all over the city. Karin knew he was giving them an extra special tour and over and above the usual ‘view of Manhattan’ that he and his pilots sold. She appreciated it as it was a view people didn’t normally get of New York unless they watched a lot of movies and even then it wasn’t the same. The girls seemed to enjoy it and they asked a lot of questions once they got used to the stifling the headset gave them and how odd their voices were through its mechanism. Karin watched Miranda go green, white, and flush by turns. She was breathing deeply and sometimes actually seemed to enjoy herself despite the airsickness Karin knew she was fighting. It was over an hour plus later that Chuck returned them to the helipad and the girls were talking non-stop. Miranda joined in but Karin suspected that was to ignore the thought of throwing up and it distracted her admiredly. Chuck turned off the helicopter completely and the silence was deafening after having got used to the headphones and all. He personally escorted them into the building as a crew ran to take care of the helicopter. It would need refueling an
d Karin knew they probably had a checklist before it would be taken out again.
“I want to thank you for that excellent tour” Karin began when they got back in the building and could talk normally.
“Ah, and now you owe me” Chuck smiled as he took off his helmet. The girls and Miranda could see he was an attractive sandy haired man with a mustache. He looked down at Karin and smiled.
Karin smiled as she sidled up to him. He seemed a little alarmed as she took up his challenging words. She leaned in close and said huskily “oh? And how would you like me to repay that debt?”
His eyes had nearly bugged out of his head as he stuttered “din din dinner?”
Karin smiled as she leaned up on her tip toes to kiss him on the mouth “done, call me?”
He grinned as his arm snaked around her and he held her close for a moment before saying “I will!” enthusiastically.
She returned his smile, her eyes sparkling into his before he released her. She turned to her friends and asked “ready for lunch?”
Chuck watched her the whole length of the building as they left. The girls giggled about it the during the taxi ride uptown.
“You had him eating out of the palm of your hand” Molly noted as they ate at a sidewalk cafe.
“Well of course, have to keep them in line dontcha know?” Karin grinned at Molly as she sipped a root beer. She turned to Miranda who was carefully eating a light salad “are you feeling better?”
Miranda shook her head as she reached for her white soda “I don’t know if I will ever forgive you for that!” she complained but she was grinning. It had been a fantastic morning and she had enjoyed herself despite her queasy stomach.
They discussed what they had seen and the beautiful views and angles they had seen. The Statue of Liberty always looked smaller than the movies made it or so it seemed to Karin and she compared how the girls saw things to her own perceptions. It was interesting to hear their take on things. It had given them a few ideas of things they would like to do with their Uncle Bradley now that they had seen so much. Karin knew she had just made Bradley’s life a bit hellish but then she really didn’t care.
“There is a man by the name of Brad here to pick up the Greens” the voice through the intercom came through loud and clear. Karin had just answered the buzzer.
“Tell him we’ll be right down” Miranda said as they gathered their things for their afternoon and evening with him. They had been ready for over a half an hour waiting for him.
Karin handed Miranda a key chain with two keys on it that both read ‘do not duplicate’ as she left. “One is for the elevator and one is for the front door” she indicated and then added “have a nice time!”
Karin spent her afternoon on her computers and phone. She got a lot accomplished and checked on her various teams throughout the country. She stayed on top of her game that way and they didn’t find her interfering. She frequently emailed or texted them too with information they needed to complete their jobs. She expected a higher standard than the other team leaders in the office and anyone lucky enough to work for her understood that. There was always a few that didn’t understood or didn’t play on a team and these rogues soon learned they didn’t play for Karin Myers very long if they didn’t listen to her or contribute to her team ideas. She ran her show and she did it very well, don’t mess with success.
“Hey, how did your day go?” Karin asked as Miranda came out on the balcony to have a smoke before bed.
“Oh it was nice but Brad was sick of hearing about the helicopter ride by the end of the night” she said with a hint of humor in her voice.
Karin couldn’t see her face but she knew she was probably laughing, knowing what Karin had pulled. It hadn’t been intentional to ruin Brad’s plans but he certainly couldn’t compete with a helicopter ride.
“We’re going to see a Broadway play tomorrow” Miranda informed her.
“Do you need help getting tickets?” Karin asked kindly but knew that her help would be unwelcome where Brad was concerned.
“No, I think he already bought them” she said.
Miranda sat down and lit up. Karin leaned back in her chair and listened to the night sounds.
Karin was getting dressed for the day when she heard the buzzer. Molly beat her to it and let the person up before she could answer. It annoyed her but then they were her guests. The only person though that it could be would be their Uncle Brad and she wasn’t looking forward to seeing him again even after all these years. He was an arrogant ass and he blamed Karin for all the evils of the world or so it seemed. They just flat out didn’t get along. Karin had met Miranda at a time in her life when her first marriage had crumbled and helped her through it. Brad blamed Karin for Miranda’s mid-life crisis. She just thought him an arrogant asshole whose opinion of himself needed adjusting. She never took the bait when he tried to argue with her. It infuriated him no end.
“Hello Brad” she pretended to greet him as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.
Brad didn’t answer but then she knew he wouldn’t as the girls enthused over the apartment. He looked around. She could tell he was impressed but then compared to his postage sized apartment this was splendor. D.O.G. took an instant dislike to him and wouldn’t come near him despite the girls coaxing and for this Karin was secretly glad. C.A.T. made an appearance and Brad nearly peed his pants. C.A.T. sat on the couch and looked every bit the wild cheetah. Karin knew he probably did it deliberately and secretly applauded him. Miranda caught up to them and said “I’m ready, let’s go” as she waved at Karin.
Karin went into her office that morning and cranked out a few reports that were redundantly necessary to her work. It was an essential evil but every time she thought of giving up doing them she thought about the morning and it cheered her immeasurably. It was funny and she had enjoyed it, from annoying Brad with her apartment to the pets. Pets were such amazing things; they sensed when someone was no good. It kept her going and she was ahead of the game which put her in an even better mood for the rest of the day.
Miranda and the girls got home late that evening but Karin didn’t mind since they had key’s to get in.
“Did you have a good time?” she greeted them as she sat at her kitchen counter eating a cracker with butter on it. It was a type of cracker she always picked up at Trader Joe’s and knew they wouldn’t like so she didn’t offer it to her guests. It was called Kavli bread and it was something she enjoyed from time to time along with the red wine she was consuming. The bread had the consistency of cardboard but she loved the flavor with the butter.
“Yes it was a blast!” Jana enthused as she headed down the hallway to her room.
“I don’t know, I think it wasn’t as good as it should have been” Molly disagreed as she followed down the hallway.
Miranda grinned. They wouldn’t be sisters if they didn’t argue regularly.
“Did you eat?” Karin asked as she indicated the refrigerator and then the wine. Miranda rummaged through her cabinets and found a wine glass and helped herself.
“I’m just tired. Dealing with those two any length of time tires me out!” she laughed.
Karin smiled. “I have some news if you’re interested....”
Miranda looked up wondering what Karin had cooked up.
“I have to go out to the coast on business and as I wasn’t sure how long you three would be here I wondered if you’d like to go along?” she asked innocently. There was a twinkle in her eye though. She knew the girls could hear her clearly and she wasn’t disappointed.
“The coast? As in California?” Jana was the first head out of the bedrooms.
Karin leaned over nearly spilling her wine as she looked down the hallway and smiled. Jana came clumping out of the bedroom like a shot with Molly soon on her heels.
“Yes, I have a client I need to see and hold hands with as well as meet a couple. It’s necessary for me to go out to the coast and as I’m taking the company jet there is room f
or you to go if you’re interested...” she left that hanging as though they would say no.
Miranda looked at her incredulously shaking her head.
“Mom can we go?” Molly asked for both of them. They both looked at her expectantly.
“I don’t know if we can afford...” Miranda began but Karin interrupted her.
“Afford what? The plane ride is free. I have to have a big room for meetings, you can make yourself scarce then, food is on me as my guests, you might want to buy some souvenirs...” she left off knowing she had her.
Miranda looked at her and her eyes were sparkling. She knew she couldn’t say no, not when the girls were standing there looking so expectant. She would do anything for her girls. “When would we have to go?” she asked instead. The girls started jumping up and down in their excitement.
“Well, I don’t want you to miss time visiting with your brother, I’m sure he took off work for you especially. Say Friday?” she asked knowing the next two days would be hard on Brad and not caring in the least.
Miranda knew that too and could almost read Karin’s mind. She knew she couldn’t resist and she wasn’t anxious to drive back to Wisconsin, not yet. She had taken a couple of Jeff’s calls and wasn’t too thrilled with the outcome of them. She needed more time away.
Karin advised them to take less to California but they insisted on bringing their huge bags. She assured them they wouldn’t need it all but she was ignored. She wondered if there was a weight limit on the plane and shook her head at their packing everything to bring along. She herself packed two bags, a carry on and a garment bag for her suits so they wouldn’t wrinkle. Her ever present briefcase was on her shoulder as she asked “ready to go?”
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