The Brute & The Blogger

by Olivia Gaines

  Tino eyed the screen.

  How the Wolf Dressed as a Sheep to Decimate the Flock

  That wasn’t the worst part of his day. His mother called. She had read the article. His father called, he too had read the article. Cassie Boone, director of communications for Boehner Enterprises called and yelled into the phone, “Fix this crap right now!”

  Somehow Ebony Miller had outfoxed him again. No matter what he did, she turned it against him, which often left him on the defensive. And to make it worse, all of these people, including his parents, were subscribed to her blog. It wasn’t as if this was something new –this anger between them. It had been raging for almost five years now.

  He admitted to his parents that he started the feud between them years ago. It was a jab on her part, when he took publicity shots delivering food to a local food bank, she wrote a blog post, Tino Boehner Cleans out His Pantry for the Poor. The article in itself was not bad. What was bad was the aftermath. The food did not come from his house, but an independent small neighborhood grocer that he purchased outside of Durham. It never dawned on him or his team to check the expiration dates on the products. Almost all of it had expired.

  It only got worse when Ebony was the one to look at the products, calling attention to the amount of dust on the cans. Tino knew he added accelerant to the simmering fire, when the manager of the food bank called him out, accusing him of attempting to poison the poor. This was done as a stunt to elicit more cash donations for the food bank. Instead, Tino bought the food bank and the rest of the property on the entire road and tore it all down and sold the land to a developer. Where the food bank used to stand, now holds a discount super center. The independent food bank is now part of a corporate chain of nonprofits. Mainly, his.

  He was 25 at the time and temperamental with too much money and a great deal of time to make enemies. He just never thought her blog would pick up steam. She often labeled him as a brute who rolled over the little man, crushing them in his wake to make more money.

  His attorney’s threaten to sue her for defamation of character, but nothing she ever printed or wrote was untrue. It was always her word choices that made it stealthy. He read the article again and she mentioned he handed her a broom to ride for transportation. The part about her 9 year old car being her only means of transportation being taken from her by a savage, crazed on drugs, didn’t help him out either.

  She mentioned the scales. The way she worded it left it open to interpretation that she was either too fat or smelled like fish. Clever little wordsmith.

  There was even a reference to him calling her Broomhilda. This rehashing of his word choice implied that he found her to be unattractive. She even mentioned someone in the back room holding her 3rd eye. “Arrrgggghhh!” he yelled into the air as he twirled around in his favorite chair.

  An ad popped on the television screen of a car salesman that looked less than reputable. Many of the cars on his lot seemed to be two steps from the demo heap and he was struck with a brilliant idea. He called Cassie, asked her to gather the press for Monday morning.

  “What are you thinking of doing Tino?”

  He was grinning from ear to ear, “I am about to turn this thing around and kill that witch with kindness. I just need a cowardly lion, a tin man and a scarecrow.”

  He had it all worked out in his head.

  Tino failed to factor in the rest of it.

  The rest was Ebony Miller.

  It was a really long weekend for Ebony as she tried to figure out how she would get from point A to Point B and get everything done. She also had to let her boss know what happened and that she would be a bit late for work. She called her brother Rodney, hoping to drop him off to work and keep his car for the day, but he had to be in very early and could not swing by to get her.

  Ebony called her mother on Sunday night asking for a similar favor, but her mother had too many plans on Monday. There was no way she was going to drive her Dad’s truck with all of his welding equipment on it. She pulled a bus schedule. What am I looking at?

  “Now would be one of those great times in life to have a bunch of girlfriends,” she said aloud hoping one would materialize from thin air. Ebony was a loner. Always had been and always would be. Her ambition was to pen the great American novel, but she only had gotten as far as a blog that was followed by many.

  Initially her thoughts had been focused on blogging about unknown resources in the community from social services and supportive aids to families. She had never been hungry as a child, but knew a few kids in school that really looked forward to the free lunch program. It was the only meal that many received. Her blog, Community Bits, began rather sluggishly among the tea drinking crowd until she stumbled upon Tino Boehner. It was never her intention to embarrass the man, by pointing out the expired food, but when he opted to purchase the food bank and tear it down, she took personal offense.

  The rest took on a mind of its own. She wrote stories about his denigration of communities of color. In retaliation, he purchased all the property in the neighborhood where her grandmother lived. Her grandmother was displaced and had to move in with her parents. It was heartbreaking to Nana to lose her independence and she is still not the same.

  Tino wasn’t her only subject though. She wrote about other business people doing good things in the community and not so good things. Most of her stories were inadvertent; she just happened to be in the right place at the wrong time. Over the past five years, she had exposed polluters, corruption and greed. And there was so much greed, she was disheartened by her fellow man. Did anyone ever give back any more?

  Her doorbell rang. Maybe it’s Mama. She opened the door to find Tino Boehner standing on her stoop. Looking sexy as naked body builder holding a plate of walnut brownies. Divert the sexy. Remain civil. Remain civil. “Good morning Mr. Brutus. May I help you?” I tried.

  He was grinning. This scared Ebony. “No, Ms. Miller. I am here to help you. I know you don’t have a car, so I thought I would lend you a hand.”

  Her chin dropped, her eyes squinted, “Are you here to give me a ride?”

  His grin got larger, “Oh, no...no....no...no.” He said with an even bigger smirk. Ebony wanted to run. This is going to be really bad.

  “Ms. Miller, I was rather unfair with my broomstick comment, so I thought, the least I could do was get you a little something to get around in until everything got settled with you finding another car and all.” He said it with a Southern drawl dripping of gentility. She felt like it was Black Friday and she was being led to the auction block to get purchased.

  There it was again. That creepy smile. “Consider this my gift to you,” he told her as he gently pulled her from the front door, down the stairs, where she was hit with a barrage of camera flashes and local news talking heads pelting her with questions.

  She asked, “What in the world?”

  “I don’t ever want anyone to think that I didn’t try to be amicable with you, so during this time while you are getting everything settled, I got you a car. Keep it as long as you need to,” he told her with a grin. The cameras were flashing so brightly she could barely see his gift. When she did, she was furious. He didn’t! How could he! He brought the media so she couldn’t refuse it or make it appear as if she was targeting him on purpose. The car was hideous.

  Tino had gifted her with a lime green Gremlin that he placed car eyelashes on. “Well, shut the front door and look at that!” She said with a wry grin. “Thank you so much Mr. Boehner.”

  “Oh the gifts don’t stop there. I would like you to come and work with me for a month and see what I really do. You know, give you the inside scoop,” he told her as he handed her the keys to the throwback eyesore she was to call her car.

  “I can’t just leave my job, Mr. Boehner. You know if there was any way, I could do it, I would consider it to be an honor,” she told him with the same fake smile he was giving her.

  “I’m glad to hear you say that, Ms. Miller,” he told
her. The crowd parted and her boss stepped forward.

  Ebony asked, “Mr. Greenblatt? What are you doing here?”

  Jeff Greenblatt was a big man. The circumference of his waist probably equaled her entire height. He had a big booming voice that probably would rattle the timbers of a small cabin. However, the man was a weak minded simpleton. He spoke up, addressing the small crowd, “I have worked with Tino Boehner here off and on for many years and I think it would be great exposure for you to spend a month working inside his operation, understanding what it is he does for the community Ebony.”

  She was stuck.

  Tino was grinning.

  Jeff Greenblatt was posing for the camera.

  And she was about to make the nightly news with a lime green Gremlin with giant eyelashes. She stared at Tino with fire in her eyes. This meant war. Based on the look he gave her, he was loading up his arsenal as well.

  “A whole month?” She asked him.

  “Working at my side, day and night,” he added with a bigger grin.

  Ebony stuck her hand out for a shake as the cameras flashed, “I look forward to working with you Mr. Boehner.”

  “Great! See you at work in a half hour. Don’t be late now,” he grinned at her as he answered questions from reporters all the way to his pick-up truck.

  Yep. She was stuck like chuck.

  4. There goes the neighborhood

  Tino had out smarted her, but she wasn’t giving up or giving in that easy. He wanted her at his side day and night for a month? Well, we shall see about that! Honestly, Ebony didn’t know what had made her angry, her boss strutting through the crowd like some oversized Teddy Bear, handing her off to her mortal enemy like she was a peace offering between feuding countries or Tino out smarting her.

  She started up her loaner car to a puff of smoke out the tailgate, a wheeze from the engine, and sputter, but she was off. She drove through town in case she would break down in her green scootum mobile versus taking the interstate arriving at Boehner Enterprises smelling like a pine scented bad idea. There were so many pine air fresheners in the vehicle, Ebony wondered if something had died in there. As she walked to the front door of the building, she felt as if inside, she was about to die a little as well.

  To her surprise, the office was located in what used to be a building supply company. Inside the glass doors, were wood floors with lots of plants, bright colors and a bubbly blond receptionist. I bet he is sleeping with her. “Hi, I’m Ebony Miller. I am here to see Mr. Boehner.”

  The blonde stood, and her breast greeted Ebony first. She had a small waist, tight little hips and way too much wiggle in her walk. “I’m Tish, Tino’s assistant. Follow me,” she told Ebony as her high heels clicked along the wood floor. It was uncertain which was busier, the office or Tish’s handful of bottom in that skirt as she teetered across the room.

  Contractors were coming and going. Guys in suits were sitting in meetings. Young men were reviewing pages of paper and in the center of the office space was a 3D rendition of the latest project. This monstrosity was probably going to tear down an orphanage or something. She resisted the urge to take out her camera and snap a photo, but in her heart she knew it was some community about to be made over. Well, there goes the neighborhood. Figuratively.

  Tino’s office was in the back in a corner. Ebony was almost disappointed to see that there were no mini putting greens on the floor or deer carcasses mounted to the wall. She had anticipated the 3D model being in his office but hid her surprise at the non-descript work space. There wasn’t even a high school football trophy to remind him of the glory years. What did shock her was the music paying in the background.

  “Ms. Miller, welcome,” he told her as he thanked his assistant. “Tish, did you get her a work space set up already?”

  The blond told him with far too much enthusiasm, “Yes, I did. I also have a tablet for her, an email address set up and temporary passwords to the Wi-Fi. Did I forget anything?”

  Tino moved closer to her, “no you are awesome as always.”

  “Thanks Boss,” she said as she bobbed away.

  To his credit, he didn’t watch her walk away. “Have a seat Ms. Miller.”

  Ebony was frowning. One at his music selection and two for the entrapment. He did not miss her discomfort. “What is wrong now? You just got here and you are ready to tear me apart. Maybe this isn’t a good idea...maybe there is just no nice in you.”

  “There is plenty of nice in me. What is not nice is your music selection. Is that Milli Vanilli?”

  He could not help himself, he said it before he knew it, “Girl, you know it’s true.” When she didn’t smile, he picked up the remote and clicked the button, loading in ‘Rumors’ by Club Nouveau.

  She was even less amused by that song choice. She exhaled loudly feeling the tension creep up her back. He clicked the remote again and Brick House came on.

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “What? This is my jam,” he told her as his head started to bob to the beat.

  “What next Tino, you are going to show the black lady that you have a couple of moves?”

  He stood up, “I have a lot of moves Ebony Miller. I also have a lot a rhythm.” Tino started moving across the floor. He looked smooth, but she wasn’t going to admit to it. Her imagination began to flicker as his hips swayed, and his perfectly toned butt moved from side to side.

  Holding up both of her hands she asked, “What is the point of all of this exactly? I am not certain what you hope to accomplish by having me here.”

  His mouth was twisted to the side as he rounded the desk and took a seat. “Ms. Miller, I intend to show you that the truth is subjective. We often believe what we want to believe and to make it plausible, we find facts to support what we think.”

  “Is that what you think I do? Find facts to support what I believe.” She told him with some animosity in her voice.

  “Of course you do. You look, make an assessment and assume you know all the answers. You are judgmental snob,” he said flatly.

  Ebony’s mouth opened to hit him with something Tino knew was going to be nasty, but he held up his hand as Tish came back in, “I’m sorry to interrupt Tino, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t forget about tonight.”

  “I remember,” he told her.

  “Do I need to do anything special...or is it all taken care of,” Tish wanted to know.

  “I think everything is pretty much set,” he told her with a smile.

  “Great! I am going to take off now so I can get everything ready for tonight. See you then,” she told him as she waved and closed the door.

  The whole scenario was boring her. “I can’t do this. There is no way I can remotely see myself working with or besides you for the next month. This is just not a good idea.”

  He was calm as he looked at her, “why?”

  “What do you mean, why? You stand for everything I am against...I....” She grabbed her purse and rose to leave.

  “Sit down!” His voice was stern.

  “You don’t know what you stand for Ebony Miller. You think you do. You think you have all the answers and know everything and what you know isn’t enough for you to launch a terror campaign against me or my company. You are here so I can show you just how wrong you have been.”

  “How gracious of you...” she added snidely.

  “Actually, it is. Now take a seat,” he said with firmness in his voice.

  They were both breathing hard and staring at each other with intensity in their eyes, but before either could say another word, Tish came back to the door. “I meant to ask if you had a chance to pick up Mom & Dad’s present for tonight. I am going to the Mall if you need me to get it for you.”

  He smiled at her, trying to calm his breathing, “I have it already. And it’s wrapped too.”

  She smiled. Apologized again and left.

  The look on Ebony’s face was worth the headache he had gone through. He could not let it slide, “Let me gu
ess, you thought she was some little honey, I liked to spend time with after hours?”

  Ebony dropped her head. He was right.

  “Ebony, you are wrong about so much.”

  “That may be Mr. Boehner, but this little stunt is not going to make me like you. You also can’t make me stay. I don’t work for you.”

  That creepy smile was back, “that is where you are wrong. You do. The nonprofit which employs you is my company. Which is the only reason you haven’t been fired.”

  5. Say What Now...?

  Very seldom was Ebony Miller left without words, but Tino had done just that. Her only response was, “Say what now?” It hastened her low crawl from Stupidville when he dismissed her to spend the morning with someone named Jeremy. In the afternoon she was assigned to work with a lady named Montrice. In the interim, she found that she also had to relearn how to work with herself.

  He had been right, which pissed her off. She did rush to judgment. There was absolutely no resemblance between him and the blonde assistant, and she most definitely did not look like his sister. She didn’t even look like she could have been a distant cousin. Maybe one of them is adopted.

  An apology was stuck in the back of her throat, making its way upwards when she opened the door to leave, she heard him mutter under his breath, “Try not to terrorize anyone today. Oh, and keep the monkeys chained up.”

  It was official. She could not stand that man! However, success was the sweetest form of revenge and she was going to give his entire staff diabetes before the month was over. I can be sweet. Starting after she told him, “And you try to not to throw any little old ladies with canes out on the street, you big brute!”

  Both Tino and Ebony arrived at the same dreadful conclusion; it was going to be a very long month. Her assignment was to spend a month learning his business and actually blog about it from the inside. He wanted 12 posts about his business over the next 6 months. Posts, which had to be approved by his communications director before being uploaded to her site. She could also post nothing else about him or his company or it would result in a defamation suit.