by Teya Tapler
Evan was surprised by the change. If that was during the summer for just a few minutes Ollie would have told her everything that had happened to him in the last two months without asking her any questions.
“I’m fine, still in college. How about you?” She lied just to pass on the ball to Ollie. She was actively looking for a job in the Boston area. Analysis4All haven’t asked her to join them. Either they were having hard times or Alex wanted her to stay out of there. Evan was okay with either scenario; she wouldn’t have taken a job offer from Analysis4All if that meant she had to stop seeing Alex.
“I’m glad you asked.“ Ollie started. ”I now live here in Salem; moved from Brighton two weeks ago. You won’t believe…” As the avalanche of words started Evan switched to ignoring him and nodded every now and then in agreement with things she didn’t even hear. Ollie hadn’t changed, or at least not as much as it looked initially.
A white bowl with clam chowder appeared in front of Evan and the aroma of freshly prepared sea food reminded her that Alex was back. Evan looked up and smiled. Alex smiled back to her, placed the second bowl, two spoons and a bag of oyster crackers on the table and looked at Ollie.
“Hi Oliver, haven’t seen you since the internship,” Alex turned towards Ollie and extended his hand in front of him expecting a handshake. His eyes reprimanded Ollie for that initiative; it was his time with Evan. To keep their cover Alex gestured indicating that there was no place for a third person at the table reminding Ollie that he must leave.
“I’m sorry, I have to go,” Ollie jumped realizing he had just crossed the line he shouldn’t have. He quickly picked up his fish and chips basket and headed to the counter. Evan overheard him asking for the food to go before leaving the restaurant with a paper bag in hand.
“What did you do to him?” Evan asked, “I’ve never seen anyone have such effect on him.”
“I think he was one of the guys who had a crush on you when you were at Analysis4All,” Alex said.
“Really?” Evan asked.
“Haven’t you noticed the effect you have on the guys around you? You are very beautiful,” Alex said.
“Thank you,” Evan looked down and blushed in response.
Content with the way his compliment was accepted Alex put his spoon in the bowl in front of him and changed the topic announcing with an enthusiastic voice. ”Let’s see if you’ll agree with me that this is the best clam chowder in the world.”
Evan dug in the soup too. It had all the right ingredients; fresh clams, potatoes, celery. The steam coming from the bowl tickled her nose. She scooped one spoonful and blew at it to cool down before putting it in her mouth. The taste was smooth and divine. She ate one of the small oyster crackers for added crunch and closed her eyes in enjoyment. Evan swallowed slowly, opened her eyes and smiled at Alex. “You’re right,” she said,” it’s the best.”
“What d’you want to do next?” Alex’s slightly husky voice moved her thoughts in another direction.
“What time is it?” she asked,” Today’s Sunday and I don’t want you to miss the game. You’re still coming to watch it with Brittany, Josh and me, are you?”
“Sure. I hope Josh had forgiven me our brief golf encounter last week,” he said.
“Did you win again?” Evan asked more of politeness than curiosity. She had seen Alex play golf and agreed with Brittany that he had to go pro.
“Yes, and it was on his territory. We’re at the new country club in Hamptonville,” Alex said.
Evan ignored the mentioning of the country club and said.
“He sure had forgiven you. He never held a grudge longer than five minutes, even in high school,” she smiled then added decisively, “Let’s go home!”
“Finish your soup first,” Alex smiled.
“Don’t sound like my mother,“ she teased him and continued to enjoy the warm delight.
After a while her left hand touched the big blue bead hanging from her neck.
“I always wanted to ask you about this. What is it?” Alex asked nodding towards the transcaster bullet on her chest. He couldn’t have mistaken it for anything else. It had the clear markings indicating its sole purpose of a transcaster bullet.
“My mother gave it to me,“ she lied looking down at her soup. Alex knew of her loss and wouldn’t dare to ask more. Evan kept one hand on the bead and her thoughts followed Zander wherever he was at the moment. She imagined him coming thought the restaurant door and wandered how Alex would react. Would he look at Zander the way he looked at Ollie, declaring her his territory? What would Alex do if he knew that he had to work really, really hard for very, very long time just to have a chance of displacing Zander in her heart? Yes, she was probably falling in love with Alex but her heart still longed for Zander and she was often thinking about Alex as her mind was restlessly trying to forget Zander. She wrote a “Z” in her soup then filled the spoon and put it in the mouth. Evan had to forget Zander and move on. He was not coming back and even if he was coming back she would never know when that would happen.
Evan had to stop wasting her life waiting for him.
Not anymore.
Her left hand moved from the bead to the table. Her right hand was still writing “Z” after “Z” in the bowl playing with the two remaining potatoes.
Alex gracefully accepted her lie and continued playing the role of Mr. Right. He put his left hand over hers and looked her in the eyes. His left hand caressed her face gently and she looked up at him. He had made the right move. Soon he would be able to take the final step.
An older couple from the table across looked at them and smiled. Without turning in their direction Evan felt the approval in their sight and smiled back at Alex. She put her right hand over his hand on her face. She had decided to move on, to live and learn to love again. In her mind she had moved Zander from the keeper column into the column labeled ex and replaced him with Alex.
Chapter 17
“Oliver, what were you thinking?” Alex shouted at Ollie. “Wait! I got it! You weren’t thinking at all!” The two men were comfortably seated in the living room facing Charles River.
A few hours earlier, Alex had returned from his date with Evan and couldn’t hide his frustration with Ollie any longer. His aggravation exploded as soon as Ollie propped his feet on the coffee table, beer in hand.
“I cannot work with you that way,” Alex continued. “You must follow my orders! I’m the one leading this operation!”
Ollie didn’t even look at him. He sipped from the can and closed his eyes. His thoughts went back to the diner in Salem. He couldn’t find any flaws in his behavior. He was having a day off when he spotted Evan from the sidewalk. His improvisation skills were the best; the fries he bought were perfect and crisp; he used a poison that tasted and looked like ketchup, and when Alex showed up – he quickly packed up and left, all the time playing the role of the love-struck intern.
“She should never see us together! Ever! Even if it looks like accident, it shouldn’t happen! Under any circumstances! Do you want me to inscribe it onto your thick skull?” Alex shouted again. Strands of hair fell over his forehead. He dipped two fingers in the hair gel gar in front of him and angrily slicked the locks back with the rest of his hair. The 21st century fashion required the use of much less hair products than he usually liked. After his return today, he had started his normal beauty routine and had finally reached the finishing touches of the hair gel.
Among the things he disliked in the 21st century culture was the usage of jeans and sweatshirts. He wore one on his date with Evan but immediately after his return, changed to his favorite, brown, thin-striped suit with coordinated vest and shirt.
“I looked around but I didn’t see you and I thought she was in the diner with somebody else. She was quite popular at Analysis4All you know; being friends with the red-head from accounting and Cheryl, our boss,” Ollie defended his actions, “and I never thought that you’d wear the clothes you did. What did you expect me to
do? How was I supposed to know that you were there? How was I supposed to know that you were with her? You didn’t tell me what your plans for the day were and you left before I woke up -“
“Yes, I did. I left before you woke up because every day you sleep till two in the afternoon. That is not normal, Ollie. You need to see a doctor. You know what else is not normal? Not following orders! That’s not normal at all. You –“ Alex shouted.
“Are you still angry at me because of the medallion? “ Ollie confronted him thinking that there is more where those accusations came from.
Alex raised his eyebrows in response. He had no intention of telling Ollie he had already obtained the reader maker locket.
“You are too naïve to think that we would’ve been able to take it from them that easily,” Ollie continued his strike thinking he had found a week spot. “They were ready to protect it with their lives, so we had to be ready to take their lives if we wanted to get it back!”
“Ha-ha-ha! So, you think that I wasn’t ready to risk any lives?” Alex asked.
“Yes, you were not! You waited to give the go ahead for the explosion until they’ve all left the house.” Ollie said.
They’ve discussed that several times before and for an unknown reason Ollie was bringing it back. The conversation was going nowhere pleasant. Alex got up and went closer to the window. The dark veil of the night was falling slowly, covering the taller buildings first, as the city lights were coming up one by one, illuminating the streets below. Boston was extremely beautiful sight at that time of the day.
I don’t want anybody’s blood on your hands. The Chancellor’s voice sounded in Alex’s head. Those simple words meant that his employer had future plans for him. It was time for Alex being part of the Chancellor’s Special Operations team to pay off. He would make a break soon. His eyes lit up. Alex wasn’t going to do anything stupid. He wasn’t going to jeopardize his future. He was going to play the game in the best possible way. He was going to ensure Ollie’s cooperation and make sure he knows his place. Alex lowered his head and said loud enough for Ollie to hear, “I didn’t want to harm the locket.”
Ollie swallowed heavily. The short statement made him realize that Alex had risked his live as well. In Alex’s eyes, he – Ollie - was worthless. Ollie had to act immediately. He had to act now before they engaged in any other activity. He had to do something to raise his personal value in Alex’s eyes. Alex, no matter how difficult was that for Ollie to accept, was the appointed leader. The Chancellor had to receive a pleasing report for Ollie’s actions and behavior. He could not afford to lose his benefactor. Thoughts about the 25th century prison environment and the unpleasant option of being inadvertently killed in action forced Ollie to change his attitude.
“So?” Ollie took a sip from the beer can and spoke softer. “What’s your plan?”
Alex stayed focused on the city lights below enjoying the effect of his little comment. He pretended he didn’t hear Ollie.
“What do you want me to do next?” Ollie said a little bit louder.
“For starters - follow my orders.” Alex turned sharply looking Ollie in the eye.
Oliver swallowed heavily in response and remained quiet.
“Let us start with something simple,” a sinister smile graced Alex’s face. “Bring me a beer and a snack from the kitchen.”
Ollie, wiped his face with his long sleeve, left the beer can on the coffee table and moseyed over to the kitchen. Alex had given him a second chance and he had to comply. It wasn’t the second chance Ollie was hoping for, but those were Alex’s methods. He wanted Ollie to serve him, to be his slave first before telling him anything more. In Ollie’s eyes that was shameful, reprehensible and dishonorable. It was appalling but it was a chance to prove himself to his current leader. Ollie cursed the day the Chancellor made him Alex’s partner and opened the fridge.
“I changed my mind. Make me a sandwich with toasted whole wheat bread, crisp lettuce, fresh orange tomatoes, three slices of freshly baked bacon and a slice of American cheese.” Alex’s voice came from the living room.
Ollie started to prepare the long order. Second chance or not, that was sounding worse by the minute. Not used to being jerked around Ollie moved his thoughts into the direction of how to eradicate Alex from his life without aggravating the Chancellor and endangering his own future. He took out the bread and threw two slices into the toaster, then opened the fridge and took out the rest of the ingredients. As his hands fastidiously prepared the food, he quickly ran down the list of current options regarding Alex; the apartment was on one of the top floors, the traffic in the city was busy all day long, Alex liked mushrooms. If he was to eliminate Alex, no one, even the Chancellor, should have the slightest suspicion that Ollie had done it.
“Here’s the plan.” Alex ambushed Ollie in the kitchen. The knife fell from Ollie’s hand, injured his index higher and bounced off the floor. At the same time his other hand moved abruptly and pushed a few pieces of lettuce off the cutting board. For a second Ollie froze. He was in trance, mesmerized by the way his blood stained the wooden surface. It took him a whole minute to collect himself and wrap his finger with a paper towel.
“I’m listening,” Ollie said.
“You are the murder expert, aren’t you?” Alex ignored the mishap.
“Y-yes?” Ollie said.
“There will be this party at the golf club in a few days. What do you think?” Alex said.
Pretending he was busy tending to his injury, Ollie took his time and didn’t reply immediately. He threw the bloody paper towel in the waste bin under the sink, pulled a Band-Aid from the top drawer and carefully bandaged his wound. Seeking the best way to compliment Alex, Ollie returned to the task of preparing his sandwich and said, “As a people person, you’ve been taking a good care of her so far.”
Ollie put three slices of bacon on the broiler and took out the cheese and tomatoes from the fridge. He carefully peeled the cheese slice and methodically cut the orange tomato in pieces thick enough to ensure a delightful taste. “If you make sure that she goes to the party, I’ll make sure that she never leaves it.” Ollie said turning over the bacon. His hands were busy cooking but his mind was already searching for a way to ensure that Alex doesn’t leave the party either.
“I was thinking of you doing something not directly related to the party. I don’t want Josh and his father to think that I have anything to do with Evan’s misfortune. Weren’t the accidents your specialty?” Alex said.
“Any preferences?” Ollie said placing the beautifully crafted sandwich in front of Alex.
“No, not at all. As long as it is not on the premises.” Alex took a bite.
Ollie smiled. He has just received a carte blanche, and unrestricted power to act under his own authority. He was going to use it to its full extent.
Chapter 18
Everyone attending Brittany’s birthday party had to come alone then dress up in the changing room before entering the restaurant-bar area. The country club security guards were instructed to oversee and enforce those simple rules.
Evan got of her car and handed the keys to the valet. She put the chip she received in her purse and took the bag with her costume from the back seat. When the valet drove away her compact car she looked around. The house architecture was the same as she remembered it but the landscape had been professionally redone; the parking lot in the front had been enlarged and was now covered with asphalt and surrounded by plenty of cast iron light posts that resembled old fashioned gas lanterns. She couldn't see too far in the settling darkness but the shades around the house didn't look like rhododendrons anymore. The scent of chrysanthemums coming from the huge planters placed on every other step filled the air. That wasn't the Mort's residence anymore.
Evan took a breath of flower infused air and entered the house full with hopes.
It was sheer panic in the lady’s changing room. Evan saw a mixture of her high school and college friends frantically dres
sing up and putting on their makeup. The chatter was about boyfriends and spouses. It was a joyful and cheerful place full with friends and love and happiness. That wasn’t the Mort’s residence anymore. Evan smiled. She was beginning to believe that after tonight her life would be happy again.
When the assembly saw Evan, the few who had heard about Alex started asking her how they had met, who he was, how would Evan recognize him that night. Hugs and kisses came from all directions. Evan felt the love of her friends and at the same time it was hard for her not to roll her eyes and be angry at Brittany. Brittany hadn’t kept that secret for long and had literally broadcasted the news so all that was left for Evan to do was to try and mitigate the rumors. She was answering politely and as vaguely as possible as her eyes scanned the room for an empty locker and a place to change.
“This one is free!” a big yellow bird pulled Evan to the right.
“Megan?” Evan asked the yellow feather covered creature in front of her.
“Who did you think I was? Big Bird?” Megan replied with a flutter of her wing like sleeves.
Evan laughed, “Just for a second,” she said then noticing Megan’s big belly she cocked her head to the left.
“Yes, I’m pregnant!” Megan replied with what looked like a huge smile behind the yellow mask.
“Congratulations!” Evan hugged her. “You and Paul must be very happy.”
“He’s ecstatic. The baby’s due for Valentine’s Day. I didn’t ask for the gender so we don’t know if it’s going to be a little Cupid or a little Fairy.” Megan continued smiling.
“And I thought that your belly came with the costume. Congratulations Megan!” Someone had overheard their conversation and couldn’t avoid interfering. Hands in long red gloves hugged the big yellow bird and dragged her towards the center of the locker room. Megan’s baby bump became the next topic of the chatter.
Evan took a deep breath and finally put the bag with her costume on the bench. It was going to be a great party. That wasn’t the Mort’s residence any more. It was a happy place full with love, new beginnings, old friends and cheerful chatter.
