The Fight Within

by Laveen, Tiana

  “Mom?”

  “Yes, honey?”

  “Now that Sean finished school, I guess we’ll be seeing even more of him, huh?”

  She smiled at her daughter for a second or two, then nodded.

  “Probably so. I’d imagine that would be the case.”

  “That’s good. I’d like that, Mom. I’d like that a lot.”

  *

  Several days later…

  “Now it says here, you worked for…” The man with sparse reddish brown hair peered over his glasses at the paper, “…you worked with at risk inner city youth.”

  “Yes, Mr. Yusuf. I teach them self-defense, Brazilian jujitsu and kickboxing. Due to school, however, I had to cut back on instructing classes, but I hope to get back into that soon.”

  “That’s good, Mr. Mahoney…very good.” the man said in almost a whisper as he continued to pore over Sean’s resume, delving into details and wanting specifics for the most minuscule of things.

  My underarms are itching. This cheap ass deodorant! Feels like a million ants dancing on my pits. That’s what I get for buying this stuff from the Dollar Tree…probably all sorts of strange enzymes in it that give you diseases and cause you to break out in a damn rash. And Jesus it’s hot in here… why is the heat blasting like this? Am I in hell? Is this some sort of omen? Look, man, do you want me or not? I can do the job. You know I can do the job. What’s up with all this dilly-dallying?

  “Says here you had a 4.0…very nice.”

  “Yes, I was disciplined about studying and taking care of my assignments and exams.”

  “I like that. It shows you know how to self-motivate, complete a task, and do it properly. How many construction jobs have you worked in the past twelve months, Mr. Mahoney?”

  “Three. I helped a pal of mine out and offered some strategic advice on a construction site he worked at as a subcontractor. I did a side job just to make some extra cash and then another time I did some part-time marketing work on the Beamer project.”

  “Ahhhh yes, the new mall.”

  Sean nodded.

  “Oh, I almost forgot to mention that about fourteen months ago, I had kind of what I’d call a short internship with Turner Construction. I learned the most there, worked twelve, sometimes thirteen hour days.”

  “Turner Construction?” The man’s ears reddened and his long face flushed right before Sean’s eyes. “Hmm, that’s a good company.”

  “It is, and they don’t have any jobs available right now, or they said they’d hire me on the spot but promised to get in contact with me as soon as something showed up.”

  He didn’t miss the concern in the man’s eyes.

  “You know, because of all the help they gave me in hands on experience, I got them in touch with some lean management consultants I’d met and wrote up a report for their quality control process, for free. They found it quite useful and still utilize my information, sharing it with their board of trustees.”

  “Impressive, Mr. Mahoney. Turner doesn’t just work with anyone. They must’ve seen something in you. They also are one of our biggest competitors.” The man glided his tongue over his lower lip and his brows bunched. He looked down at the resume, turning it in various directions as he disappeared in deep thought. The sound of papers ruffling and a small coffee pot percolating in the background began to grate on Sean’s nerves. He looked up at a clock in the sterile room, void of décor, warmth and life. The plain white face with black arms continued to tick and tock as the skinny red second counter danced in repeated circular motions. “Will you excuse me for a moment?” The man cleared his throat and got to his feet.

  “Of course.”

  One minute passed, turning into another and then another. Sean reached for his small white and blue floral print Dixie cup filled with bland coffee, and took a small sip. He grimaced at the bitterness and set the thing back down, vowing to remain thirsty rather than touch it again. A moment or two later, the door swung open, allowing outside noise from the hallway to filter inside as people in cubicles talked to one another and on their phones. Their roaring conversions quickly came to a hush after two men entered the room and closed the door behind them—Mr. Yusuf and an individual Sean had never seen before.

  “Mr. Mahoney, this is Derek Walls. He is the Director of Marketing for our Texas location.”

  Sean immediately got to his feet and extended his hand, offering the robust man a hearty shake.

  “Mr. Walls, it is nice to meet you.”

  “Same to you, Mr. Mahoney.” The man sighed and slammed his bulky body into a nearby chair, clasping his hands together. Meanwhile, Mr. Yusuf collected his neat stack of papers and tucked them under his arm.

  “Mr. Mahoney,” Mr. Walls began. “We have been in discussions about you for a few days now. You’ve had a chance to speak to our human resources department as well as other members of our team to get more of an idea of what our company offers and what is expected. You had a telephone interview with my assistant and boss earlier in the week, and they were quite impressed with you.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’ve been working construction jobs on and off since the age of eighteen, and know both sides, which is not as common as one would think. That’s a bonus, and something we look for. Mr. Yusuf, a colleague and friend of mine here, is impressed with you as well. So, I would like to extend a job offer to you to become our Manager of Integrated Construction Solutions.”

  Sean swallowed the lump in his throat, cooled his excited jets and nodded.

  “Yes, I would definitely like to join your team,” he said calmly, despite the half-naked cheerleaders inside of his head doing a dance in his honor.

  “Excellent. Now is the time that we enter salary negotiations. You’d report directly to me by the way.” The man stood. Reaching to a black phone sitting in the middle of the table, he dialed a number and placed it on speaker. “Hi Margaret.”

  “Good morning, Mr. Walls.”

  “We’ve offered Mr. Mahoney the job position. We need to get Ann in here with the benefits package and Ted as well to discuss salary.” The man shot Sean a pleasant grin, then continued. “If he accepts the offer after such discussions, you will receive the paperwork to make copies. After you are finished, please page me. Dave and I will take him to lunch.”

  “No problem.”

  “Thanks Margaret.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Before Sean knew what was what, the big man rounded the table, gave him another firm handshake, and exited the room. For the next two hours, he was filling out paperwork and negotiating his base pay. At various intervals, he felt like he’d landed in some strange dream. Money was being offered, big money, funds he’d never imagined would be in his possession. He kept a stone face, pretended to know what he was doing, but the fact remained that he was flying by the seat of his pants.

  I can quit my job with the Sanitation department now. I can buy a house … I can get my mom and dad a new stove… hell, a new refrigerator to match, too. I can do a lot of stuff I’d been hoping to do… This opens up all sorts of opportunities.

  His lips kinked in a satisfied grin as he mapped out his future, signing paper after paper that detailed his new medical benefits, 401K, and Roth IRA.

  “Mr. Mahoney?”

  “Yes?” He paused, looking up from his paperwork at the H.R. Assistant sitting across from him. The woman had dark, thick bangs, a small pouty mouth, and smiling bright blue eyes.

  “You will receive a company cell phone, computer, credit card, and vehicle for your local travel from site to site by the end of next week. In the interim, please collect your receipts and make sure to file your business expense reports on Monday, by 10 a.m.”

  “Certainly. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. After we are finished here, I will show you where your office will be. Do you prefer Dunhill or Montblanc ink pens?”

  “Uh…can’t say I know much about either.” He chuckled.

 
She offered a tender smile and jotted something inside of a planner. “I’ll get you the Montblanc. They’re sturdy, well-designed, get better with time, and are reliable.”

  Hmmm, all the things I’ve tried to be…

  “Yeah, I’ll take the Montblanc. Sounds like my kinda pen…”

  *

  Swirls of light golden silk wrapped around his muscles, covering his legs and arms, kissing his limbs in luxury. Her scent and lingering kiss left him in a soft daze. He glanced over at Treasure, now fast asleep with nothing but a half smile on her face, and his warm cum in her pussy.

  “Hey…hey baby.” He leaned close to her and shook her shoulder, needing her to come to, leave her state of rest for a second or two. A bit out of it, she blinked and looked about, yawned, then glided up the bed, barely hanging on.

  “Hey…what is it, honey?” She yawned once again, this time covering her mouth with a closed fist.

  “I don’t know how you’re gonna take this, but I have to do it.”

  “How am going to take what?”

  He didn’t miss the tinge of anxiety in her tone.

  He slipped out of the bed, his naked body exposed as he moved about in her bedroom, trying to find where the hell he’d tossed his jeans.

  “Oh, there they are…” Stumbling around, he retrieved them from the floor and dug in the pocket. Soon, he was once again by her side. As soon as he slid the light gray box and presented it, the woman gasped and covered her mouth, veering back in apparent shock.

  All he could do was offer a half-cocked smile as he opened the thing and drew closer to her, making the woman look him in the eye. She dropped her hands slowly from her face, revealing the beautiful features he now coveted.

  “I know you might be afraid to do this again. I know…that you’ve been let down in the past. So have I, but that was long ago, and this right now—this is about us, Sean and Treasure. I know that sometimes I say things I probably shouldn’t, and maybe I’m not as refined as what you’re used to, but my love for you has nothing to do with class or being upper echelon. Being rich or slick with words doesn’t make you a better man. Loving the woman you’re with and placing her above all others, does. My love for you is pure, and it’s good.

  “My love for you is prosperous, rich, wealthy beyond belief because it has overflowing, bursting pockets full of my kisses, dedication and devotion… just for you.” He leaned over and kissed her nose, eliciting a smile. “I’d do any damn thing for you, baby. You just say the word; what we have is too beautiful to let sit here, not grow…” He caressed her chin and his heart flipped when her eyes glossed over and her lower lip trembled.

  “So, you got your own issues, and I’ve got mine, but we can battle all of them together. We can become a team, and take them all on…and we can win, baby. Matter of fact, we already are. So, what do you say? Will you let me be your defender? Help you fight for what you deserve, help you believe in love again?”

  “Oh Sean…” She lowered her head, smiling through the tears that rolled down her face.

  “That’s the only brawl I’m interested in right now.” Lovingly, he ran his hand up and down her back. “The fight for your love—and I just hope you see me as a winner, because I feel like the richest champion on God’s green Earth. Treasure, will you marry me?”

  “Sean, yes…yes I will marry you!” Before he knew it, she was in his arms, her kisses drowning him and her sweet flesh encompassing him in a tight embrace. After a moment or two, he pulled away from her and removed the sparkling oval shaped diamond ring from the box. He placed it on her trembling finger, then kissed her hand. Leaning in close, he marveled at the way happy tears webbed the woman’s long, thick lashes. Everything about her at that second was magnificent, wonderful. She had no idea how happy she’d made him…she couldn’t have. He pressed his lips into hers, his longing urgent and his desire tenfold.

  Laying her gingerly down on the bed, he got on top of her and trailed his fingers gently along her hairline as they gazed into each other’s eyes.

  “You’ve been the type of woman to me that makes me want to get up in the morning and kiss the ground. You’re the type of lady that a man would catch a jail term for, lose his mind a bit if you up and walked away. I can’t stand the thought of us not being together, working together, loving one another. I promise you I’ll never take you for granted, baby. I promise you I’ll fight for us, today, tomorrow and forever…”

  ‡

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “This is why I need to start writing this shit down on paper,” Sean mumbled to himself as Alt-J’s ‘Breezeblocks’ played through his earbuds. He whipped his cell phone out of his pocket and scrolled through it, trying to find the app he’d downloaded earlier for grocery store lists as he stood by the deli department, surrounded by huffing, impatient people waiting for their freshly carved cold cuts and thinly sliced Swiss cheeses. The line was long, and he was certain half the evening would come and go before he got to place his order.

  A gentle tap on his shoulder brought him out of his task. Turning around, he met eyes with the very person he’d hoped to never have to see again.

  Kyle.

  “Hey Sean.” The guy stood there, looking thinner and shorter than Sean recalled. He didn’t shine like gold and diamonds, didn’t smell like burning money. No, he just looked ordinary. The ‘God’ complex he’d assigned the guy had faded away like childhood watercolor art left out in the sun for days on end.

  “Kyle,” was all he offered before turning his attention back to his phone and pushed his cart a bit forward, wishing the bastard would just disappear.

  “Look, uh, Sean, I’ve been trying to call you, to apologize, alright?”

  “Why?” He looked at him casually over his shoulder. “You still believe what you believe. What’s the point in sayin’ sorry?”

  The man sighed and hesitated.

  “Number 89!” a woman screamed from behind the meat counter.

  “I’m sorry, man, because I offended you. That’s why I wanted to apologize. I hurt you. That wasn’t my intention. It was just a misunderstanding.”

  “No, it wasn’t a misunderstanding. I understood you loud and clear.” He focused back on his phone, selected the app he was looking for and began to scroll through it. They were quiet for a few moments, until Kyle gently touched his shoulder once again.

  “Well, I am sorry, Sean. I’m not racist, okay? I was just trying to look out for ya, but it came out all wrong.”

  Sean looked at him for a moment or two then casually slid his phone back into his pocket. He turned to the guy head on, facing him.

  “It came out as the truth. Your truth. It came out just the way it was meant to come out. I learned a lot that day, Kyle. I learned about you, about myself too. Crazy thing is, had I listened to you, took it to heart, I’d be miserable right now.”

  “Mmmm… So, I take it the relationship is working out? You’re still with her? That’s good, Sean. I’m happy for you.”

  “Yeah, we are still together, Kyle, but I doubt you’re happy for me.”

  The guy huffed in frustration. “Is everything I say going to be looked at suspiciously, Sean?”

  “Kyle, I don’t have time to worry about whether you’re sincere or not, and I don’t care, actually. I’m just letting you know that I get you now, I understand who I’m dealing with. For the record, I’m gonna marry her. We’re getting married in four months…got a date, venue, the works.”

  “90!” the woman called out. Sean checked his number, compared it to the one on the board just to be safe, then looked back at Kyle.

  “Oh….man, wow!” He laughed nervously, taking a step back. “That, wow…” He rubbed his sweating forehead, in obvious disbelief. “I never saw you getting married, Sean, to anyone…I mean, not her, not anyone…you know what I mean.”

  “Yeah, looks like you and I both never saw a lot of shit about one another, huh?” he sneered.

  “Sean, look…what do I have to do,
huh? I told you I was sorry. I’ve been trying to call you; you’ve been blowing me off! I’ve left you countless voicemails. You’re my best friend for God’s sake! You can’t flush a twenty year old friendship down the drain over a woman!”

  “It’s not about a fucking woman!” he yelled, spit spraying out of his mouth as he pointed to the ground. His outburst caught the attention on onlookers, causing people to turn in his direction. He felt their eyes upon him and lowered his voice, but refused to disengage from the conversation. “It’s about you and me.” He pointed to himself, then back at Kyle. “It’s about the nature of a man, what’s inside of ya! It’s about the fight within, the demons we tussle and struggle with on a daily basis. We all have a fight in our hearts, Kyle. Some of us fight being liars. Some of us fight being faithful. Some of us fight ever being able to trust again. Some of us fight jealousy while others fight being assholes! Some demons are uglier than others. Being a racist is a pretty dreadful condition. It’s a sickness! This is about how ugly your heart is, how you feel better than other people over some shit you had no control over!”

  “91!”

  “Sean, what tha hell, man?! I’m not a racist and I don’t feel like I’m better than you, I don’t! You’ve always been a little insecure, ya know? I tried to help you, I did, and this is the thanks I get! I did a lot of shit for you! A lot!”

  “You did shit for me? You helped me?” He pointed to himself. “Helped me with what?! Like, charity cases? If anyone should be feeling superior, it should be me! You’re just a big black hole, you know that? You may be a broker, but no investment in you ever sticks! It just falls in that big black hole, goin’ nowhere fast. I know you know all about funds…so I figured I’d use an analogy to your liking.” He smirked, causing the man before him to roll his eyes. “You were born rich and feel better than the rest of everybody else ’cause of that, like you controlled any of that. No one controls their race, gender, socio-economic class, or the culture they were born into!” He waved his hand past the man in a dismissive way.