Forever Together

by Naughty Aphrodite

  “I saw her all the way down to the lobby, and then out to the cab, and I closed the case just as I pushed her cab door closed. She left empty handed, I’d say, sir.”

  “Ah, wonderful Banks. You are the only man for me!” Drake smiled sheepishly at the steward as he took a seat on his off-white, plush pillowed meditation chair, and dug himself back deep into it as Banks unloaded the splendid spread.

  “I have some, er, rather upsetting news about your latest project, sir.”

  “Oh God, please don’t tell me that city is actually complaining about the go-cart track we are installing in the Washington Price Mall. I’ve already paid too many people to take care of that outlet. I am so tired of dealing with that madness. What am I to do?”

  “No, sir, it is actually in regards to the newest site. The land that is located on the cleaner, east side of the river.”

  “Oh, you mean that cheesy little sports complex or whatever that shithole is? I thought we had that one nipped in the bud? What the hell do I pay those chamber of commerce fools for? Christ almighty.” Drake could hardly get the words out as he swallowed three sunny side up eggs all but whole. The crispy, perfectly cooked bacon hardly fit in his mouth between gulps of orange juice. He was always ravenous after a night of rum drinking (and he’d consumed a great amount of rum the previous evening, in order to stand and tolerate the bombshell blonde; as they usually did, she had possessed a mouth like a motorbike).

  “Yes. That’s the one, sir.”

  “Oh, well, do tell, please, kind sir!” Since his boyhood, Drake had never succeeded in convincing Banks to simply call him Drake, or man, or dude, or any other moniker he wanted to christen him. He always called him ‘Sir’. Even before the accident.

  “Those scanty folks down in the borough. Well...they are...I guess you’d say they are standing up for the character of their community. One, in particular, she seems to have taken control of them all.”

  “Control of them all? What the hell are you talking about? I must’ve drunk more than I thought last night.” Drake couldn’t begin to comprehend what Banks was saying.

  “They’ve signed a petition, sir.”

  “Okay, pointless names printed over pointless lines on pointless letterhead paper…so what?”

  “They summoned up a rather large following sir. The people are doing everything in their power to stop the youth center from being shut down.”

  “Don’t be silly Banks, I am loaded. You know just how this thing goes. I waltz through the streets of the ‘goon docks’, throw a few checks hither and yon, and we’ll be well on the way to owning the biggest shopping mall this side of the Mississippi!”

  “As you say, sir. However, I have a weary feeling in my bones, sir; my intuition, so to speak.”

  “I don’t have time for faerie’s tales, Banks. I’m no longer the child you spoke those tales to. I am now a man. And I carry myself as one. I’ll stroll down there this afternoon myself and sort this mess all out.” Drake could feel his own arrogance exit his mouth on his fervent, bacon-laced breath. He hoped that Banks had been able to restock his favorite toothpaste. Banks said the supermarket had been out of it the last time. The red kind that had replaced his favorite had continuously left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “Truly, sir, I feel like this may not be as easy a feat as you have mentally prepared for yourself. I’ve known you close for many, many years now. Our alignments have become close together, our intuitions are like books unfolding.”

  Drake nodded his head to his faithful butler, and as he stood and turned away from the breakfast tray, he rolled his eyes back into his head. He couldn’t stand when Banks got all ‘woo-doo-ey’ on him. It was, quite frankly, obnoxious. Though, as far back as he could recall, Banks seemed to have some sort of mysteriousness about him. In fact, it exuded from his very body. Drake had sensed it in the old man since...well...since the accident so many years ago.

  Drake had a sound reason, in himself that is, for the way he behaved and why and how he thought things through. He had lost both parents to a tragic accident when he was a very young lad. They’d been subjects to a car robbery gone entirely wrong. The larceny quickly turned to a heinous act of violence, resulting in the untimely death of Drake’s father and mother. His parents had been the only true love he’d ever witnessed. Though his father was a very flourishing businessman, with more money commas in the bank than anyone in Atlanta at the time, he still managed to find Drake’s mother. And she was no mine working, money hungry parasite (not like the women of today) - they were truly in love. The deepest of love. And they showed that identical love to their beautiful, handsome son. Up until the accident, of course. After that, Drake claims that his ability to freely love died with them. It was lowered into the cold, dark ground, just the same as their side by side, gold plated caskets. Since the day the parents were laid to final rest, Banks had been looking after Drake. Raised him from a pup, as was willed by his father. His father trusted Banks, who had been in the family already for several years.

  Drake was becoming slightly annoyed with this should’ve-been beautiful morning. He rarely ever intentionally started his day off by reminiscing about his longtime dead parents. He was just as successful as his father had been. He ran the business to a tee, and his numerous bank accounts showed it. That was all that mattered to him.

  “Shall I get Richard, down at the chamber, on the line, sir?”

  “What?” Drake had been consumed by his thoughts and had forgotten that Banks was in the room. “Oh, yes, I suppose that would be in my best interests. So much for golf with Brad today. I was ready to break in my new clubs…”

  “Let’s do remember why you have a new set, to begin with, sir.”

  “That shit talking caddy had it coming. And I’d do it all over again if someone else did the same. He had all that and some coming, and he knew it.”

  “As you say, sir.” Banks left the room with the food tray tucked under an arm.

  “I guess someone has to step up and give a reason for all the name calling and bachelor bashing on BillionaireBash.com.”

  Chapter 2

  “Thank you, Mr. Deloney. Your signature on this paper may just change everything! We never know.”

  “Oh, anything for you, dear. You know I’ve always supported your moves in this neighborhood.”

  Hannah Andrews pushed open the squeaky store front door. The familiar dinging of the small doorbell gave her an extra warm feeling as she stepped out into the beautiful morning’s bright sunlight.

  The rays seemed to be bringing out the best in every living thing that dwelled in the small inner city community. Children could be heard, their small shoes pitter-pattering across the smooth concrete sidewalks, clutching to their mothers’ hands as they hurriedly made their way through the awakening city. A number of birds and squirrels chirped and barked to one another in the small square park across the street from the freshly opened store fronts. The smell of Dee’s Delicious Coffee shop was carried on the soft breeze that blew gracefully through Hannah's long, luxuriant hazel hair. Dee’s cafe was the last stop and signature on the list.

  Hannah had spent the entire morning, thus far, collecting the remaining signatures she needed to complete her full-blown petition. The thought alone of the youth recreation center closing made her sick to her stomach. But she was extra chipper this morning. She simply had a wonderful feeling in her gut. It could, of course, have a bit to do with the perfect start to a perfect spring day unfolding right before her eyes. The weather, the pep in the step of each passerby. Food carts were being wheeled out and their wheels being chalked. Storefront owners were rolling out their special goods to be splayed out in the cheerful sunniness. The waves and smiles and salutations and just the beauty of the small community coming together first thing in the morning were enough to melt the coldest of hearts.

  Well, she thought to herself, all the coldest hearts except for one. That dreaded developer and his stupid pla
ns for that damned shopping mall. A monster shopping mall...planted right on top of her beloved youth rec center. She still couldn’t fathom the thought. That youth center had been the mainstay, the backbone of her entire life. It was all she’d ever known, other than her most recent employment as a columnist in the weekly editorial. She was raised on the land that made up the rec center. Her foster parents had, in fact, owned and run the entire center since she could remember.

  With the announcement of her foster parents’ retirement and the news that they’d both be moving to the warm beaches of Key West, they signed the entire lot over to Hannah. She had been working as the manager of the center since she had returned from business school at twenty-four. For the past five years, everything had been going exceptionally well, aside from the youth center becoming more and more outdated as time passed. They didn’t have the appropriate funds rolling in to allow for any sort of modernization and she damn sure couldn’t get the help of the big time investors. It wasn’t as if she were a billionaire or something.

  Then entire community adored and cherished the treasure. It was a safe place for children and young adults to hang out and play and learn valuable life lessons. It, along with all the small, mom and pop businesses, gave the community a grand stature of character and tender quality. It kept less privileged kids off the streets and out of any sort of trouble. In fact, it kept the streets completely clean. They held volunteer programs; they formed clean-up crews who kept the streets and parks clear of trash and waste. Overall, aside from the lack of funds, the place had been thriving.

  Well, it had been thriving all right, that was until she had received the first letter from the city just after Christmas of last year. Basically, the letter had beat around the bush about this ‘code’ and that ‘regulation’, and that, low and behold, they’d have to shut her down. They would not only be shutting her down but some fancy pantsy, big timing developer from inside the big city, was going to be buying the land and building some sort of monster shopping mall. The letter made sure to mention that the building of this new attraction would draw in people of all sorts from all over the place. They stated that it would be the best thing to ever happen to the small city community.

  She could not believe her eyes when she’d read that first letter. Since then, many more had come in the mail and she had nearly exhausted all hopes of keeping the center alive and striving. The only thing that had kept it all together so many years before now was the tightness of the surrounding community. They had all barred together for many years to keep the small, inner society’s unique culture captive and alive. Now, with money being thrown around the city as if it were some disgusting nightclub, the small sub-communities were paying the full price. Hannah had asked anyone who’d listen to her story for an advance or loan or just to simply invest in donations to keep the vital safe haven lively and active.

  What hurt Hannah the most was the thought of how this event would change the course of so many young humans’ lives. More of the local children and regular kids who utilized the complex were in dire need of it. They fully relied upon its functioning. With an open door policy, the center held its arms wide open for anyone under the age of eighteen. A better portion of its clientele was underprivileged children who came from hard, sad backgrounds. They practically needed the center as a cornerstone for their future. That youth complex had, in fact, been the main reason several children had been accepted into college sports programs.

  Thank God for this loving, family-like community, Hannah thought to herself as she thanked Dee Strum for her signature on the detailed petition she had created.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry Dee, I was lost in thought for a moment, what did you say?”

  “I was just asking how many more signatures you had to gather up.” Dee handed Hannah a steaming cinnamon dolce latte.

  “Oh! Well, you are actually the last one! I am heading down to the metro building just as soon as I leave here.” Hannah was drawn back down from her thoughts. And she was once again chipper about how well everything had finally come together.

  “Well, good luck, honey. You know we are all standing right beside you! My own children absolutely love that rec center!”

  Hannah walked back out onto the morning sunlight. Its warmth only fueled her cool and collected feeling as she headed for the metro building. She could not resist thinking what a pretentious, boogie man this developer character must really be.

  Chapter 3

  As Drake patted himself dry after his hot, steamy shower, he couldn’t help but imagine the Robin Hood character who was so willing to fight for that petty piece of land. Whoever this narrow-minded person was, they could cry a thousand rivers, but his money would overrule all in question, no questions asked. He couldn’t stop himself from imagining how wretched this woman must be. What kind of human, after all, would turn down untaxed, cash money offers...

  He waltzed out of the shower room and into the expansive chamber that was his closet. Drake stopped himself mid step as he was passing the tall mirror that stretched up to the ceiling. Each and every carved muscle in his body flexed and curled and moved, showing off his immense brawn. He knew that hard work and actionable processes worked. His olive oil toned skin all but glistened in the bright of the sun rays that leisurely crept across the hard floor. Banks had already laid out an outfit for him. Which was just fine by Drake, as Banks kept up with every single modern, fashionable trends, and no one had ever stated that Drake dressed like a bozo. He buttoned his 16 Stitches up, and fastened his Jacob & Co timepiece around his thick, veiny wrist. Its sharp, cobalt blue hands matched his deep, steely eyes.

  “Banks, I’ll see you after I feed the dogs!” Drake laughed out as he pulled the massive Argentine front door closed behind him. His blue Lexus LFA was sitting at a sexy angle on the brick lane circle drive, shined and buffed to a sheen. As Drake climbed into the spiffy two door sports car, he flashed his handsome smile, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary. He punched the gas, the tires barked and screeched as he hit the road and headed towards the borough.

  Hannah paced back and forth in between the parallel parking spaces across the street from the metro building. She was reciting, in her mind, what she would be saying over and over. I have this totally under control, she thought to herself. She strolled across the street assertively. Her black sundress showed just enough of her long, smooth legs to put major impressions on just about any poor sob. Running a youth recreation center most definitely had it’s big time benefits; keeping a sporty body from constantly running, playing and coaching, was one of those advantages.

  She inhaled a deep breath of fresh, morning air, then pushed her way in, through the revolving door of the metro building. With her portfolio in hand and a professional stretch of cleavage showing, she was ready to handle this.

  “What do you mean ‘a simple petition’ is not enough? It has taken me weeks of work to put all of this together. You know, Bob, down at the Hammer and Claw hardware store, he is willing to DONATE his own lot, the one over by 3rd and Banken. A corner lot. It’s massive! It’s perfect for a shopping mall.” Hannah was rushing words out until she was red in the face. She could not fully understand all the legal jibber-jabber that was being spilled onto her by the two overweight men sitting at the long conference table in front of her.

  “Look, we are only trying to do what is best for the city as a whole. We completely understand that this will be a hard loss for you and many of the children. But then again, what child wouldn’t rather hang out at a mall with a roller coaster?!” Both round men chuckled hard at the incompetent joke.

  “Gentlemen, this is far from any type of laughing matter...We are talking about ripping the only foundation some of these children have. They live and breathe to participate in our functions. You are ripping apart livelihoods here. This youth center has been in business and operating for over twenty-five years. Can you not see the damage you could cause by ending it all now? Not to mention, the
land is beautiful, and it’s right in the center of our community. It is so much prettier and sightly and attractive than some superstructure that will only be a safe haven for wasted resources.” Hannah was out of breath once again.

  The two men stifled their laughter and shifted uncomfortably in their high back rolling chairs.

  “You people realize that the entire community is backing my facility on this matter, right?”

  Before either could reply to her retort, a door across the room swung open.

  “You have a call, Richard, on line two.” The secretary popped her head into the conference room, “It’s Drake.”

  “Oh, perfect! If you will excuse me for a moment,” Richard stood and made his way out of the room.

  The other man sat in his chair awkwardly and kept his nose down in his gargantuan iPhone Plus the entire time, not once even glancing over the portfolio that Hannah had put together. She could not believe their audacity.