Part 20- Remi Ryan's Story- The Client

 Part 20 ~The Client

You ever feel like you have to just break free from the life you thought was the right one because you were always told it was? How about even from the business you run or from the life you lead from everyone knowing each move you made? I mean I was in every magazine, after all, I just got sick and tired of being told they have and have nots of life and having my life torn to pieces by lies, the always falling in line was what I was good at. Where was the fun in that? I wanted my own purpose my own path and my own twists and bumps in the road than following what someone already had before me. BORRRRRING. So, I decided to take some things in my own hands especially in my job, and started to get more clients under us. Fuck what the board members thought, they would see I could be successful at this.

I had literally waited hours for my client, even beating traffic and getting there with time to spare. My secretary had taken the potentials clients' information off our website, no name no inchingly who it was. Which should have been my first reaction that this was going to be a bogus set up, but I was in my prime. I was doing so much business that it didn’t even phase me. Some clients wanted to be discreet, so it didn’t really red flag me, but at the same time, I usually met in my office and not someplace off the girl. It had my nerves on edge. 

I sat there, ordering my coffee. That was the place they wanted to meet some little shop in the slums, so it didn’t bug me to show. I would usually pass along these types of cases to my minions but in the notes, it was directly asking for me, for my name. It was again another red flag that I should have recognized but again it didn’t, and I blamed my secretary since she took down the info. Plus, I wanted my board to see me in a better light. To show them I could do this job without their judgment. I was over their belittling me and I was ready to finally be in the limelight and not even in the way the Tabloids could write it off as another one of their ways to get under my skin.

But there I sat, and as bystanders came left and right; it seemed hours had passed which to me seems an eternity when I am trying to put my game face on, not like I couldn’t be passed down anyways. I was the like the devil in sheep's clothing, beyond my sexual looks I had this power over people I could make them a puddle of sweat if I wanted so it really didn’t bother me. I had that edge over other companies and their tactics, it's probably why my father thought I would do good in my job. But what did was the time passing. I was getting irritated by hour two. Hell, I should have left at 30 minutes past the meeting point but I was giving the benefit of the doubt. Maybe traffic caught them as it did me, or maybe a deer caught their car. I was making up stories in my mind, any excuse to give them why to stand up to me when they specifically asked for me. I was not one to stand up, this may have even been a ha ha in my face from some of the people who didn't believe in me.

But I was stood up, never in my wildest dreams from dates to even clients in the past had I ever been stood up, I was furious. I mean sure, dates didn't always go as planned or a client may have had an emergency, but someone somewhere would have told me. I mean who does that to someone, realistically it's probable something bad happened but something was itching at me like it wasn't just a fluke. It only made me want to know who it was who had supposedly set this meeting because they had asked for me. The only thing that snapped me back into reality was my good friend @Safiya_Ciela texting me to meet up for drinks at this bar we talked about, she was in California finally and maybe she could get me to relax. Things like this made me question what was going on in people's heads. I wasn't one to make fun of or be bullied or back down for that after in any kind of situation. 

I knew @Safiya_Ciela from college and she was the best thing here on the human earth that I could closely call family alongside a few others I kept in my circle from Addison to Emerson, from Mia to gabby there were many I had finally was able to feel I had a grip on things. I had an amazing family. @Safiya_Ciela even knew who and what I was not that I tried to hide it, I was always proud to say I was the devil in disguise when it came to business dealings, but she knew me for me outside of the job and the stress she knew the kindhearted person underneath. Safia knew I needed away, and she had a knack for knowing I needed a way out of my busy schedule. It is funny when friends like that just know you and know when to get ahold of you. I had that with very few people and usually, it was just little messages or things here and there that they knew to pop in at the right time and get me out of my own head.

I needed the distraction anyways, so I paid for the stupid coffee and left. Wasn’t going to wait for some ghost and I needed a stiff one after being stood up, no one has ever done it before, so I was dazed in the reaction. The only other time I ever had felt like this was when the one that got away. I was frustrated confused in a daze basically.

I knew @Safiya_Ciela wanted drinks later, but I couldn’t go back to the office empty-handed after I had made some big pitch that I had gotten the deal of a lifetime hit my desk and I was about to go get things sorted out, I usually didn’t make a big deal over things but after the way the board and even @BusinessTycoonJ was still undermining me, I was on edge. The magazines the tabloids the radios everything was hitting me like a ton of bricks, I had this whole world on top of my shoulders, and I was on the mere point of a breakdown. I couldn’t let anyone see me in this state. Not even my own son #Nikii and I was so thankful he was still on safari with my mom, she was helping me more than she could even fathom and even though throughout our history growing up together really I wouldn’t trade her for the world.

I decided to head to @Safiya_Ciela shop instead of waiting. I needed to get out of my own head, she was always there to kick my ass in gear. She had this way about her that you knew she meant business. I looked at the address she had sent me and decided to just drive. As miles went on I found myself parked and looking up at the “Grand-Opening” sign that had a future date on it, I hoped that @Safiya_Ciela was there so that maybe I could kill some time and figure out what to do with coming up empty-handed. 

Of course, @Safiya_Ciela was overjoyed seeing me walk through her door, putting my shades upon my blonde locks, and hugged her so tight. Smiling beyond what I thought I could, not having seen that smile in a while, she opened her arms looking at me, “you look like shit,” I laughed and looked down she knew always what to say to get me out of it, whatever it was. She laughed and hugged me again as she walked over and showed me around.

As I leaned on the doorframe of her office, she looked at me, “you look like you been through hell and back, what's going on.” I sighed as I shook my head, talked about my job talked about today, let it all out.

~~~~ forward to the night after drinks with Safia~~~~~~~

I couldn't help but sit at my desk as the early sun rose don’t ask me why I ended up back at work after a night full of so much fun, I should be cradling my handover but instead, I sat at my desk and let everything run through my head. Safia said a lot to me all night, and one thing she dwelled on was to stop looking for my Mr right or wrong that it would come in time and then she went on about how I had a way with words, I knew she was right and something in me was itching at me to get out of just this square box and get my voice out there to the public, tell my story and reach those who need that boast, and she knew what she was talking about I had been there more times than one for all of our friends. 

I pondered at the thoughts that @Safiya_Ciela brought up. I needed to be happy, being alone wasn't worth it anymore, and maybe putting myself out there would get me out of my square I had created in making myself blocked from everyone. It wasn't like it hadn't come up before all about who I was, even though @Safiya_Ciela knew, my back was always being watched she didn't care about it all, she wanted me to be happy so bringing up the tabloids she told me to shred them out of my mind. 

I leaned back as I brought the pen to my lips and slowly lifted my boots to my desk crossing my legs. 

My first taste of love was bittersweet like green on the vine. She had the nerve to tell me, “Don’t tell me love isn’t something you won't try again, that just isn’t true.” I just felt in my case love never had a good ending maybe it just wasn’t for me, but Safia knew I was just talking through my teeth, my guard up again. She told me I was too wrapped up in my work and not enough in living. She was right, and she definitely was taking words right out of my own saying, having told so many others the same. I should have followed my own advice but after all the fuss I was just scared to get back out there. I saw that she followed her own hopes and dreams getting out of the box she used to build around her 

Now, when I first got into the business I didn’t even fathom that I would be about the love thing again putting it locked away because I saw what it did to my relationship in the past. I wasn’t even dreaming it. After Nikko being born, it wasn't in the picture for me. I had been on so many flops I just didn't think it could happen. 

I was all about the meet and greet then things dwindled and never in my dreams would I have thought love would hit this cold heart but alas it did but boy I wasn’t ready for what was in store with it. It was already a day’s pass that I had met up with @Safiya_Ciela feelings came out with my words. It made me think. I had got to the office early as always; work was my scapegoat when I didn’t deal with feelings.

I rolled my eyes thinking back to Safia’s questioning. She definitely brought up some old feelings and memories I wanted to stay hidden. Which I knew it would eventually come to it, whether I could or be loved. She was right to ask that I mean it wasn’t like I wasn’t the sexiest thing around and she pointed that out as I did her we were all beautiful, but I had my heart guarded, until once upon a time. I mean who could love a thing like me. Safia was different, she was family and wasn’t one to judge but when it came to most, people judged whether they said it or not their actions always spoke louder than anything else. And I was always on my judgment day. From my job to the tabloids, I just didn’t think it was in my cards. 

I sighed as I looked down at the papers, my computer pinging but didn’t bother to look at it just yet. I thought long and hard, maybe this job was getting to me maybe I was pushing too hard to be the best and to show I was the best but maybe the best was just not worth all this. I had to let my doubts go, the reason Safia had brought up to let my guard down and just be happy was I had told her I had gone on a date, with someone special #Beautisome is what I told her, not giving any names. She knew my past two times I tried to put myself out there ended in losing people dear to me, and I couldn’t do that to this guy. I didn’t want his name to be shattered in the world but with Safia urging me to be free I understood where she wanted me to not worry about anyone else in the world but me.

I decided to tell her about the date, this was just the night before the mysterious client I had the next morning, he was a gentlemen #Beautisome from the start. From meeting him by chance, if I can remember bumping into him at someplace, but it ended in being asked to dinner and it was perfect. The laughs, the cheesy pickup lines, like everything was in place but as the night went on I couldn’t help but let my guard down and enjoy myself. It wasn’t until the next day I had all these thoughts, as he had concerns with our work schedules being able to continue, but because of a good friend of mine, I decided to not let those things control what I did and who I did it with. I wanted to text #Beautisome and ask after our few dates if this was something, but that would mean taking a risk. I wanted us both ready to take that leap of faith. I was about to when my rambling mind was interrupted bringing me back to reality

"Ma'am" *I felt the puncture if a gaze upon me, my secretary standing before me as I finally hit back to reality” Oh sorry Clarisse,” I said as I jokingly blamed the alcohol the night before had got to me, "Ma'am, I'm sorry to barge in. You have a client on line 4, or potential" she rambled on and on, as I rolled my brown hues and took my pen to my lips wondering when she would ever stop. I had even that way with women they always threw themselves upon me. Another power, but alas I tried to fight some of it I couldn't have a harassment suit in my own company.

"Get on with it Clarisse you are rambling, " I said. "Oh, um well. Line 4 ma'am" I nodded and waved her out. Who could be a potential client of mine calling me when I hadn’t had any yet, "Hello," I said as I leaned back and had my boots go up "Remi Ryan Speaking, how may I be of service" and there was #His voice.

I hit my desk violently coming up from my chair acting like a little school girl, I knew that voice from a mile away. That's when it hit me, that meeting that I was stood up on was #Him.

#TBC