Authority Ch. 01

"Hello Mr. Connor. I called about my assignment in Prague."

"Hi, Mia. What about it?"

"I know it's a long shot but is it possible to reschedule that or to send someone else..."

"No and no. Sorry. Why are you asking?"

Laurie was making some gestures near Mia, suggesting that she tried harder. The voice on the phone's speaker continued.

"You know there are many counterparts in this arrangement and you're the only one who's prepared on our side. You're practically the architect of this new initiative."

"I know. I asked because my aunt is having an urgent surgery and I'm the only one who can accompany her at the hospital."

"Sorry to hear that but there's nothing I can do. We can arrange a medical companion if you like. We can cover the cost for that."

"Thank you, Mr. Connor, I'll call you if I can't find another way."

She hung up.

"I think what he suggested sounds good, right?" Laurie wanted to make sure Mia was OK about this. She had been beating herself up for two days.

"Technically, yes. But you don't know her. She will use her piercing words about how inconsiderate I am, how she can't recognize me after I started to work at this bank and so on. She can be a real drama queen or a bitch when she wants."

"That's unfair. You're the sweetest thing ever. And, it's also hard to believe your aunt can be that much different from you."

She caressed his face, thinking stuff. Her smile reminded him the famous words 'you know nothing Jon Snow'.

That was an automated gesture, she didn't show any real affection to his words. She was too concerned, probably.

"There's more. The person they will send can't stand her for more than two days. She will make him crazy, on purpose. Just to make me feel worse."

Laurie met Mia in his fancy waffle corner four months ago. He had been seeing her for the last two months before that, without being able to talk to her.

Mia had just started a new job in that area and she rented a house there, to be close to work. She was living in the same building with her aunt. They owned the building and her flat was above her aunt's.

Since she started to work at that bank, aunt Ava was constantly complaining about things. Maybe she was angry that Mia moved away. She was hoping that she would return if she left that job.

The day when he first had a chance to talk to Mia, he had personnel shortage and he was helping them serve the tables himself too. And he fell in love when Mia talked to him. Luckily, he was a very handsome guy, so, he got her attention too.

He was lucky; being the timid and uptight person he was, he had no chance to start any kind of conversation with her.

Maybe she wasn't that much out of his league but she was the first hot girl he managed to start dating. Her deep, lively, green eyes, her blonde hair, legs, breasts, arms, shoulders...

She was perfect.

She was smart, kind and fun. Most of the time. She had some distant moments but she had a lot on her plate, she had to be thinking about work.

Sometimes, he was feeling sad seeing how she was holding herself back, when things got overheated. She was slowing down and calming herself. He suspected that there was a wild part of her, like any other woman, that she was trying to keep locked or hidden. Probably, she was embarrassed of her fantasies or kinks. He wished she didn't do that but he was too timid to talk about it.

Laurie was a very kind and considerate person too. So, you could call this a good match.

They learned that her aunt Ava needed a surgery but since she was a scrooge and chose a cheap, lousy insurance, she had to have this operation at a public hospital and Mia couldn't be sure that she would be well taken care of there. She wanted to be by her side just to make sure everything went fine, while accompanying Ava.

"I don't trust those clumsy ignorant nurses there" she once said. He never saw her do that, discriminate people.

She didn't have a hope about it but she also asked the doctor if there was a way to postpone the surgery. The answer was "Yesterday was late already."

He also explained that in fact, the surgery was a simple one and how they were planning another, completely unrelated small operation after this urgent one. He assured her there was no need to worry about the surgeries but one of them was urgent.

Laurie was aware that Mia wasn't comfortable with the situation.

There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, especially when she was worried like that. He was making calculations in his head, for the estimated three weeks stay at the hospital.

"I'll stay then. She can't fire me or make me leave. I'll manage work for three weeks, visiting two or three hours a day. I have good people there."

"You, staying with Ava?" She chuckled. Then she got serious.

"I can't let you do that. But you're the sweetest thing in the world." She was caressing his cheek again. Not in a very sensational, sweet way.

Like a grown up, appreciating a young boy's efforts. As if she already knew he wasn't really expecting her to say yes, as if she thought he just said it to show her that he was a good boyfriend.

This was the second time she acted like this in last ten minutes and Laurie could understand that it was an indicator of how stressful she was.

"No, I'm serious. I insist. You will be comfortable there if I do so."

This went on for a period.

Mia didn't want to accept that. To Laurie, she had to be thinking that this was too much of a sacrifice, especially in a relationship which was four months old. Even if she didn't say anything in that way. She was just giving short answers, trying to think. Most of her answers were 'You're so sweet.' or 'She'll make me regret this.'. She wasn't even considering Laurie's offer.

But he insisted. He made her consider his offer. She couldn't make him change his mind. Even after repeatedly saying "You don't know Ava. I don't want you to stay with her. She's..." and some reasons about how it would be a mistake.

She didn't say much about her, he could understand she wasn't an easy person and Mia didn't want to talk bad about her aunt.

Of course, such words weren't helping him. He wasn't comfortable with people he didn't know. Some old, grumpy lady was even worse. Especially if that person was someone that important for the woman he loved.

Also, Mia was 32 and he was 46. Her aunt could think that he was too old for her. He could annoy the woman or make mistakes because of his occasional inert moments, due to his timid character.

But he was dedicated to relieve her. She hugged him at the end and said "Remember. You wanted this. I hope I don't regret letting you do that. I won't forget your good intentions. I hope I find you the way I'm leaving you."

He started laughing, seeing how she turned this to a drama.

"Don't worry, nothing can change my love for you."

She looked at him with a broken smile. She was worried and this was making him nervous. She looked like she could change her mind any minute.

They were at Ava's house that afternoon.

When she introduced them, Laurie had a blank moment. That wasn't what he expected to see. She wasn't that old, in her late 50's at most. Definitely not showing that.

She sort of reminded Mia; at least she made him think that she was also gorgeous when she was young. Her body was still almost perfect; maybe she had a couple of extra pounds on her. Just like Mia, she had a stunning face, delicate and gorgeous legs and ankles, not so firm but looker breasts.

Then he started listening to them. She wasn't as elegant as Mia. And she didn't give him the impression that she was that bright. But he easily figured out that she wasn't a kind person, since she never thanked him for his decision. Even if he was doing it to gain Mia's heart, what he offered deserved some gratitude.

In fact, Mia didn't thank him either. But she was too concerned. And she didn't need to. He was her man, it was the normal thing to do, she didn't have to thank him for that.

But that aunt? She didn't even smile at him.

"So, you're going to let me stay with a stranger there? With a man?" as if Laurie wasn't there. Then she looked at him and gave him a once over.

"You know nurses and other personnel there are used to have pushover people as patients. I hope you can manage to control those lousy, clumsy, lazy nurses there. They sense weakness. And they do exploit it. Don't put me in stupid situations there with your timid actions."

Her expression was in line with her words. She thought he was a pushover.

How could she understand that he was that timid? In one sight? It was perfectly normal to be nervous when meeting his girlfriend's family, the first time.

"I..."

She didn't care what he was about to say. She turned to Mia and kept talking about her job and how it changed her. He heard "corporate bitch", "money isn't everything", "oh, don't worry about me. I will take care of myself and your ungrown boyfriend there" during this conversation.

When he was rehearsing some words in his head to step up, to defend Mia, Mia warned him with her eyebrows to stay put. He didn't like that woman. She was bringing out some Mia he didn't know.

She made his sweet Mia stressed and this was the first time he saw her like that.

But that eyebrow command coming from that sweet girl? Oh, he liked what she did. He liked such sort of a communication. It was intimate. And he liked listening to her, staying put. This felt good, like they belonged to each other. He loved belonging to her.

"Ava, I get it. You're angry with me. But I don't want you to take it out on him. And I don't want you to..."

Laurie was getting horny, watching Mia. The look the girls exchanged during that argument was wild. This Mia was even hotter. He never knew she had that wild cat looks in her.

That night they stayed at Mia's old house, right above Ava's. She was still keeping it furnished.

"What was that? You were hot."

"She doesn't care whom she hurts, while she's focused on getting back at me."

"What do you mean by..."

But Mia interrupted him and he already forgot his questions after that sweet, loving kiss.

Then she got raunchy, saddling him. It started to get hot, especially for him. When she was riding him as usual, it was again that sweet, loving sex. Only, at one point, Mia got excited and raised her voice. He never heard her moan or scream like that. Then, her eyes met Laurie's and she decided to calm down again.

It had to be something about her stress, Laurie thought.

Because they weren't having a heated moment which would make her go crazy like that. He even thought she was faking it. But he forgot it as she kept fucking him good and sweet until he came.

"I don't cum every time, don't feel bad when that happens" once she told him. So, this wasn't the first time he felt selfish.

When he was about to fall asleep, she moved down and gave him his first blowjob. She never did that before. It was hot. This had to be her 'thank you' in the most beautiful way.

He felt drained and content in her arms when they fell asleep.

In the morning, they helped her get ready with Mia. Uber picked Mia up there to take her to the airport. And, they headed to the hospital with Ava.

On the way, she told him that he was driving like a girl.

They took her to the surgery short after they entered their room at the hospital.

The surgery went well and he tried to be the best companion he could be as soon as she was awake. The first day she was very tired, slept all the time and he thought this would not be that hard.

His sleep was interrupted many times that night, because of the nurse visits.

The next morning, he woke up when the senior nurse walked in with a very young nurse. She looked in her fifties, not like Ava 50s, real 50s. Even 60s. They took some notes, changed the serum, did some routine stuff.

When the senior nurse was walking around her bed, she stumbled on his bag and said "Don't put your stuff around! What if I tripped?"

That had to be what Ava was warning him about. That grumpy nurse, with a name tag 'Matilda' on her chest, matched the exact portrait she drew for him.

While he was processing this, he noticed Ava was awake and she witnessed this. She was looking at her calmly.

When the nurse's eyes met hers, she tried to be funny. Probably, crazies had something like that 'gaydar' we kept hearing about; they recognized each other when they saw. And probably, they had an initial instinct to mark their territories, because, her words were offensive.

"Cute boy. Is he yours?" Laurie couldn't understand if she was joking or serious.

She wasn't asking her if he was her son. If she did, this would probably make Ava angrier.

She was asking her if Laurie was her young lover or sugar-baby. Maybe she thought he was a gigolo. Who would come to a public hospital if she could afford or would spend money on a gigolo? Laurie knew Ava was rich but this nurse couldn't have guessed that.

He was trying to find words to save the situation. He was more concerned about correcting the misunderstanding, rather than her disrespectful attitude.

Ava calmly said "He's mine and my niece's. We use him when he comes in handy. Why did you ask?"

Laurie froze.

He was worried that they would think she was telling the truth. And, who would say something like that? Without even getting red cheeks?

Her confidence wasn't something Matilda was used to see a lot there.

The young nurse, named Hazel, was watching all these in astonishment.

Matilda tried to talk back but she couldn't say anything. She understood that this was one of them. One of those, which could cause trouble; who knew her rights or who probably knew important people.

To Laurie's surprise, at the end of this silence she said "One like that might come in handy for me too."

She was still looking at Laurie, trying to make him nervous. She probably thought talking like that could make Ava like her. Maybe she thought Ava was someone who would team up with her on this issue.

That didn't make sense. Maybe she couldn't help herself and wanted to show her teeth. Or, she was trying to be friendly with her in a strange way.

Laurie couldn't understand why she did that. He looked at Ava.

He was worried that she would smile and get along with the head nurse, sacrificing him. She already didn't like him, so, this was possible.

The he heard Ava's calm, cold and confident voice.

"If you talk to him like that again, we'll have a conversation with you."

Laurie and Hazel were watching this mouths open.

Hazel never saw Matilda like this before.

Laurie couldn't believe that Ava threatened a nurse who was going to give her drugs every day. He wouldn't do that if he was in her shoes. That wasn't courage, that was madness according to his timid mind.

But he understood that he was wrong about her. She didn't need to get along with anyone.

Her face fell, she said "Duly noted" and left.

Hazel looked at Laurie for a few seconds with her big brown eyes and she followed her.

Her eyes were beautiful. She had a very sweet, loveable face. She was a mignon girl and she seemed to be very timid, like Laurie. He liked her.

Ava interrupted his thoughts with her 'wise' words.

"If you act like a pussy, they will fuck you. I don't know what Mia found in you but if you go on like this, you won't last long."

It was the moment he realized that hell was waiting for him for the following three weeks. He hoped that this was about the anesthetics, hopefully still affecting her.

After that, they didn't see Matilda much. There were shift changes and at night, two slutty nurses came. One was Evelyn, who was some sort of a hottie, with some bad-ass ghetto vibes. When she noticed that Laurie was different from their regular visitors, she smiled and winked at him. Laurie was a very handsome guy with a pretty face.

Still, he couldn't be sure if she was being friendly or flirting with him.

That night, in the corridor, she stopped to talk to him and asked him about his job, if he was married and so.

He gave short answers and walked away in the first opportunity. He was flattered but he was worried more. He didn't want any more minus points around 'aunt' Ava.

The other nurse, Alice, had brown to red hair; she was pale and she showed no emotion on her face. But it was hard not to notice she had a very hot body. She also made him uncomfortable twice, looking at him without blinking her eyes, from head to toe. It was obvious she liked what she saw and she wasn't ashamed to stare like that. And, when their eyes met, she looked at him making sure that he knew she'd eat him in a second.

It hadn't been two days since he came there and he was already aware that he had to be careful around all those women. Except Hazel.

She was nice and decent.

He wasn't sure if Ava noticed all these but she always stared at him after the nurses left the room. As if she was suspicious about him with his intentions. This was meaningless, he wasn't such a person.

He decided to show her that he was a 'man', while keeping those nurses away from him.

So, he started to find reasons to talk down to them, to show that he was not a pushover. Anytime they were slow to react, any mistakes they did, he opened his mouth.

That wasn't easy for him, he wasn't that person. But reminding himself that he was a boss, he knew how to supervise people and he did that all the time, helped him to do it.

Ava didn't seem to be too impressed by that. She was looking at him the same way. Maybe that was what she normally did, maybe he was worried for no reason.

But he got results.

The nurses stopped staring at him and they focused on their work. According to him, he helped them improve their efficiency. That was the reason he was there.

For the next couple of days, he was sure that he established a new order there.

Except Ava.

She never stopped complaining.

Then she started to order him around. She wasn't nice to him; she wasn't asking for anything. 'Get me some cold water', 'I want this magazine', 'Go to your hash house and get me something edible. Not some made-up shit.'

'Hash house?'

Did she say that to insult his lovely waffle house/cafe? And they weren't made-up shit. He worked hard to find those fine varieties.

Wait, did she know his place? Did she see the menu? She probably checked it on her phone.

He had words. But it wasn't possible for him to say those. Not to Mia's aunt.

She was such a spiteful person.

But, especially after those two days, he was aware that she was very beautiful. More than he thought the first day.

He hoped Mia would turn into this when she got older. Who could look that gorgeous after a surgery? She had no make-up and he found himself watching her face while she was sleeping a few times. She was perfect from head to toe. Even her feet were perfect. Smaller and more beautiful than Mia's. Yes, he couldn't help but even stare at her feet.

That family had some genes.

Thinking those when she was sleeping, then seeing her true colors when she was awake made him nervous. Being attracted to her beauty was wrong and she was treating him too bad, which was confusing him even more.

That wasn't something he was used to. He always dated nice girls and being treated like this by a beautiful woman was something he was unfamiliar with, with an unfamiliar effect, almost some sort of a new, unorthodox charm in it.

He wondered what could have happened if he met the younger version of Ava and if she decided that she wanted him. He could see that it was almost impossible to resist such a thing, he could be vulnerable to her ways.

He was aware that such thoughts were making it harder for him to spend those days. It wasn't only about Ava.