Blizzard Ch. 23

"He lasted five minutes this time! What do you think, Gene? Is it still a phone?" I put my phone back down on the table. I was getting teased by the guys and girls on my team. I did not have my head in the game, but I had yet to miss the humor and bite someone's head off.

"I kissed it - should be turning back into a handsome prince any moment now." I tried to keep myself grounded. When were Sam's classes this morning? C'mon Alex! Unless she doesn't meet Sam before the boots wear off, then - oh shit.

"Boss!" I was stopped before I could panic. I ran to extinguish the latest emergency.

Another century ticked by over the next hour. I had to read everything four or five times. I had given a negligent "That's great!" on a deeply flawed spec, and had been shoveling the resulting shit out of that hole all morning.

"Fuel up." One of the girls on the team had performed a legendary Tim Horton's run. I thanked her profusely as I drank my double double. I stopped myself from going for a third donut.

"No one's going to blame you," she smirked, then grabbed my wrist and slapped the Boston cream into my hand. My phone rang; I left half the pastry on the table and grabbed the nearest drafting room with a door as I answered.

"Jesus! What the hell's wrong with you, Gene?" my brother replied to my panicked hello.

"Christ," I agreed. "Look, girl trouble."

"Girls. There's always dick, you know?" he pointed out.

"Ha," I declared. "And also ha."

"Gene, you had to have seen it coming. They're college girls."

"It's not them." I shook my head.

"You have more? Jesus, I take it all back. Lay off the dick or there'll be none left for us more enlightened lovers," he said.

"No, I mean. I'm kinda having a girl problem that's not the fault of the girl," I said. "Sort of. Not one of my girls. Another cunt witch who triggered Sam's dad by kissing me, and now he's kinda dragged his daughter away."

"Your trouble is another woman wants you?" my brother tutted.

"She's trying to fuck things up."

"So she can have you for herself, get bored, and walk away?" he said. "Ignore her."

"That was the plan," I said.

"No, it sounds like the plan involved being close enough to have her lick your tonsils," he countered. "Did she break into your place?"

"I knocked on her door."

"You don't get to curse out landmines if you've gone and covered your favorite trampoline with them," he said.

"... wisdom." I agreed. "Who said that - Martin Luther King Junior?"

"Senior. Weird guy," my brother said. "So, what's the now plan?"

"Um, Alex is going to meet Sam in class today and get ahold of me," I said. "I was kinda hoping it wasn't you on the phone."

"Well, story of my life." He feigned wounded pride. "But I can tell you, the old 'get her friend to find out if she still likes you' routine works great in grade 7. They are older than that, I hope."

"They're 19," I said.

"I'd keep their paperwork handy," my brother teased. "Look, seriously, what are you going to do?"

"I-Well... I'll talk to her," I said.

"Seems to me, the problem is that her father hates you. Talk to him."

"She's an adult and-"

My brother cut me off. "And dollars to donuts her family's important to her. You faced off with the blonde's dad. 'Peter', I think you said?"

"Well, he was respecting her choices," I mumbled. "And, uh, he doesn't think that I'm using his daughter as a war trophy to fire up a different girl's uterus."

"Wow," he said. "Look, talk to him. I know, I know - normally you'd ignore my advice. Last month - hell, last week - you'd be lying there all bloated and stupid like the rats in Mom's compost heap. But the girl changes things. Sam changes things. You're gonna do it because you know that Sam deserves a Gene who's not just lying there and waiting for her to come back. She deserves a Gene who'll fucking fight for her."

"Fight for her?" I said. "Of course I'm going to fight for her."

"And this other bitch? Forget where she lives. Let her die on the vine," my brother said. "Who is she to you anyways? Not one of your co-workers?"

"No," I scoffed. "No one here'd be interested in me."

"Yet three supermodel teenagers are? And they're even up to sharing you? Well, holy shit, you have perfect knowledge of how women think and feel."

"Well obviously, they come with instruction manuals, and I finally started reading them, and..." I trailed off. I wasn't in the mood for jokes.

"So, what are you going to do?" he asked. "Spell it out for me. If you can't handle it in a three-step process, back to the drawing board."

"1. Get Sam's father's number. 2. Call Sam's father. 3. Ask him to sit down for a coffee," I said.

"Not bad, not bad. He tells you to fuck yourself, at least you made an effort. Then Operation Does Sam Like Me Yes/No Circle One goes off in the background."

"God damn you." I sighed. "Shit, Max might be able to get me his number. She's got physics right now. I probably got to get her in the boots too."

"Well, now we're venturing into territory I don't want or need to visit!"

Shit, I guess that did sound kinky. "Look, man, thanks for calling. I really needed the ass-kicking."

"Ahem," he said forcefully.

"What? Look, I-"

" 'Hey Doug, what're you calling for?'" he grumbled, but I could hear his smug smile. "You don't seriously believe I called you to solve your problem I didn't know you had? The senses of Spider-Man combined with the psychiatry of Lucy... Hey, what's Lucy's last name?"

"Lucy? From Charlie Brown? Fucked if I know."

"Why did I have to be the awesome brother? Why oh why can't you solve my issues the way I solve yours? Tsk tsk tsk."

I sighed. "Okay, okay. Hey Doug, what're you calling for."

"I wanna meet your girls," he said. "Are they cool?"

"Yes. Now, define cool," I said.

"If I put out a bunch of red wine and board games, they'll play, and not just flit around avoiding playing," he said. I started laughing. I liked the smile I heard when he asked, "What?"

"Alex badgers me to play Ascension, and drags Max and Sam along with us," I said.

"Marry that one," Doug said. "Keep the others as French maids."

"Yeah, that's a plan." I frowned. "Still, better get the fun-to-play games out too, just in case."

"Y'know? I've dated Sams, Alexes, and a Max myself," he said.

"Not as hot as mine," I countered.

"No, no sir. Seriously, if you don't or can't make a move for Sam tonight, come by with your surviving harem," he said. "Or tomorrow night. After that I'll have to eat little cheese cubes and pepperoni slices on crackers by myself."

"Yeah, maybe. Sam first," I said.

"Sam first. Go get 'er," he said. " 'cause with my luck, she'll be the one I like."

"No." I shook my head.

"No? Who?"

"When you meet my girls," I said, "no way you only like just one."

"Good. Later, bro."

"Later, my man?" I said. We didn't call each other 'bro' very much. He laughed and hung up. I frantically checked for a text message from Alex. Still nothing. I took ineffective deep breaths as I stepped back out onto the cubicle farm floor.

"Hey, sellout." Issa waved as she walked by. "I think Rashid's finally got the morning shitshow extinguished."

"Awesome!" I grinned. "Time to start more fires."

She laughed and I almost headed out to meet with and thank the man for the save.

"She hates me!" And a bunch of crying emoticons shook my phone from Alex's text. Fuck!

"Hey boss. Peter Stint came calling again," one of the guys told me.

"It'll be okay." I finished texting Alex: once Sam put the boots back on, it'd be more than a wish. I looked up to see Rashid. "Yeah, is he gone?"

"No, he's coming out of your boss's office right now." I looked up; Alex's well-dressed father nodded. He gestured with his head to the stairs. My cubicle was still unremarkable and in the center of the farm. I was pulling on my jacket while he held the elevator.

"How're you doing?" I asked when he looked me up and down. "You're in town a lot."

"First was for Alex," he said as the doors closed. "She had met a guy I was certain I would find objectionable in every way."

"Every way but a handful." I nodded. He cracked a smile.

"I am trying to poach you," he said. "I talked to one of your coworkers on the way up here. They are raving about you."

"Really?" I was a little surprised. "I do my best now, but took too long to want to. Or to appreciate how much better it was to be invested."

"Far too long," he agreed. "Cafe? Or can you stomach real food?"

"Chinese or a steak?" I asked.

"Steak. My treat," he told me.

"Not saying no to a meal," I nodded.

"How is Alex?" he asked. I didn't let my face drop too much but he caught my less-than-thrilled posture.

"I think her and Sam are having a bit of a spat. Alex is really invested in making sure everyone is getting along," I said.

"That's basically Alexa," Peter said as we got off the elevator. "I'm not thrilled with this."

"And I'm terrified," I said.

"Yeah, who wouldn't be?" He gestured and unlocked his car. I got in and we drove to The Sapphire. It was the same restaurant he had taken Alex and me to that first night. We spoke about the job. He seemed impressed. I didn't think I was doing all that much - it was just that no one had been filling in this gap until now.

We were seated by a foppish tall man. I saw another clean-cut waiter. No Faye. Well, the weather had been clear anyways.

"Just water, thank you," I said when offered a drink. I did have to go back to work after. Peter nodded; he seemed like he would have rather gotten a drink, but he took a water as well. I rolled my eyes as the waiter listed off the fifteen different bottles of high-priced municipal hose water from all across North America. "The tap is fine."

Peter was laughing as the waiter walked away.

"What?" I asked.

"What's 20% of free-of-charge tap water, versus 20% of a $24 bottle of frou-frou Icelandic glacial melt?" He laughed. "I bet you just got us a new waiter."

"It was clearly a scam," I pointed out.

"Welcome to the high life," Peter said. He frowned. "Do you have a non-compete?"

"What? Why?" I narrowed my eyes. "I'm not leaving Halifax with as much as I got going on here."

"I know, but I can hope," Peter said. "I figure you clean up this project mess you're on, I could poach you and the client both."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I muttered.

"If Alexa was 5 years older, I think I wouldn't have one bad word to say about you," he said.

"I'm sure you'd find something," I grinned. He laughed. Faye walked over with her amazing smile and vibrant red hair. We thanked her for the tap water. Then Peter ordered two of the most expensive cuts of steak on the menu. That lit up Faye's features. I glanced out the window; it was still sunny out.

"You OK, Gene?" Peter asked after watching the waitress walk away.

"It's not easy," I said, and faked a smile. "Not much I can do about it at the moment. Might as well enjoy the steak."

"Wise words." We tapped water glasses in agreement.

________________

My boss's passive-aggressive texts stopped at the mention of Peter Stint's name. The steak was divine. I washed down the last of the fries with tap water. Oversold potatoes from the Garden of Eden, fried in duck fat, and salted with sea salt. The steak overshadowed them.

"Alright, I do have work in town. How about I drive you back?" he asked, putting his phone away. I almost said yes but the snow was pittering on the window.

"I think I'm going to sit for a minute and digest. I have kinda been eating junk food with the team as we worked, and this was a lot," I said. "The walk back will do me some good."

"It's fucking cold." Peter shook his head. "Grab a bus or a cab. It was good seeing you, Gene. Make sure Alexa knows I love her."

"I'll tell her," I said. He stood, closed his jacket and headed out. I looked up and caught the redhead's eyes as Peter disappeared down the exit stairs.

"Hi, Gene," Faye said, sitting down across from me. "I don't think we're going to get another chance to talk."

"You kidding? It snows all through April, usually," I exaggerated.

"I'm not like the Lady," she said. "My power wanes to nothing once spring starts."

"Great," I said. "What do I need to know?"

"The girls kneel to your Throne. I left the boots for their knees and elevated your armchair to the center of your home," she said. "Don't get rid of it, don't make the girls sit in it, and the power will outlast anything the Lady can do."

She saw my face twist in questions. Her eyes widened.

"Fuck. Not Max! Don't say Max..." she worried. I tilted my head in confusion. "Winter's correction was to make Sam your bride and Alex her handmaiden. If there wasn't magic on Max she could leave you."

"I don't believe you," I said. She frowned. "Besides, I think I pushed Alex into the chair."

"It should've been Sam." She shook her head. "It should still be you." She kicked me under the table. "They were going to make you happy."

"They already have. I don't need any of your magic any more. How do I end it?" I asked.

"They could leave you." She reached for my hands.

"They could only leave me better than they found me." I didn't let her touch me. "How do I end it?"

She looked at me like I had three heads. "What kind of man would give up on those girls?"

"A different kind of man than me," I answered. "Now-"

"But without me-"

"It's on my shoulders. I'll love my girls, fight for them, and do whatever it takes. How. Do. I. End. It."

"I think you need help, but what I can offer isn't as strong as real love..." she said, and frowned.

"Then we'll win," I said. She stared at me. "Love is simple."

"No, it's messy and hard work and prone to-"

"You cowboy up and you do what you have to do." I stood up. "Stay out of the line of fire, Faye."

"I want this to go well for you." She folded her hands and lowered her eyes. "You, you're a great guy. I-"

I left. I headed down the front stairs. The waiter who had tried to sell the overpriced water looked me up and down and shook his head.

"What?" I asked.

"You got Faye worked up." He shrugged. "I don't get it."

"You just got to be a great guy." I smirked and walked away.

________________

I arrived back at work and broke the icicles hanging off my nose. My team all rushed me with ideas, reports, and bad jokes. I was smiling when I made it to the restroom to throw enough hot water in my face to regain circulation. I walked out to my boss flagging me down.

"I've been talking to my bosses. They're impressed with how you got this place in hand," he said.

"They shouldn't be, it wasn't much work. Everyone was just waiting for someone competent to be in charge," I said. He narrowed his eyes at me. He didn't rise to the bait, or if he did it was all inside his head.

"Look, the fact of the matter is, you haven't signed everything I needed you to. Everything will be finalized, your raise and your-"

I picked the non-compete forms off the table. The paper was still hot out of the printer. I laughed. He twitched. I put everything down.

"My signature'll cost you another twenty percent on my salary."

"But this isn't a negotiation, and-" He couldn't shake the fluster.

"You're right," I grinned. "The negotiation is your job. Aim higher for me, but I won't take lower. Now, I need to prove I'm worth it."

I left him in front of his office and joined the crew. I took on the tasks I was needed for and set up in the east conference room. Issa called it my office. I laid out my papers just as Alex texted. And that was two for two on hurting Alex's feelings.

"Hey," I called Max immediately.

"Oh hey!" she beamed. "Shit. You're calling about Alex? Of course you are. Oh wow, my stomach's all rumbly against her. I need the boots, but I gotta get to class in five-"

"It's OK, Max," I said. "I know you'll apologize when you reboot your brain." She snickered at that. "No, um, Alex needs your help getting through to Sam. I'm going to try things from the other end."

"What other end?" she asked.

"I'm going to sit down with her dad," I declared.

"That's-" She cut out. She was talking to someone with her hand over her phone. "Oh, sorry. Boy from class wanted to talk about Thermo. I don't even take Thermo 'til next year."

"Why wouldn't he ask you about Thermo? You're hot!" I got her snickering again. "Now I need your help."

"Anything," she promised.

"Do you have Sam's dad's number?" I asked. "And maybe his name?"

I had everything as fast as a 19-year-old girl's motormouth could deliver it. "Thank you. I love you."

"Really!" I could hear her melting over the phone. "I love you, love you, love you!"

I knew, intellectually, it was best to get over the falling-in-love hump I was in with all three girls right now. I was going to fight for them. All the way. I chose to own it. I loved Max. I told her again, and hung up because she never would've made it to class if I stayed on the line.

"Hello, Jared Richardson?" I said to the gruff answering of the phone.

"Yes. Who's calling?" he asked.

"My name is Gene-"

"The predatory little shit who I just rescued my daughter from? Good, I've been looking forward to ripping you a new asshole," he said.

"I want to buy you a cup of coffee. Plead my case," I said. "That way, when you do the right thing for Sam, it'll be the very best right thing you can do."

"Gene! Gene, Daddy's being totally unfair-" I heard Sam holler in the background.

"I don't need you to be fair, sir," I told him. "I want the best for Sam, fair or not."

"You're saying a lot," he said. "Drinks. Not coffee."

"We can do that, but I'd rather keep a clear head."

"And if I get so angry I throw a drink in your face, I'd rather not get the police involved because of your face being scalded."

"Drinks it is."