It's Just a Business Transaction Ch. 09

Alex was so busy with the meetings with the boards and all that he would go to work early and would return home late way after midnight. He had not seen Aida for almost twelve days already and he realized he missed her bad. Every night he wanted so much to go over to her room and hold her and then drove himself into her warmth but each time his ego would get the better of him and hold him back. Also he had tons of reports to read each night so by the time he finished reading them he would be so tired to do anything else. He was also still smarting over her questioning him about his intimacy with Sonja. If only she had known there was nothing between him and Sonja. He smiled sardonically. Even though the sabotage and all the meetings had taken a large part of his attention, nevertheless he would allow Aida's image slipped into his mind off and on. And he does genuinely feel bad about his harshness with her that night. I'll try to make it up to her once all these problems were settled. He promised himself.

Aida had also missed him very much and she guessed it would probably because of the sabotage that was why he did not share her bed for so many nights and in her mind she thought he was still angry with her for asking about him with Sonja. She had to remind herself time and again it was only a business transaction, a contract with Alex so everyday she had channel her energy by throwing herself into charity works, wearing herself out every day. She would still find time to visit William Sr. every morning and evening before she retire to her bedroom. Lately she could not seem to reach Greg. When she eventually got hold of him, he would always seem to be hurrying and their conversation would not last more than a minute. She needed to talk to someone badly. Wendy was also busy with her art classes, as she would be taking her finals very soon.

Today as usual she woke up and went over to check on William Sr. and to have breakfast with him. After that she had drove to Germantown Chestnut hill to attend a fund raising for the disabled. By the time the event was over it was already 4.30pm. Too early to go back home and too late to do anything else. Since she had no other programs she decided to pay Greg a visit. She had tried to contact him on the mobile and at the theatre but was unable to reach him. Aida then made a call to Wendy and Wendy had told her that Greg would probably be in Rupert's office. It's been a long while she had last seen Rupert too so she decided to drop by his office and give both men a surprise visit if they were there.

Aida was walking up the stairs to Rupert's office when she ran into Sally; Rupert's secretary.

"Oh hi Mrs. Jefferson, how are you? Good to see you again," said Sally, immediately recognizing her.

"Hello Sally, I am fine. I see you are off early today. Guess Rupert is not in?" asked Aida a bit disappointed.

"Oh Mr. Delaware is in and with Mr. Johnson too. I was given the afternoon off, it's my boyfriend's birthday," said Sally excitedly.

"That is nice. Then I will just go up to the office," Aida said with a sigh of relief.

"I've locked the front door but let me get it for you," offered Sally helpfully.

"Thank you Sally," said Aida.

Together they walked up the rest of the way and Sally unlocked the front office door for her then went on her way. Aida pushed open the door and step in but did not see Greg or Rupert at the visitor area. Must be in Rupert's office, she thought.

She decided to go knock on Rupert's office door instead. Just as she was about to knock on the door she noticed the door was partially ajar. Aida heard some moaning noises inside the office and out of curiosity had pushed the door open slowly when an unlikely sight greeted her. She saw two figures were on the couch. Well one was sitting on the couch while the other one was kneeling down between the other's legs, both seems to be in the throes of passion without realizing that they had been intruded upon. Aida stood rooted there with a shock look on her face, her mouth opened but no sound came out. She felt her heart constricted and her breathing became difficult. Suddenly she felt the bile rushing up from the pit of her stomach. Without thinking she ran out of the office down the stairs and threw up all over the pavement. Her sudden abrupt movement must have interrupted the men in the office when both jerked up seeing Aida turned and ran off. She kept on retching replaying the earlier image in her mind. Suddenly a hand holding a wet towelette was held out at her face. She slowly tilted her head up to see it was Greg holding the wet towelette for her. She took it from him to wipe her mouth and mumbled a 'thanks' to him.

"You feeling better?" asked Greg.

"Yes thanks," replied Aida avoiding his gaze. She felt slightly dizzy after her retching and was leaning on the wall for support.

"Here, let me help you," said Greg while grabbing her arm gently to support her. "There is a park ahead, would you want to walk with me there?" added Greg.

Aida gave a small nod and allowed Greg to support her while she took his arm as they walk towards the park in silence. They found some stone seats further in and sat down. The park at this hour was starting to fill with joggers while some were roller-blading about. They sat in silence looking around the park not really observing anything or anyone in particular. Finally it was Greg who broke the silence.

"Wanna talk?" asked Greg pensively.

Aida did not reply immediately but look over to a mother pushing a pram coming their way. She looked pale and she felt a little clammy.

"I'm sorry Greg. I didn't know...I don't mean to..." said Aida, her voice wobbly.

"Guess we will have to fire Sally for not locking the door as being told," said Greg, smiling sadly.

"It's not her fault. I...I met her downstairs and I asked her to unlock the door. She didn't know...she didn't see any..." Aida tried explaining but her sentences were punctuated with pauses in between.

"You look terrible, are you sure you are ok?" asked Greg when he noticed how paled Aida was.

"I am alright, guess I have not been sleeping well..." replied Aida glad that Greg changed the subject. Just then she suddenly threw up again. Tears stung her eyes.

"Gee, you sure don't look well. Let's get you to a doctor," said Greg full of concern while he fished for another towelette for her.

Aida put up her hand as though to stop him. She was trying to calm her breathing.

"Stay right here, I'll go get you a drink," Greg immediately moved off running towards the vendor across the park. A few minutes later he returned holding a cup of coffee and hand it to her, which by then had, seem to recover a bit.

Aida took the coffee from him and muttered thanks under her breath. She peeled the cover off and took a sip of the hot coffee slowly and immediately felt much better.

"How long has it been going on?" asked Aida.

Greg knew what she was asking about.

"Since my high school days," said Greg without looking at her.

"Are you full...?"

"Yeah, I guess I am a full gay," answered Greg easily. He feels much relief to be finally able to talk to Aida about his gayness so openly.

"But Rupert has a wife and two daughters..." said Aida.

"I know...he was one too. He knew it since he was in his teens but then he grew up in a strict god fearing family and so he got married for the sake of his family. No one knows about us except Wendy and now you," said Greg giving Aida a tight smile. Then Greg changed the subject seeing Aida does looked terrible.

"Beside looking terrible, you looked troubled too, want to tell me about it?" asked Greg genuinely feeling concern for Aida. "Was it because of the waters?" added Greg.

Aida shook her head.

Have they caught any suspect yet?" said Greg sounding a tinge more anxious.

Aida shook her head taking another sip of the hot coffee.

"Didn't Alex tell you anything?" Greg pressed on.

"He...don't discuss his business with me," said Aida looking at the coffee.

Greg weighed the situation before he asked Aida. "I need your help Aida," said Greg in all seriousness.

Aida looked up at him.

"I need to borrow some money from you...cash. But I am not sure when I can pay you back," said Greg.

Aida looked surprise now. She stared at Greg as though seeing him for the first time. He looked different. He looked much older and a little haggard.

"How much? Are you in some kind of a trouble yourself?" asked Aida.

"Half a million," said Greg looking at Aida with a kind of lost look.

"What?! Half a million and in cash? Why do you need so much money? You ARE in trouble, aren't you?" asked Aida rapidly looking worried now.

"Please Aida, I need the money urgently, just...I'll tell you another time," said Greg desperately.

"I don't have that kind of money...I could borrow from Alex though..." said Aida slowly.

"No, no, don't tell Alex or...or anyone for that matter. Is there any way you can raised that sum for me?" asked Greg more persistently.

"I suppose so, when do you need it?" said Aida uncertainly.

"ASAP, the sooner the better," said Greg.

"I'll see what I can do, would next week Friday be fine? No promises though. Whether I get it or not...I will still let you know," said Aida earnestly.

Greg put his right hand on Aida's as a gesture of thanks and found her hands were cold as ice.

"Your hands are cold, you ARE not feeling well," said Greg looking worried.

"I am fine Greg, just must be something I ate at the fund-raising event earlier," said Aida reassuringly but actually she really don't feel that well. Recently she had been feeling queasy and vomiting a lot.

"Here, let me warm you up, the coffee is getting cold," said Greg. He covered both her hands in his sharing his warmth with her. "Feel better?"

"Much better," said Aida honestly. This was the first time Greg had held both her hands together in his. His hands felt warm nothing sexual about it though. Just a warm friendly gesture. Then she noticed discoloration like a bruise on his left hand.

"Did you sleep with Alex yet?" Greg suddenly asked.

Aida was startled with Greg's unorthodox question. Usually it would be Wendy who would be asking her this sort of questions. She never expected Greg to ask her such an intimate question, well apart from the one he asked her about two and a three quarter months ago and that wasn't even an outright question. She played the question over her mind and decided to come clean with Greg. She nodded her head.

"When did it started?" Greg asked, his voice tight.

"When the last time I saw you...it was his birthday," said Aida.

"So you made yourself a birthday present for him?" asked Greg sounding bitter.

Aida looked at him. Did she detect a hint of jealousy in his voice? Greg refused to look at her. He looked at their cupped hands then looked away.

"Greg, it's not like what you think..." Aida tried to explain.

"So I suppose the whispers were true?" asked Greg.

"What whispers?" asked Aida curiously.

"That he was good in bed," said Greg, matter-of-factly

"Greg!" said Aida, shocked at Greg's words.

"I guess you can't wait to have a taste of his sexual prowess or did you fall in love with him then?" Greg asked persistently.

Suddenly Aida was furious with Greg. Why was he trying to interrogate her? Yeah he was a good friend but he has no right to question her like as though she was a criminal!

"What is it with you?! It...it just happen ok?" replied Aida angrily.

"So it was purely sex?" Greg asked of her refuse to give way.

"Greg, if you are going to make me feel bad because I went to bed with him, then I don't want to talk about it. I may be young but I am still an adult and at legal age. And I am made of flesh and blood! Sometimes...sometimes I do crave for physical touch too!" said Aida hotly. Angrily she pulled her hands off his refusing to look at him.

Greg realized he was overboard and immediately apologized. "I'm sorry Aida...I don't know what's gotten into me.

Aida did not reply to him immediately still feeling upset with his accusations. Instead what Greg said next startled her even further.

"I guess...I guess I fell in love with you myself..." said Greg looking at Aida smiling sheepishly with a tinge of sadness.

Aida could only stare at him, her eyes wide with surprise at his revelation.

"But I thought you said...you were a full..." replied Aida haltingly.

"I don't know, I thought I was too until I met you. Sometimes I was so confused. To tell you the truth I felt jealous when you said you were marrying Jefferson. That was why I was rather opposed to your marriage," said Greg resignedly.

"But that night when I went up to your place and ask if you have like me more than just a friend and you said..." said Aida, her sentence trailing off.

"I was confused. Also I have nothing to offer you. I can't help you with your problem and would you accept me for who I am if you have known then that I was gay? I have never had a sexual relationship or even kissed a woman before! I would not know how to treat you! But I do know I like you a lot so much so I think it's love which I still think it was and is," said Greg feeling extremely relief to be able to talk to her about his feeling yet frustrated at the same time. Frustrated because he had betrayed her trust in him. If only she had known what he had done to her, he doubt she will even accept him as a friend let alone his strange love.

Aida thought to herself, maybe if she had not met Alex? Maybe if she had not had gone to bed with Alex? She might have then accepted Greg as who he was? Would they be able share a pure love without having sex? And then knowing your 'lover' would be sharing his body with another man instead with you? And you can't confuse the two subjects. Love is love and sex is sex right? Can one have great sex but without love and vice versa? Now she begins to question herself. Does she love Alex because for the past two and a half months he could bring her to the highest passion or because she really love him as a man not the wealthy Alexander William Jefferson. Could she subsist without love?

"What are you thinking?" asked Greg.

"I don't know what to think Greg but I want to thank you for your honesty," said Aida sincerely.

The sun has set on them and the park was slowly getting empty of joggers and visitors. The air was getting colder. You could distinctly see the first evening star up in the sky. Greg reached out to touch her cheek, then tenderly held her hand in his. Aida does not feel anything like what she had felt for Alex. She only felt friendliness in Greg's touch but she would tremble in anticipation with Alex's touches. She was really in love with Alex. No doubt about it. But she knew it would be only a one-way street with Alex. Her one-way. Alex would not love her and now she was even more determined not to let herself to continue to fall in love with Alex and she had to get out of her feeling fast.

"Care to join me for dinner? Let's pretend it's a date, that I am not gay and you are not married," said Greg with a little humour in his sad voice.

"Sure why not, let's pretend. After all we are both actors and that was what we are good at. To be great pretenders," said Aida smilingly.

She linked her arm to Greg's as they got up and slowly walked across the park back onto the street. From a distance someone was snapping their pictures with a zoom lens. He would then pass along the pictures to Alex. He was paid to do his job so he must do a good job by reporting back to Alex about Mrs. Jefferson's daily activities. He then followed them on foot where they have gone into a cozy restaurant. From the outside window he could see them sitting there having their dinner and he took more shots. Satisfied he had more than enough shots he left the scene and drove back to Jefferson's Plaza to hand over his homework.

To be continued...