The Destroyer

[Kritter]

Mallorie took a seat on her front stoop, pulling her jacket tighter. Earlier that day, she'd left a message with her father to say she got her license. Now she trembled at the sound of his voice, unsure of how to address him. Mr. Durham sounded too formal, Matthew too direct, and Dad was out of the question.

"Hi, thank you for calling me back," she said, choosing to leave his name out. "You wanted me to contact you when I passed the test?"

"What was your score?" he questioned.

"99%." Mallorie said, expecting his disappointment, although she heard no discernable change in his voice.

"When time do you usually get out of school?"

"2:45."

"And when do you graduate?"

"Because of all the snow days, June 26th."

"Are you free this Saturday?"

"Yes."

"Meet me at the Infinity Tower at 10:00 am. Speak to Ann in the lobby there, she'll send you up. And remember, please be discreet."

"Yes, no problem," she answered. "See you then."

"Have a nice day," he said, ending the call.

---

Scaffolding covered the front of the Infinity Tower where workers put the finishing touches on its mirrored facade. Mallorie squinted upwards to where the building's curved top melted perfectly into the blue sky above it. It stood fifty stories tall - a dazzling new beacon ruling over its older, less glamorous neighbors. Inside, the sound of nail guns, saws and power drills echoed loudly through its halls, offsetting any tranquility the curved oak desk and green, leafy plants might have lent to its unfinished lobby.

Mallorie took a seat on one of the tufted leather couches and dug through her purse for a mirror. This was only the second time she was meeting her father, and she found herself apprehensive at the prospect. For some reason, Matthew Durham terrified her. Whether it was due to her mother's warnings or her own experience with the man, his brusque, robotic coldness was unnerving, and despite her attempts to calm herself, she still trembled when he appeared before her in a fitted black suit.

Without a word of greeting, he gestured once with just two fingers, beckoning her to follow. His eyes flicked upwards as they walked, narrowing on the dangling lights that hung from the lobby's ceiling. His step slowed, his eyes zeroing in on a spot of white paint on one of the fixtures.

"Ann," he called out to a tall, dark-haired woman who stood behind the desk. "Get someone to clean that."

"Yes sir," she responded quickly, hustling away to find a workman.

Matthew let out a huff of annoyance, and then nodded Mallorie towards the elevators. While he was a man of few words, she noticed he spoke quite a bit with his eyes and hands, expecting people to pick up his thoughts from subtle visual cues.

He continued to stare forward as the elevator doors closed. "Does your mother know about this internship?"

"No," Mallorie answered.

"And it hasn't been discussed with her because...?"

"She didn't want me talking to you," Mallorie admitted.

He nodded briefly, his detached gaze lifting to the floor indicator. "Which question did you get wrong?"

"On the real estate test? It was a question about the 'perc test,' but I'd never heard the term before. The online course didn't cover it."

"Do you know the answer now?"

"Well, yeah." Mallorie laughed nervously. "Now I'll never forget it." She shifted uncomfortably on her feet as he remained silent, feeling awkward in his presence. It seemed he only made eye contact with her when there was some distance between them, and she couldn't decide if it was guilt or a fear of developing paternal affection. She followed him out of the elevator and trailed him to a spacious office.

He shut the door behind them and then walked over to a window, opening the blinds to reveal a beautiful view of the glass enclosed lounge five stories below them. "You'll work here over the summer."

Mallorie frowned, joining him to gaze down at the building's inner sanctum, which contained a landscaped garden around a sparkling blue pool. "But I really wanted to work someplace where I could learn more about business."

"This building...is a business." His eyes turned upwards, taking in the upper floors with reverence. "And this business...is sacred to me, so I need you to learn how to run it from the ground floor up. When it's completed, you'll have the hotel," he said, pointing towards its entrance off the lobby. "Four restaurants, twenty-five boutiques in the mall, the gym and the pool, the office units." His eyes started rising again. "And over one hundred multi-million dollar residential units up top. There's going to be a total of twelve different departments from accounting to guest relations to maintenance to management," he said. "And for the next four years, while you're going to school, I want you to get a taste of every one of them."

Mallorie took a step back from the window. "You're scaring me," she whispered.

Matthew eyes lit with a genuine smile. "It sounds like a lot to learn. I know. And it is," he said, leaving the window to take a seat at his desk, his demeanor considerably lightened. "But if I asked you right now, 'Do you think you could learn it all?,' what would you answer?"

"Yes," she said honestly, her eyes still flitting across every facet of the building she could see from that vantage point.

"Yes," he repeated, nodding at her answer as if he expected it. "It's clear you have a head for business." His eyes sought out a picture of his family on the wall, taking a moment to evaluate it. "The only one of my children who does."

Mallorie turned to face him. "What about Brooke?"

"Brooke...likes horses," he sighed, his bitter disappointment manifest in his growling voice. "Parker likes sail boats. Richard likes Lacrosse. So..." His intense gaze fell on her. "Let's hope you're up to the task. Ann downstairs will be your guardian here. Learn from her. For now, up until you graduate, you come when you can. Don't push yourself, but don't slack, do you understand?"

"Yes," Mallorie said, feeling overwhelmed. This was far more than an internship. This was an invitation to a future she hadn't even conceived of an hour ago. He was looking for her to manage his building somewhere down the road. "Thank you," she said, numbed from the shock of the magnitude of that thought.

He nodded once. "I'm sure you can see yourself out."

"Yes, thanks." She started for the door, her hands wringing against the bottom of her jacket, both excited and distressed by the prospect. Her father really was impressed with her, and he believed in her potential. She just hoped she wouldn't disappoint him.

"Mallorie," Matthew called behind her as she stepped into the hallway.

She paused, glancing back at him.

"That's the same question I got wrong," he said gently.

She shared a poignant smile with him, and then started walking again, fighting back tears of confusion and relief all the way to the street.

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter you sure know how to keep a story interesting and your readers looking for more. Great story thanks for sharing.
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

It's gonna get really intense soon, too.. :P

 

[kittyluvr]

When her mother finds out??

 

[Kritter]

When her mother finds out??

Mmm...

 

[nancy98]

Hummm? Sounds like maybe mamma wasn't telling the whole truth.

 

[Kritter]

Winter seemed destined not to end. Snow piled on top of snow, hiding slippery patches of ice that made walking home from school a dangerous trek. Mallorie held one mittened hand out to maintain her balance while pressing the other to her nose, trying to keep it from freezing. From somewhere in her backpack, her cell phone rang. She swung her bag over her shoulder and started digging through it, finding her phone just in time for it to stop. Checking the number, she bounced with excitement and called it right back.

"Armando!" she squealed, thrilled to hear his voice after not hearing from him for nearly two months.

"Mallorie, what are you doing?" he seethed.

"What? What do you mean?" she questioned, surprised by the anger in his voice.

"I have a bill here from the manufacturer for two hundred shirts, but we only sold twenty last month."

"Oh, it's on repeat order," she said, biting her lip. "I forgot all about it. I just assumed we'd have the sales to cover it."

"Well, you assumed wrong," he said. "I'm guessing I can expect a bill from the printer than as well."

"Sorry," she cringed, imagining the shirts were already with the distributor. "But I'll just cancel next month's order and we'll keep what we have as stock."

"That's fine...but in the meantime, how do I pay them?"

"We had the money for the reorders, I thought...from the sales from the month before. There was like $1,500 in the account"

"No...I had to use some of that," he said, "to get furniture when I got out here."

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I thought you were coming," he said, growing testy, "and I wanted us to have a nice place."

"Well, how much is left?"

"About $300."

"Armando!" she gasped, trying not to grow mad at him, especially when it sounded like he was trying to blame her for the problem. "Why would you do that without asking me? How did you plan to replace it?"

"I didn't think it would a problem with the job. But living out here is expensive. If I hadn't thought you were coming, I would have just moved into a dorm room."

Mallorie sighed, shaking her head. "But if I had come it would have been even more expensive. You had to have figured that in?"

The attitude in his voice tapered off. "I had a scholarship at Columbia," he said, sounding rueful in his decision. "I thought I could handle paying for school out here, but I'm just falling more behind every month, and now...with this...."

"Well, I don't know what to do," she said. "I haven't been able to keep up on the sales stuff between school and everything else."

"Neither have I," he said. "But without full time management, it's clear this business isn't going to survive."

"So what do we do?" she questioned.

"Sell it. We can sell it and split the difference. We'll probably still break even."

Mallorie lowered her head, feeling wounded by the idea, but she couldn't think of any other solution. She no longer had the time to put into her end, nor the desire to deal with Chariot anymore. It had served its purpose in introducing her to her father, but now it seemed a bothersome chore more than an exciting endeavor. "Alright," she said with resignation. "So how do we find a buyer?"

"Give me a few days...I might have someone," he said. "I'll get back to you on it."

"Okay..." she said, lingering on that word, not wanting to end the conversation. Hearing his voice was both sweet and depressing, flooding her with memories of when they were together. "I miss you," she said honestly.

"Do you?" he questioned. "Really?"

She meant to say 'yes' but his disbelief was jolting. In truth, she hadn't felt his loss nearly as much as she'd expected, and she'd managed to rediscover her self-reliance in his absence. That lack of her response brought a slow release of his breath, which was broken by the sound of a car horn.

"I have to go," he said, "I'll let you know when I have a buyer."

---

The empty halls of the Infinity Tower's upper floors were strangely haunting, awaiting a time that hadn't yet arrived. Mallorie toured the space with Ann, who ran through each unit's basics as they walked around a maze of electricians and painters. Ann was highly efficient, but she wasn't unpleasant. Her dark wavy hair and porcelain complexion reminded Mallorie of Snow White, especially since she had a habit of wearing full-skirt dresses that swished around her knees when she walked. She always had this look on her face of hopeful expectation, like just around the corner, a magic glitter rainbow would bloom over her head - ushering in world peace. It was a vision Mallorie had a hard time shaking after she first imagined it, so her private name for Mr. Durham's assistant became 'glitter rainbow Ann.'

It made her initial days easier that she liked 'glitter rainbow Ann,' because when Matthew said she'd start from the bottom, he meant it. Ann started her out in maintenance, which included cleaning the bathrooms and taking out the garbage. She vacuumed, polished and dusted every inch of the lobby and lounge, before graduating to the facility's kitchen, which turned out to be even worse. Scrubbing the floor beneath the stoves and scouring grease from the walls left her clothing and arms covered in muck. She lifted and scrubbed the dirty mats and hosed them all down, before using a squeegee to pull the water into a drain.

"When does this part end?" she pleaded with Ann from her knees, after suffering through sanitation methods for weeks.

"For you, soon. But for the people who really do these jobs, it never ends. This is why you have to always remember to treat them with respect. No employee is unimportant here."

"Can I just say lesson learned?" Mallorie asked, pulling herself sorely back to her feet.

"For the kitchen...for now." Ann smiled at her. "You can bring a bathing suit tomorrow if you like and spend a little time in the hot tub."

"That...sounds glorious." Mallorie wiped her face against her upper sleeve, leaving a smear of oily sweat. "I could use a drink."

Ann glanced at the ceiling with the hint of a devilish grin. "There's a bar in Matthew's office upstairs, or cold sodas...if that's what you meant."

 

[Vtshooter]

Thank you Kritter. It sounds like Mallorie's father has big plans for her.

 

[kaijafon]

oh that does not sound good.... selling her first business? I thought that some of the proceeds went to keep the monument up? hmmm.... she has to learn to take care of EVERYTHING. lol! ok easier said than done. But that was strange for Armando to take money out of the account, he should have to "pay back" that money out of his share of the sale. I really never saw him "in" the relationship though... sometimes I wonder if it was all in Mallorie's mind....

Thank you so much for the new chapter! got my mind a rollin' !

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter great chapter, my opinion Mallorie father just went up a notch at least in his business practices, in order to truly understand and manage others one must first walk in there shoes. To many people are put in that position without any idea of what it takes to do the job they are overseeing. Having run what I believe is a successful small business for 38 years all of my employs started out sweeping, cleaning and just normal grunt work no matter how skilled a welder, fabricator they were. I needed to know that they would do what ever was necessary to get a job done and that no job was below them. Most understood and continued to work for me, some did not and quit. I never ask any of my employs to do any thing I don't do.
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

Orange lines of light filtered through the blinds and crossed their faces as they entered the upper office. "Soda's in there." Ann pointed to the refrigerator, before walking to the bar to fix herself a small drink.

"Is it okay that we're in here?" Mallorie asked, believing the space was private to her father.

"For now." She took a seat in a large leather chair and kicked off her heels. "We've been sharing this office until the rest of the building is completed. Then he'll have his own apartment upstairs."

"They're going to be moving here?"

"They? No." She laughed, shaking her head. "Just him."

Mallorie pulled out a glass bottle of Root Beer and twisted off the top. "When was the last time they actually lived together?" she asked, glancing sideways at Ann, recalling how long Katherine had stayed at the hotel.

"Who knows." The woman took a sip of her drink, leaning her head back to look at a display of photographs on the wall behind her. One was of Matthew and the mayor of New York at the ground breaking for the building, and one was of him and two other men with the more well-known Donald Trump. Ann turned her serene green eyes back on Mallorie, watching her gaze through the window at the tiny lights that circled the building's inner balconies. "You're very young," she said.

Mallorie lowered her head, wondering if the woman was curious as to how she'd gotten her position. "Matthew seems to like young entrepreneurs."

"That...goes without question," Ann agreed, pointing to another set of photographs behind her, showing Matthew Durham with the contest winners from all ten years prior. "That's me," she said, gesturing towards the first one. "The red-headed girl in the glasses with the yellow dress."

Mallorie narrowed her eyes at the photo, slipping behind the chair to view it closer. "You're a ginger?"

"Our little secret." Ann winked at her, turning in her seat to view the photograph better. "That was 2002, actually. My second year of college. Four of those kids still work for him. Matthew likes go-getters - young people who do more than talk. And they tend to stay very loyal to him." She took another sip of her drink before standing. "He's got three from this one," she said, pointing to the photograph Mallorie was in. "Besides you and Armando."

Mallorie stiffened at the mention of his name. "You know Armando?"

Ann gave a vague shake of her head. "Not well, but I know he's become one of our top prospectors out on the west coast." She turned, leaning her back against the wall, covering the photo. "Were you very close?"

"We went out a few times." Mallorie took a hard swig of her root beer, wishing it was something stronger. "But it wasn't really anything special, I guess." She wandered over to a family photo, noticing how wistful Brooke looked in it. "Is there ever anyone home with Brooke? She seems really lonely."

Ann finished her drink and walked back to the bar. "The boys used to be there for her, but no, not since they've moved on. Parker used to take her everywhere," she said. "They'd go to parties, sporting events, little trips all over the world. After he left, there was a brief period when Richard was home but, lately, he's just been staying at his school, so...."

"I saw Richard and his father in a restaurant once," Mallorie recalled. "They didn't seem to really get along."

Ann shook her head. "Neither of the boys is particularly fond of him, but then, your father isn't the easiest man to love."

Mallorie spun on her heels, her eyes widening at the woman. "You know?"

Ann glanced down at her drink and smiled. "Of course, he told me. It's in my best interest to know."

"That's actually a little comforting," Mallorie admitted. "I was afraid you'd think I didn't deserve to be here."

"I'd never think that. You deserve to be here...and not because of family relations. You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger: intelligent, eager to learn, not afraid of long hours and hard work. Your father seems very pleased with you," she said, finishing her second drink and rinsing off the glass. "He likes to hear about your progress."

Mallorie smiled, feeling warmed by her information. "Do you..." she asked cautiously, "Do you know anything about him and my mother, like...how they got together?"

Ann pursed her lips, reaching beneath the cabinet for a towel to wipe down the bar. "Matthew isn't really one for infidelity. It's Katherine," she said, her voice growing angry and tight. "Katherine is the one who cheats...and she doesn't even hide it. She flaunts it right out in the open. Matthew's never really cheated. He just..." Ann paused and swallowed. "He retaliates."

"Swell," Mallorie muttered under her breath. "So it was probably just a one-night stand."

Ann stepped back from the bar, carefully adjusting all the bottles face forward, making sure it looked perfect, and then she turned back to Mallorie. "God has a reason for everything," she said in her 'glitter rainbow' way, before glancing at the clock. "You should probably get going. It's getting late."

Mallorie tilted her head back and swallowed down the rest of her drink, tossing the bottle into the trash.

Ann's face contorted and she gasped out loud, "That's recyclable."

"Oh, sorry." Mallorie laughed, fishing it back out. "My bad."

"Don't ever make mistakes like that around your father," the woman said seriously, ushering her out, giving the office a quick once-over before locking the door behind them.

 

[golem3]

Yikes, to instill that much fear into someone over not recycling... He must be kind of scary to work with.

 

[stjwelding]

Thanks Kritter Mallorie is slowly learning about her extended family I hope she uses the information wisely.
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

Splashing from the pool brought the curious eyes of construction workers, who took turns peering in at the two women in the spa. They were swimming laps at a competitive speed, although the older of the two was clearly faster than the younger. She emerged first, lifting herself over its marble rim, tilting her head sideways to squeeze the water from her dark hair. The younger hit the edge twenty seconds later, and remained there, her arms and face resting against the smooth white surface, taking in deep breaths of air.

"You should start using the gym more often." Ann stood up, walking over to the lounge chairs to retrieve her towel.

"Like I have the time," Mallorie panted, gliding over to the ladder. "It's bad enough I'm here on a Saturday." Her head turned at the sound of masculine chuckles as she exited the pool.

Ann took a defiant stance, placing her hand on her hip. "Do you wanna keep your jobs?" she said in a voice full of warning, expertly scattering the workers who had gathered near the door.

"How do you do it?" Mallorie questioned, wrapping a towel around her waist. "Is there anyone in this building who's not afraid of you?"

Ann's eyes lifted demurely towards the door as the suited Matthew Durham walked in. He frowned at them both and crossed his arms. "I don't pay you to swim."

"Healthy bodies make healthy minds," Ann responded, tossing her towel over her shoulder. "You could stand to swim a few laps yourself," she said, looking him up and down, before strolling past him towards the lockers.

Matthew smiled in amusement, turning his head to follow his assistant, and then he lifted his arms and glanced down at his body. "I'm fit," he said in late argument.

Mallorie snickered, watching him run his hand across a slightly paunch belly. He frowned, his eyes shooting darkly towards her. "Do you know to test the pools ph?"

"Yes." She lowered her head, hearing his sudden anger.

"How to raise and lower it?" he continued. "How use the skimmer? The Vacuum? The proper way to store the chemicals?"

"Yes," she said again, edging over to pick up her purse.

"Do you know how to keep the steam room clean? How to drain the generator?"

"Yes." She walked quickly towards the locker room door and ducked inside it.

"What did you do to set him off?" Ann laughed, bending over to slide a pair of nylons up her long legs.

"Gosh, he's got a delicate ego," Mallorie said, hopping into the shower stall to rinse the chlorine from her hair. She peered back out as her cell phone rang.

Ann fetched it from her purse and checked the incoming number. "It's your mother,' she whispered.

Mallorie nodded, turning off the water and cautiously answering. "Mom?"

"Hey, sweetie. John wants to take us to lunch. Can we stop by the real estate office around noon and pick you up?"

Mallorie cringed. "Sure, that sounds great," she said, attempting to sound happy, and then she hung up the phone and frowned at Ann. "I'm gonna have to run," she apologized.

---

The receptionist at Douglas Reality no longer raised her head when Mallorie entered, instead just nodding in the direction of wherever Bradley could be found. He looked different than when she'd seen him the week before, his blond curly locks cut short into a much neater business style. He rolled his eyes when she approached.

"Hey." She smiled feebly, then winced at his perturbed face. "Oh, come on Bradley, just hear me out," she said, following on his heels as he started walking away.

The young man sighed, turning back to her. "I'm pretty sure I remember you saying 'one last time' last week."

"Okay, but just one more time, please?" she pleaded, putting her hands together in begging fashion. "Pretty please?"

"Oh, now I'm not even getting sugar on top."

She feigned anger and clenched her teeth. "I will put sugar on top. Please."

Bradley smiled and then crossed his arms, growing resolute. "No. No more. Not until you introduce me to someone at Infinity Tower. Hell, I don't care if it's the janitor at this point..."

"Okay, fine," Mallorie said. "I promise. Tomorrow. Just...stop by the building tomorrow, okay? But for today..." She batted her eyes at him. "Help me, please?"

"Alright," he snapped at her. "What do you want me to do?"

"Just do the same as you did last time," she said, catching site of her mother and John as their cab pulled up in front of the building. She put a hand on Bradley's back and pushed him towards the curb.

Bradley stopped halfway to the cab and gave her mother a wave. "Mallorie's doing such a great job as an intern here," he called out in a cardboard voice, intentionally doing a poor job of acting to spite her.

"Why thank you Bradley. You're such a great boss," Mallorie said, punctuating her final word by giving him a stiff punch in the arm.

He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her close. "Tomorrow," he whispered sternly in her ear.

"I promise," she said, biting her lip as she got into the cab.

---

Sunday was quiet in the Infinity Tower. Mallorie sat up in the office next to Ann, going over weekly order sheets for each department. She glanced at the clock and then ran a hand through her loose caramel curls, her eyes flicking repeatedly to the building's front door.

"Expecting someone?" Ann questioned, not looking up from her papers.

"Yes, and there he is," she said, standing, seeing Bradley approach the inner doors. She knocked on the window and waved at him, holding up a finger to let him know she'd be with him in one minute. "Hey, come with me a second?" she said to Ann.

Ann glanced at the clock herself and then closed up her books. "I'll be right there," she said, quickly neatening up the items on the desk.

Mallorie hastened to the elevator banks to meet him down in the lobby. "I'm going to introduce you to Ann, Mr. Durham's assistant," she whispered. "So be extremely nice."

Bradley gave her an incredulous look. "When am I not nice?"

"Like...always," she teased, smiling as Ann walked over to greet them. "Ann, this is Bradley Douglas, he's...." she stopped as Ann's eyes lifted past them to the man that walked up behind them.

"Oh, even better," Mallorie grinned, taking hold of Bradley's arm and turning him around. "Mr. Durham," she said cordially, "This is my friend, Bradley Douglas." She bit back a laugh as Bradley's face melted into one of shocked recognition. "His mother is one of the top real estate agents in Manhattan," she added.

"Would that be Eleanor Douglas?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah. Yes," Bradley said, sounding surprised. "You know her?"

"I know of her. She's always shows up on the monthly top ten lists."

"Yeah, well not this past month," Bradley said with a cocky smirk. "I beat her on sales in April."

"Really?" Matthew said, giving Mallorie an approving nod. "You keep very good company." He glanced at his smiling assistant and added, "Oh, um...Ann and I were about to head out to Per Se for lunch. Maybe you'd both like to join us?"

"Sure, absolutely," Bradley answered for them both without having to think twice.

---

Matthew leaned forward on his elbows, discussing the real estate market in the village with Bradley as if they were old friends. Bradley seemed relaxed and confident, and if he was excited, he hid it well. Mallorie's excitement, on the other hand, showed all over her face. Lunch with her father was a first, and she was in heaven feeling like she'd finally managed to establish a real relationship with him. While they weren't as close as father and daughter, she definitely perceived a connection to him that transcended other people. Whether it was because she'd earned his trust or due to their growing closeness at work, she was thrilled to discover he wasn't the scary person her mother had made him out to be. In fact, she decided, he was nicer than her mother.

"We need to keep an eye on the time," Ann said while they finished up their meal. "You have visitors coming today."

"I haven't forgotten." Matthew stood, raising his hand towards the door. "Shall we...?"

They rode back to the Infinity Tower in Matthew's limousine, talking and laughing the entire way before pulling up next to another limousine that sat outside the building's front door. There was the slightest hint of warmth in the afternoon air - the carrot Spring liked to put out on a stick before hiding away the rest of May. Mallorie trailed behind her father, wanting to enjoy the sunlight just a few seconds longer. It was Bradley who finally pressed her through the doors, wanting to see more of the inside of the building.

"Princess!" Mallorie heard Matthew say. Her head spun in his direction, catching site of three teenage girls, realizing swiftly that one of them was Brooke Durham.

Brooke caught sight of her at exactly the same moment, her jaw dropping and eyes narrowing. "What's she doing here?" she scowled with resentment.

 

[juco]

Ruh roh! I have the impression Matthew has no idea his two girls have a history. This will be fun (for us to read, not so much for Mallory I'm thinking)

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter thanks for the chapter, I hope this meeting doesn't damage Mallory's fathers trust in her to the point of excluding her form his plains for her.
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

There was a horrible second of time where Matthew stood frozen, his eyes darting between the girls, trying to make sense of their interaction. "You two...know each other?"

Brooke flashed him an angry look, making it clear she was well aware of who Mallorie was and hinting that he was stupid for thinking otherwise. There was also a silent knife of accusation in her eyes, but she crossed her arms and took a deep breath, choosing to remain silent, not wishing to further the drama in front of her friends.

Adept at reading body language, Matthew's eyes turned from his daughter and locked on to Mallorie like a vice. His lips tightened into a harsh straight line, his face losing every bit of its warmth. Mallorie lowered her eyes, feeling the pain of his fresh animosity. Somehow she sensed she was about to lose everything she'd just worked so hard for. Cold tears started to brim against her lower lashes.

Matthew turned to Bradley, who had backed up a step towards the door. "Leave," he said, dispatching the young man with a single word. Then he turned to Mallorie. "Upstairs," he directed. His next glance went to Ann, silently directing her to cover Brooke's friends. And his final gesture was to Brooke. "You...with me," he said, heading for his office.

Mallorie rode up alone, entering the hallway and walking to the office door, wrapping her arms around her shoulders, convinced this was about to be the worst moment of her life. When the elevator doors opened, she could hear Brooke talking, each of her words spitted at her father with venom. "She lied to me," Mallorie could just make out, followed by some whispered chat that ended with "....the hotel."

Mallorie remained silent while Matthew unlocked his office door. She glanced at Brooke, who stared up at the ceiling, her bottom lip trembling, her eyes glossy with tears. After the door was opened, Matthew ushered them inside, taking a seat at his desk while the girls both continued to stand before it.

"Do you want to explain to me how this happened?" he said, directing his question at Mallorie.

"Okay, before I met you...when I first found out, I assumed Brooke was my sister and I was..." She paused, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "I was curious about her. I just wanted to get to know her from a distance...but then she started talking to me and I didn't know what to do. I went out of my way to avoid her after that, but...then, she needed help with Clara..."

"My 'little sister,'" Brooke offered in explanation. "Mallorie was better with her than I was."

"And...then we became friends," Mallorie said softly.

Matthew threaded his fingers together in front of him, studying her a moment, and then his gaze turned back on Brooke. "Mallorie is working for me, to answer your question. "

Brooke blinked, her bottom lip jutting outward. "She's working here?" she said, sounding wounded.

"Yes." He leaned back in his chair. "She's interested in business, and she's been putting in thirty hour weeks here...on top of her classes. She's been very dedicated."

Mallorie's lips parted in shock and confusion, having not expected to hear her father's praise, let alone any words that didn't start with 'you're fired.' Brooke crossed her arms and looked away from both of them, her simmering jealousy apparent.

"Go wait with your friends a moment," he said. "I need to speak to Mallorie alone."

Brooke gave Mallorie an angry sneer before turning on her heels. Matthew waited until she'd left the hall before rising from his chair.

"You were remiss in answering my question the first time," he said. "Apparently you had a friend who knew?"

"Jada," she answered, understanding Brooke mentioned the encounter. "And anyone she might have told."

"You see how quickly these things get out of hand."

"Yes," she said quietly. "I was still new to the situation then and I..."

Matthew put up a hand to stop her. "I don't want to hear excuses. If I hear of something like this again, don't bother coming back to work." His eyes flashed to the door. "You can go."

"Thank you." Mallorie exited the office without another word, not wanting to antagonize him further. She was aware her indiscretion had set her back to square one, but the fact that he'd let her off the hook was staggering. As she walked past the livid Brooke and her snickering friends, she held her head up high. Matthew had exalted her in front of the girl, and no amount of snickering would change the fact that at this moment, as far as she was concerned, her father liked her better.

---

A tropical breeze flowed over John Gant's balcony. Mallorie drifted in and out of sleep, laying out on one of his lounge chairs, absorbing the sun's therapeutic rays. Graduation was just three weeks away, and she was counting the days, eager to put high school behind her. She blindly reached over to feel for her cell phone as it began to ring.

"Hello," she said, sounding half-drugged in her drowsy state.

"I found a buyer for Chariot," Armando said. "I'll fax the papers over to you at the Infinity's office."

"How'd you know I work there? Have you been talking to Matthew?" she laughed.

"No. I've been talking to Brooke."

Mallorie sat straight up, her eyes fully opening. "Brooke called you?"

"Mmhmm," he acknowledged. "A couple of times now."

"What about?"

"Just to talk. Sometimes she plays guitar for me over the phone," he said, sounding enamored.

"Oh, good for her," Mallorie scowled, feeling oddly jealous. "So, what did we get for the company?"

"$12,000."

"Well, at least it's more than we had to start with."

"Yeah," he said abruptly. "Hey, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

Mallorie rubbed her face with her hands, trying to shake off her stupor. She peered inside the condo, hearing her mother's laughter. John and her were preparing dinner along with two other couples they'd met in the building. Mallorie stood and walked into the kitchen, taking in the happy scene. Then she glanced at the wall over the couch, recalling the day John had hung the large picture behind it.

"That's the Alfred E. Cunningham," he's said, standing back to view it.

"The what?" she's questioned, squinting at the massive black and white photo.

"Your destroyer." He smiled. "The one you came to ask me about at the shipyard. The battleship that brought your mother and I together."

"Oh, right." She laughed, having forgotten all about it. "Jada's destroyer actually."

"Well, next time you see Jada, be sure to thank her," he said.

"Yeah..." Mallorie's voice trailed off. "I'll do that."

---

Delivery men swarmed the Infinity Tower by the dozens, putting in additional furniture, lamps and rugs. Mallorie raced around the lobby, helping Ann direct the traffic while ducking around ladders, dollies and hand trucks.

"Don't leave that there," Ann shouted at someone outside with annoyance, eyeing the enormous banner which sat draped across the front door.

"Hold your horses, lady," a workman called back. He whistled and gestured to his fellow workers, raising his hands upwards. The banner rose slowly above the entrance, announcing their official opening date, a scant six weeks away. A suited-figured appeared behind the banner, ducking underneath it as it lifted.

"Bradley!" Mallorie smiled, surprised to see him.

"Hey." He walked inside and tucked his hands in his pockets. "You haven't been by our office in ages."

Mallorie laughed at his disappointment. "I thought you'd be happy about that."

"Yeah. No. I was...kind of getting used to you bothering me."

"Well, I will be happy to stop by and annoy you some more." She grinned, feeling oddly pleased that he'd missed her. They both took a step sideways as a couch was carried through the door.

"So, um...since I'm here anyhow, you wanna go to lunch?" He nodded over his shoulder towards the restaurant across the street.

"Oh, yeah, sure, let me get my purse," she said, trotting over to the desk.

"Hey, by the way," he said, trailing her. "I ran into my real estate instructor the other day. One of the classes he teaches is in Jersey, and guess who he's got in it."

"Who?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Mr. Durham's daughter."

Mallorie's face dropped. "Brooke...is taking the real estate course?"

"That's what he says," Bradley nodded. "And apparently she's doin' real well."

"Well, crap," Mallorie whispered under her breath, glancing up towards the office.

 

[stjwelding]

WOW!! kritter who but you would come up with that outcome to the unavoidable meeting of the three. Thanks for a great story.
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

The gym was over-crowded and stuffy. Parents and family members crammed the bleachers with folded umbrellas between their knees and damp coats over their laps. Mallorie scanned across the multitude of faces looking for her mother, grinning and waving when she found her. It was an exciting feeling knowing high school was finally over, and beneath her robes, her acceptance letter to NYU sat tucked in her back pocket. A spate of thunder rumbled behind the valedictorian speech, bringing the student's nervous giggles.

Jada glanced back at her from one row up, her expression saying things neither one of them would speak. They'd been through this together, and even though they were no longer friends, their memories were good ones. Mallorie smiled in response to her look. Jada smiled back. Then they both stood as their lines were called and filed towards the stage.

At the start of the ceremony, the principal had requested that parents put away their cell phones and cameras and 'experience the ceremony in the moment,' and it actually felt good to see an audience not hidden behind a sea of electronic devices. Mallorie sought out her mother's face again, cocking her head at the angle at which her mother was sitting - leaning to the side, speaking to someone who sat behind her - and in a brief moment of horror, Mallorie realized it was Jada's father.

"Mallorie Ortiz," the principal called. Mallorie stepped forward, her eyes still focused up in the stands, wondering if Jada's father knew anything about what happened at the launch party.

"Congratulations," the woman said.

Mallorie took the document and shook her hand, her concerns over their conversation mounting. Her eyes flashed to her mother again, relieved to see her standing and cheering. 'Be in the moment,' she reminded herself, trying to squash her paranoid thoughts, but it wasn't the first time she had had them. Any time her phone rang in her mother's presence or she received a bank statement in the mail, she would tense with fear. The only saving grace was that in a few weeks, she would be moving to her new dorm room, with all the privacy it would afford her - and with that thought, she took her graduation cap and threw it in the air.

---

The day after graduation, Mallorie entered the Infinity Tower prepared to spend every waking moment of her summer vacation there. She glided through the spotlessly clean lobby, loving how the chandeliers reflected off the finely polished floors, pleased at how orderly it appeared. Ann was busy in their newly completed ground floor office; a mug of hot coffee in her hand. Mallorie took a seat at her desk and grinned at the blinking phone bank. It would be another day of answering inquiries from the delivery companies and suppliers, along with the media and perspective renters. It was work she found she loved, though, and she felt just as efficient as Ann in getting it done.

"We're going to start going over the showing and rental of business units," Ann mentioned, "as soon as Brooke gets here."

Mallorie's eyes flashed to hers. "Brooke is coming?"

"Mmhmm," Ann responded, not looking up from her accounting. "She'll be working here too."

Mallorie bit her lip and sighed. She'd considered that's what Brooke was planning when she'd heard she'd taken the real estate course, but she'd written her worries off after the whole of spring had passed without any fresh sightings of the young debutante. The news of her pending arrival was both irritating and depressing.

"She's doing this just to spite me," Mallorie said under her breath.

Ann lifted her head. "Why do you say that?"

"Because she had no interest in any of this stuff until she found out I was working here. I think she's just looking to show me up."

An eyebrow arched on Ann's sparkle rainbow face. She stood and walked over to lean over Mallorie's shoulder, as if consulting her on a paper, her voice dropping to a whisper. "She wants to be closer to her father. It has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me," Mallorie said, maintaining the same low key tone. "She wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"She sees you have his interest and she wants the same," Ann said. "Regardless of what you believe, I'm quite sure that's her underlying desire."

Mallorie lowered her eyes and nodded, understanding Ann's point. It was a sad but true fact that Brooke seemed neglected by her parents, and she could see where Brooke might covet her father's attention. She just couldn't shake the feeling that it would come at her expense.

"I understand you have issues between you, but I'll say the same thing to you that I said to her," Ann continued quietly. "You and she are both adults, and I will expect you to act accordingly."

"Of course," Mallorie responded, staring down at her hands. At once, Ann had managed to make her feel both childish and apprehensive. "Did she say something to you about it?"

Ann shook her head, choosing not to answer her question. Instead, she walked back to her briefcase and removed a large folder. "A lot of our new staff will be starting on Monday. I have a list of their names and positions." She tossed the file on Mallorie's desk. "Learn them," she said, reinforcing the point that business should be her focus.

---

The street in front of Douglas Realty was littered with crushed butts, all bearing the same brand marking. They piled around the curb and the subway grates between a pair of tall trees that bore freshly sprouted leaves. Bradley was sitting on a bench, bent over his iPhone, a cigarette dangling from his lips. He lifted his head when she walked up, as if he sensed her presence.

"And here I thought you didn't love me anymore," he smirked, giving her an enticing once over before returning his gaze to his iPhone. "Let me guess. You need my help."

Mallorie leaned back against one of the trees, amused at the way his eyes flicked up to measure her reaction. She smiled at him coyly.

"Well, that's new," he said, turning off his phone and slipping it in his pocket. "Do I dare believe you have some entirely new and different reason for coming?"

"No." She smiled, stifling a giggle.

"No," he repeated with disappointment, standing up and tossing the cigarette to the ground. "So what then?"

"I need your help," she said, blushing at the incredible feeling that came from his slowly shaking head. She couldn't even really figure out how or when it happened, but somehow they'd developed an undeniable rapport, and she found herself loving his annoyed face.

"What?" he asked, looking at her not like she was the sum of his woes, but rather a bright reprieve from them.

"It's Brooke," she said.

Bradley glanced down the road at a small, street-side cafe. "This sounds like something we need to discuss over lunch," he said. "And...I believe it was your turn to pay."

"Sure...if you don't mind grilled cheese again," she said, falling in beside him, playfully bumping against his shoulder as they walked.

 

[Vtshooter]

Thank you Kritter. Should be interesting to see Brooke and Mallorie working together.

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter thanks for the chapter this should be good.
Wayne

 

[seraphima]

Maybe she'll actually get her sister as a real sister and not as a make-believe friend.

 

[Kritter]

Thanks. So much good stuff still coming up! I'm giddy knowing what's coming, mwhahaha...

 

[juco]

Thanks. So much good stuff still coming up! I'm giddy knowing what's coming, mwhahaha...

LOL, and we are waiting with great anticipation.

Bring it on!!!!

 

[maineforlife]

Thanks. So much good stuff still coming up! I'm giddy knowing what's coming, mwhahaha...

You........tease!!!!

 

[Kritter]

Beneath the painted logo on the cafe's front window, a pair of dark-gray suit jackets hung from the backs of two wooden chairs. The fact that their jackets unintentionally matched seemed appropriate to Mallorie. It was like the framework of their friendship, erratic yet harmonious, traveling two separate paths that somehow kept converging, mainly because he made an excellent cover for explaining her long days away from home.

Bradley's dark gaze narrowed on her hand as he watched her steal away some of his fries, and then his eyes lifted slowly to hers. "You're very lucky I'm full."

"Oh come on, you would have shared them."

"Yeah. No." He shook his head in disagreement. "You don't touch my fries unless you're sleeping with me. And even then..."

Mallorie took another fry and held it between her teeth, defiantly flipping it upwards with her bottom lip like she was giving him the finger.

"That's real cute," he said with monotone disinterest. Then he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "So...are you gonna tell me what you need me for, or was this just a clever ruse to get me alone?"

Mallorie ignored his wryness. Scanning the length of the cafe, she tried to think of a way to present her concerns without having to mention her relationship to the Durhams. "Okay, here's my problem. Brooke and I are both setting appointments to show units at work, but Mr. Durham put up this stupid leader board in our office to show who's renting out the most."

"That's not unusual. Helps to keep your sellers motivated."

"Yeah, but she has an unfair advantage," Mallorie whined.

"How so?"

Mallorie's hands flailed out to her sides. "She's Brooke Durham."

Bradley grinned at her annoyance. "Well, then you've just gotta be better than her. It shouldn't be that hard. She has no real experience."

"Neither do I," Mallorie pointed out.

"Ah," he smirked, "but you've got me."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say." She leaned forward on the table, addressing him like he was a guru. "I need you to impart on me all your selling knowledge."

"I...might be able to do that," Bradley said, glancing down at his watch. "Except, our time is up." He stood and put his suit jacket back on, his hand already feeling for the cigarette pack in the pocket. "So...unfortunately...you'll just have to come back tomorrow."

"You're killing me," Mallorie said as she followed him out the door.

---

Somewhere near the elevator banks, Brooke Durham was laughing. Mallorie could hear it the second she walked in the Infinity Tower's door, along with the voices of the potential renters she was entertaining, which sounded like five or six young men. Another of her soprano chuckles filtered down the hallway and ran up Mallorie's spine like a knife.

Since the first day they had worked together, their interactions were limited. Brooke sat at the front desk in the office and Mallorie in the rear, because that was the desk she had initially chosen, but staring at the back of Brooke's head all day annoyed her to no end. Equally annoying was hearing the way the girl flirted on the phone with their clients, cunningly using her feminine voice to wrap them all around her little finger. Not to mention she was the building's owner's daughter, an advantage she got to flaunt despite the fact that Mallorie had the true right to that title.

Mallorie pulled her daybook out and noted her next appointment, trying to ignore Brooke's tour guide spiel as she allowed the men to peek inside their office. "Oh, and here's one of our new secretaries," she said, pointing to Mallorie.

"My employee jokes," Mallorie said in return, standing up and offering her hand to the men. "I'm Mallorie Ortiz, the building's assistant manager."

"In training," Brooke quickly said. "Trainees..." she added with condescending disgust as she led the men down the hall. "So quick to give themselves titles they haven't earned yet."

Mallorie shook her head, her irritation eased only by the sound of her father and Ann returning from lunch.

"How's everything going in here?" Matthew asked, peering inside the office.

"Fine," Mallorie answered coldly.

Matthew glanced at the leader board, which showed his daughters neck and neck in sales. "Keep up the good work," he said, giving the door frame an awkward pat before stepping aside for his assistant.

"I'll be right up," Ann whispered, stopping at her desk to grab her laptop and a bottle of water from the fridge. "I'm expecting Mr. Tanaka at three," she said to Mallorie. "If you need me before then, just text me."

"Okay," Mallorie said, her eyes narrowing on the woman as she watched her leave, and then she sighed and shook her head as Brooke waltzed back into the office.

"Another sale for me," the pretentious blonde said, reaching for a dry erase marker to add her newest contract to the board, and then she turned to Mallorie and laughed, "Assistant Manager...you wish."

"But I will be," Mallorie said, looking down at her day planner like she had better things to do.

"Not if I have anything to say about it. Oh, and that reminds me," Brooke said suddenly. "My father has a big surprise coming for you next week."

"What do you mean?" Mallorie lifted her head.

"You'll see," Brooke said ominously, turning her back to Mallorie and taking a seat at her desk.

 

[juco]

Noooo! Don't stop there Kritter!

Maine is right, you are a tease. LOL

 

[Kritter]

Maine is right, you are a tease. LOL

To further tease....The story gets super intense from here on out.. so hold on to your seats! :P

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter that is just plain cruel to leave us hanging and then tell us that it gets even better from here on out.
Thanks
Wayne

 

[Kritter]

Hot air rushed in from the streets as Mallorie opened the front door, mixing with the delicious air conditioning inside of Douglas Reality. "Mallorie," the receptionist welcomed her warmly. "Bradley's running a little late, but he'll be here."

"Okay." She strolled over to gaze out the window as the lunch hour crowds hustled by. She'd been in their office so many times, she could close her eyes and picture in detail every store that sat across the street, from the florist to the dry cleaners to the cute little deli she and Bradley ate at once a week.

"He's stuck with a client." His mother appeared from her office, looking elegant and stylish, and nothing like the typical polyester suit-wearing real estate agents in New York. "So, are you ready for your big opening?" she asked, knowing it was just five days away.

"As ready as we can be." Mallorie turned to her and smiled. "But we've had so many companies moving in the past two weeks, and with all the new employees..." She shook her head at the craziness July brought. "Am I going to be seeing you there?"

"Well, I'm authorized." The woman leaned against the receptionist's desk, her legs crossing in front of her. "But finding buyers for forty-million dollar apartments...that's a little tough. I've got feelers out though," she said smartly, twisting over the desk behind her to reach for a pen. "You know, I really need to get your phone number. I'd love to have you over for dinner sometime. Bradley's just been over the moon since he met you."

"Really?" Mallorie's cheeks puffed out as she broke into a wide grin, her feelings of embarrassment mixing with a stroke of pleasure. Until then, she'd never been able to categorize their friendship as anything other than platonic, since Bradley never ventured further than asking her out to lunch, and while she frequently entertained the idea of getting to know him better, she never really minded their uncomplicated acquaintance.

"So," Eleanor glanced up at her while she wrote down her number. "Will you be coming to Bradley's party on Friday?"

"What party?" Mallorie asked.

The woman's eyebrows rose and she exchanged a fast look of surprise with the receptionist. "Maybe I spoke too soon. Oh well...Jedi mind trick." She quickly waved her hands in the air, trying to erase its mention.

Bradley blew through the front door barely a second later. "Sorry I'm late," he said, rushing past Mallorie to toss his briefcase on his desk. "So where are we heading?"

"Why...am I not invited to your party?" Mallorie playfully inquired.

Bradley's face dropped, his eyes cutting sharply towards his mother. "What did you tell her?"

"Nothing," the woman said, backing towards her office. "I only inquired if she was coming."

Bradley shook his head with a glare of annoyance and then readdressed Mallorie with an apologetic look. His mouth opened, but no words came out, as if he couldn't think up a cover story fast enough. "Sorry...that's just...it's just a little...it's nothing," he said.

"Gotcha," Mallorie responded, wanting to give him an out, even though she felt incredibly confused by the entire exchange. After his mother had just hinted he was interested, she was thrown a curve by some mystery party to which she'd not been invited.

The restaurant they choose was dark inside and it fit for Bradley's mood. He was uncomfortably quiet during lunch, appearing lost in contemplation despite Mallorie's best efforts to draw him out. "How's everything going with the 'Deb of doom'?" he finally asked, pushing away his barely eaten sandwich.

Mallorie rolled her eyes. "She's obnoxious as ever, but she's harmless. She's sort of like a caricature of herself. She says and does all these snotty things you'd expect some bitchy rich girl to do...," she said, helping herself to his left-over potato chips. "But I knew her before all this, and she wasn't like that. She was this really sweet girl with a kind, gentle soul. So I have a feeling this is all an act."

"Why is she so mad at you?" he asked, still not straight on the story.

"I had to lie to her once," Mallorie sighed. "But it was something I didn't have much choice on. And now she's just..." She paused, being careful of her wording, so as not to give away too much. "Well, I think she's jealous that her father's given this internship to me. And I can't help shake the feeling that he's making us compete on purpose. For her, well for her benefit," she said, feeling a little depressed at that thought. "Because he wants her to be me."

"Mmhmm." Bradley's eyes dropped down to his hands and he sucked in his lips.

"Bradley, is everything okay?" she asked, not used to seeing him so glum. "I'm really sorry I asked about your party. I don't even care if you don't invite me. I'm perfectly happy just..."

"No. No, I'm glad she mentioned it," he said, putting up a hand to stop her. "It's not that...but...is there someplace we can go? Someplace more...quiet?"

Mallorie narrowed her eyes at him. "Well, my building's right down the street. We can go up to one of the rooms."

"That'll do," he said, standing up and tossing two twenties on the table.

---

The penthouse apartment in the Infinity Tower was an entire floor of pure luxury, surrounded by incredible views. From its windows, you could see the whole of the city, bordered on each side by a sparkling blue rivers and divided down the middle by the lush emerald carpet of Central Park. Mallorie left her shoes by the door and glided across the polished hardwood, joining Bradley in gawking at the view.

"This is unreal," he said, taking in the miniature buildings and cars that sat dozens of floors below them.

"Guess how much this one goes for?" She hoisted herself up to sit on the kitchen counter.

Bradley smirked, walking back to her. "You forget who you're talking to. Sixty-four million and change," he said. "And I could tell you the taxes on it too. In fact, I can tell you what private schools are nearby, what their ratings are, what restaurants you have downstairs, what's on their menus. I could tell you about the boutiques, the spa, the hotel..." he continued. "About the only thing I can't tell you is how an eighteen-year-old girl from Harlem happens to be managing the place...." He stopped directly in front of her. "But I'm sure there's a good explanation.

"I'm an enigma." She gave him a teasing grin. "And so are you, apparently" she added wryly.

"Yeah, about that...about the party," he said, taking a few step away. With his back still turned, he glanced up at the ceiling. "And this is where it all falls apart," he said under his breath.

Mallorie squinted at him as he turned around, unsure of where he was going.

"The party..." he said, and paused again, having difficulty finding the right words, and then he took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "This party...that I didn't invite you to...is just something my family is throwing for me for being one year clean."

"Clean as in...off drugs?"

"Yes," he said.

"Cocaine or something?" she asked hopefully.

"Heroin," he answered, lowering his eyes.

"Bradley," she whined, instantly upset and angered with him. "Why would you do that..."

"Please," he said, putting up his hand. "There's nothing you can say to me that I haven't asked myself a million times over this year. But I've doing everything I can to fix it. I finished school...I got my license...I've been working on self improvement. I stopped using very early...they say my chances are really good, but um...well, I didn't want to not tell you."

Mallorie closed her eyes and nodded with a heavy sigh. It was the worst thing he could have told her, and she completely understood why he'd been reluctant to take their friendship any further. "Oh god," she whispered, shaking her head at him, wishing he had told her any other reason.

Bradley scrubbed a hand over his face. "I'll go," he said, walking towards the door.

"No, wait," she said weakly, sliding off the counter. "I'll go with you."

---

Mallorie stood with her head down while they waited on the elevator, her heart and mind in turmoil. He'd cared enough to tell her, and while she was mortified by his admission, she liked him to much to just let him walk away alone. She peered at him sideways, observing the way he stared at the elevator doors, not with defeat but with determination. He stepped silently forward as the doors opened. She trailed behind him and hit the button for the lobby.

"Please tell me we can still be friends," he said. "If nothing else..."

"Of course," she said, feeling mildly warmed when he smiled at her answer. "Always." She walked over and wrapping her arms around him, laying her head against his chest. His arms wrapped tightly around her in return, his embrace somehow conveying every bit of his emotion. The second she peered up at him, he kissed her. It wasn't a soft romantic kiss or even a passionate one. It was desperation and relief and it filled her with the burning desire to do whatever it took to keep him safe. It was a feeling she couldn't have put into words if she tried.

He stopped for a second, gazing into her eyes.

"So do I get to go to your party now?" she asked.

"If you bring ice cream cake," he said.

"I can do ice cream cake," she nodded.

He lowered his head to kiss her a second time, minus the desperation. The elevator doors opened up to the lobby. At the sound of voices, they separated and straightened their clothes, glancing at each other with devilish grins. Hand in hand, they walked towards the hallway, but as they turned the corner of the elevator bank, they ran straight into Matthew Durham.

"Mr. Douglas," he said with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing in my building?"

"I was just leaving," Bradley said, recognizing his order to clear out.

"Mmhm, that's what I thought," Matthew said, turning his attention to Mallorie. "I need you to come upstairs with me. There's someone you need to see in my office."

Mallorie glanced back at Bradley as she walked, reluctant to part from him so quickly. She trudged into the elevator with her father.

"He's been waiting for a position to open up back here," Matthew said. "He's been wanting to come back to city, so...we're gonna go ahead and move him to the uptown office."

Mallorie remained silent, lost in thought, and then she narrowed her eyes at her father, his words only starting to sink in. She started to shiver as they stepped off the elevator and walked towards his office, her steps slowing as he opened the door. Swallowing, she peered inside and sucked in her breath, nodding at the sight of Armando.

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter you certainty know how to complicate Mallorie's life while leaving us hanging on the edge of the cliff, thanks for the great chapter and the story.
Wayne

 

[kaijafon]

you were NOT kidding! lol! thanks

 

[juco]

Oh, my!

 

[Kritter]

Rereading that chapter I feel like it goes a little too fast in some spots, but it was a really large chapter. I probably should have broken it into two and take my time with both sides, but I'm guessing you guys can fill in the blanks. :P

 

[stjwelding]

Kritter it read just fine to me, thanks again for the great story.
Wayne

 

[Mr Bill]

We have to find this Cliff guy a job some place so he isn't always showing up here.

 

[bjoyce09]

Well life should get more interesting for Mallorie.
Thanks for great story.

 

[Vtshooter]

Thank you Kritter

 

[Mysty]

oh this is gonna be so messy. I really like Armando. Hes probably dating Brooke now. ugh lol. sibling rivalry. I hope Mallorie is ok. Well this story has me pulled in lol.

 

[juco]

Rereading that chapter I feel like it goes a little too fast in some spots, but it was a really large chapter. I probably should have broken it into two and take my time with both sides, but I'm guessing you guys can fill in the blanks. :P

I'm sure I missed something in the early part of the story (just don't have time to go re-read right now, I'm saving that for a sleepless night. Ha!) But I don't fully get this part:

Mallorie closed her eyes and nodded with a heavy sigh. It was the worst thing he could have told her, and she completely understood why he'd been reluctant to take their friendship any further. "Oh god," she whispered, shaking her head at him, wishing he had told her any other reason.

Why is Bradley's status as a recovering heroin addict the worst thing possible? As in, worse than cocaine or whatever else was going through her head?

Being intimately familiar with the recovery community I don't really get it....