Line Of Trust

“What makes you think that you are such a fine gentleman anyway?” she asked.

“Well, come on. It goes without saying,” Mark said. Desiree took a long deep breath and shook her head.

“You know I am almost clocking out and I still have a lot to do before then, so how about you just say whatever It’s that brought you here and get the hell out,” Desiree said. Mark took a long deep breath and picked the briefcase he had placed on the floor. He placed it on his lap and opened it before pulling out a yellow envelope. “What the hell is this?” she asked as he handed her the envelope.

“Open it,” Mark said with a smile. She looked at him and frowned and then went ahead to open the envelope. When she saw the contents of the envelope, she gasped. “That’s the contract that you would have to sign if you took my offer,” he said. Desiree shook her head and put the contract on the table.

“Really? Did last time give you any kind of sign that I would love to give your offer any kind of consideration?” she asked.

“I know that last time we didn’t really end things on a positive note and my lawyer thought that maybe it was what I was offering. Maybe it was a bit too low,” he said smiling. “As per the new contract you will notice that I bumped up your compensation by five hundred,” he added. Desiree looked at him and shook her head.

“Five hundred what?” she asked.

“Five hundred thousand,” he said. Desiree would have been honored if she wasn’t so offended by his offer. She was still looking at him in disbelief when Cynthia burst in her office.

“You will not believe what….hello,” she said when she noticed Mark in the office. “What the hell are you doing here?” she asked as he looked at Mark.

“He came to deliver this,” Desiree said as she handed Cynthia the contract.

“Is this the so-called marriage contract?” Cynthia asked as she looked at the documents in her hand. Mark smiled.

“You told her about it. I see you are as excited about this as I am,” he said. Desiree pushed her chair back and stood up. She leaned forward and looked into Mark’s eyes, the eyes she had so been fascinated about at some point.

“Maybe I have not been so clear in the past, so I am going to do that right now. you’ve to stop propositioning me. I know you think that It’s flattering but trust me, to me and any other honorable woman, It’s a downright insult,” she said.

“Wait, this is what you are offering?” Cynthia asked.

“Why, is it not enough?” Mark asked. Cynthia looked at Desiree and scoffed.

“Hardly,” she said. Mark gasped.

“Hardly?” he asked. Desiree turned her attention to her cousin.

“Cynthia, what are you doing?” she asked.

“This is just a three million dollar contract. I think she deserves twice as much just or putting up with you,” Cynthia said. By this time Desiree’s anger was beginning to shift to Cynthia.

“Cynthia!” Desiree yelled.

“Trust me, honey, I got this,” she said still looking at Mark.

“So, all you needed was a negotiating representative, I got it,” he said. “But, if that’s what you think, then I think I can make it work. It would take a few days though because I would have to move a few things around. As you well know, I am not so liquid,” he said as he took his phone out. Desiree watched Cynthia in awe as she went on doing the strange negotiation.

“So what do you think, big boy?” Cynthia asked.

“I’m game,” he said smiling. Cynthia smiled back and then looked at Mark.

“Let me ask you, Mark, have you ever heard of Elsa McCormick?” Cynthia asked as she slowly walked around him to Desiree’s side of the desk. Mark frowned and then shook his head. “I didn’t think you would. She was this lady from Mississippi who thought she deserved a better life, so she moved to Vegas. She had a great voice and everything and she was a looker. If she didn’t grow up during the segregation, she would have been the homecoming or prom queen. But she didn’t, because she was a woman of color. So one man, some rich dumb jock thought she could be bought and he offered her money for a little something, if you know what I mean. And being who she was, Elsa hardly got any employment so she agreed and just like that her life was ruined. She was the wh*re no one wanted anything do with. I mean, it was bad enough that she was black but now, she also had to deal with the stigma that brought with it. And just like that, Elsa’s life was ruined and all for what? A few bills here and there?” Cynthia asked. She looked at Desiree and smiled. “So mister, this right here, is bullsh*t. You would not ever be able to afford my sister if you owned the world,” she added as she began tearing up the contract.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Mark asked, looking at her surprised.

“I am doing what Dee should have done a long time ago,” Cynthia said as she walked over to the trash and dropped in the torn contract. “You cannot buy my cousin – not for five years, not for five minutes,” she said as she turned to look at Desiree.

“You heard her,” Desiree said smiling.

“This is an opportunity of a lifetime. You cannot afford to pass this up,” he said. Desiree smiled.

“No, you cannot afford to pass this up. I can do whatever the hell I want,”  she said. Mark took a long deep breath.

“I think you should reconsider this,” he said through gritted teeth. Desiree shook her head.

“Why are you so hell bent on having me while there are so many women around?” she asked.

“Yeah, all you’ve to do is buy a girl a drink and you’ve her eating off the palm of your hand,” Cynthia said.

“Because,” Mark started. “You are…virtuous,” he said. Desiree laughed.

“Virtue? Really?” she asked.

“Yes, that’s really hard to come by nowadays,” he said.

“Said the man offering money to fake a marriage for money’s sake,” Cynthia said rolling her eyes.

“You shut the hell up! And Dee, this is important for me,” Mark said.

“You know what, get out,” Desiree said as she walked over to the door and held it open.

“Think about this,” Mark said looking at her.

“You heard her, mister. Scram!” Cynthia said as she sat down in Desiree’s chair.

“This is an opportunity for you. You could move out of that shack you call an apartment,” Mark said. Desiree looked at Cynthia and then at Mark.

“You know what, I would pick that shack I call an apartment any day over what you are offering because I worked my ass off to get that place and all you’ve ever done is get handouts I am not like you, Mark. I will never be like you and you’ve to live with that,” Desiree said as she looked at him. “By the way, the next time you come within five hundred feet of me, I will call the police because this, right here, is harassment,” she said. Mark stood up and looked at Cynthia and then at Desiree.

“You will be sorry,” he said as he looked onto Desiree’s brown eyes. A smile played on Desiree’s lips as she crossed her arms on her chest.

“How about you take that smug look out of my store,” she said. Mark took a long deep breath as he turned towards the door, coming face to face with Taylor.

“So you are the guy who got hit by the bullet I dodged,” he said as he looked at Taylor. Desiree looked at Taylor and felt a tingle down her spine. He had seen that look in Taylor’s eyes before.

“Just let it go, Ericson,” she said.

“Your bitch is right. Let it go, Ericson,” Mark said smiling. Taylor took a step forward and looked into Mark’s eyes.

“What the hell did you just call her?” he asked. Desiree stood in between them and looked at Taylor.

“Be the bigger man, Ericson,” she said. Mark nodded and stretched his hand out to shake Taylor’s hand.

“Let’s end this like gentlemen,” he said. Taylor nodded and shook Mark’s hand but suddenly Mark’s faced was all grimaced, as if he was in pain. Desiree suddenly knew what was going on.

“Let him go, Taylor,” she said looking at Mark’s arm that was beginning to come alive with his straining veins. Mark suddenly gasped and began going lower on the floor until he was almost kneeling on the floor and all Desiree and Cynthia could do was watch in horror.