Chapter IV - Semi Prostitute Girlfriend

  The long tiring Sunday for Kimberly is finally over. It was 10 o'clock in the evening and she thought of calling Nathan before going home. She thought Nathan already dumped her after their last meeting. Maybe he declines the deal since money isn't something he gave value and she's sure about it.  Every time she tries calling him, the only person she got to talk too was Nathan's secretary. She dislikes the way she ask personal questions. Such as, how did she met Nathan?!When? Where? Are they in relationship or something like this and that.

The next morning about 8 o'clock, she’s off to the phone booth again, hoping that Nathan will pick up. But to her disappointment it's the woman again.

"Oh, it’s you again!" Amy starts mocking. "Well for your information, Sir Nathan often goes to work!"  she continued swinging her chair back to her desk.

"Why?" Kimberly ask.

"Well, I thought you know him! Why does it sound like you have no idea what kind of person he is?! " she answered unwillingly.

"Kimberly right?" Amy speaks again with another mocking tone. "You know what I'm curious about you. Why would my boss waste his time to someone uneducated... unqualified...." Amy didn’t hesitate saying foul words to Kimberly. She didn't even notice Nathan was already in front of her desk.

"Connect it to my office!" his cold, terror voice surrounds the room. Amy swing her chair and quickly stood.

"Good morning, Sir Nathan!" she greeted shock.

"Now!!!" he shouts with a warning.

"Yes, Sir, right away, Sir!" she answers  and bends down her head.

"Piece of advice; if you don’t want to be unemployed..." he continued and approach her desk, getting his face on her closer.

"Mind your own business!" he warned with his eyes on fury.  "Sorry Sir." she cried shaking.

Nathan went inside his office. Kimberly heard everything, she was partly amazed and partly frighten. Now, she had no idea how to start her words. He sat on his chair and grabbed the phone.

"Now what?" he started coldly.

"Mr. Conner... Good Mor... Morning...” she greets feeling stupid. "How would he have a good morning?" she thought.

Nathan didn’t bother to answer. He just turned his attention at the papers on the table and read it uninterested.

"I didn't know you're still mad at what happen, but....  Look I... sincerely apologize. Please try to understand...  It just that I don't really get it... I really don't know what you're trying to opt to..." she made a lot of pauses thinking he'll respond but he didn't speak a single word. Then it was another long paused. All she heard was the tapping of a pen on the desk like a timer.

"I'm really sorry bothering you. I'll hang up then..." she continued.

"Let's meet." he finally speaks.

"Really? What time?" she felt at ease.

"Now...  right now... I'll pick you!"  he answer calm.

"Now? Why such in a hurry? It's still early___" she was curious but he quickly cut her.

"You know what... I'm sick hearing your questions!" now his shouting irritably.

"I'm sorry..." she cried.

"I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!! I'm sorry!!!" Nathan still shouting.

"Why do you always apologized for nothing?   Ya!You’re right... You're nothing but a pathetic, poor, pitiable nonsense woman!" now he can't control himself. "Right?" he asked with hot-headed.

"Yes, I know." she answered softly as her tears are building up in her eyes. She need to bite her lips to fight it.

"Yes!! You know!? That's what you know and what you believe in!" he continued still upset. Then put his hand over his head and loosen his necktie. He took a deep serious breath before he speak with a lower voice. "What's your reason?"

But then it was another paused...

Kimberly was afraid to open her mouth, tears may start falling down her cheeks any moment. Her lips are shaking but she needs to speak to explain. "I'm... wor...working.."  she cried and tears  fell on her cheeks. She wipes it quickly.

 

"Working? Like what?" he curiously asked.

"I'm working at the restaurant." she  sniffed before answering, right then Nathan realize she's crying. He took the phone on his reach and lean his back on the desk.

"Restaurant?!" he repeated maliciously.

"It's not bad as you think!" she tried to sound strong enough to defend her side."It's a fine dining restaurant." she continued.

"Where?"

"Mackie's Restaurant, along Sunset Drive."

"As a service crew?"

"No, I’m a dishwasher..."

"Dishwasher?!"

"Yes..."

"Why are you that serious craving for money? Does a hundred thousand was not enough?"

"You don't know anything about me neither do I about you... All I know is you're a rich man___"

"Stop it! Would you at least try to stop stating our differences over and over again!" he interrupted.

"Sorry...."

"And that apologizing thing! Can't you come up with a better word?"

"What else can I tell you?"

"Answer me, why are you so obsessed with money?"

"I'm not obsessed!"                                    

"Then why?"

"I need it for a living..."

"A hundred thousand for a living? What kind of life do you have?"

"You don't understand!"

"Yah! I don’t, so explain it!" before she could answer, Amy knocks on the door. "Hold on..."

"Excuse me Sir, the President are looking for you..."

"Fine! I’m coming!” he answered.

"I had to go... I'm quite busy today, see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Call me, tomorrow when you’re off to work." his tone was a command then hang up.

 

Nathan went straight to the president's office.

"Good Morning, Mr. President!" he greeted formally.

"Sit down." his father seems to be in a good mood while sitting steadily on swiveling chair. Nathan sat facing him quietly.

"I want you to go to our branch in Manchester, my plans for the nearby site I bought had already decided. And there will be a meeting, regarding on the properties… I want you to handle it."

"Sure, when will we go?"

"You're going alone."

"You’re not coming?"

"You will be representing the President."

"Why me?"

"I already told you, I want you to learn and experience everything about the company."

"And you think I can now handle it?"

"Well... these past few days you've been doing your work very well, indeed! The project proposal you gave to me was undoubtedly great! I want you to present and tackle it with our business partners."

"You really did like it? " he unbelievably ask.

"It's wonderful! Setting up an amusement park along our mall was a great idea, where else people would want to go to have fun? arcades, rides, games, everything you stated was a fresh idea. Instead of setting another extension of the mall I think it’s better be an amusement park, inexpensive and wont take a long time to build. Besides it would be a tight competition for our tenants to put up their branches if it was another mall and I don’t like that! So I believe it’s great. Agree?"

Nathan smiled widely. It's flattering to heard positive comments from his Dad.

"Yah, thanks!" he said happily.

"My secretary did the booking; you'll be flying in Manchester tonight. Have a great trip!"  his father stood and handed over his hand to shake.

"Thanks Dad!" he said appreciatively.

"Keep it up!" his Dad also wears a smile.

Before Nathan left the office he leave a message to Amy for Kimberly and warned her to treat her nice or else he’ll fire her. “Yes Sir…” Amy answered nervously.

***

Flying back to Manchester was Nathan wants best. He got to meet his best friend, not just a best friend but  a real brother or a twins. Henry just passed the board, a Master Degree in Medicine. It's been almost a year since they haven’t seen each other. As he was seriously preparing for the bar exam.

"Really! You’re coming?" the other line was excited.

"Yah, I’ll fly tonight… I guess I will arrive there, 6 in the morning."  Nathan assured.

"Great! I'll pick you at the airport. Better stay on my place."

"I'll be glad too, thanks bro!" 

"See you then! Have a great and safe trip!"

Nathan took eight hours journey to Manchester’s Airport. It was 7 in the morning when a medium built man, as tall as him, wearing round-rimmed glasses was waving its hand, smiling at him.

"Nathan!' he called.

"Henry! My best friend! " they gave a manful hug.

"You haven’t change a bit!"

"Of course, still look as genius as ever." Henry chuckled.

"Yeah right!"  they both laughed.

Henry took Nathan to his condo where he stays. He transfers  Manchester to master his Medicine Degree.

"Ahh. …. So tiring!"  Nathan jumped onto the sofa and lean his back.

"Still living alone?" he asked, Henry went straight to the kitchen and took something to drink.

"Yah." he answer as he place the drinks on the table.

"So you haven’t got a new girlfriend yet?"

"You know how busy I am."

"Boring… as always your life’s so tedious..."

"What about you? I guess you've already move on with Anne, right?"

"Of course! It’s been a year, I almost forget it."

"Really? How come?"

"She's not the only woman in this world, right?" Nathan chuckled.

"Yes, of course! But I remember you've been taking that too hard, you didn't even told me about it.

"It's not something you'll be interested to listen too and besides I realized it’s not worst at all, it's normal!"

Henry didn't speak; he just stared at him while sneering that forced  Nathan to talk about Kimberly.

"Honestly, I met someone...” he started raising his body and  face Henry enthusiastically.               

"Really?!" 

"Yah, it just that, she's different..." he said softly.

"Different? Like what? A foreigner?"

"No..."

"No, then what?"

"She's a prostitute."

"What?!? Are you damn crazy?!?" Henry was really shocked.

"Well, she’s not really a prostitute..."

"Not really a prostitute?!? Like semi. A semi- prostitute?!?" he greedily corrected.

"Well, yah, like that ..." taking a sip on the drink that Henry just served.

"C'mon Nathan, do you really think I'll lend my ears to you and have the interest to listen to a love story between a 

bachelor good-looking man with a prostitute?!? Oh..... a semi-prostitute?!?" teasing him harshly.

"Would you listen to me first!" he was a bit upset. So Henry just listen to him seriously. Nathan told almost everything from the start, how he met Kimberly at the bar, their first night and even about the hundred thousand deal.

"Why did she'll need that kind of amount?"  Henry curiously asked.

"I have no idea." he answers shaking his head.

"You should at least ask."

"I did… but she only told me about… needing it for a living."

"For a living? Like how?"

"Well, we have same reaction."

"Then what did she say?"

"We were interrupted… don’t worry I’ll ask it again when I get back."

Henry took a long pause and crossed his legs. Nathan knew that it was his way of obviously thinking about the situation and analyzing the story.

"So what do you think?!"

"You know me; I won’t tolerate you with that kind of foolishness!"

"You think its foolishness?"

"Honestly... yes! If that girl would ask you again for another amount I'm telling you… well, not just telling you... I'm warning you, it’s a scam! And I would be disgusted to hear that my best friend Nathan Conner has been such a fool victim!" 

Now, Nathan thinks about it and just keep his mouth shut. He straighten his body on the sofa.

“Hey! You're here for me, right? I might get jealous if you won't stop thinking about that semi-prostitute-girlfriend of yours!" Henry teased him again with a twinkling eyes, acting like a sweet woman. "Moron!" Nathan throws him the pillow.

 

****

They spend the whole night enjoying themselves at the bar. Having loads of drinks and of course ladies but Nathan didn't drink much thinking about the board meeting tomorrow. Which turned out successful, everyone was startle on how Nathan done it. And be proud that they are part of a company with a very smart, resourceful, imaginative, good-looking creator. An excellent idea as what his dad exclaim joyfully. He even received a standing ovation from all the board members and staffs.

 

"So when would you drop by to my place?" Nathan asked Henry while they were at the airport waiting for his flight back to Burnham city.

"Next month."

"Really?"

"Yes, my dad wants me to do the internship at the hospital, since it would end it up like that, anyway."

"That would be great!"

"Yah, mom already arrange a victory party for me after passing the board… So I'll be expecting you there, I invited all of them, Archie, Johnny and the others."

"Good, can’t wait!"

"You must bring that semi-prostitute girlfriend you're talking about crazily!"

"I'm not crazy!"

"Not yet! But you're on a peak of being like it."  Henry laughed hard that Nathan slapped his back to stop.

"Whatever!" he said walks inside.

"Have a safe trip!"  Henry waved his goodbye.

"Thanks."

 

 

 

Author's Note

how's my writing???