Rita was overjoyed when her boss called her and told her he would not be coming into work that morning. This was a never before known score for her. A three and a half day weekend! Yes! Rita plopped back down on her bed. It technically would not be the best since she was on her period but she would take staying at home versus going to work with cramps, a pad and a temperature.
In five minutes, Rita was out if her work clothes and into her comfy slacks. Her hair piled up high on her head. Sloppily but high. She caught a glimpse of her reflection on the shiny surfaces in the house. First days of periods were an absolute bitch. She looked like she had not had enough sleep in days. She looked like a ghoul. And felt worse than she looked. That is, if ghouls felt anything.
Ok, first order of the day, painkillers. She reached for the drug cabinet when a cramp had her freeze and bend over clutching her stomach. Yeah, painkillers definitely. Maybe skip the breakfast, just have some tea and crawl back into bed.
After the cramp lessened, Rita popped a painkiller in her mouth. Quickly made herself a flask of hot tea, grabbed some snacks and a water bag. She was heading back to her room when she spied the bouquet again. They sat in a vase in the hallway. They had looked too pretty to die just after a day. She did not want them to die that easily. She was happy she did.
They reminded her what tomorrow was. She would have to call mum. By now, she and her boyfriends would be off their vacation. Rita groaned and zombie walked to get room clutching her stay in bed essentials.
*****
“I take it she liked the flowers?” His brother asked. An undertone of nervousness in his voice. It could be but he was not sure. Sawyer leaned against his chair, clearly bored with the situation. “Liked is a strong word,” he gestured with his hands. “She just accepted them.”
Sawyer was bored yes, but he was also curious. “Not sure what she did with them though but she accepted them. Eventually. Why did you send her lilies anyway?”
“I was just checking something.” His brother answered while tapping away at the keyboard in front of him.
A minute passed, then two. All filled with silence and the sound of clicking. Sawyer humphed. “How about you actually have a conversation with her?" he offered.
His brother did not stop what he was doing but answered. “I'm pretty sure she would push me and take off running.”
“So? That is the worst thing she can do.”
His brother did not say a word and continued with typing and staring away at his computer screen.
“Whatever. I'm not being your middleman anymore. This was just a one time thing.” Sawyer grumbled. “All this time and the idea of talking to one woman has your backbone pull a disappearing act.” he growled. This was not what he came here for.
His brother stopped typing and looked up from the computer. “She's different.” His brother replied with a shine in his eyes, smiling and looking every bit like a lovestruck puppy. It was frightening. The only time Sawyer's brother smiled at him was when he was going to throw him down a well or run him over or something. He had not seen this smile before and he worried a teeny bit about the poor current woman his brother had set his eyes on.
“They are all different. Look, just know that I am not running any more love errands. Find someone else to do those. We both know why I am here. State your terms and let's get on with it.” Sawyer growled. He did not appreciate having his apartment and cars taken without his notice. When the notice did come, had every intention of doing away with his brother's messengers. They must have sensed it because they were gone seven seconds later.
Sawyer's brother brought his palms together and intertwined his fingers. “I see.” Looking at his brother through his platinum rimmed glasses. “Well, since you do not want to continue my small errand, I'm sure you would not mind doing all these instead then.”
Sawyer watched his brother bring out a piece of folded paper from his desk drawer and hand it over too him. Sawyer took the paper from his brother and unfolded it. His eyes going through its contents and widening with each line he read. Sawyer looked back to his brother and the paper in his hands and back to his brother again. “You are not serious? You can't.” The lovestruck smile was gone and replaced with one Sawyer knew all too well. The bastard saw his refusal coming.
“Actually, I can.” His brother stated, a smug look plastered on his face. His black eyes glittering with victory. Sawyer really wanted to wack it off his face. “So pick one. My little errand or all of these.”
Sawyer's red eyes held his brother's black ones and he clenched his jaws. "I can't believe this. Really brother?!" His brother was an asshole but it seemed lately he had risen to knew heights. This went against everything in the bro code.
“It is entirely up to you, Sawyer. You do want your cars and apartment back, right?”
“We have been family for how long now? And you decide to put me between a rock and a hard place because you have a crush?” Sawyer threw his hands in the air. A downtrodden expression painting his face. “What is this world coming to?!”
“Oh stop with the act. You are getting less and less believable with each passing year.” His acting skills were still good enough to get him ladies. “Besides if you do well you might just get the keys to the underwater condo you have wanted so badly."
Sawyer fixed his brother with an incredulous stare. “Wait. Hold on. You are willing to give up one of your 'crown jewels' to me?” When his brother made no joke or passing comment at the question, Sawyer knew he was serious . He smiled deviously. “Ok, this might not be as bad as I thought. If I do a good job you will give me all my stuff back plus that condo, notakebacksies?”
“Yes.” His brother answered.
Sawyer rubbed his hands together but this was tricky business. His older brother was a fickle person when it came to giving him stuff. There was always some loophole. “Even if she does not go out with you?” Sawyer needed to be sure.
“That all depends, now doesn't it?” Damn it! “You will also have to do all your work too. Think you can manage that?”
“How the hell am I supposed to do both at the same time?!” Sawyer growled.
“I do not know. That is for you to figure out.” Sawyer's brother answered, although it was not much of an answer, before going back to his computer.
Sawyer ran his hand over his face. “Anyone ever tell you that you are one heck of an asshole.” His brother did not even offer him a glance when he replied. “You would not believe. Get to work .”
Sawyer actually growled and threw the balled up paper on to the ebony desk. He stormed to the door, yanking it open. “Dick.”
“Lazy ass.” his brother countered.
Sawyer banged the door shut. “Asshole!” he shouted from outside the door.
****
“Hi, mum.” It was seven in the evening in Alvas, so
“Hello dear.”
“How are you?”
"I'm doing great. What about you?"
"Period's a total bitch luckily I got a day off." Also I met my ex of and he just happens to be my boss now. Did she forget to mention she was his personal assistant now and she almost got kidnapped and molested? “Nothing big going on. What's new in Condorsprings?”
“Nothing much. Dex is getting a really big promotion, Saviour bought another condo and–” Rita put the silenced the phone with a pillow , she was really not in the mood to hear about her mother's dragon boyfriends' achievements. The four of them had been in a relationship with her for two years now. It was really weird, annoying, a little bit humiliating and uncomfortable to think your own mother got more action than you were. Four times the action in her case.
When Rita was sure she was done talking about them, she released her phone from the pillows hold. “That all sounds great mum.”
“Thank you honey. Hold on first, I'm not done.”
Rita rolled her eyes and was about to put the speaker on the pillow when her mother dropped a bomb on her. “They proposed–”
“Wow! That's great! Congratulations!” So they have already decided to put a ring on it. Would that be ring or rings? That aside, Rita was happy. Finally, a piece of good news. "Have you told Piper yet?"
"No, I haven't. And also I think I'm pregnant."
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