Like a Bird (25 page)

Gareth released his grip on her and she remained soft, moving only to turn her head and wipe her tears with the back of her hand. He pulled her up to face him. He cradled her head and she leaned in, holding his hand in place with hers. He wiped away the streaks of black on her cheek, pulled her head toward him, and kissed her deeply. Sky wrapped her arm around his head and gripped him.

They drifted a few inches apart and looked at each other.

Sky took a deep breath and cast her eyes downward. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered, the words barely escaping her mouth.

“I know,” he whispered back.

- -

The helicopter arrived to take Sky downtown for the afternoon and evening. Gareth stood with her in the foyer and put his hands on her shoulders to turn her to face him.

“I put a few things in your purse that you might need.” He opened her bag to show her. He dug around inside and pulled out an old cell phone. “This still works, it’s fully charged and will only dial me, Denise, and 911. If you call 911 it’ll alert me as well.” He dropped the phone back in the bag and took out a small aerosol can. “This is mace, if someone attacks you, spray it in their face if you can. And don’t try it on yourself. You’ll regret it.” He pulled out a metal rod with a pointed end attached to a set of keys.

Sky stood still and humored him with her attention.

“This is for self-defense, you can jab someone with it. Go for the soft spots. Carry it in your hand at all times, if you want. Don’t worry if you lose it, these are old keys.” Gareth opened a wallet to reveal a small stack of bills. “Use this for whatever you want. If you get held up at gunpoint or knifepoint or whatever, just give them the money. It’s not worth getting hurt for.”

Sky rolled her eyes and sighed. “Gare,” she said and held his face between her hands, “I lived on the streets. I can handle the city.”

Gareth put the bag back on her shoulder and kissed her. Sky walked out the front door and headed for the waiting helicopter.

“Wait!” Gareth shouted, and she turned her head. “You’ll be picked up at 9:00 p.m., sharp. The same place where you’ll be dropped off. Let me get you a watch.” He held up a finger for her to wait.

Sky called out to him, “I don’t need a watch. I can use the phone!”

“Oh yeah, right. OK, have a good time.” He stood in the front doorway with his hands shoved in his pockets and watched Sky depart until the helicopter was out of sight. He sent her a message.

Testing. Reply requested.

A few moments later he received her response.

Reply sent.

He smirked and headed upstairs for his office. At his computer he turned on his tracking software and followed the path of the helicopter for a few minutes to make sure it worked. As Sky inched closer to downtown, Gareth went to the window. Staring out at the tree line he rang Kitty.

“Hey, how are you?” she said, her voice bright and cheerful.

“I’m fine,” he replied. “I’m calling about the sample pictures you sent.” Gareth moved away from the window and began to wander around his office.

“Oh, you got them. That’s great. What do you think? I thought everything turned out beautifully.”

“It looks great. How’s the quality of the material and craftsmanship?”

“Excellent! I’m really impressed with the quality. I think you should see it in person.”

Gareth paused as he picked some fluff off the top of his desk.

“Why don’t you go ahead and have the other samples made, and then we’ll set something up,” he said.

“That sounds great. But, umm . . .”

“I’ll release the funds for the remaining pieces.”

“Perfect! Thank you, darling. I think you’re going to be very happy with the results,” Kitty said with a hint of seduction in her voice.

“Keep me updated. If you run into any trouble, let me know right away.”

“Will do,” Kitty sang. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

Gareth huffed and smiled. “Good-bye, Kitty.” He placed his phone on the desk, quickly checked Sky’s progress, and then transferred the funds to Kitty’s account.

Chapter 19

Kitty pranced into the living room where Daniella and Johnathan cuddled on the couch. She did a pirouette followed by her best mock ballet performance in front of the TV.

“What’s wrong with you?” Daniella asked. “You’re blocking the movie.”

“I just received the funding to continue with the rest of the swimsuit project. Which means, I just came into some significant
moola
.”

Daniella perked up. “Really? I guess that means we have to celebrate.”

“It certainly does.” Kitty replied.

“Takeout?” Daniella asked.

Kitty stopped and stared at the pair on the couch. “Hell no! We’re going to the Brixton. Only the best for us.” Kitty declared.

Daniella groaned. “You mean I have to get dressed?”

“Is that the club where people are lined up down the block?” Johnathan asked.

“Yep.”

“How are we going to get in there?” he asked.

“Kitty power, baby. Just leave it to me.” Kitty skipped out of the room to begin her personal prep.

- -

Sky stood on the street corner with her back to a brick wall. She studied the way people walked, the styles of their shoes and their clothes, a girl wearing a weightless afro on a bright blue bike, a scrawny guy on a skateboard who effortlessly wove his way down the street. She tried to take it all in. Streetlights flashed, sirens rang out, and people moved along like they knew where they were going.

A small café with a patio caught her eye, so she went in that direction. Inside she ordered an Earl Grey tea and sat at a corner table by a window open to the street. She pulled her book out of her bag and pretended to read while she blew on her steaming cup and watched the people streaming by.

When her tea was cold and nearly finished, she sent a note to Gareth.

Sitting at a café with a cup of tea.

She put the phone away and looked up as a guy with thick, plastic glasses put his hand on the seat across from her. He had lank dark hair and wore nothing but black, including his eyeliner.

“Is anyone sitting here?” he asked.

Sky subtly shook her head. He put his coffee next to her cup and sat down.

“I’m Greg,” he said and held out his hand.

“I’m leaving,” Sky mumbled. She put her bag on her shoulder and stood to go.

“Hey, whoa! Sorry beautiful, we seem to have got off to a rough start here.” Greg put his hand out to block her only exit.

“I’m very much taken,” she warned and, without taking her eyes off him, slipped her hand in her bag to feel for the can of mace.

Greg put his hands in the air and let her pass. “OK, OK. I was only trying to be friendly. . .” His voice faded as Sky walked onto the street.

She hurried down the sidewalk until she was at least two blocks from the café. At the second set of lights she turned around to confirm Greg hadn’t followed her. On the opposite corner she spotted a lingerie store, the lace and satin a provocative distraction from the café. She crossed the street and stood outside the door with her finger on her lip, contemplating going in. In the window a black lace bra with delicate details caught her eye and she went inside.

The shop was neat, sparse, and had a lovely aroma that smelled like she imagined a proper boudior might. An older saleswoman greeted Sky with a warm smile and discreetly looked down at her bust. “32 C,” the saleswoman stated.

Sky stared at her in amazement and nodded.

“What can I help you find?”

Sky pointed. “I like the black lace bra in the window.”

The older woman smiled and went straight to a little shelf and pulled out her size.

“We have it in other colors, too,” she said.

“I like black,” Sky replied.

She directed Sky to a change room. Once inside, she put her bag down on the bench and stared at the full-length mirror. It had been months since she had seen her own reflection in anything larger than a compact. She turned to each side and around to the back to stare over her own shoulder and then leaned in to examine her face. Either the baby or Takao’s cooking had put a little weight on her and her skin glowed. Though she had brushed her hair, her frizzy split-ends were in desperate need of a trim. Sky pulled off her little black T-shirt, removed her plain bra, and admired her breasts in the mirror. She put on the lace bra and adjusted herself in it. The lace was surprisingly soft and the fit perfect. Never in her life had she tried on just one bra that fit like it was made for her. The price tag made her wince, and she checked the wallet Gareth had given her. There was more than enough to cover it, and she had already discovered he had hidden extra cash in another pocket of her bag and a few more dollars in her jean pocket.

Sky put her old bra and T-shirt back on. She paid and put the neatly wrapped gift to Gareth in her bag.

- -

Gareth sat by a fire in the library with his computer in his lap and cup of tea in one hand. He took a sip and allowed himself to be mesmerized by the orange and yellow flames. He lifted the cup to his lips again as his phone rang on the table. It was Denise.

“What’s up?” he asked.

“I’ve been going through your numbers and putting together some forecasts. I thought you’d want to hear about it sooner rather than later,” Denise answered.

“It’s a Saturday night,” he said. “Why are you working?”

Denise laughed. “And what are you doing on this fine Saturday evening?”

“Just spending some time by the fire with a cup of tea,” Gareth said and smiled to himself. “How are the numbers looking?”

A silence hung on the line.

“Not good. Your personal investments are stable, so I’m not worried about that right now, but the company is bleeding money. You’ve got to stop spending and pay off your debts or find a new revenue stream in the next two months.”

Gareth leaned forward and brought his hand to his face. He rubbed is forehead and sighed.

Denise continued, “The largest drains are the principal salaries, including mine. You’ve also recently sent out a sizable amount to Katherine Andersson. I don’t want to tell you what to do with your personal life, but that’s probably not a good use of funds.”

“It’s a business investment,” Gareth retorted.

“Well, I hope it’s not misguided.”

Gareth cleared his throat. “I’m not Louis,” he said. “What do you recommend?”

“I’m not really in a position to tell you what to do with your . . .”

“Yes, you are. Your job is on the line. I’m asking for a recommendation.”

Denise took deep breath. “I would consider reducing the two principal salaries or cancelling them altogether. Louis is going to protest because it means he’ll have nothing. I’d suggest a pay cut for myself but you’re such a pain in the ass.”

Gareth rubbed the scruff on his chin. “Can I pay all my bills with my personal dividends?”

“Yes, no problem.”

“Then scratch my salary and cut Louis back. I’ll talk to him.”

“OK, that will take effect on Monday.”

“That’s fine, thank you Denise. I appreciate the call. Send me your spreadsheets and I’ll look them over.”

“No more big expenses until you get some cash flowing again, OK?”

“All right.” Gareth hung up and found he was standing in front of the bar. He poured himself a tall Scotch, neat.

- -

In the flickering yellow light of a classic diner, Sky pulled a large bill out of her wallet and left it on the table. She collected her things and slid along the plastic booth seat to make her way back out to the street. The bright city lights held the darkness at bay. Only the people and traffic passing quickly disturbed the air around her.

Sky pulled the phone out of her bag and checked the time, 8:47 p.m. There was also a message from Gareth.

Sitting by the fire with a cup of tea also. Enjoy your evening.

Sky smiled and reread the message four times. Someone bumped into her shoulder as he breezed past and broke the spell. She looked up as the man turned back, and she felt there was something familiar about his beard, pointed nose, and droopy brown eyes. They stared at each other and as recognition set in she felt her own throat closing in on itself as though there were a strong hand around her neck.

“Sky,” he said as a sneer crept onto his face. “Let me help you with your bags.” He took hold of the strap but she gripped her bag and pulled it close.

“Do you remember me?” he asked in a threatening whisper.

Sky looked away, her eyes darting to any possible exit. “Bradley,” Sky pleaded, her eyes asking for mercy.

He put his arm around her and yanked her in as he guided her further down the street. They came to a forbidding alleyway, with a dumpster covered in graffiti that might have been vibrant once but was now muted by grime. Bradley pulled Sky into the shadows.

She quickly spun out of his arm but he grabbed her shirt and dragged her back. Before she could scream, something hard hit the back of her head and the street went black.

- -

Heads turned as Kitty walked along the outside edge of the red rope with Daniella, Johnathan, and Creep in tow. The men stood with their jaws slack and the women looked her up and down through narrowed eyes.

At the front of the line a twig of a girl balanced on heels and gripped a clipboard. She scanned Kitty from head to toe. “The back of the line is down there,” she said, pointing.

Kitty looked past her and strode up to the broad-shouldered bouncer wearing a grim expression.

“Kitty, baby!” he exclaimed, his face lighting up as he held his arms out toward her. “What you doin’ here? You come to party with us?”

“You bet,” Kitty said and touched his arm playfully.

“Who you got with you?” He looked around her. “Creep! My man. What’s goin
’
on? Haven’t seen you in ages, boy.” With his hand out he pulled Creep in for a light embrace. “Man, you look as nasty as ever, my friend. What you doin’ with this beautiful angel?” The bouncer smiled at Kitty, who was waiting near the door.

She flashed Creep a crooked grin as the bouncer reached out to open the rope and let them through the door. Kitty blew him a kiss and he caught it, placing his palm on his crotch. Kitty smirked to herself and the four of them walked into the chaos. The flickering lights and pounding bass sent a pulse up their spines. In her little skirt and glittery heels, Kitty flicked her pink hair back and sashayed straight to the dance floor like an inner-city princess. The crowd parted before her as though she were a biblical figure in a push-up bra, parting the sea of dancers with the swing of her hips.

“I need a drink,” Daniella shouted and grabbed Johnathan by the hand, dragging him in the direction of the bar.

- -

When Sky came to, there was a thumping sound, the clink of glass, and muffled chatter. It felt as if someone were tapping her on the head with a mallet. She groaned and reached for her aching head, but her arm seemed stuck. She tugged again and could feel a pull on her wrist and hear the clatter of a chain. Her vision was blurry, so she tried to blink away the fog, and when that didn’t work she rubbed her eyes with her prosthetic arm.

The dark corner she was chained up in was on the far side of a large room, romantically lit by chandeliers, and teeming with people. An empty wingback chair was next to her and it looked like a small side table had been moved from the spot where she now sat. Four people were squeezed on a sofa across from her with a table situated between her and them. Through the table legs, Sky could see a blond woman snort a row of powder with a little straw and then flop back into the arms of the guy next to her. Sky leaned her head against the wall and closed her eyes.

“Hey! You’re awake.” Jared’s voice banged against her skull.

Sky instinctively closed her arms around herself as a shield. She stared at the wall. She didn’t need to see him, she knew what he looked like.

Jared plopped into the wingback chair and grabbed her face to pull it toward him. “I think we should celebrate being reunited, don’t you baby?” He leaned in as she averted her eyes. He reached to the other side of the chair and put her bag in his lap. He zipped it open to root around. The first item he pulled out was the package wrapped in pretty tissue paper, tied with a neat bow. “Why thank you sweetheart. You really didn’t have to bring me a present though. Getting you back is reward enough.” He stroked her cheek.

Sky pulled away and he smacked her with the back of his hand. “You’ve got a little defiant since you’ve been gone.” Jared ripped open the tissue and the lace bra flew onto the floor. He scooped it up and admired it. “Damn. It’s exactly what I wanted. Lace too . . . very nice.” He held it up to her chest then squeezed each breast in his palm, making her wince.