Unleashed

Be A Good Girl

David wondered if "soon" felt like an eternity to Riley, because it did to him. Work annoyed him, his relationships with women annoyed him, and nothing made his time away from home and away from Riley worth it, except for Stacy. Stacy was the barista at the coffee shop in the lobby of David's building. She was probably in her young twenties, maybe still in college, and often got his order wrong. He found it endearing, a quirk he could happily overlook given her appearance.

Stacy was beautiful, with a perfectly proportioned body, radiant skin, and hair that exuded youthful beauty he rarely saw in women his own age. David assumed she had moved to a big city college to make it big like so many other small-town girls before her. He had convinced himself that it was her ambition that attracted him, though his sister argued that it was her youthful appearance and body shape. She refused to talk to him while he "continued to prey on impressionable young women," but David knew she was simply bitter from a painful divorce that left her forty, overweight, and a single mother of three children. She's just jealous.

"Good morning," David practiced saying the phrase in various ways as he drove to work. He cleared his throat and tried a deeper version, "Good morning. That's it! That's the one. Such a smooth tone."

He could tell Stacy liked him. Who wouldn't? He had money, he maintained his physique, and knew his smile was a selling point. Stacy would be no different, and after months of flirting and a failed relationship, he was ready to make his move.

He sauntered to the front doors of his office building. There she was, bathed in morning light from the front windows of the building, as if it were a sign from above.

"Today is your day," David thought to himself.

He stood in line behind a woman who ordered some sugary drink that she didn't need. When it was finally his turn, he approached the counter and offered his smooth, "Good morning."

"Morning," Stacy replied with a smile.

"I'll have the usual."

"The usual?" She questioned. David smiled. He knew she was playing coy.

"You forgot my order?" He teased, laughing while clutching his heart. "Coffee, black."

"Sorry, Duncan. I just get so many people in here it's hard to keep track."

David laughed it off, she continued the banter with an incorrect name. Now was his chance. He could feel it.

"It's David. That's twice you've hurt my feelings today, Stacy."

"David." She hit her forehead with her open palm. "I'm so sorry. You can have this one on the house."

"Really?"

"Yeah, wouldn't want to make one of my best customer's angry."

David stepped aside and watched her pour his coffee into the cup before preparing the woman's order. He wondered how she would mess it up this time. Would it be cold? Did she overcook the beans and make it undrinkable? It didn't matter. He'd drink anything she made.

"You know." He leaned onto the counter as he watched her. "I feed my plants my extra coffee in the mornings. That's why I need to stop by here so often."

"Well, I'll have to thank your plants for your loyal patronage," Stacy replied, slipping a sleeve onto the cup and offering it to David.

"Yes, the nitrogen in coffee-"

"I have a meeting," the woman who was waiting interrupted him. "Is there any way you can get started on my order?"

"I'm sorry about that."

Stacy, under pressure, turned away from David and started fumbling around with the cups. David pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. He could feel the moment slipping through his fingers.

"I'll see you later, Stacy," David said as he walked away. She didn't respond, leaving him feeling frustrated.

His day was supposed to be special. Their day. He shook off his disappointment. Riley would make everything better when he got home. In the meantime, he still had work for the day and his boss had a big announcement. He'd been up for another promotion, and if he got it, it might be the signal to return to the coffee shop and be more assertive with Stacy.

"David," he heard his name as he entered the office. "Come on over, we're meeting in conference room three."

Chuck, his boss, waved him down to join the others already in the room. David raised a hand and made his way over to Chuck.

"Chuck," he acknowledged. "Still got some big news for us?"

"You know it," Chuck replied, smiling and gesturing toward the conference room.

David smiled, hoping that he was part of the big news, and took a seat near the front of the rectangular table, where Chuck often sat.

As David looked around the room, he noticed that only the most important people in the company were present. He wondered what his new title would be, thinking that Vice President sounded nice, but he'd likely be satisfied with Director. Suspense was building, and he was eager to hear the big news. He couldn't even take a sip of Stacy's coffee while he waited.

"Welcome, welcome," Chuck cheered in the hallway. David looked up as Chuck greeted the woman who ordered the sugary drink and ruined his interactions with Stacy. David couldn't help but wonder why she was there; she wasn't a part of the company, nor was she Chuck's wife. She was merely the woman who had disrupted his time with Stacy.

"Everyone, meet Hellen. Your new boss."