--4--
You leaned against the wall, cheeks filled with air as you impatiently puffed. You flicked your wrist, looking down at your watch. Maybe you were wrong for assuming this long lost package of yours would be near the customer service desk. Since it was an email from customer service. Here's to hoping. Your eyes glanced over the crowd, scuttling left and right into various lines for security checks.
So much for brunch. You'd made a reservation at a place you'd been wanting to try. Or not. You saw the staff member you originally spoke to emerging from a door behind the desk with a box in his hands, holding it out for you to take. You thanked him with a smile and light nod, turning to leave, you almost bumped into someone. "Oop, I'm sorry!" You gave the quick apology and kept moving.
"Why were they standing so close?" Your mom interjected. You reclined on the couch, phone on speaker while you dug through your package. "You'll never guess." You let out an annoyed laugh, eyes going wide just thinking about it. "I could." You heard the shrug in her voice.
"I mean, yeah, but that'd be cheating."
"So are you going to tell me oorrrrrr?"
"Remember when I found that ring?"
She gasped. "NO."
"Yes. YES. Because I was just minding my business, trying to leave and I feel like I'm being followed. I turn around and I don't see anyone I know but I make eye contact with someone a few feet behind me."
Through the waves of people, an unfamiliar face watched you. You knew it was the person standing behind you at the customer service date, but who were they? You were so close to the exit. And she'd followed you from there? Lip curling and eyes scanning for-
There.
The restroom. You slid inside, setting your box down next to the sink and leaning your hip against the counter. Waiting. Your arms crossed, the fluorescent bulbs buzzed above you, a steady drip from a faulty faucet accompanied you.
You checked your watch.
Drip.
If she's feeling froggy, she better jump.
Drip.
And make it timely.
Drip.
The heavy restroom door opened, peeling back as your stalker for the day walked in. Clad in a black fitted outfit and sunglasses on her crown holding her hair back. "Do we have a problem?"
"We do not." Her almond toned hand held the door open. Another walking in.
Drip.
Are you so fucking serious right now?
Drip.
You looked at the familiar face, door closing behind them as they walked in.
Drip.
"Hello, Bianca." You sighed out. "Hello." She sized you up, looking at you from head to toe. "You look well."
"I could be better." You adjusted yourself some, arms still crossed. "Any reason in particular for your buddy over there following me?" You look between the two of them.
"I wanted to talk to you."
"Oh, well, if that's the case." You dug through the bag on your side and pulled out one of your business cards, holding it out for her. "You can just call or text me, I-"
"I need to talk to you now." She ignored it.
"On a scale of one to ten." You huffed.
"Nine."
"Sounds like you should call me." You held the card out further. "I'm not going to call you, we need to talk now."
You looked at your watch. "Look. I have a reservation I need to get to, and this is holding me up. So you either take this card and call me, or we talk this over brunch. We aren't talking here. Your call."
"Why aren't you taking me-"
"Sounds like you'll call me. I'll just leave this here." You slid your card into the front pocket of her trench coat and took up your box, heading for the door. "No! I-"
"The Tavern, 11:15." You called behind yourself.
"Personally," Your mom interrupted. "I wouldn't take that kind of disrespect."
"And I didn't."
"OOOH, what you do?"
"I got to the restaurant and told them I had two stragglers. Asked very nicely if they could accommodate and they did. Those two show up and she gets to talking. I don't remember what she opened with but I definitely told her I needed time to focus on the menu before talking about whatever the hell she was on."
"Not you getting her heated before noon."
"Who told her to have her lil' girlfriend stalk me through the airport? Not I!"
"So...?"
"I order my food, they order their food. Well, her partner ordered for her because she was too busy staring at my forehead."
"Girl-"
"I know. Anyway!"
You sipped from your mimosa, after taking an enjoyed bite from your appetizer. "What is it you wanted to talk about?" You asked after clearing your throat.
Hands clasped together on the table, Bianca leaned forward. "Who is Toshinori to you?"
Bitch what the fuck?
"Who is that?" You knitted your brows lightly, feigning ignorance. "Toshinori." She repeated herself. "You're saying that like I'm supposed to know who that is."
"Do you not-Did he not?-"
"Who? Did who what?"
"Him."
"Who?"
"All Might." She leaned forward. Your eyes widened, lip curling in disgust. "Does he know you go around just throwing his government name in the air like that?"
"I assumed you knew." She sighed out. "Why?" You shook your head. "I never asked. If he wanted to tell me he would have."
"How long do you plan to live like that?"
"Does it matter?"
"You'll wait until he tells you then?"
"You don't think it's a little early to be projecting?" You scoffed.
"Excuse me?"
"You could stand to make it less obvious. So, what, he took however long to tell you and you thought he would've told me sooner why?"
"He can be unpredictable."
You sighed. "You know, when I said we could talk over brunch, I didn't mean whatever this is. This." You chuckled, a little annoyed, into your drink. "This is." You just shook your head again, taking a sip. "I'll get to the point then." The satchel she had resting on the back of her chair, she turned to grab. Placing it in her lap and opening it quickly, it didn't take her long to pull out a handful of, from where you sat, what looked like photographs.
"What the fuck?"
"That's what I said! Mom, please! Please, tell me why she had all these photos."
"I'm waiting on you to tell me!"
Flabbergasted. You sat there, mouth ajar while she laid the photos one by one on the table in front of you. Each one having a different face, people you'd never seen before. That's when she started pointing. The gumption. The gall filled with iterations of 'He was with her for however many months and then came back to me. They lasted this long and then he called me. This was hardly a week. He was hung up on this one for a while but still came back to me.'
"Why do you have these?" Your brows furrowed looking over the display.
"He met her in Argentina," She paused. "I kind of liked her for him. He called me when it ended. We were together for a while and then," she set down another photo."
"What the fuck." You sat back, pushing yourself away from the table. Glaring between her and the photo of you and Might at cafe Greene all that time ago. "You're obsessed."
"I'm trying to warn you."
You looked at her partner. "Did you know she was doing this? Are you okay with this?" She gave a look of defeat, waving it off before going back to her food. "Girl, you have got to get a grip."
"Are really going to ignore what's in front of you. This is to save you."
"I'm not ignoring shit. I see more than one problem here and I'm genuinely concerned for everyone involved." You scoffed. "So you've been stalking him between your relationships, not just him, but his significant others too. WHY? Like, what is the end goal here?"
"I'm trying to save you some heartbreak, and get you out of dodge before it's too late."
You muttered curses under your breath, rubbing your face while trying to rationalize everything that was happening. "How long have you been watching me?" You frowned.
"Only until I met you at the bar-"
"Bitch." You didn't mean to let that slip, but damn this was all coming from left field. "Then that was a set up. You set me up!"
"I only wanted to see what was between the two of you. I thought he-"
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Somewhat."
"You know what, I don't think this meeting should continue."
"No, he's got you under his thumb doesn't he?" She pointed at one photo. "He's manipulative." Another photo. "Secretive." Another photo. "Possessive." She set a hand on her chest. "He'll shower you with everything you want to distract you from the fact that he's separating you from your home."
Frown still plastered on your face, it took every fiber of your being to not make a scene. Thoughts racing through your mind while you tried to find a response in the flood of unsolicited information being forced down your throat. Your hands were clasped in your lap when it dawned on you. This is what I call a pro gamer move.
"Bianca, I'm sorry that happened to you, but I haven't met that version of him." She sat there, mouth agape, and silent. "W-What?" This is something I gotta work through on my own, not with you. "I said I'm sorry that happened to you. I'm not sure if cheating was your way of getting back at him, or if all of this is to truly warn me, or push me away from him so he'll come back to you like you say he does when this," you waved over the photos, "doesn't work out."
"No, I'm helping you."
"Understand my point of view. Your girlfriend follows me through the airport, I assume by your request, then with the opportunity to 'help' and 'save' me, you show me you've not only been stalking him but also his lovers. Then you pull out a photo of him and I because-"
"I assumed you were together."
"Because we were at a cafe? Wait..." You shook your head. "You saw us, found out where I worked, did the whole drunk sad girl thing ...don't tell me." You snapped your fingers. "You thought you could have what you wanted: her," You pointed at her partner "and him, as long as he had something to keep him happy."
"It wasn't entirely like that-"
"But it was enough, and since he told you no-" You took a deep exhale in realization. "Bianca, you're doing a lot of work for someone you can have back when I'm done."
"Excuse me?"
"You're doing a lot for someone you can have back when I'm don-"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what it sounds like." You shrugged. "He's loaded. Since we're telling our truths here, it's really not that deep."
"No, no. Explain what you're trying to say to me."
"I mean, I'm not sure how else to explain it." You pursed your lips for a moment. "He's got money and I want it."
"You're disgusting."
"I'm an entrepreneur." You leaned forward, dropping your voice. "This is going to sound really personal, but does he pull out? Because he doesn't look like he does."
"What!"
"Lower your voice, damn." You chuckled. "You literally just confirmed for me that he's down atrocious, so I don't think it'd be hard to just tell him to, y'know, not put a condom on."
"Stop."
"No." You said firmly. "I let you talk, now I feel the need to clear the air. I don't want you to be confused about anything. Moving forward, do the two of you have any kids? He hasn't mentioned children."
"He...He told me he wasn't ready for a family."
"I'll take that as a no." You sucked your teeth. "So here's the deal. He doesn't pull out, I keep it, right? Right." You lifted your brows. "I'll have his kid on my hip, his money in my Birkin, and you can have your man back." You paused, but not for long, waiting on a response. "Obviously," You rolled your eyes leisurely. "I won't be completely out of the picture. I'm thinking every other weekend, birthdays, and holidays. I don't want them growing up thinking daddy doesn't love them or whatever. I want them to experience that nuclear family thing but we'd be more or a blended family kind of scenario."
Only interrupted by the significant other's cough, and rapidly changing facial expressions. "What's the problem? Is this not what you said would happen? We do whatever happens between us and then he comes back to you. This is a win win-"
"You're going to hurt him..." Her voice wavered, you laughed. "He was damaged goods when I got him because someone doesn't think open relationships require consent from all parties beforehand. I'm returning him to you the way he was received."
"You can't do that." Bianca protested, chest heaving. "You can't!"
"Sssh," You held a finger over your lips. "don't cause a scene."
"You can't- I won't let you. I! I-!"
"You need to give it up." You sighed, terrible table manners taking over you when you leaned forward on bent elbow. Resting your head in your palm you looked over her flushing face and welling eyes. "No," she shook her head, "No, you can't-"
"Did you even look at the card I gave you, Bianca?" You watched as she dug in her coat pocket. "I'm his employee."
She wiped at her eyes, reading over the small paper. "A rehire. If anything, he felt bad that I was laid off so unjustly." You puffed. "You need to let him go. Seems like you both suck ass." You frowned. "But you just-" She knitted her brows. "You just said."
"I said a lot of things, since you assumed I couldn't handle any of his toxicity or yours for that matter. I can assure you there's nothing going on between my employer and myself." You looked up at the approaching figure. "Oh! Main course!" You smiled as your food was set in front of you, ignoring the strange look from the waiter when he saw the spread of photos across the table.
You dug in, taking a well deserved bite while it was still hot. "I suggest you cut all ties." You shrugged. "That's what I'd do. Stop answering his calls." You took another bite, hearing the significant other speak up. "That's what I said."
"You've got the right idea." You nodded. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"We were supposed to be doing just that." She explained, you hummed. "I didn't get your name."
"Freia."
"I wish we met in better circumstances, Freia. Tell me about what you were supposed to be doing."
"Packing everything in the condo and shipping it back home."
"Sounds like a plan. You want an extra set of hands?"
"What? Why would you?" Bianca asked softly. "I mean, I broke you to prove a point, I think the least I could do is help you get away from the guy." You offered. "I can pull a few strings if you want. He won't know you're here or what you're doing. Hell, I'll sell the condo through a third party if you want."
"You'd do that?" Freia sat up. "I don't see why not. Here," You pulled out your phone. "put your numbers in there and we'll get this ball rolling."
"You...you are your father's child." Your mother sighed, a small laugh coming through. "I'm yours too."
"What happened after that?" She asked. "They texted me a good time to come over and help and I did. It took a few days and things were sent off in batches. I realized she had a Japan number on a Japanese service provider. She lost her phone. We figured it must've been in one of the boxes."
"Was it not?"
"Nah I bubbled it and crushed it." You stretched, spine popping as you did so. "She can get a new phone, new number, and new service when she gets home."
"Damn."
"It is what it is." You shrugged. "They should be there by now. I drove them to the airport this afternoon."
"...Damn. Well what else did you do other than scare the shit out of your roommate's ex?"
Roommate. It was a little weird hearing her say that after explaining your escapade even with omitting those details. The roommate in question. Or his ex confessing that she only knew his name because she dug through his wallet one day, eagerly wanting to call him by his name, tired of the 'honey's' and 'baby's'. Roommate... "Uhm. I found a kitten."
"How's that going?"
"Pretty good so far. I saw a pretty sad scene. Mama cat was hit by a car, and just one soaking wet ball of fur was sitting in a puddle next to her. Like he was waiting for her to get up."
"Awh, that is awful."
"Yeah, so I bought an incubator."
"Don't say that so casually." You mom laughed. "But I did! It's not too big and I cleared my nightstand for it. I got him nice and clean and bought some kitten formula, a blanket, and a little stuffed animal for him to curl up with."
"What'd you name 'em?"
"Soot. He looks like a little soot sprite."
"That's adorable. Does your roommate like cats?"
"We're gonna find out whenever he gets home."