Poseidon was a man of few words, but plentiful thoughts. While he preferred to keep most of them to himself, he always had a snarky comment to suffice. This is why it frustrated him beyond words when he couldn't even begin to understand just why he was so enamored with Theo.
He was never one for fairy tales or the cheesy love stories he found that mortals were obsessed with, yet every moment with her felt like something out of a movie. Somehow the world did slow down when he was with her. Nothing else but her existed to him when she was around.
And that reason alone was why he needed to steer clear of her until he felt like himself again.
The night that he took her to his sacred solace was a mistake he couldn't believe he made. At that moment, seeing her so down nearly killed him and he thought to do anything to make her smile. And it worked all too well.
While the god was having his own personal crisis, Theo woke up with a newfound pep in her step. She surprised herself when she leaped out of bed earlier than usual and danced around the kitchen cooking a hearty breakfast to start the day.
She was mid-concert when a sudden call interrupted her performance.
"This is Theo." She answered.
"And this is Alex. Do I hear Rick Astley in the background?"
"Um, must be the neighbors.." She said as she subtly lowered the volume.
"Right. So I was just calling to check on you, but it sounds to me like you're doing pretty good."
"I am. I feel great and focused. Although I have yet to reach out to Cassandra. But I feel like I'm getting a little bit of a handle on everything."
"That have anything to do with your late-night rendezvous with a certain someone?"
"It was not a rendezvous. It was a tranquil moment between friends and it was amazing. To be able to see just a sliver of his world before my eyes was unforgettable."
Just the very mention of the magic she witnessed brought a smile to her face as she dumped the steaming breakfast onto her plate.
"I can just feel the cheesy grin through the phone. He's got you sprung."
"Shut up. Is that all you called me for?"
"Pretty much. But aside from that, what's on the agenda for the day?"
"I'm having a quick sit down with Michael Rourke. Just to get him caught up on the article and hand the baton to him for a while. It's best that I take a step back for now so I can focus on the Renatta deal."
"Is he cute?" Alex had to ask.
"I have no idea. I did all my research and he's infamously private. The only time he pops out of his shell is for quick projects and then he's gone. It's admirable. Not many care so little about the recognition of their work."
"This is the same guy that busted the mayoral scandal last year?"
"Yup. Joan couldn't have picked a better writer."
"She did and that was you."
"Flatterer."
"Just being honest. But I should let you go. Don't forget to tell me if he's hot. If he is, let him know that you're single."
"Bye."
Once she ended the delightfully entertaining call, she finished her breakfast in record time. And the outfit for the day was a casual pair of skinny jeans and a plain white blouse that she paired with a flattering set of heels. And after spending what felt like a lifetime combing her hair, she made the sudden decision to walk to her destination for once.
It was a beautiful day outside with not a cloud in sight amidst the cerulean sky. And she could see herself enjoying the cool breeze through her hair. So with that, she began the short trek to meet Michael at a former favorite deli of hers. She'd often visit the place during her college years and it would no doubt feel like home to her. And for a meeting with one of the most mysterious men she'd ever known she needed al the extra comfort she could get.
To her surprise, it didn't take long to reach the shop but she wasn't the only patron there at the time. So it was left to her to deduct which of the few visitors was her target. Out of what she counted to be ten, luckily only two were men who appeared to be alone.
It was either the avid reader who had his head neck into the latest fantasy novel and the anxious man who took a glance at the door just about every other second. And once his eyes found hers, he all but knocked aside his table by standing up to his advantaged height to greet her. At a second glance, she noticed the stray beads of sweat that clung to the pitch-black waves that messily fell just above his shoulders.
His evident eagerness was cute but peculiar from someone with such a profound reputation before him.
"You must be Theo. It's me, Theo. I mean Mike-Michael-Michael Rourke. Whatever you wanna call me is fine." He stammered.
After pushing up the horn-rimmed glasses that slid down his nose a bit, he politely pulled up an extra chair for her and with a subtle wave towards the register, gathered the waiter's attention.
"Michael sounds great. A pleasure to meet you. I'm terribly sorry I couldn't do this sooner as I'm sure you probably just want to get the assignment over with."
"It's fine. If anything I'm glad you took the time out to do this rather than sending out some poor associate to do your bidding. It's refreshing to not have to look at yet another suit."
"You ever thought of settling at a company or founding your own?" Theo asked.
Before he could get the opportunity to answer, a server arrived at the table with a pen and pad in hand.
"What can I get you two today?"
"I'll have a small fruit bowl with a glass of water," Theo ordered.
"Another cup of coffee, black."
"I'll have that out for you shortly."
"Now back to your question, I like the change in pace and environment. No day is ever like the one before when I work independently."
"As opposed to a boring desk job like mine?"
"I'm sure you have your good days, but I prefer to set my own hours and work at my own schedule."
"Were you a hyperactive kid growing up?"
"Quite the opposite actually. I was the kid who was always neck-deep into a book and I spent the majority of my childhood trapped in my own little shell, which is why I go out of my way to shake it up a bit. What about you?"
"I was the exact same, yet I decided I was happiest that way and never felt the need to change too much. My shell is very comfortable and it takes a lot for me to leave my comfort zone."
Finally, the server returned with their order and Theo didn't hesitate to pick and chew as she rambled on.
"Has that ever affected your career or certain choices you've made in the field? How does one so introverted delve into a career of talking to a vast amount of personalities without becoming overwhelmed?" Michael then asked.
"Well, I kinda don't see them as people, if that makes sense. They're simply stories to me and it can be fun to see the world from their point of view and their experiences for even just a moment. And after the first few major assignments, I've grown confident in my voice and my skill."
"As you should be. I've studied your work and you have such a profound way of really allowing the reader to feel like such an imperative part of your storytelling process. You have a way of showing the best of everyone you meet and it's truly impressive. It's one of the main reasons I was eager to take the opportunity to work with you."
"Thank you. That's very kind of you to say and honestly, it actually won't be much with me at this point. I wouldn't want to hinder your own work and overshadow you this early. Knowing Ryan, it would probably be best to allow you to establish camaraderie with him on your own before I get back into the job full time."
"About that, I was wondering if-"
Just before he could finish his statement, Theo's phone rang and she was a bit surprised to see an unexpected call from Joan.
"I'm sorry. Let me just step outside really fast."
She then hurried outside to take the call.
"This is Theo. Everything okay?"
"Where are you? Are you busy?" Joan asked.
"I'm in a meeting. Did you need me to come in?"
"I wanted to talk to you in person, but I will tell you now. I wanted to let you know as soon as I found out in order to get to the bottom of this." She said.
"Tell me what?"
"Just this morning, Ryan has asked that you be removed from the article. From this day forward, Michael Rourke will take the lead full time."
"I-I'm sorry, what?"
Theo stilled at the surprising news and if she weren't so shocked, she might have found herself shattered that he would do this to her.
"He called earlier today and said he would rather work with him instead. So from here on out you are to hand the reins to Michael and focus on your recovery before jumping back into work."
"Oh. Did he say why he made the sudden request?"
"He didn't. He only made it certain that the two of you would not have to interact from here on out. Have you any idea why he would make a sudden request?"
"Not really. The last time we spoke, everything seemed fine. This is the first I'm hearing of any kind of conflict on his part. I swear to you Joan, I did nothing wrong."
"I believe you. I just find it strange since the entire project was his idea and he asked for no one but you to write it in the first place."
"He did?"
"Strangely enough, he did. But don't worry about it. He has made no complaints so there's nothing more that needs to be done."
"Okay."
"Theo. Did it get personal?" Joan felt the need to ask.
In just a few short moments, she could hear the utter disappointment in her tone and couldn't imagine what could possibly torment her so.
"Uh, of course not. I'm just surprised is all. This project did mean a lot to me, but I will respect his wishes."
"I'm not asking as your boss. I'm asking as a longtime friend."
"It didn't, Joan. I hardly even knew the guy. Honestly, I don't care." She reiterated as she swallowed the ball in her throat.
"Alright. Take care." Joan reluctantly said before hanging up the phone.
She finally returned after taking a moment to get her emotions in check and felt almost slightly better once she was back in the presence of the ball of sunshine that hadn't stopped smiling since she arrived..
"Alright. Here are my notes, and I'll email the rest. Turns out I'll actually be off the case now so good luck. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."
"So I won't see you after this?" Michael asked.
Unbeknownst to Theo, meeting her was the highlight of his day and he'd give anything for the opportunity to see her again.
"Not much, really. I'm technically on sick leave so I'm not supposed to be working anyway."
"Can I take you out on a date?"
"Oh."
"If that's okay with you, I'd love the opportunity to get to know you better. You're kind of my hero and meeting you today has been a real eye-opener. I didn't expect you to look like an actual goddess in person or to be so kind and down to earth. But if you don't-"
"I'd love to. I do have a few things on my plate but I'd be happy to set up a date whenever we're both free."
"Awesome. I guess I'll be in touch."
"And I guess I'll be waiting. Take care, Michael."
Theo then left the deli on a strange high after the stirring of emotions after the unexpected call. But what she did next felt absolutely right in every way. If he could make sudden moves behind her back, she could do the same and so much better.
As she walked towards her home with a new purpose, she recounted the familiar phone number and dialed the one person she needed the most.
"Cassandra Leon. State your purpose for calling."
"It's Theo. I'm in. Let's take this bitch down."
Thoughts?
---
Vote
Share
Comment