Old Friends.. New Interests (An Excerpt)

I heard the hoarse tone before I saw her. She was loud by nature and the additional raspy inflections carried from the lobby and into the walls of my office. Her preference for nicotine produced an unattractive coarseness. She said, “It’s fine darling, she knows who I am. I’m always welcome.”

               The clinging of her heels echoed her office bound pursuit. Pausing for a pose underneath my door frame she exclaimed, “Noah, darling!”

I stood, edging around the corners of my desk to embrace her. “Janice.”

               “How are you my love?” She asked still sealed in our embrace.

               “Good,” I replied.

She stood back to survey me. “You look good,” She affirmed.

The compliment raised a light smile. It was weak and my anxiety was ill-disguised. Intuitive Janice caught the flaw. She pried. Her incisiveness breached the bounds of a friendly analysis and took the form of a concerned therapist.

I brushed away the intrusion, I didn’t need a shrink. The invasion caused me to retract my hands from her hold.

I said, "Read your article in this month’s Sexual Expression."

She respectfully followed my lead to divert the subject, eyeing me as I returned to my desk. "And what did you think?"

"It was exceptional, of course."

I didn't need to note the broad smile to know she was pleased with my review. I still was unable to look at her for fear she would continue her investigation. Her satisfaction carried in her tone, "Thank you. You know I hate those damned things. They're inclined to center on the less complimentary topics of the interview, meanwhile, discounting any intended points."

She huffed unpleased she even dealt with the tedium of magazine article interviews.

"Well," I said sitting comfortably in my chair, "If those weren't your key points then they did you a favor."

She smiled in advance of a disappointed frown. She questioned, "What are you doing, Noah?"

Her friendliness had evaporated. She was now perturbed and disappointed. I offended her.

Apologetically I said, "You're right." I tossed aside the paperwork in my hands. I was working while in the company of a very dear friend. I was being rude. It only now occurred to me that she was still standing, I motioned, "A seat?"

She scoffed, "No ma’am, I came to kidnap you." She gleamed, "Lunch?"

Though presented in the form of a question, the invitation was unavoidable and irrefutable. I grabbed my phone and purse. This would be interesting.