Chapter 5. Disturbing
Jackson Johnson
It had been a week since the argument with my mother in the office. Since then, there had been no calls, no messages, nothing from her.
"Don't you think you were too harsh?" Jacob asked after I told him what happened.
"No," I said confidently. "She needs to understand that she can't dictate my private life just because she wants grandchildren. I don't want a woman by my side, a wedding, a marriage, or kids. That's not my future. That's not what I want."
"Well, at least you made it very clear to her. I was going to invite you to a bar for some beers, but I see you're not in the mood."
"For beers, yes. But for picking up women like you always do when you invite me, no." Jacob burst out laughing at my words.
"Don't worry, just beers."
"Then, the usual place?" He shook his head.
"I've got a new spot, it's called 'SalsaBeer.' We can listen to music and drink. I'll send you the address by text." He stood up. "I’ve got to go, I have some interviews at three in the afternoon so I can finally start the project."
"More interviews?" I asked, intrigued. "I thought you already had your team complete for the new project."
"I don't know how to explain it, but the new generation is… a bit whiny. Wanting to be an architect is a thing of the past; now they just want to stay comfortable at home and not venture out into the world. I just need to hire one more person, and I can get the project rolling."
"I hope you find someone like you, who likes to be on the move."
"I know." He said goodbye and headed for the exit, then looked back at me. "Don't be too hard on our mother. She just wants you to find and have what she has with our father, a love..."
"I don't need that kind of love to live my life the way I want, JJ." He just nodded, then left, leaving me alone in my office.
At nine o'clock that night, I got out of my Bentley. Richard and the rest of the team were in another car. I crossed the street to the place where Jacob was already waiting for me. As soon as I walked in, salsa music was playing everywhere. My brother raised his hand and waved; he was at the end of the bar, away from the dance floor, and I appreciated that. I didn't like brushing up against anyone, I barely tolerated shaking hands.
"About time!" he said when I sat next to him.
"I got here at the usual time. Have you already started without me?" He smiled, raising his half-empty mug.
"I came a little earlier," he seemed overly cheerful.
"You should eat something before the alcohol gets to you."
"No, no, I'm not as drunk as you think."
"Then why do you look so... happy?" I asked.
"I hired the person I needed to start the project."
"Oh, so that's what's making you happy." I signaled to the man behind the bar and pointed to my brother's mug. He nodded.
"Quite a lot," he confessed with a big smile. "I think it's that person you mentioned, I think I found them." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. The bartender handed me my beer, and I thanked him with a nod. Then I looked at my brother.
"Really? Then congratulations." We raised our mugs and clinked them together. We took a sip before returning to the conversation. "He must be a well-prepared man like you."
He shook his head.
"It's a woman. She's young. Well, not that young, but you can tell she's passionate about architecture. When I told her about..." I raised my hand to stop him.
"A woman?" He nodded with a big smile.
"We have so much in common, even..." He stopped speaking when he saw my reaction. He knew it was a mistake. He usually didn't get involved with his employees, had already been through that once, so the staff he hired now were men, to avoid temptation.
"You have a very strict rule about not getting involved with your employees."
"I know, I'm not saying that..."
"You're talking about this woman with excitement. And that spells trouble to me." His happy face turned serious. "Are you sure about hiring a woman?"
"Everything was fine until you ruined it with your comments." I raised my eyebrows.
"What?" I said, surprised.
"Yes," he paused, "this is the first time I've hired a woman since the accident. I didn't hire her like I did before, I did it because she's really qualified."
"Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up the past, but I witnessed what you went through, and I don't want you to go through it again."
"I know, I'm aware of that."
"And you say she's passionate about architecture?" I asked, trying to break the tension I had created between us.
"Yes," the smile reappeared. "She's been in the city for a few days." He wrinkled his nose, something unusual to see. "She has a strange accent, but it's pleasant to listen to."
"Wow, she's a foreigner." He nodded, taking a sip from his mug and finishing it before ordering another. We started talking about something trivial when I needed to go to the men's room. I asked the bartender, and he gave me directions. I pushed the door open to enter. There were two men who left when I approached the urinal. There was no one else. I started doing my business when the door opened, and a woman appeared, seemingly a bit drunk.
"What are you doing? This is the men's room!" I cursed, unable to stop myself, trying not to splash. She let out an embarrassed laugh.
"Sorry, sorry, but the ladies' room is full. I'll just use the stall." She went in, and I heard the sound of her doing her business. I hurried to finish and wash my hands. As I pulled the paper towels to dry my hands, she came out, her brown hair covering part of her face.
"Sorry, I'll just wash my hands and be out. You didn't see me." The strange accent irritated me somehow. "These foreigners and their antics."
"It's disrespectful to enter the men's room."
"I wasn't going to pee in my panties. That's why I came in..." She washed her hands, her electric blue dress riding up a bit, showing much of her legs, her heels high. "Weren't you leaving already?" she said. I looked at her in the mirror's reflection, feeling uncomfortable imagining she had caught me looking where I shouldn't.
The most unsettling thing was... I wanted to look at that woman again.