Musings in the Dark: Precession, part 2

3/27/2011

Precession, part 2


Watching Phaedra from the Jag
Twice a week, Phaedra took my son to a local playground where he spent time running around with some other kids, and playing with her.  I used to sit and watch them from the luxuriant confines of my Jaguar, with Sadao, my ever-present second.  Sadao never questioned me about our regular visits to the playground, but I know that he was well aware of why we visited. I wasn’t the least bit clandestine in my observations of my son and his mother.
Phaedra & Quintaz
Just as of late, I started getting out of the car, leaving Sadao behind.  I wasn’t worried about retaliation from rival crews or families; this area was known Ishiguro territory.  I either stood by the perimeter fence or over by a large tree, watching the two of them from a distance.  This particular day, I was early.  It was cold and snowflakes swirled around and around.  I stood by the fence, perfectly warm in a leather trench, gloves, and a backwards-turned Kangol.  I didn’t have to wait long.  I had this particular routine memorized.  Soon, Phaedra walked up, with Quintaz in tow.  She had him bundled up like an Eskimo, and he tried to run ahead of her.  She gave chase and caught him, laughing.  Then she dropped to one knee to adjust his coat and hat.  I saw her smile at him and I closed my eyes.  Phaedra looked fine as ever in a pair of black jeans, furlined boots, and a heavy hooded parka.  She helped Quintaz get into the swing and started pushing him.  I heard his laughter and I was lost for a moment; longing and desire washing over me.  I wanted to be over there with Phaedra and my son.  I had been an utter fool to leave them.
“Boss?”
I snapped out of my thoughts.  “Sadao?”
“Boss, why are we here?”
“Sadao,” I say, “I want to ask you something.  What do you think of that woman and her little boy?”
He shrugged and took a long look.  I knew Sadao knew that I was there because of Phaedra and Quintaz, but he didn’t know who they really were.
“Mmn.  She’s hot.  I’d fuck her.”
I knew he would say something of the sort.  There was no shortage of jump-offs in Sadao’s life, but I didn’t like the idea of him even thinking that about Phaedra.  “What about the kid?”
“He’s cute.”
“Would you believe me if I told you that was my son?”
“What?”
“That cute little boy, as you described, is my son.”
Sadao looked at me.  “Boss, you got a kid?” 
“Yes.”
“Does that mean…?”
I looked at Sadao.  “Yes.”
He looked at Phaedra again, who was bent over tying Quintaz’ shoe.  “That’s your girl?”
“She was.”
Sadao Nakamura
Sadao looked at me.  We were close.  He had my back, as I had his.  I knew what he was thinking, and also knew that he would say it aloud.  “You downgraded, Orion.”  He called me Orion whenever he was dead serious about something.
“You think so?”
Sadao eyed Phaedra.  She was standing up, smoothing her hands over her jeans.  He whistled.  “Yep.  Nysha isn’t anywhere near that sexy.”
“She would disagree.  As would quite a few of the guys.”  Nysha had no shortage of admirers in my crew, and I was certain of two things: 1. That none of them would step to her out of loyalty to me, and 2.  She had no interest in dating lowly yakuza thugs.  Nysha was a showstopper, a bombshell, arm candy, and she was too self-centered and too much of a diva to be with a man who couldn’t afford her.  But Sadao understood things as I did; after the shiny and flash, the shallowness, and the surface perfection of my current lady, Phaedra was like water to parched earth.  She was real in a way that Nysha didn’t know how to be, and I longed for that.
“That’s because they haven’t seen that one over there.  Damn, Orion…how in the hell did you leave a woman that fine?  Look at that ass.  She’s wearing those jeans, don’t you think?”  Sadao looked at me and grinned.  “So she’s single?”
I eyed my friend.  “You leave her alone, Sadao.” 
The playful look in his eyes died out in a flash.  He knew by the sound of my voice that I was completely serious. 
A very long moment passed, where we watched her play with my son.  Sadao said quietly, “What’s her name?”
“Phaedra.”
“Boss, she’s beautiful.  What’s his name?”
“His name is supposed to be Orion, but she calls him Quintaz.”
“What happened?”
“Six years ago, I walked out on that beautiful little boy and that gorgeous woman.  I’ll have to tell you why one day.”
“You’re an idiot, boss.  She’s a knockout.  I know you don’t think she’s still single after six years.  She’s way too fine to be left alone.  Some brother’s tapping that.”  He eyed me.
Phaedra
I wasn’t idealistic enough to think that Phaedra had been pining away for me for the past six years.  I wasn’t dumb enough to think that she hadn’t moved on.  I wasn’t crazy enough to think that no man would want her.  Please.  Still, I couldn’t help but say, “She’s off limits, Sadao.  I’m serious.”
“I know that, boss.  But I’m not the one you need to worry about.”
I looked at my friend.  “Oh really?” Sadao was a flirt, but I knew he wouldn’t do anything, not after this conversation.  “If not you, then who would I have to be concerned about?”
Sadao inclined his chin.  “Him.”
I turned to look back in Phaedra’s direction and was quite surprised to see her liplocked with some guy.  I’d never seen him here with her before.
“What the hell?”
The man then picked up my son and gave him a hug.  Quintaz hugged him back and started gibbering in excitement.  Then the guy put him down and grabbed Phaedra’s hand.  They walked out of the park.
Sadao whistled.  “I told you that she was too fine to be single, boss.”
I stared, feeling like a dumbass.  Who was that bastard?  “Motherfuck…”
Sadao looked over at the receding trio.  “How do you want to handle this, Orion?  Does it require handling?”
That wouldn’t be the best way of going about trying to get Phaedra back.  I didn’t discount the possibility entirely, as I did not know the man, and if he got in my way, it could become an issue.
“Not at the moment, Sadao.”
“So what are you going to do?”
I adjusted my coat and gloves.  “I’m going to rectify the mistake I made. Phaedra’s mine, and I’m not about to sit back and let another man raise my son.  Find out who he is and where she lives.”
          Sadao nodded.  “It’s as good as done.”

Pensive, seductive Orion

2 comments:

  1. Ai052795@yahoo.com3/27/11, 1:20 PM

    Girl, thank you for posting this story, It has made my day. Rick Yune .... big sigh! That man is too fine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Woman, what is going on with you? You went from wrangling with writer's block to churning these out like crack. And as for the Blasian theme...wow, you converted. I mean, daaaayyyyummmm. It's like a switch came on in your head and now you're on fire.

    ReplyDelete

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