Cake Love: All Things Payne(9)

I lean back in my chair and break out my cell phone to call Aria.

"Hey what's up?"

“Bring home some champagne from work tonight Aria, we’re celebrating!”


Aria works at a bar. She works the day shifts during the week, which aren't best for making money but they give her Saturday nights, so it all evens out. Since her paintings don't sell enough to make rent, bartending helps.

"What's the occasion, little one?"

"I may be entering the Executive Development Program early, AND I am going to London next week!"

I attach a scream at the end of that sentence and I can hear Aria screaming on the other end. She may not be into business but she knows how important this is to me.

"Oh girl! I am bringing home the good stuff! Actual champagne, not that sparkling wine crap we settle for. We’re drinking the real deal tonight!”

"Yeah! Well, I got to go. I just wanted to let you know. I'll see you tonight for our celebration!"

"Sounds good. Aria out."

I hear the click and know she's gone. As I am putting my phone back into my purse I hear Mr. Payne's door click open.

"Ms. Drake. Print out the merchant contracts for Great Britain for the past two years. Clear my schedule for the rest of the day. We need to go through each contract to make sure there isn't anything that might conflict with the new laws."

"Shouldn't Legal being doing that?"

He’s curling his hand making his knuckles white while gritting his teeth. After taking a deep breath Mr. Payne speaks to me, "Of course they are, but we need to be on top of everything. You better learn this now Ms. Drake, the more you know the less likely someone will take advantage or worse, destroy you."

I just stare at him. I think someone has a few control issues.

"Yes Mr. Payne. I will get right on it."

He steps back inside his office shutting the door when it stops midway and opens again. Mr. Payne pops his head back out.

"Oh, Ms. Drake, we'll be working late again tonight so order food for dinner."

The door slams shut and I groan. Great, another night of cold pizza. Yippie!





Chapter 4

Morgana's Problem: Her Family

I have been battling a hangover all morning. Due to the champagne festivities that occurred between me, Aria, and a few bottles of bubbly sweet goodness, I want to curl up in a hot bath and go to sleep. Unfortunately that will cause me to drown, so I decide on a shower instead.

As I let the hot spray massage my throbbing head I hear a pounding at the glass door of the shower. Jumping and almost killing myself due to a ceramic tile attacking my head, I open the door a few inches to see Aria wide eyed staring back.

"God Aria! Can't you just say something before you bang on the shower door? If you keep this up I'm going to die wet and naked." That would be so much better if a man were involved.

"How else am I to get your attention? Anyway your mom called, she wants you to pick up some groceries on your way over later."

I shut off the shower. No amount of water massage will cure me of this headache that is ten times worse thanks to the Aria invasion.

"Why did you answer my phone again?"

I step out as she hands me a towel and walks over to the toilet to do her business. She shrugs her shoulders while seated and I hear the spray of liquid coming from beneath her.

"How else are you going to know who is calling? Plus, what if it was an emergency?"

I dig under the sink for my hair dryer and plug it into the wall, but pause before turning to face her.

"I would know who called by seeing a missed call on my phone. If it was an emergency they would have left a message and after my ten minute shower I would have gotten the message. Boundaries, Aria!"

I turn the dryer on and start to work on my long red hair. Aria is behind me in the mirror mouthing something. I shut off the hair dryer to hear.

"What?"

"You talk about boundaries Morgana, but I do not think you know what that word means."

I shake my head in confusion.

"What? It means don't touch my stuff!"

She chuckles as she walks out of the bathroom and I see the back of her head shake.

"No it means a gift or reward."

Oh Aria, no. Just no.

Before I can correct her that she means the word bounty, she's left my bedroom. She has her own bathroom and yet she still insists on using mine. I don't know if she has used her bathroom once, but God forbid I ask her to help out in cleaning my bathroom. Only then she suddenly has her own bathroom to clean. Just thinking this makes me roll my eyes, which sets off my headache – again – thanks Aria!

After I finish getting ready, I call my mom back to get the specifics on the grocery list. I sometimes wonder if my parents didn't have children, would they have starved to death? The moment my brother and I could drive we were in charge of groceries and laundry. When my parents visit they bring laundry with them. I'm totally serious! I tell them all the time it should be the other way around, but they insist that their washer is on the fritz. How can a washer and dryer be broken for ten years?

After getting ready I head out the door to the store and pick up what my mother requested. Once I am at my parents' modest home in Evanston, just north of Chicago, I lug up the four heavy bags of groceries to the front door of the suburban two story home and hear mumbling inside. Lowering the bags I listen.