WM Two Hours

Two hours. Shay imagined there were worst things than waiting two hours in an office. Nothing new, except it had been four hours. She had come in, assuming certain things. For one, that the one she had discussed the contract with was his boss. The word 'her' and 'she' was used when discussing his boss though. Was that only a secretary? Did Preston actually have a secretary? A second boss? Shay had been escorted down to another level, where she sat and waited in a single chair. It was a large room with only one light on. She kept hold of her prop suitcase and wound it up tight in her hands. It was make or break for the rest of her life.

Preston opened the door, shining more light into the room before he closed it. "Shay Austin."

Shay nodded, standing up to greet him.

"I feel it would be wrong of me to not give you fair warning about what your life will entail. It will not be as pleasurable as you may assume. After looking at the contract, I object. To start with, I will give you fifty percent of my creds instead of you using your own. It feels more fitting that this should be my responsibility."

Shay kept her opinion to herself. The creds isn't something she wanted to lose. To take any of his, Shay would have to forfeit hers, and if anything happened to their contract, she would have no creds. None at all. "Agreed, sir." Everything took risk.

"Also, I prefer something for my time." Preston straightened his tie. "I do not want or need a relationship contract. I want a home contract. Exploring physical needs with you could distract me from my productive life. I may explore these with others that I have no attachment to. I would however like to come home to someone. Chat. Learn about their experiences. For some reason, I . . .seem not to be the same as when I left." He cleared his throat. "Earth dinners, and a clean house. I want the kind of life that my father once had on Earth."

A home contract. He wanted a fifties housewife. "Should I also call you 'dear'?"

"Yes, dear is adequate. Meet me at the door, as they did on Earth. A small piece of Earth hospitality for a husband. That is what I wish in the contract." Preston came closer. "They have no such thing as marriage here, but, I will consider myself your husband. You shall be dutiful no matter what."

"Absolutely, sir."

"Dear, please."

"Absolutely, dear," Shay said correcting her statement.

"Good. I have met some other candidates, but none of them went through proper channels. Since you started correctly, I feel as if we may be more compatible." Preston held up the contract. "There is only one more thing I should warn you about, as I mentioned briefly before. My true boss is not here. You are not allowed to meet her. You are not allowed to ask questions about her, or what I do. I do minor work here in this building. If a matter is of utmost importance, you may come here to meet me. Where I work the rest of the time is none of your concern, and you will not follow me. I hate when others follow me."

"Yes." Shay nodded. "Yes, dear, I understand."

Preston came closer and stood at the back of her chair. "From this time on, I shall change your official name. What was your official name?"

Shay almost smiled. "Fankella."

"Your name shall be changed to Honey Darling. Simple and direct. I prefer not to go by your Earth name or the strange name they gave you. This is business, not relational. Last but not least, you will not make contact with anyone from your old life. Not even Torah, not unless I see her at the same time. This is a new start, and I don't need anyone from before this contract asserting themselves over me or you. No girlfriend, no boyfriend, no one. If you demand friendship throughout the day, you may visit the other home contractees on the block. There are two of them, and I am sure they would be happy to become friends as well."

Shay nodded, keeping all the negatives in line. Losing creds, losing her friends, and losing access to even using her own name. She heard Torah's voice in her head, yelling at her. Telling her to back away and get out.

“One more thing.” His eyes met hers, sternly. “I am involved in issues that come to the attention of originals. I do nothing illegal, but they do like to use me for . . .information. You may run across them.” He pointed his finger at her, rudely. “Do not speak to them. Do not associate with them. Do not even look at them. Messing with them could ruin your entire life.”

Shay held her breath. The originals ran the Wonderland Mafia. Running across one in a wrong manner could get someone killed. She would find herself near them in the future.

The Wonderland Mafia. Her mind was screaming to run and get out. Now. Forget the purse even, just bolt.

But, at the same time, the trampoline flashed once more in her mind.

She was scheduled next week to 'retry' that scene.

Torah could say what she liked, she wasn't a stunt actor. Torah was an acting actor for dramas. She had never risked her life. She had never been to the hospital, and then been back to the same set a week later.

Choices were never simple. "I agree, Dear."

***

"Here is your lunch, Dear." Shay said as she handed Preston a small bag. "I added fruit as well." She could have sworn she saw him smile a moment.

"Yes, a kind gesture. Thank you." Preston took the bag. "I was hungry yesterday, never had the chance to eat. It's good to have someone like you." He cleared his throat. "I will be back around 8:00 PM tonight. I have reservations at NJKLJNKJ."

"Nuhjuklink-kuhjuh?" Shay attempted.

"Try Nuhjuh," Preston pointed out. "I take it you do not eat MNMTN too much?"

"I've only had mush and Earth style," Shay said, "but I would love to try Muh . . .that."

"Of course, and then we shall go see a show. This is not a relationship date, it is a friend date determined by my boss. Do not get the two confused." He straightened his tie. "Very well. I am off."

Shay nodded and closed the door, leaving back to cleaning the house. She was doing the best she could to make Preston happy so he wouldn't break the contract. It had been well over a month, and so far she had been treated fine. The other contractees were nice, and they had the same embarrassing names to use. Honey Darling was nothing compared to Princess Pie and Sugar Poo. She spied the cleaning supplies she bought yesterday on the table and went over.

Except, she realized, this was Preston's lunch. Grabbing it she headed to his place of work. Maybe she would run into him along the way, knowing that even meeting him there did not place him in a good mood.

She ran only a couple of blocks before she saw Preston. He was turning to go into a store. Running toward him, she steadied her voice as she went into see him standing near the register. “Dear. Your lunch. Those are my cleaning supplies.”

“Hell of an idea, I need to remember that.”

Honey Darling turned and saw it. An original. He was behind the counter, approaching them. She turned away, remembering Preston's words.

Don't even look at an original.

“Who is that?” The original was already curious about her.

“She is mine,” Preston answered. “I bought her, and I consider her mine. Honey Darling is of no concern to you and yours.”

“Then you better get her out of here so we can keep it that way.” He pushed up his hat. Probably. She saw something in her peripheral vision like that.

“I have no control over the payments, it is government, not I.”

“There's no such thing as government, you can't lie to an original.”

“I have no control over it,” Preston argued again.

Honey Darling should have kept her eyes away. She had been warned, yet she looked anyhow. Preston had a weapon pressed to his head that the original had whipped out. Her whole future would be gone if he killed Preston. “Don't.”

“Listen to her.” Another voice approached from behind. She heard the steps, loud with a cane. She looked toward the cane as the person approached. It was a long black cane, with a green emblem of a hat on the top of it. It was the leader of the Wonderland Mafia. She cursed herself, stealing a glance toward him.

Beneath his shirt, she could tell he was fit. He would have to be to live that kind of life. His eyes were a deep blue, bringing the green emblem on his cane out even more.

He grabbed a piece of paper from Preston and laid it on the counter. “We protect our clients, we don't keep them from paying bills.” He tipped his hat toward Preston. “Preston Carrington. I want to know how my issue is going.” When Preston didn't speak, he turned to look at Honey Darling. He cracked a smile and winked at her. “Don't be scared, I'd only use a weapon if I decided to take you away with me.” He chuckled softly as her eyes grew wide. “Not too bad on the eyes, are you?”

“Shay.” Preston said her real name. Honey Darling looked as far away as possible, practically turning around. The original had grown interested in her, and Preston was not kidding around. Shay was not a term he had ever used with her since their contract.

“I will see what I can do to persuade others, but I do not guarantee any results,” Preston said to him.

“You can, don't give me that,” the original said to him, still not completely happy. “Don't expect me to roll over on this issue.”

“It is a minor issue.”

“Not to me.” A beep was heard, and Honey Darling heard feet running away.

“Turn,” Preston said. She turned back around and looked at him. “Thank you for the food, but next time, do not even get involved.” He adjusted his tie. “It's best to not even look at originals. Understand?”

“I didn't want him to hurt you,” Honey Darling said. The originals were not every day common folk, they were muscle bound thugs. They took what they wanted, and hurt what was denied to them. These weren't beings that would play nicely. Yet, Preston had no fear.

What was his other job that he would never tell her about? She could never ask, and she knew that. Yet, she would wonder.