© 2021 Phylicia Joannis
Simon Lowe sipped his coffee and stared at the man across from him. Perry Jones was ambitious, intelligent, and level headed. He had taken the news of Mayor Blume’s death and its implications fairly well and was silently reading Simon’s brief. He made notes in the margins, nodded, grimaced, mumbled. Then he looked up at Simon with a smirk.
“I see you’ve given me my money’s worth. This is very thorough, Simon. Of the three options you’ve given me here, I’d like to move forward with option C.”
Simon sniffed. “It won’t be easy. Or cheap.”
“But it will get the job done in one blow. Once the dust settles, I want to be in that mayoral seat.”
“Consider it done.” Simon nodded. “But you understand what I need to do? And you’re willing to go that far?”
Perry stared at him with unblinking eyes, communicating a clear message. Simon shrugged. “Alright. I have a meeting scheduled with the deputy mayor this afternoon. The special election should be underway by the end of business tomorrow.”
“You already have a meeting with him?” Perry raised his eyebrows.
Simon smiled. “I knew you’d choose option C.”
“What if I hadn’t?”
“I’m well acquainted with the look in your eye. We’ll be in touch.”
***
Marcos answered his chirping phone as he ordered his food from a bodega.
“Hello? Ah, Miracle! You finally called.” Marcos grinned from ear to ear. “You need a ride? Sure! I’ll take you to the moon, if that’s what you’d like. Eh? Just uptown? Ok, ok. But after, let me buy you an ice cream or something, ok? Hey, Papi? More salt on that. What? Oh, I’m sorry. I’m ordering lunch. So, it’s a date. I’ll pick you up at seven. Five thirty?” Marcos glanced at his watch. “It’s a little last minute. No, I’ll do it! Don’t call anyone else. I’ll be there, ok?” Marcos hung up the phone and grabbed his food. “Gracias.”
Marcos left the bodega and looked down the street. He spotted the faded yellow coffee cart he was looking for and jogged in that direction.
***
Penny cradled a steamy cup of coffee in her hand and inhaled deeply. After a long day, followed by yet another gloomy visit with Chuck, she needed to unwind. She wasn’t sure why she kept going back to visit. They barely spoke and the coffee sucked.
“Hey Big Sis!”
Penny dropped her coffee, startled, then turned blazing eyes on her brother.
“Marcos! I’m gonna kill you!”
“Sorry.” Marcos gave her a sheepish grin. “Hey, I need to borrow your car.”
“What? No. How did you even know where I was?”
“You’re always here.” He shrugged. “Three o’clock, Abib’s cart. Four, five, and six, same thing.”
“Ugh. Shut up!” Penny rolled her eyes before fixing them suspiciously on her brother. “Why do you need the car, anyway?”
“Got a hot date. Uh, I mean, job interview.” He scratched his head. “A smokin’ hot job interview.”
Penny smirked. “Is she pretty?”
“Job interviews can’t be pretty, Big Sis.” Penny gave him a look and he caved. “Ok, yes. This is the prettiest job interview I’ve ever seen.”
“You can stop calling her a job interview now.” Penny grinned despite herself.
“But I kinda like it. Who knows? Maybe one day I’ll be married to my job, and all thanks to you.”
“A little ambitious, don’t you think?” Marcos responded with a grin of his own and Penny shrugged. “So long as it keeps you away from those thugs.”
“Come on, Sis, let’s not get into that again,” Marcos pleaded. “So is that a yes on the car?”
Penny sighed. “Just put a little gas in it this time, will ya?”
Marcos whooped and picked her up in a bear hug. “You’re the best!” She laughed and he put her down, kissed her on the cheek, and took off running.
“Don’t you need the keys?” Penny called after him.
“Already got ‘em,” he called back, swinging the keyring around his finger so she could see. Penny frowned and padded down her pockets. Her brother had taken more than her keys.
“You little thief!” she screeched. Marcos took off running, leaving a trail of laughter behind him.
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