Meet Me at Taylor Park (3 page)

He turned to her and raised an eyebrow. “And I think you’re drunk.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened on the 11th floor.

He pulled her out, and she stumbled and almost fell. He caught her just in time. She burst out laughing as though it were the funniest thing in the world.

She continued to laugh as he led her to her room.

They passed by rooms 1127, 1129, 1131.

They stood in front of room 1131, and then turned around. Brandon put the keycard in front of the scanner. Beep! The door opened, and he led her in, holding her hand so she would not fall.

Unfortunately, she must have stumbled on own her two feet, because her tiny body fell on Brandon, knocking him to the ground. The two of them lay there in a mess of entangled limbs.

He felt something on his chest, and realized that it was Maggie’s head. She was just lying there, listening to his heartbeat. For a moment, he enjoyed the feel of a girl’s head on his chest, but then he knew what he had to do.

He got up, and carried her over to the bed.

Brandon put her on it gently, and then lifted the cover and blankets. He then picked her up, and slid her into the bed, making sure she was tucked in snugly.

He was about to leave when she grabbed his wrist. “No, don’t go. Stay with me.”

He hesitated.

“Please,” she said, her voice going all soft and flirty. “Just for a little bit. Until I fall asleep.”

“OK,” he said, and then sat down on the bed.

She released her grip on his wrist, and held his hand.

Her hand was soaking his in sweat.

Brandon thought about releasing it, but then he reminded himself that this was a girl that needed him.

His eyes adjusted to the dark, and he could see that she had her eyes open. She looked at him in a way that made him think that she wanted a little affection.

Sure enough, he felt her hand on the back of his head, pulling it down to her face. She puckered up her glossy lips, and just as Brandon’s face neared hers, he managed to pull away.

Undeterred, she started to strip off her pink tank top. “Come get me,” she said, throwing her tank top over to the chair.

Brandon sat there on the bed, taking in this gorgeous girl in the bed, now with nothing but a bra on. He would be lying if he said he was not tempted.

He turned his head away from her.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you think I’m pretty?” the girl whined.

Still keeping his head turned, he said, “I think you’re a very beautiful girl, but you’re drunk. I can’t do this with you.”

She tried to get up, nearly knocking the blankets off. “No, you can. You can.”

She thrust her chest out at him, but he did not see.

He looked out the window at the Toronto skyline at night. The rainbow lights twinkled back at him. There was something about seeing the skyline of a massive metropolis at night that made him feel a sense of wonder.

As he gazed at the distance, he was glad that he was distracted from the half-naked girl that was throwing herself at him.

Yet another girl that just wants a casual fling, he thought.

After a few minutes, he finally had the nerve to look at Maggie.

She was now lying back down, her head on the pillow, her eyes closed. She was even snoring a little.

He put a hand to her cheek and stroked it. It was warm and fleshy.

“Maybe some other time,” he whispered. “When you’re sober.”

He was about to leave when he took another look at her. That long brown hair. That way she was sleeping. Her soft, feminine face.

“You remind me of a girl,” he mumbled. “A girl I used to know.”

The resemblance was uncanny.

Shaking the image from his mind, he made sure that the blankets covered Maggie’s body completely. Then, he left the room, closing the door behind him softly.

*

The next morning, Brandon hit the hotel gym. He used all the machines, and then did some free weights. He lifted a dumbbell and began doing reps.

Sweat dripped down his forehead and onto his face. He wiped it away with one hand, and thought about the charity fundraiser that he was going to host later that morning.

It’s going to be fine, he assured himself. You’re going to kick ass and get enough donors to fund that children’s hospital.

He did his last rep, and allowed the weight to heave onto floor. He sat on the bench and stretched, panting.

He looked at himself in the mirror. He was wearing a drenched muscle shirt. His hair now had bangs.

“You can do this,” he said. “You can get that money for those kids.”

After showering, Brandon stood outside Conference Room A in a suit. He was about to enter when he heard his name.

“Brandon!”

It was Patrick, who had his hair combed and was in a suit. He was looking very neat and professional, in direct contrast to the night before.

“Sorry I just left you there last night. My girl wouldn’t let me leave. Did Maggie get back to her room alright?”

Brandon nodded. “Yeah, I took her back.”

Patrick nudged his friend on the shoulder, winking. “Did you do a little something something?”

Brandon looked at Patrick with a serious expression. “You know I’m not that kind of guy. She was drunk.”

“Of course I know that. You’re still hung up on Katie.”

Brandon said nothing, his face stoic.

Patrick said, “Forget I said anything. Now go inside and knock them dead.”

They did their best-buddy handshake and Brandon entered the room.

The crowd of wealthy businessmen greeted him with applause.

Brandon smiled and stepped up to the podium.

“I want to thank you all for coming this morning to the annual United Hearts Charity Fundraiser. This year, we are aiming to build a new children’s hospital.”

More applause.

Brandon smiled out at the crowd. They were hanging onto his every word. He saw Patrick smiling at him from the front row.

You’re doing great, he told himself.

*

At the same time that Brandon was giving his speech, Katie was in kindergarten teacher mode at Sinclair Elementary across town in the suburbs. She was wearing her teaching glasses and teaching hairstyle. Sporting a purple suit with a jacket and a matching skirt, plus a blouse, she was sight to behold.

Katie, or Ms. Simpson as her students called her, stood in front of the blackboard facing her students, who were all sitting in a circle on the floor.

Using a wooden pointer, she indicated the flashcards on the ledge of the blackboard.

“Now say it again,” she said. “Yesterday was Monday. Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will be Wednesday.”

Her class of adorable five-year-olds repeated after its teacher, except for a little redhead boy, who was silent. Blushing, he was staring at a blonde girl next to him.

Katie made a mental note to talk to him after class.

She held up a storybook. “Story time, children. I’m going to read you Cinderella.” She started reading and noticed that the kids were in a trancelike calm.

She finished reading the last words. “Then, Prince Charming married Cinderella and they lived happily ever after.”

The class burst into thunderous applause, especially the girls.

Katie heard excited whispering among her students.

“I’m Cinderella for Halloween,” a blonde little girl said to her friend.

“I’m gonna marry Prince Charming,” her friend said.

Katie held up one hand. “Alright, calm down, everyone. Did you like the story?”

“Yes,” her class responded in unison.

The little blonde girl raised her hand. “Ms. Simpson?”

Katie pointed at her. “Yes, Alison?”

“Will I marry a Prince Charming?”

Katie considered her questions. Little kids asked the most interesting questions. She had no idea what to tell her. She decided to tell the truth.

“We all hope for it. Sometimes, it does. And sometimes, it doesn’t.”

Katie lowered her head, and the class grew totally quiet.

It didn’t happen for me, she thought.

She noticed that her students were all gawking at her, so she decided to get down to business.

She cleared her throat and put on a more authoritative expression. “Boys and girls, Ms. Simpson is getting married soon, so I have to fly back home to tell my family. You will have a substitute teacher for the next week.”

A cute little brunette raised her hand.

Katie pointed to her. “Yes, Alana?”

“What’s marriage?”

She smiled, and looked at the little girl. Again, she was unsure of what to tell her.

“It’s when two people love each other very much and want to spend the rest of their lives with each other.”

“Then you must love Mr. Simpson very much.” The brunette said it innocently, with a smile of pure delight.

On the other hand, Katie’s smile vanished as she thought about it. Little kids did indeed think of the most interesting things. The smile popped back onto her face again. “Actually, it’s Mr. Solomon. I’m not married yet.”

Then, she continued to teach, realizing that she had neither confirmed nor denied the girl’s statement.

At noon, she dismissed the class and requested that the little redheaded boy stay behind.

“Billy? I noticed you didn’t repeat after me. Is something wrong?”

The little boy looked up at her with big eyes, and then shook his head.

“Then why didn’t you try to learn the lesson?”

The boy shrugged, his hair whipping back and forth.

Katie pointed at the blackboard. “Why don’t you repeat after me? Yesterday was Monday. Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will be Wednesday.”

The redhead stared at his teacher, but was silent.

Katie decided to change tactics. She recalled that he was staring at Alana, the little blonde girl, as though he was getting his first crush.

“You know, I heard that Alana really likes boys who can read and tell the dates. She really likes boys that are good in school.”

The little boy’s face lit up. “Yesterday was Monday. Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will be Wednesday. Yesterday was Monday. Today is Tuesday. Tomorrow will be Wednesday.”

He repeated it as though it were a chant.

Katie smiled and put a hand on the little boy’s shoulder.

Whatever it takes to get them to learn, she thought.

*

At 8pm that evening, Katie heard Steven come home from work. She heard him climb up the stairs.

Katie was standing beside the bed, her suitcase all packed.

Steven dropped his briefcase. “Hi, honey.”

He leaned in and hugged her perfunctorily.

She reciprocated.

He started to undress. “I’m going to get into more comfy clothes, and then I’ll take you to the airport.”

“OK,” she said, her face blank.

He looked at her as if he wanted to say something more.

Katie looked back expectedly, but he said nothing.

*

Katie and Steven arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport at 10:30 pm. In the driver’s seat of the car, Steven turned to Katie and said, “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? I can take a few days off work.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s my family.” She chewed on her thumb. “And I don’t want you to miss work just when you’re on the verge of being promoted.”

“OK then.” He smiled and leaned in to hug her. “You understand me so well.”
 

And do you understand me? she thought.

She hugged him back, but could feel no warmth from his embrace.

He gave her a peck on the cheek, and she exited the car with her luggage. She turned around, and was about to wave to him, when she saw that he had already driven off. She gave the car a puzzled look, and then decided to let it go.

Katie turned back around and entered the hustle and bustle of the airport. It was unusually quiet that night. There were not as many people as usual.

Katie went to the Canada Airlines Domestic Flight queue and lined up. She reached into her purse and found the ticket that she had booked online that morning.

Printed on it was Return Airfare from Toronto to Vancouver.

The word return made her uneasy. She knew it shouldn’t, but it did.

Her cell phone rang just then. She thought it was Steven, but it turned out to be her best friend Stasha.

“Stasha!” Katie exclaimed.

“Katie! We haven’t talked for so long. Where are you?”

At least someone is excited, thought Katie.

“I’m at the airport. I was going to tell you, but there was so much to do. I guess I just forgot.”

“Airport? Tell me what?”