TIME FRAME: - LOCATION: Oval Office; Washington D.C.
SUMMARY: Unexpected company
“Of course. I am looking forward to meeting you in person, Prime Minister May. Yes, ma’am, Theresa. See you soon.” William inhaled deeply breathing for the first time in over 15 minutes. Speaking with other world leaders was always a precarious thing. Being misunderstood at this level of the game could start a war. He scratched at the back of his head and gave himself a 2 minute respite before touching the button on his desk, “Go ahead and send in my next meeting.”
Sheriece Ross stoppered the cork of the perfume bottle getting to her red bottom covered feet. “Thank you.” She said a wide, kind smile on her face. When she moved to enter the Oval office her steps were sure and determined. She wanted something and knew how to get it. Today, it was time to reignite the affections of the President of the United States. “Mr. President.” She said voice professional and direct as she entered his office. “I’m here to speak with you about the speeches for your upcoming trip.” She examined the folder in her hand, page after page, covered with strikeouts and notes. “I see you’ve removed all traces of your wife’s initiative from the documents. This is an unwise move.”
Williams' stomach turned. “My notes were very clear…” He didn’t need or want this today. “She isn’t going to be continuing that program. There's no reason to remind people of it.” His voice was dry as he turned to face the dark skinned woman.
Sheriece closed the folder. "You can't be serious," Swaying across the office, she held the man’s eyes in her own. He needed to be retrained. All powerful men needed to be dominated. “You are wise enough to know she can’t just abandon her plans. -Not with William's name attached. It’s too public at this point.” She dropped the folding on the coffee table and lowered herself into a seat, crossing her legs. “It won’t go over well. Let me put it back in for you.” She said, a smirk on her painted lips. “We could always get sushi and discuss how you lost a simple drinking game to a novice drinker…”
William's face was blank. He watched the woman. She moved with ownership and purpose. Attributes he admired, in a frame that like to be seen. At the mention of his son, he shot to his feet. “ Don't talk about William-" He said his voice a storm. He swallowed, nostrils flaring as he gained control again. "Let me worry about my reputation.” Head lowered he casually strolled around to the front of his desk, where he stopped and leaned on the presidential crest. “I didn’t lose anything You are a fish at best. A skilled cheater at worst. I was tricked.” He smirked, crossing his arms.
Sheriece shrugged, “My mentor told me that sometimes in life you must cheat. Just don’t get caught. You haven’t said yes to my offer? D.C. has some great places.” He’d never agree to go out with her. Not while he was president. -Or married. A voice deep inside her said. “We could order … After all, you are the president.” She said, uncrossing and recrossing one leg over the other deliberately.
"You're a tease." William wanted to accept the offer. A distraction would be most welcomed. “I can’t.” He said, shaking his head no.
“You can.” Sheriece said, getting to her feet. She closed the gap between them in a flash. Drinking in the smell of William’s cologne. Her desire for him oozing from her veins. “-She’s not here. And I need you." She said inches from William’s face.
William looked down at the girl. She was damned inviting. The eyes said she wanted him, even before her mouth did. She looked at him with longing and pride. God... to be wanted was everything. “No. I promised the night to my girls.” He said, hands moving to hold the side of the desk.
Sheriece wouldn’t be deterred. Not today. She pressed into him hard. “I’m not taking no for an answer. You -”
The door opened in a rush and William stepped quickly away to put space between himself and Sheriece. “Mr. President. I think you need to see this. The massive television that carried news outlets from every possible nation appeared. And his wife's face was on everyone.
“Jesus…” William stumbled behind his desk, groping for his phone. “Get my girls. Don’t let them see this until I speak with them.” He fired off. “I want to be in the air in 10 minutes.” He said, already dialing Mercedes number frantically… “pick up- pick up- pick up.” He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, “Get the head of her security detail on the phone! Now!” and ran from the Oval office without a backwards glance.
INVOLVED: Mercedes Evans, Charlotte-Rae Evans, and Samuel Evans
TIME FRAME: Tuesday, July 11, 2019
LOCATION: Local Mall; New Orleans, Louisiana
SUMMARY: Mercedes and Charlotte go to the mall.
Charlotte walked through the mall hand in hand with Mercedes as she looked around at all the shops and stores with awe. “We don’t even have a mall in Baton Rouge,” she admitted. “A lot of small boutiques and stores but not a mall.” Turning in a full circle, Charlotte smiled brightly. “This place is huge,” she said with a small laugh.
Mercedes walked with Charlotte quietly and she looked to her at her words nodding her head as she smiled. “Well, we can go wherever you want,” she reminded her as the girl looked around.
Charlotte looked at Mercedes and she nodded her head. “Okay,” she said as she turned in a full circle once more, just taking it all in. “Let’s walk around more,” she said honestly, just based off the store fronts so far, she wasn’t seeing anything that she was interested in. As they walked Charlotte blushed as a few boys walked passed checking her out. She looked to Mercedes asking. “Sam was your first?”
“Okay, no problem,” Mercedes said to the girl as she spun again and she watched her amused. Mercedes held her purse in one hand and walked with her other hand in the pocket of her dress. At the girl’s questioned she looked to her before she nodded her head, “yeah,” she confessed. “My first, my last, my everything,” she referenced with a smile as they continued to walk.
Charlotte looked over at Mercedes as she spoke and she nodded slowly, tucking hair behind her ear, another blush rising on her pale cheeks as another boy walked past smiling at her. “How old were you?” she asked curiously. Back home it wasn’t unusual to be 21 and still be a virgin but she knew in the big city it had to be weird.
“I was a sophomore in high school. Samuel was, is older than I,” Mercedes said to her quietly. She didn’t talk about stuff like this with people so she didn’t know what compelled her to answer the girl truthfully now. “He was leaving me behind in there and I figured if anything, that would be enough to keep his interest. I also loved him dearly as well,” she offered.
Charlotte listened to Mercedes as they walked and she nodded slowly. “So you did it to keep him?” she asked curiously thinking about her boyfriend, Ricky, back home.
“Not necessarily,” Mercedes corrected. “I love your brother,” she said looking to her. “He’s all I think about every second of everyday,” she breathed. “He’s all I ever wanted, everything I never thought I’d have or find in a man and a husband,” she told her. “That’s why… the jealousy only kicks in after that’s established,” she chuckled.
Charlotte nodded her head, still just listening along as they walked and she laughed softly herself as tugged some of her long blonde hair behind her ear. “So it was worth it because you knew you two were going to be together forever?” she asked.
“To me,” Mercedes said to her quietly. “I knew we were made for each other,” she breathed out licking her lips.
Charlotte ran her fingers through her hair as she nodded and walked into American Eagle curiously. Looking around, she moved over to a few racks, shuffling through the clothes some.
As they entered a teen-like store Mercedes walked behind Charlotte as she looked around. She looked at some stuff, eyeballing it before she rested her hand on her stomach comfortably looking to the young girl.
Charlotte shifted through rack after rack, picking up little things here and there, eyeing them before she placed some back and other’s hung over her arm. With about five items in her hand, she looked back to Mercedes. “I’m going to go try them on,” she said gently.
“Go ahead,” Mercedes said thankful the girl picked up something in the store, that down home farm look had annoyed her so much considering it was hiding so much beauty behind it. Mercedes continued to walk about rubbing her lower back a little before she moved her hand back to her stomach.
Charlotte nodded as she moved through the store walking back to the dressing room. She quickly tried on all the items, taking time to look herself over in each thing before she changed. Once she was finished, she re-dressed in her own clothes before she exited the dressing room. “I like them all,” she admitted to Mercedes as she moved for the register.
Mercedes stopped short looking at a particular item before she looked up. “Okay, great,” she said as she moved behind the girl to her register. Mercedes reached into her purse and pulled out her wallet.
Placing the items on the counter, Charlotte reached into her satchel for her wallet, pulling it out before she noticed Mercedes and she blushed, putting hers away. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“Don’t mention it,” Mercedes said as she decided upon which card she wanted to use before she grabbed her Debit card and paid for the items.
While Mercedes paid for the items, Charlotte looked around a bit more, just eyeing things this time around. After a moment, she hugged Mercedes from behind as another thank you before she began to just look around more.
Mercedes smiled at the girl, she really didn’t have to thank her. Her husband would have done the same for her no doubt, she tucked the card away before she moved aside allowing the associate to tuck the receipt in the bag before she tucked her wallet away.
Charlotte picked up the bag as the associate finished everything up, she smiled before exiting the store. “Thank you again,” she said once more, as they walked through the mall more. Looking at all the stores, she tried to find somewhere else to shop.
“You’re welcome,” Mercedes said to the girl as she placed her purse on her shoulder and stuck her hands back into her dress pockets as they began to walk again. “What should we eat today?” she asked her curiously.
Charlotte looked at Mercedes thoughtfully. “Let’s see what the cafeteria has,” she said with a hum, stopping at the directory to see where it was.
“Okay,” Mercedes replied back to her, that was easy enough in her head it had variety and everyone should be happy. Though she’d have to find something for her husband later.
Charlotte found the cafeteria on the board and she pointed in the direction, looking back at Mercedes. “This way?” she said curiously looking at Mercedes as she moved in the direction. Walking for the food court, Charlotte, grew quiet. She just knew that outside of the house, Mercedes would want to talk to her and learn more about her since it had been years but she was silent instead. Only really speaking when spoken to and it made Charlotte wonder if she had done something wrong.
Mercedes looked to the girl, following behind her as she switched directions. She looked to Charlotte and Charlotte looked to her and she said nothing instead she just continued to walk.
Charlotte entered the cafeteria, looking around at all the different options with a hum. “Mongolia BBQ,” she said looking at the sign before she looked in the other direction. “Pizza…”
Mercedes looked around quietly trying to decide what she wanted to eat. “Do you have it?” she asked her willing to give her cash to eat before she set off to find herself something.
“Yeah,” Charlotte said quickly to Mercedes before she walked over to the Sbarro and got in line.
Mercedes nodded her head at the girl as she wandered off in another direction, she moved around a few people before she turned to see what she felt was a ghostly girl. Mercedes stared at her for a while unable to make out any features before she turned her head looking around her, her heart beating rapidly. Turning back around she didn’t see her and she accidentally backed into another individual. “I am so sorry,” she told him as the large biker-like guy shoved Mercedes back.
Charlotte moved forward in the line, looking at the various options before she settled on the veggie pizza. “Hi, I’ll just take one slice of the veggie,” she told the young man behind the counter before the hairs on the back of her neck began to stand on end and she looked over her shoulder quickly. She moved for the register, pulling out her wallet to quickly pay before a feeling of uncertainty settled in the pit of her stomach. “Thank you,” she said quickly, grabbing her change and her tray of pizza before she quickly walked away, looking around wildly. She felt that girl, Riley. She was here at the mall. Instantly she began to look around for Mercedes.
Mercedes looked to the guy crazily “I-I said sorry,” she said as she stumbled a bit, security wasn’t far behind as they approached. The guy looked to Mercedes angrily, he shoved her again this time pushing her to the ground. Mercedes fell back with a thump and she caught herself just slightly with her hands, hurting her left wrist no less. Her eyes darkened at that, she gazed up at the man when security came over handling the man, she stood up slowly with some help. “I’m fine,” she said darkly as she continued to gaze at the man even as security escorted him rightfully. As she was asked about her condition, the issue, the guy she continued to watch him before she squinted lightly a whirlwind of thunder, lightning, and rain pouring outside around them.
Charlotte spotted Mercedes as she was pushed to the ground but a hulk of a man and she sat her tray down quickly, rushing over. “Oh my God,” she said as she made her way to them, snarling at the man. “You bastard!” she yelled out and with a flick of her wrist, she wished a bad spell upon him, one of which she would solidify later with blood. Turning to Mercedes, she held one of her hands. “Are you alright?” she asked eyeing her up and down before the thunder and lightning scared her half to death. “Jesus!” she said jumping halfway out of her skin as the feeling bubbled and brewed even deeper in the pit of her stomach. Looking to Mercedes once more she took in her eyes and how dark they were with an arched eyebrow. “Mercedes?” she questioned slightly.
Mercedes continued to glare at the man and he dropped to the ground before the security guards that were escorting him away. Mercedes blinked a few times before she looked to Charlotte. “Huh?” she asked her as she held her wrist in her hands gently. “I’m fine,” she said nursing the wrist as she stepped back from everyone, the guy lying lifeless on the ground had more people's attention than anything, just like that. He had collapsed and died, she licked her lips as she moved to lower herself in a chair.
Charlotte looked back at the man as he collapsed and she eyeballed him for a second before she focused her attention back to Mercedes. “Your wrist,” she said gently, watching Mercedes cradle it. “It’s hurt,” she said softly, before she looked back at the man on the ground unmoving. Her eyes began to grow wide when she realized he might be dead. “Oh my God,” she said shocked. Did I kill him? Sitting beside Mercedes, Charlotte stared at the man baffled. She didn’t mean to kill him, she just wanted him to have bad karma for a few weeks.
A security guard came over to Mercedes and Charlotte telling both women not to move and that the police were on their way. Mercedes looked to the guard and then to Charlotte, still holding her painful wrist in her hand. There was enough people around to account for everything, surely they could say their peace and be home before Samuel beat them there. “I am fine,” she repeated again to the girl as she sat there waiting.
Charlotte looked at Mercedes and huffed. “Look at your wrist! You’re not fine,” she said aggravatedly. “It’s definitely sprained, it might be broken,” she said gently now.
Samuel heard the call over the radio in the car and he looked at Avery with a nod before he reported back, “unit 201 is on the way.” Whipping the truck around, he drove towards the mall, already being relatively close. Pulling up to the mall entrance, near the food fort, both he and Avery hopped out and moved into the building. Quickly they both made way for the body lying on the ground before Samuel looked over seeing Mercedes and Charlotte. He patted Avery’s shoulder before walking to his wife and sister. “You two alright?” he questioned as he pulled out his notepad and pen, prepared to question the two women that were supposedly involved after he got updated from his loved ones.
Mercedes turned her head towards Charlotte slowly, her eyes flashing angrily as she raised her voice to much for Mercedes liking. “Don’t fuck with me right now Charlotte,” she said which was so very unlike herself. She turned her head slowly as she looked to the body on the ground before she looked up to see her husband and she released a slow breath before she looked to her wrist. “Ouch,” she said quietly as she held it. “I think I hurt my wrist, when that guy shoved me to the ground,” she said, referencing the dead body.
Charlotte eyes grew wide as Mercedes snapped back at her. “Fine, let your wrist fall off then,” she said before crossing her arms over her chest and pouting. As Samuel approached them, Charlotte gazed at him before she looked to Mercedes staying quiet now because she wasn’t in it.
Samuel looked between the two of them before he looked at Mercedes wrists. “He pushed you?” he asked looking back at the dead body on the floor as his face turned red. If the man wasn’t already dead he’d kill him. “So wait…” he said before he turned to one of the mall security guards, “who am I questioning?” he asked knowing damn well it couldn’t be his wife and sister.
The security guard looked to the man and said, “these two women and well…” his eyes moving back to the dead body. Mercedes nodded her head at her husband, she didn’t know if it were protocol to do this, so she didn’t want to give that fact away at all. “I saw, something or someone… I don’t know. I think I got dizzy or something but I scared myself,” she breathed “and I bumped into him by accident. He shoved me and I apologized, but he did it again and when he did I fell to the ground,” she said looking up at Samuel. “Security was escorting him away when he collapsed, but I was practically still on the ground myself,” she breathed out softly.
Charlotte listened silently until Mercedes began to explain what happened. Once she was finished she said her peace. “I was in line getting pizza. After I did I went to look for Mercedes, I saw her get pushed to the ground. I quickly went over to help her. Then while being escorted away, he just dropped to the floor...”
Samuel eyed the security guard before he turned his attention back to his wife and sister. He listened to them both, jotting down the important parts of their stories which wasn’t much considering neither of them really had extensive contact with the man. “Okay…” he said before he turned to the guard. “Let’s view the cameras…”
“Are we free to go?” Mercedes asked Samuel knowingly as he spoke with the security guard. She was sure there was some coroner on the way and ambulance no less but currently she just wanted to get home.
Charlotte looked to her brother then to Mercedes, still holding her bag in her hand as she crossed one arm over her chest, her hand holding her arm gently.
Samuel looked to Mercedes with a small frown. “Unfortunately not. Give me a few to review the camera’s and check a few things out, then I’ll have you two on your way,” he said, trying to stay professional as he turned to the guard, gazing at the man expectantly.
Mercedes looked to him nodding her head as she sat back in the chair, she tilted her head as she watched the man on the ground and she batted a slow lash as he rose from his position on the ground. She didn’t have time for this, she was ready to go. She smirked at the gasp and turned her head as she moved to get up from the chair, still nursing her wrist. She slipped past security and her husband vanishing in the crowd of people.
Charlotte nodded at her brother, sitting back in the seat with a small huff, her stomach growling now as she looked over at the table that held her now abandoned and cold pizza. As hungry as she was, she surely wasn’t eating that now. Licking her lips slowly, she brushed her fingers through her long blonde hair before she noticed the man rising from the dead and her eyes grew wide. “What the fuck…” she mumbled to herself as Mercedes stood up and walked off. She sat there looking around unsure of what to do before she got up quickly, following Mercedes, slipping past everyone silently. “Wait for me…” she said quietly for Mercedes to hear her but not anyone else.
Samuel stood off to the side, talking with the security guard quietly, going over more information as he wrote some things down. The guard was just about to show him to the office to view the camera’s when he noticed the man rising on the ground. He arched an eyebrow, locking eyes with Avery who was standing much closer to the man.
Mercedes walked slowly past everyone nearby as she moved for the exit, she heard the girl and stopped short as she looked to the ghostly figure again. She looked back at Charlotte before she turned back around once again to nothing.
Charlotte rushed behind Mercedes until she slowed down and she caught up with her, with a small huff, trying to catch her breath. “Where are you going?” she asked, trying to keep up with all that was happening as her stomach churned. She whipped her head around herself. She couldn’t see the young woman, but she definitely felt her presence near. “We have to go,” Charlotte said quickly, taking Mercedes hand into her own as she began rushing to the exit doors, pushing through them quickly. As soon as Charlotte stepped outside, she was stuck. She couldn’t move anymore. Physically, she was frozen.
The guard guided Samuel to the office and once inside, Samuel began scrubbing through the footage, quickly noticing that something wasn’t right. “Where’s the footage?” he asked, seeing the before and after but not the incident. It was all blank within that time frame. He could see Mercedes and Charlotte walking into the food court and he could see them currently standing just outside the mall, which aggravated him to no end, but he couldn’t see what happened to cause all the commotion. “Do you have backup cameras?” he asked looking at the guard.
Mercedes looked to Charlotte her eyes fixed on the ghostly shadow as she were yanked towards the exit and Mercedes rushed behind the girl clutching her purse. Her eyes still lingered behind them as she looked around for something or someone, brown and golden hair whipping around her. As Charlotte stopped short, Mercedes stood there catching her breath. “Come on,” she prompted as she grabbed her hands trying to pull her towards road. “You said we have to go,” she breathed slowly.
Charlotte tried to speak but she couldn’t. Her eyes moved to Mercedes and she struggled against the force, trying to move forward as Mercedes pulled her. “I-I... “ she fought to speak before the force released her and she stumbled forward, hearing that cackling in her ear, making her skin crawl as she looked to Mercedes. She tried to gather herself for a moment before she nodded, unable to explain what just happened without sounding crazy.
Samuel dropped his head into his hand and let out a sigh. “Alright…” he said before standing up. “We’re going to have to take a few people down to the station for questioning, including you,” he told the guard.
Mercedes looked to the girl and she let her go for a moment before she backed up a little. “Come on,” she told her again as she held her purse in her hand, “I’m feeling dizzy again,” she sighed.
Charlotte looked to Mercedes and she nodded. “Give me the keys I’ll drive,” she said quickly, moving for the car.
Mercedes nodded her head as she stuck her hand in her large bag and felt around for the keys until she found them, handing them over.
The party is in full swing and Steve's never been more bored. There are a dozen people trying to get his attention, trying to snag meetings even though he'll say the same thing he always does -- to call his damn office on Monday. There's a time and a place, and it's not now. Maybe it could be, for someone, a select someone, but no one so far has managed to wind their way into the spot. And, of course, the more people try to bully their way in, the less likely Steve is to give them even a moment.
When he spots Harry Osborn, there's a moment. He did, of course, send the man his condolences, along with some flowers. In truth, Steve didn't send them for the man that had passed. There was a reason every single dealing between the two of them had been layered with ice, lined with it. There were several reasons. So, the note and the damn flowers had been for the younger man, though Steve has no idea who he really is, at the core.
He supposes he'll find out, in time, and there's a moment that Steve considers taking his damn leave of the party -- despite the fact that his presence is something necessary for the business, for a lot of reasons. The moment passes, though, the more he considers the other man, and Steve finally makes his way over to the bar to lean against the edge of the counter as he refreshes his drink. "Somehow, we've never managed to meet," he says, his voice quiet as he fixes his eyes on the younger man's face. "Steve Rogers."
