Addison laughed. It felt good having a female friend to just chat with. She was sociable and she kept busy, but it'd been a while since she had just relaxed and hung out with someone who didn't need or want something from her.
"It's a job, like any other. It's fun, but it can also have its tedious moments."
"Okay, no," Claudia said laughingly, "Your job is not like any job! You're some kind of musical genius that gets paid to go to parties. You call your boss 'Maestro' like he's a classical music god and you get to be a part of something that's just... indescribable. If it's anything like what you just treated me to, it must be a privilege for you to go to work every day and be surrounded by such incredible sounds."
Addison smiled. Claudia had a lovely way of looking at life. "I sit next to Dennis, who may sound lovely when he plays, but after several hours he certainly doesn't smell lovely."
They laughed together. They started discussing a business course that Claudia was interested in taking at the local college. Apparently she’d always been interested in owning a business and Tyson wanted to give her the opportunity of turning a local underground gambling establishment into a legal profitable business. Addison encouraged Claudia to take on the opportunity, but Claudia was hesitant because of her lack of education.
"Then you should definitely take the course," Addison said. "Do both at the same time. That way you can apply what you learn in real time. Your boyfriend owns all kinds of businesses, he can help guide you. You’re a smart, energetic woman, you can handle it. And besides, he’s rich. If you screw it up, I’m sure he has other businesses you can practise on.”
“Thanks, Addie,” Claudia laughed. “I think I just needed to hear someone say that. Tyson believes in me, of course. But he’s also super protective and doesn’t want me to strain myself picking up a bag of apples let alone taking too much business. It feels good talking to a girlfriend again. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to.”
Addison wanted to ask Claudia why she hadn’t been able to confide in friends, but suspected it had to do with the psycho ex-boyfriend. Instead she said, “I know what you mean, I’ve been so focused on work lately that I haven’t had a lot of time for fun.”
She could feel the gears in Claudia’s brain working. “Then we should definitely do something fun. You, me and Anya. I think you’ll really like Anya. She’s my only other friend here and she’s great. But I should warn you, she can be a handful.”
“Aren’t we all?” Addison said with a laugh.
“Tyson would agree with that!” Claudia said with feeling. “It took a lot of arguing for me to convince him and Daniel that I should have a woman for a bodyguard. In fact, after all the failed interviews this week we’re pretty much back to square one on that matter. I feel like I’ve argued myself blue in the face with those two!”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Addison said sympathetically.
She rather agreed that Claudia should be able to have a female bodyguard if she wanted. It made perfect sense, but she understood exactly what it was like to try arguing with Daniel Mercer about anything. Impossible.
“There’s one more interview tomorrow, she’s my last chance. If she doesn’t make it then I’m back to picking one of Daniel’s meatheads for the job. Apparently this one’s from Japan and has only moved here recently. Is it wrong of me to hope she’s like ‘The Bride’ from Kill Bill?”
“Are you going to be there during the interview?” Claudia confirmed that she was, and Addison asked thoughtfully, “Why do the women keep failing?”
Claudia answered in a frustrated voice. “Daniel is a brutal interviewer for guys, let alone for a woman. I’ve seen Navy Seals limp away from him in tears. He insists on a physical test that would be illegal if he weren’t private sector. Most of his guys refuse to test the women in hand-to-hand combat, not wanting to hurt a woman, and no one man or woman is capable of taking on Daniel. So they’re pretty much doomed to fail from the outset.”
“Damn,” Addison breathed, feeling deeply sorry for any woman that tried to beat up Daniel for a job. That just didn’t sound like a good idea.
“You don’t know anyone that would fight a woman besides Daniel? Like a guy that can fight that you could, I don’t know, convince to go a little easy on her?” Addison asked, and then felt compelled to add. “What an asshole Daniel is! I mean, who goes around beating up women?”
Claudia laughed. “He seems to be an equally opportunity people hater, he doesn't differentiate between the sexes. Tyson told me a little bit about him a few weeks ago. He’s ex-guerilla, basically a hired gun. He specializes in fighting and has done for his entire life, which is why he’s so good at it. The only reason he’s so loyal to Tyson is because he saved his life once.”
Addison desperately wanted to ask more about Daniel, but didn’t want to give away her interest.
“Maybe I do know someone that I can convince to sort of beat up a woman, but go a little easy on her too. He’s built like a fucking house, but he’s got a soft spot for the ladies I think,” Claudia muttered, completely absorbed by her own problem. “Those damn Russians owe me a favour anyway.”
Addison's cell phone interrupted their conversation with the theme song to "Fistful of Dollars.” Addison laughed when she felt Claudia jump and look around for the sudden whistling in Addison's apartment. Addison reached out to the shelf where she always left her phone, picked it up and waved it for Claudia to see. Claudia laughed a little while Addison answered.
"Hello?"
There was no answer at first, which immediately made Addison go cold with apprehension.
"Hello, is anyone there?"
"Addison," the breathy voice whispered.
Addison shuddered, her hand gripping the phone hard. She said nothing. She wanted to hang up, but she felt frozen in place. She also didn't want to make a big deal in front of Claudia. She could already feel the other woman's rising concern. Addison must not be controlling her features very well. She tilted her chin down and let her hair swing forward to cover her face.
"You played beautifully at rehearsal today, Addison. Did you play for me?"
The voice was gruff and whispery. Impossible to tell who it could be. They always gave details about her, but never enough to pinpoint exactly who they could be and what, if any relationship they had to her.
"Why won't you talk to me?" The voice whined. "You know how much I love you Addison. We're meant to be together. I know you feel it too. It's there in your music, it calls to me."
