Desiree groaned as the rain flew through her open window. Lightning lit up the sky as another angry outburst of rain came pouring down. She yawned trudging to her window. She shivered as the cold wind hit her body. Groggy from sleep she almost stumbled over her rug, stubbing her big toe on the foot of her bed. She cursed, and got right back under the covers. When suddenly the phone rang. She sat slowly up right and looked at the time, 2:15 a.m. "Who would be calling this time of night?" She wondered out loud, annoyed.
She looked at the caller I.D. it was Donavan, her father's right hand man. She fumbled with the light, while reaching for the receiver. "Yeah?" She said, her voice cracking. "Your father wants to see you at 8:30 tomorrow morning, sharp. Or else I'm coming to get you. Understand?" He ordered. She hung up, without a word. A few moments later the phone rang again, this time she didn't bother with the caller I.D. "Anything else?" She said with a sigh. This time it was her sister, China. "Did you just hang up on Viper?" Their code name for Donavan. But Desiree's personal one was Hoover, as in suck up. "Yes, and I'm going to do it again too." She said. But China cut her off. "No. I won't stop bugging you until you listen to me." China warned. She rolled her eyes knowing the threat was genuine. "Alright talk."
"Thanks sis, your so generous." Heavy sarcasm in her voice, "Look China can you get to the point please." Desiree warned. "Okay, dad wants you to come to the estate tomorrow, and stay for a couple of weeks." She said quickly. Desiree buried her face in her pillow, not answering. "Des are you there?" No answer. "Des!" China yelled. Her ear began to ring as she pulled the receiver away from her ear. "Yes! Who does he want to impress this time?" She heard China groan. "Look, just come stay a while he misses you." Des snorted, "Yeah right, he always referred to me as the black sheep of the family. The problem child." There was a slight pause, China knew she was right. "So! Dad wants you here. Heneeds your help." She said, almost in a whisper. She knew what China said but wanted to hear it again. "Huh? I didn't catch that last part." Des replied trying desperately to keep the smile out of her voice. "Arrg!" China breathed,
"I saidDad needs your help." She smiled, "It's a cold night in a hell." She heard China sigh, after a moment she spoke again, "Anyway are you coming?" She sounded suddenly impatient.
Des was reluctant, but eventually her curiosity got the better of her. "Oh, Alright. But don't count on me staying any more then a week." She warned. She could almost feel China nod. "That you'll have to sort out with dad." She sat up, and swung her legs around to place her feet on the floor. "I'll be over at 8:30 tomorrow. Don't send a car either." With that said she hung up the phone.
No use sleeping away her last few hours of piece, when soon enough she'd be thrown back into the jungle of pandemonium, also known as her family. She looked absently at her window, and noticed the rain had stopped, and patches of blue sky was beginning to show through the pale gray clouds. Going over to her closet, she put on her tight fitting running pants, and a red baby-tee shirt, and headed down stairs.
She was proud of her little condo. Even though it wasn't exactly little, but she made it look that way. With enough furniture, photos lining the walls (some of then her own, other's her friends and admired collogues), side tables, appliances, floor lamps, book cases, etc. She pulled on a pair of running shoes and tied up her hair, and grabbed her duffel bag full of her usual clothes. Two out fits a pair of jeans and a tang top, or a casual pair of kackies with a oxford shirt.
Hopping into her old 1967 Ford Cobra, she went to the gym where she usually met her best friend Lydia.
Des had her life pretty well squared away. She was a well known photographer and Engineer, she lived well and kept a good social calendar. She sometimes hosted parties, and was on occasion a guest at a couple of choice functions. But every Friday night her old friends would drag her to the other side of the tracks and take her club hopping, shopping, illegal street races, and even to underground stunt shows. Those nights she could be herself, and love every wild minute of it.
Growing up she was the rebellious child, the one who her father constantly wondered where he went wrong with. She stepped inside the gym and was greeted by her usual friends, and her old personal trainer. After saying her usual hellos and dodging the usual gym men, she met up with Lydia at the treadmills. Her eyes lit up when she saw her friend. "Hey Chika!" Lydia yelled, giving her a tight hug. "Hey." She said back.
They stepped on to the machines and started their workouts. "Okay, what's wrong, you usually never this quiet." Lydia asked, looking at her over the top of her glasses. She shook her head. "I got a call from China bright and early this morning around 2:30." She explained. "Ohsay no more." Lydia stated. "Yeah but there's something else, she says that my father needs my help with something, and that he wants me to stay for a couple of weeks." Lydia looked at her. "Couple of weeks? No, Des you can't desert me like that. Who will I talk to?" She said in a whiny voice. "You could always come with me." She offered teasingly. Lydia laughed, "Hah! Nice try but, even I'm not a good enough friend to do that." Des nodded, "Alright, chicken out on me. But I'm calling you to give you all the gory details as soon as I get the chance." She warned. Lydia nodded, "Yeah, I knowmisery loves company." They moved on to talk about other things that were the usual. Food, diets, work, bosses, and men.
They were walking out to her car, as they were finishing a very old argument, one they had often. "Des I don't understand, your so beautiful, yet you don't have a boyfriend." She looked at her friend. "Fine, I don't have a boyfriend. What's wrong with that?" Des asked with a playful smile. "Nothing." Lydia replied, rolling her eyes, "Have fun at Dad's." She teased, as Des got into her car. "Yeah right." She headed to her father's estate in the quiet side of Los Angeles. "Let the games begin" She said with a rugged sigh.