Chapter 5: The Neighborly Bachelor

I rolled out of bed around dawn the next morning, and with a groan I forced myself to dress and clean up as I stumbled into the living room of my apartment. I knew I shouldn't have had that third glass of wine, but after Jason I needed it. With a heavy sigh I turned a couple lamps on and moved to the kitchen making a fresh cup of tea which I soon enjoyed at the kitchen table. I took a couple sips and then remembered my newspaper likely sitting at my front door; as I forced myself up I shuffled across the apartment and two rooms later I was at my front door opening it to retrieve my beloved habit of each early morning, though instead I found a empty hall; but before I closed the door I heard footsteps and glanced down the hall to see Adam strolling up the last couple stairs which leads to the back fire doors.

He was in blue jogging pants and a loose gray t-shirt with his shoulder length brown hair tied back in a ponytail. His chocolate covered brown eyes looked up to meet my gaze, and a crooked smile came to plaster over his well-tanned face. "You are up mighty early Adam, Training for the marathons again?" I asked him idly just to break the ice. He was a sweet guy but not much of my type. I waited for his reply as he closed the gap between us for the most part; and I settled in the doorway of my apartment, wearing my lounging clothes which consisted of sweat pants and a tank top.

"Morning Kags, yeah marathons, six miles this morning; I have to get up to twelve before the end of the month. I hope to at least place this time around." I watched him flash another smile as he leaned on the wall across from my apartment. "Are you doing alright? I heard you come in mighty late last night, and you know how thin these walls can be." I saw him pull a water bottle from his back pocket and take a large drink from it before he continued talking to me, which was a bad thing about him, and he'd talk for an hour if given the chance. "You are still going to college this term, I'm thinking of going back for my masters in fall, and it could be useful to me soon." I finally got a break in between his questions and chatter to answer and speak for myself.

"Oh, I finished my classes for the time being, don't know when I am going back as of yet, and yes I got home late last night; was a long way home, though I am fine. You didn't happen to see the newspaper boy this morning did you? He very rarely misses a delivery, it is a bit strange." I hummed lightly in consideration of the situation, and simply sighed over it. I watched him tuck his water bottle away and glance down the hall before answering me. It was a long awkward pause but I waited with patience in mind, even though it was a bit annoying; he was in general. There was always something I didn't like about it, no matter how friendly he was, he just seemed fake in some sense, and I just couldn't put my finger on why.

"Oh yeah, I saw him early this morning, why didn't get a paper, you can have mine if you like, I rarely look at them, the negativity is too dull and depressing. Though that serial killer, tut tut , poor girls; and you sneaking around at night, be very careful, all sorts of animals roam this cement jungle some none too friendly. Hold on I will get you the paper." I watched him walk down the hall a few steps and fumble with his keys as he soon opened his door and stepped in, I walked over to the area of his door and waited outside; though I did speak my mind on his last comment. " I wasn't sneaking around, I was on a date, and just ended up staying out late; I am quite able to take care of myself, thank you."

I crossed my arms over my waist line in a slight agitation as I waited on him. He soon popped back out of the room, and handed me the newspaper. "Alright Kagome, I do sure hope you can, wouldn't want anything to happen to you, and you are such a nice lady after all. Have a good day Kagome." She watched him disappear into his apartment and close the door. With a shake of her head she moved back to her own place of refuge down the hall, with the newspaper in hand. The guy was odd sometimes, is all I can say about him, and just always rubbed me the wrong way. Closing my own apartment door and locked it in place as I went back to the sanctuary of a peaceful morning of tea and reading; with any luck that is.

Morning past too soon as I sent my son off to school, which was across the street basically, and decided what I would wear this afternoon to greet her third regular client; one I liked referring to as hot shot captain. I mainly liked calling him that to myself because the guy thought he was something special and half the time obsessed over himself in the mirror more than anything else most the time; as for captain, he was one; in the Navy, who loved playing doctor, even in his off hours; and I ended up his obedient slutty nurse. Which he often hiss and groan out in our sexual encounters wishing he could nail me every day in the hall closet of the hospital he currently worked in. If I didn't know better I believe that was the main reason he did become a doctor; to get his hands on nurses, which I didn't think most of them would care much to be groped by him; he wasn't much of a catch.

Sighing as I found myself rummaging through my closet wardrobe for the second time in two hours attempting to make my mind up on what captain would like to see me in, the guy wasn't one to rush most things, he liked it sensual and slow, even wanting me on top sometimes to make himself feel better about manipulation and control. Shaking my head to try and clear it I decided on my original outfit of the short knee high party dress, which was a dark purple with the outline of a dragon wrapped about the waist line and down to the hem of the skirt. I didn't really feel like going tonight; well I really haven't felt like going the last few nights to meet any of these men, but the money, always the money; two grand a night, type of income; which aloud such a decent lifestyle and her child to go to a decent school. Well the school dean also needed a little convincing, which wasn't too hard, only the best for my blood, my future who was growing too fast.

My thoughts were brought back to the present when I heard a text message hit my phone with a triple whammy of 'buzz'. I didn't really want to talk to anyone for the moment, but when I glanced at the name on it, I figured I should before he ended up at my door. I opened the text and it read back ally of 12th street 2 p.m. With a mental groan I glanced at the time and it read 1p.m; and so with dragging feet I made my way to dressing in blue jeans and a loose fitting creamy peach toned blouse. I had no desire to see David, he would lecture me, ask me when I would be through with these games, and ask me when I would call it quits. Well, little did he know I was on top of a lot of things, and if he would leave me alone for more than a month maybe I would get somewhere.

My thoughts further rallied my temper and I soon stormed out the door, down the elevator and into the crowded streets of Philly. I tugged my wind breaker closer to my body as I headed west to my destination. It took me about twenty minutes to get there and I slipped into the back ally glancing around to make sure no one was particularly interested in me. My steps were swift and I enjoyed the sound of no clicking from heels upon my feet this afternoon, and I really did hope none of my clients would contact me so I wouldn't have to deal with any males later tonight besides the one. I soon stopped at the end of the long cement hallway which was fairly gloomy because not even the warmth of sun rays could pierce this decrepit place. I idly rocked to and fro on my tennis shoes as I waited for the male who tended to grate on every nerve of my body.

David was like a over protective mother hen, I would never know why he always preferred to hound me like a lost puppy. He got paid, his bosses got paid, I was out here on my own accord nothing to really do with them; except would look bad on them if something happened to me. A shuffling of feet caught my attention as I glanced down the rest of the bleak ally way which caused a chill to chase down my spine. As if a shadow raising from the ground there was David in his black hoodie and jeans, and he always did like blending into his surroundings. I watched him approach in no rush as usual as I broke the silence between us as he stopped a few feet from me. "What do you want David?" I tapped my foot slightly as I was still annoyed from earlier about this situation, and we both could be caught over this and he better damn well have one decent excuse.

"Jackie and Michael are getting antsy about you still being out here, it has been two years, and you know how it goes with those who stick around too long. I dragged you into this and I am tempted to drag you out. Five years is a long time for you to be playing these games, and everyone involved knows it, even you; no matter how much you lie to yourself." I decided to cut his sentence off there, I completely focused on him now because my blood pressure was only rising considering I had gone through this twenty times before, three cities ago. With a deep breath I taped down my frustrations and attempted to speak fairly calmly to him; even though I felt like screaming.

"I've told you a dozen times, I am fine on my own, I am watching my own back, doing things on my own terms, and you didn't drag me anywhere I wanted to do this myself since my sister went missing; so don't patronize me like a child, you always got to do what you wanted to do in your work, let me do the same in mine. I will contact you when and if I decide to walk away from my life, now if you excuse me I have clients to tend to in a few hours." I lied through my teeth but I didn't care I wanted out of his presence before I told him what I really thought of him. I turned on heel and strolled out back to the sidewalks of the city, my legs lead me in quick strides back to the rear of my apartment building. I didn't need this drama, I had enough on my plate.

I near slammed the door of my apartment closed as I collapsed none too gracefully onto the sofa. It was become a fairly crummy day and then a sudden knock on the door finished it off when I heard the voice of Adam on the other side of the wall. He shouldn't even be home much less checking in on me; and I should be able to throw a fit if I pleased, I didn't need a guard dog or protector. I have done just fine on my own for the last few years, and I don't need any male telling me otherwise. I rose to my feet once again not even getting a five minute break as I made my way back to the door. With no grace involved I near slung it open as I looked at a perplexed looking Adam who stood near the door with two cups of coffee in hand. With a sigh I decided to greet him. "Hello Adam, how are you today?" The words came out flat to me but I didn't currently care.

"Well..." I watched him as he tried to start somewhere most likely figuring by now I wasn't in the greatest of moods. "I am doing alright, though I heard you come back in a few minutes ago and figured you might want some coffee to warm you up, considering it is quite chilly out still. So I made you a cup since you said you liked it the last time I made this kind, though if you don't want me around I will just head back my way and leave you be." I studied him a moment as I considered my own response; the guy was sweet, always attempting to do kind gestures for me, though he just didn't ever rub me the right way. With a deep breath I tried to give a smile to the male as I invited him into my apartment to enjoy the coffee with him.

"You can stay Adam, it has just been a bumpy morning, I hope I haven't offended you or anything; I just have a lot on my plate for the moment. Come in and we can chat for a few minutes; I would have thought you'd be at work today, you normally are." I waited for him to enter and I closed the door once more behind him, we both settled on the sofa and he set the cups down on the glass table. I rearranged myself on the overstuffed pillows as I waited for him to speak up once more, he was odd sometimes, always seeming to get distracted easily.

"Oh I wasn't really needed today so I figured why not try a day off, though sometimes I don't know what for since I don't have any family left and such. I was married before I moved here but she didn't want to move with me so it ended on a sour note between us. I consider the guy who left you high and dry an idiot though, you are a very smart and decent woman with a respectable son; yet some pride driven stiff shirt leaves you; I don't know what to think of most of the world anymore. Relationships aren't what they used to be with all this tech and wanting instant gratification." I saw him shake his head mentally agreeing with himself I'd assume as I took a drink from the coffee he had brought; it felt so good going down my throat, which warmed me from the inside out. Though I really did like this coffee, it had a maple flavor to it which he had told me was imported from Canada.

"Well times change and so do people, societies, styles, laws and politicians. It all goes around like the very earth we stand on; it is just part of the life humanity has decided to create for itself as odd as it maybe." I had finally decided to answer him; it was nice to sit in company with someone of the opposite sex who wasn't trying to get me in bed all the time. "Maybe one day you can remarry; and not all women are tech obsessed or wanting instant love. Also relationships tend to hit us when we least except it, when we aren't looking for it." I was trying to cheer him up some, so the situation didn't look totally gloomy though I wasn't exactly a professional at being optimistic myself. I moved my gaze to my cell phone which was also on the table, and surprisingly hot shot captain hadn't sent a text for us to meet up tonight, which was out of the norm and I wasn't typically that lucky.

"Whelp..." My attention returned on my current male companion as he downed the rest of his coffee. I had mainly just popped in to make sure you were alright, you seem to be more agitated lately since you keep slamming doors." He smiled at me as he got up and stretched his limbs out before walking to the door which he had only came through a few minutes ago. "I hope your afternoon improves Cat, otherwise I might have to do something drastic." He smirked at me oddly before he disappeared and closed the door behind himself, and once more leaving me to an empty apartment. I sighed and went back to sipping the cooling brew which had yet to leave my hands. My attention went back to the cell phone on the table. It would be too good to be true if I had another night off...or maybe he was sick or changed plans. With any luck one of those options would be the case for the evening and I could find other things to do with my time. Maybe it was time for another move; I was picking up a few things here but nothing that viable to cut the strings completely.

The lease on the apartment ended in three months, and I'd decide by then if I would stay or go; though I hated uprooting my son for the third time since he started school, and I know he disliked it but he never protested just packed his things and followed me to the ends of the earth. My thoughts then fell onto his father, not a regret but simply a situation I couldn't stay in if I wanted to have my own life. Don't get me wrong the guy would have supported me, and buried me in affection but I felt so limited to what I could do with myself, so I called it quits; and since he couldn't take care of Alex so I ended up with him. They had only met each other a couple times since then; and I'd hope one day soon Alex and his father would get more time with each other after I decided to settle down somewhere and quit my current profession.

When I thought I was becoming lucky about tonight my phone rang and I groaned before answering it. Though it was no one I expected on the other end as I heard a unknown voice echo through the speaker, distinctly a deep male voice. "Hello Kagome, I got your number from a friend, who said you are a leading lady to escort around. I am looking for an escort for tomorrow night to a costume party; I can pay you upfront when we meet up, and I am offering three thousand for two hours of your time; no after hours fun of course; I am not that type of gentleman. I am only in town for a week and decided to join my friend to this party tomorrow night, and I do hope you will join me. If you accept simply text me tomorrow afternoon around 3pm, have a good evening Kagome." Dead air was her only companion on the phone now as he had hung up on the other end. The man on the other didn't even wait for a reply or good bye; though what would it hurt to go, they would be meeting in a public place, hang in a crowd, and she'd get paid for it; what could the worst be? Besides been a while since she actually played the escort girl, which had been her original career.

The prospect of a new temporary client and going back to my original work as an escort girl was exciting to me on some level. It would be a change of routine for one night and hopefully would shed some light on what else I'd like to do with my life as of late. Maybe David was right, and I had been doing this too long; looking for answers I would never find, but maybe they were just around the corner. Setting my phone down I decided I needed more coffee and went to the kitchen to fetch some. I don't know why but I was feeling a bit giddy about the date, even though wasn't really a date just a guy paying me to be a trophy on his arm for a couple hours, though who knows what could come about over it; it really was a change of place and faces. I had a bit more pep to my step as I made and dragged my coffee with me back to my room to look through my clothes for what I might wear tomorrow night, who knows it could be fun for once.