Chapter 3: The Girl Next Door…..
The day went as planned. Arthur was with Elena and while they were out for lunch, I did my duties in the office….if Arthur needed me I was just a bbm away.
So I opted to focus on what was really important…to me, that is. Updating our budgets, coordinating with the other offices around the world, there was a lot of things on my plate, considering my recent issues with tardiness.
Focused on my projects, from the peripheral view, I noticed Lance standing a considerable distance away from my desk watching me, wordlessly.
"What is it Lance?" I asked, knowing well enough that my friend seemed deeply troubled.
He smiled at me, "Take it, you know me in and out by now…"
I shrug my shoulders, "Eh…you are after all part of this big powerful family….now…all of a sudden…."
he noticed my sarcasm, "Don't rub it in Merlin…you are still my subordinate." He smiled sheepishly at me.
Taking a step closer, he rested his palms on my office desk, this caught my attention causing me to stop all work instantly.
In a whisper, he gently spoke, "Is there no way of cancelling this meeting?" he suggested. I knew he was referring to tonight's meeting with his elusive girlfriend.
"All is arranged…" I say, "It will be alright...she will be fine…Arthur won't bite."
Lance shook his head, "It's not Arthur I am worried about…."
I remained speechless….
"It is Gwen….she…." he straightened up, his hand resting on his forehead, "She does….she does not know the whole story…."
His statement nearly caused me to laugh, "What, like she does not know you are some big shot in Pendragon Corp?"
There was an odd look on his face and I knew that that had been exactly the case.
"So who does she think you are?" I exclaimed.
He shrugged his shoulders, "I left out a lot…I left out my role in Pendragon Corporation….I left out my net worth…let's just say I humbled myself…."
I shook my head in disapproval, "Oh Lance, you have to tell her. She will kill you!"
"Well…do me a favor and cancel the whole thing." His hands balled into fists and I could sense that he had become very uneasy with the whole situation, "I really would not be able to handle it."
"That's why I am here….let me pick her up….and give her the lowdown…" I look him earnestly in the eyes, "You know I am good at that…." Still sensing that he was not convinced, I quickly added, "Trust me…"
He thought for a moment, "I like her a lot….at first...I saw her as…you know, a girl for a day maybe two….but she's got something….you'd love her."
"3 weeks with the girl and she failed to see beyond…" I mutter out under my breath.
"Well…Merlin….just fix it." He said almost pleading.
"Then you have to tell me what she knows…and what she does not know." I said sounding rather smugly, I enjoyed it when people believed I was their only resort. Right now, Lance did…and I might as well use it to my advantage.
He spun around to look for the closest chair around, once spotted he dragged it towards my desk; sunk in it and proceeded to tell me all that I needed to know.
The Magic Room
Kiki let out a drawing yawn, "So what you are saying…is that Lance did not let this girl know what kind of big shot he really is?"
Merlin nodded along eagerly, "Yes…not only that…he didn't let her know that he was interested in her. In fact, she was not his girl at all…she was just someone he really really liked…So you could imagine the awkwardness…."
She smiled half heartedly at him, taking another huge gulp from her coffee, she proceeded to ask, "How did Gwen react when you….handled it?"
Merlin turned his eyes to the ceiling,
I met Gwen just outside her shabby apartment block. She had been patiently waiting for me. It was rather strange, I remembered calling her to inform her that I would be picking her up, she hadn't react too surprised…her voice was bubbly and we both scheduled an appropriate time for her pick-up.
The location was easy to find, it was after all a very renowned area in Camelot, Peasant Side….as they call her area….the name would say it all.
I asked the driver to pull over as soon as I spotted her petite frame. Lance had shown her facebook profile to me….the lady waiting patiently on the side walk right in front of the apartment block was indeed Gwen Leodegrance.
She did not acknowledge me right away, but I stood still for a moment, in fascination I observed how the gentle summer breeze carried her locks across her face.
She struggled slightly, to keep her knee length lavender dress at bay.
Quickly, I placed my shades over my face, with a swagger that came naturally to me, I decided it was time to introduce myself to her.
"You must be Gwen!" I half screamed.
She turned to me, a surprised look on her face..
Yet, her eyes shone with excitement, soon she forgot the pestering wind and reached out for my hand.
"Well hello there! Are…are you Merlin?" she held my hand longer than she should have…
My eyes sparked at the sight of hers, "No." I reply smoothly.
She pulls her hands away from me without hesitation, looking to the floor she slowly remarked, "Ohhh dear…." Quickly, as if she suddenly realized something of grave importance, her eyes found themselves challenging mine, "Then who the hell are you?"
"Whoa!" I back away from her,
There is an invisible wall between us, I guess people never understood my humor, she eased up however, and just by that gesture, I knew that not only was Gwen gorgeous….she and I would…if perhaps not now….someday be great friends.
"You can never be…too sure around here….sorry" she quietly apologized,
"Relax…let me take you to Lance…." I took her by the arm, escorting her to the limousine.
"Where are we off to?" She asked,
"Downtown Camelot, Camelot Blend's ? You know the place?"
She suddenly stopped, "We can't go there!"
I turned to face her thinking to myself that perhaps I had been too soon to judge, "And why not?"
She smiled at me sheepishly, "Because….Merlin….I work there."
I remained unmoved for a little while, her statement had shocked me completely, "You work there? You mean….you manage the place?"
My question must have seemed utterly ridiculous to her, because the laughter that followed seemed to be directed at me, "Well I manage the serving…you can say."
I did not follow.
Rolling her eyes, she gestured further, "I am a waitress Merlin. I wait tables…in Camelot Blends….and I cannot dine there…because it is against management rules."
That completely threw me off guard, "You work THERE?"
"Well, it's a nice place, decent crowd and pays well…." She said sounding rather sound-offish, "Do you have a problem with me being a waitress?"
"Yes…I mean NO….I mean YES," I sighed, "I mean….I booked the place for all of us! I have to change the venue…and…and…Lance and Arthur….Oh my God…." I was pacing now in circles, "I am sooo gonna get fired!"
She was amused by my little dramatic display of confusion, "Just pick another venue." She suggested.
"I CANNOT!" I exclaim,
"Do you work with Lance?" she suddenly asked.
"THEY OWN ME!"
"Who is they and How can they possibly own you?" her eyes studied me intensely, my nervousness had caused me to derail in the one thing I was not supposed to derail in.
"Look…" I calmly placed my hand on her shoulder, "Your boy friend is in charge of Business development at Pendragon Corporation…."
"He is not my….Pendragon Corp? Lance?" she moved away from me, "I…I didn't know…."
I sat myself on the pavement, "Do you smoke?"
She shook her head.
"I don't either….but I MIGHT START TODAY!"
I turn my face to the setting sun, a vision of Arthur forcing me to hand in my resignation appeared, my whole body shivered.
"He should have told me." She stated,
I watched her turn from bubbly to angry and figured since I didn't have a job anymore I might as well snap at her, "Why do you care? He isn't your boyfriend!"
Gwen practically slumped herself next to me, "You got a point there, but still….it would have been nice for him to point that out."
I turn to her, "What did he tell you he did?"
She looked up to the sky, "He said he was in Sales…didn't specify…." Her fingers combed through her hair, "You know, I am sure he must have thought me silly."
"Why is that?"
"Because I insisted paying for the bill once." She muttered
I smile at her, "Very sweet of you….where did you dine?"
"MacDonald's, Merlin…."
I burst out laughing, "did he try arguing with you?"
She nodded her head, "Worst is….I didn't have a dime on me afterwards….ridiculous….and now I find out….he can buy me…..Lance….It didn't even register….Lance Du Lac. The Du Lac….."
"You guys are friends on Facebook!" I point out.
"Well first of all having a FB profile that says SIR LANCELOT, doesn't really say anything…and besides he blocked me from his wall and some photos…." She snickered, "I hit the Jackpot Merlin! Hahaha Papa would have been proud." She shoved me lightly.
"So…why do you still deny him as your boyfriend?" I felt the urge to ask.
She stretched out her legs, "Do you believe in lightning?"
"Lightning?" I thought for a moment, "You mean like being struck by lightning?"
She agreed, "Yes…."
I shrugged my shoulders, "Well…after today…definitely….watch me get struck by lightning when my boss finds out both of us are nowhere near Blend's!"
Biting her lower lip she opted to ignore my comment, "Well I meant in terms of falling in love…Mr. DU LAC…has it all…good looks, charm, humble or a liar however you see it, but still he is great….but Merlin…there was no lightning…"
"Ah Hah…." There we have it, I thought to myself, another one that belongs in the nut house….
"I am not in love with Lance….and I told him this….we are better off as friends…." She got up suddenly, "Give them a call….tell them I changed my mind….and we will meet elsewhere….you can put the blame on me." She walked towards the limo.
"Where?" I called out.
"Somewhere, anywhere….somewhere YOU would love to go…" she quickly turned
around, "Because Merlin, I know for sure…that BLEND's….that's not our crowd honey!" and with that she got into the limo.
I glance at my BlackBerry and could only sigh, now I had to reschedule another meeting point….I dialed Arthur's number.
"Arthur Pendragon." His strong powerful voice drained into my ears.
Clearing my throat I spoke quickly, "Arthur, it is I, Merlin. She does not want to meet in Blend's."
"Why the fuck is that?" he retorted, he hated when people changed plans so abruptly.
I didn't want to tell him just yet that she worked there….it would have probably been easier. But who knows, he would not have given the girl a second look…so it was best to leave out the details.
"She is allergic to the place."
There was a long silence on the other end, I was about to speak, but he interrupted, "Where does she want to meet up?" he said sounding very sarcastic.
Gwen's conversation replayed once again in my mind – Somewhere, Anywhere- Somewhere you would love to go -
I smile to myself, "She said….Camelot Inn."
Once again there was a longer silence on the other end, after some time, Arthur finally spoke, "Camelot Inn it is….like we have a choice."
He hung up and I was all smiles, practically rushing to join my new friend in the limousine.
The Magic Room
"Camelot Inn? That's your favorite spot?" Kiki took another swivel from her coffee.
"Well it's a very homely place….." Merlin quietly said.
"Thanks to the Pendragons…it is now on lock down….but I see your point." Kiki smiled at him genuinely, "So Gwen agreed?"
"That she did, we understood each other completely….there was more to that girl….than waiting tables…." He tapped his fingers on the desk, "I am hungry."
Kiki felt her stomach, "Me too….let's order something….and then we take it from there. Give me a second." She stood up, before leaving the room he called out her name.
"Kiki?"
"Yes?"
"Perhaps if I had known what was to transpire…then I would have never suggested Camelot Inn in the first place." He lowly comment.
"Perhaps so…." She shrugged her shoulders, "What do you want to eat?"
"whatever you are having…."
"Noted." And with that she closed the door behind her, leaving Merlin deep in thought recollecting the night he had taken his friends to Camelot Inn.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading! Please comment….