My Everything

On Time for an Appointment

I closed the door. “Don’t let anyone leave the room. Nor allow them to be able to get their phones returned until I come back.”

The guards nodded and entered. I continued down the hall towards the elevator as workers passed me rushing to and fro. No one at the moment seemed to realize who I was. Maybe it was the nonchalant black dress or the hat with the small veil that covered my face. It was good either way I swallowed my saliva as I got in and another guard entered beside me.

What exactly was I going to say? Was I making a halfhearted mistake here?

I ran my head through my head again and took a step back and forth, shifting the weight on my leg before finally biting my lip. No, the words will come to me I can outsmart here on this. I have everything under control. It’s my turn to give a surprise to her instead.

The elevator opened and as we stepped out, I took in the two sides of the pale halls. “Where was the room again?” A few signs were on the wall, but they were all in another language.

“It’s this way,” madam the guard spoke beside me.

I followed the direction he was pointing and before me now was the door to the newsroom. It creaked as I opened it. The room was revealed and seated in two orange chairs was Linda next to the host separated by a small table in the center. Many cameras and lights surrounded them behind the duo were various plant pots and a pale back drop. It seemed they had already started their discussion. 

Pain, it hit me suddenly as my hand went to my chest. Then anger, Linda was beautiful, a girl many would die to have. Ebony skin, afro slicked hair and a glow to her that lit up the room. However, for me right now every feature felt like a curse. 

Betrayal had not happened to me once by the same person, but twice. It seemed life was an adamant teacher, and I was still a mere student.

I took a deep breath out.

“Excuse me mam,” a voice whispered, “you can’t be in here now.”

I merely smiled, raising my voice. “Of course I can.” I removed the veil of my face. “This story you’re doing it is on me.”

My words took the room as the camera shifted to me and the host recovering from her moment spoke. “It seems we have a turn of events here, with Valentina Russo showing up to the interview.”

One assistant hurriedly handed me a microphone as I made my way down to the platform, passing the camera men as a chair was placed for me.

“Why wouldn’t I be here, if a story is going to be told shouldn’t the person the story is being told about be in it?”

Linda looked to the host, her arms crossed. “How did she get in here? How did she get passed the police?”

“Is that important, or is the truth more important to the story? My credibility on the line for nothing more than fame and any insignificant recognition that it brings to you,” I responded.

  Linda’s eyes darted around the room as she gripped the chair for any life she could get out of it. I took my seat as the host adjusted herself. Linda’s eyes kept fixated on the ground and tapped her leg.

“Nice shoes,” I said to the host.

“Thank you,” she replied, “but today isn’t about me.”

“True, it’s about what Linda has to say about me.”

Getting her papers together, the host spoke. “Well then Linda and unexpected turn of events, but few people would have shown up for this kind of interview. What do you make of this?”

“What do I make of it?” Linda repeated as her head turn towards the host. “You set me up?”

She was probably nervous, probably wondering if she would be killed. If something bad was going to happen to her or maybe if the person she was working with had been made either way, she was already chocking. I wanted to smile but I couldn’t the whole city was on me maybe even the world. I must keep my composure.

“No, nothing of the sort,” the host responded, crossing her legs.

“I wasn’t expecting this.” Linda placed a hand on her head and massaged. “I think I should go. I don’t feel safe here anymore?”

“Why don’t you feel safe?” I asked, “Or would you rather write your story in a book for sale.”

Linda got up from the chair and motioned herself behind it. “I can’t do this, I can’t. Can you please call the police to get her away from me?” She then walked towards the exit where my guard was.

“Wait, Linda,” the host got up, her high heels tapping on the floor. “There was much to discuss here, but you haven’t verified any of the claims that you made.”

It was however too late as she left walking through the door.

“I would be free to answer any questions that you have. You know if she was telling the truth it would be a lot easier to say it to my face as I am here now. Than hide and maybe write it in a book later.”

“Ok,” the host replied, arching her eyebrow. “She reviewed some information in front of her. Mrs. Russo your story of success coming to Mantro city with humbling beginnings with nothing more than a dream is an inspiration for many. However, one of the biggest claims that Linda made was you live a double life and most of the money that you got is not yours but the Mafia itself.”

I chuckled at the question. “The mafia? Listen, I am a woman the mafia comprises men. My first business started in creating a neat fix for cars that I had seen working back in the eighties at a carwash. It was luck that got me an investor that passed that day and hard work that made things happen. I had my share of good luck and bad, which you would know.

My entire life is scrutinized by journalist and news throughout the world. Every cent I make, every dollar where I came from, and how I ended up being here. They are more people that know my net worth right now than I did myself, and you think with the way the police are in this city and the government that I could just as easily maneuver it without issue?”

The host went quiet for a while as she looked to find something to challenge me. “Most of the information about your life is like that, and everything you have done is known and your generosity. It is also impressive that you could achieve all of this by the age of thirty- one. But we all know too well that a lover may see things that another on the outside might not.”

“True a lover can see most things about you that another might not, but it’s mostly that in terms of personality.”

The host countered. “She does say here that you and here that your relationship was not the best at all and that this character translated to how you treat your clients.”

“Linda doesn’t run or do business with me.”

“So you’re saying that you never once spoke to her about your work?”

 “We never discuss business over dinner or anything of the sort.”

“Then how does she have information about your company takeover over the retail industry of Rantal that’s not even mentioned in public. This is a business that has been told has mafia connection.”

 “The only way she would know that is if she took up information from inside the house, but would that be someone you considered a lover or someone looking to use you for later on?”

“That doesn’t diminish the fact of what she has here and the connection.”

 In relations to the mafia and me doing work with them I don’t know maybe I can’t tell I am a businesswoman not the police. I am only interested in making profit, not policing the world, but I also worked with many other people employed that have made the news such as r****t, murders and most looked like normal people with no criminal history. I can only work with what I see and nothing else.”

The host held the paper, looking to see if she could find something else. “Linda had said she had things she would reveal here before you entered, and she panicked and left. Could it be that she is afraid of you and the power that you wield?”

“Power?” I laughed. “What power do I wield if it was so serious wouldn’t she be more afraid to sit here? I am not surprised about her behavior, it was going down to a book writing after. I had many staff that tried to do the same, most I hadn’t even met in my life but isn’t that the case and haven’t you seen these situations more times than not? People trying to find anything to make money on politicians do it all the time.”

“True.”

“Is there anything else you want to know about me or have I shown my hands? Next they might consider me to be a dragon.”

“No, I think that’s fine.” The host turned to the camera. “We will go to a short commercial break.”

I stood up after I had confirmation that the news was off. Pulled out a cigarette and place it to my lip. Looking over at the host, I gestured as she withdrew one.”

“You did a good job staying in character, Rose,” I said to the host, feeling for my lighter.

Rose replied, lighting her cigarette and then motioning to light mine. “This was probably the craziest thing you ever asked me to do, but for you anything is possible.”

I looked at the cameramen as I inhaled. “Only those in the room upstairs could see what happened here, right?”

The camera men nodded to me for yes.

Good, I thought as I smiled.