RK- Has Anybody Seen Kaylin? and Multiple Shades of Green

The Decks and the Road

Renegotiating Kaylin

Chapter 28- Has Anybody Seen Kaylin?

Tayeton- I would never forget her, and the clarity she brought to my life.  It’s hard for a man to fairly give to his children when he’s living with fragments of himself.  I’d been holding on to what felt like an untimely question since Memorial Day.  Certainly, there’s no disagreement that Monica Shepherd and Kat Shepherd are uniquely different.  These days they get along just fine as long as Monica’s uniqueness walks Kat’s fine line.  I never get in the middle, and never saw a reason to.  Then came Monica’s question.  She did her best to corner me, and not alert all the antennas in the room, but it still felt untimely; not that I could think of a better time. 

“Would it be too hard for you to consider that your father may have directly caused you to be ill?”  She’d be better to describe to you my look of not just surprise but probably disgrace and regret.  Besides, what could she know about my father? 

“Not now Monica.” It was the only response I could give.  Yet, it did nothing to sooth the effect of the question or to drive it out of my mind.  Had all that had transpired not happened, then maybe I could have better shrugged it off.  Instead, it called to mind the day that I walked into his office after my incident on the highway.

It was a much deeper question that the one that I continued to ask myself and that lingered with me; the question of why he had brought me onboard at Simpleton and Fisher in the first place.  As a result of Monica’s inability to walk the line, I was stuck with both questions with no visible way of gathering any answers.  That was until my sister let me in on a secret she’d been keeping; until I met Rose.

I’m still trying to determine if her life had walked by mine, or if my life had walked by hers.  Her face didn’t only light up the first time she met me, but each time she saw me.  And as I stand over the shell of her now, I still feel like she’s happy to see me.  I never thought I’d have the pleasure of knowing her much less burying her. 

She’d taken me by the hand that first meeting.  We had stepped onto her porch, and she’d looked me deep in the eyes.  “I’m sorry I advised your mother against you.  It wasn’t exactly the idea of you, but I wanted to protect her.  We weren’t always at a distant you know.  She used to confide in me, and she told me what had happened.  It was Led she was in love with not Walter, and everyone knew it.  She wanted to pass you off.  I don’t know how it’s been for you.  Maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad after all.  Anyway, I’m glad you came.”  It didn’t come to affection that day, but we squeezed each other’s hand tightly and it meant something deeply.    The next time we saw each other I brought the family and a few of her tears caught William by surprise.  My only wish is that Kaylin were here now.

Chapter 29- Multiple Shades of Green

Kayla- It’s been months since I’ve seen him.  He never negotiates on the phone, and it’s one of the pointers he gave me early on.  I didn’t exactly use those terms, but I did mention that things had changed. Maybe in his wisdom and experience that was code for “negotiation”.  I’ve been considering it all since before the cruise, our renewed vows, and the picture of my Next future.  But he lit the spark, and I’m looking forward to seeing him.  It’s still early and I’m sitting on the bed with the album from the wedding and our time in Cuba in front of me.  It’s all there; all the highlights, and on the first two pages two cards with our individual vows printed out.  I read them often now, and it helps to keep all the pieces of my life in order.

I arrive at Simpleton and Fisher even before Mr. Simpleton.  My room is filled with boxes and most of them are already filled when he knocks on the door.  I quickly gather a few things and head to his office.  I think I’m only a few steps behind, but he’s already seated when I get to the door. 

“Come on in Kayla.”  His blinds are pulled up, his coffee is already made, and I realize I’m more than a few steps behind him. 

“So tell me how things have changed.”  He asks while writing on his calendar and looking up only briefly.

“It’s my marriage.  It’s taken a beating since I took the job, and I’m doing my best to salvage it.”  I don’t take a seat just yet and remain standing.

“I see you’ve brought some things.”

“I’ll like to talk about my third book, and offer you my resignation.”

“There’s already a contract for your third book.  What is there to talk about?”

“It’s my father.  He passed away and he left me with a book he wrote.  I was thinking you might take a look.”

“I might, but what does it have to do with your third book?”

“I’ll like to go in another direction.  Maybe negotiate some new.  But perhaps I can offer my father’s book in place of my third.  It’s just a thought.”

“You have a gift to negotiate contracts.  Probably even more than that.  Are you abandoning that gift?”  Our eyes have connected and his question draws the rest of what I’m thinking out of me.

“I’ll like to see if I could do it on my own.”

“Be self-employed you mean.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll like to hire you, and I’ll like an exclusive contract stating that you won’t negotiate for any of our competitors.”

“Can I sleep on it?”

“Do you have a letter for me?”

“I do.  And about the book?”

“Draw me up a proposal for what you have in mind.  Leave the manuscript.  I’ll let you know if it works.”  I break a faint smile and set the letter and my father’s manuscript in his incoming tray.  I’ve already read it, and I know it works.  Just as I’m exiting, I hear the words Mrs. Singletary.  I look back and he fills the air with, “Good work.”

I take Mr. Simpleton’s “Good work” with me all the way to Ample Records.  Two days have passed and I’m as prepared as I will ever be.  They know why I’m coming.  We’ve been corresponding for weeks since I sent my letter.  When I walk through the doors I’m greeted by a tall woman standing in the waiting area.  It’s only moments before I know she’s the one I’ve come to see.  She’s a cross between a model and a well-dressed action hero.  We’ve spoken, and I know she’s tough.  I follow her lead and we come to a small conference room.  She points me to a seat, and before I can sit, he enters the room.  It’s a familiar face, and we’re both taken aback.  He breaks a smile and head in my direction.  I extend my hand and set the first terms. 

“Sam, right?”

“Right.  And you’re the author of that blockbuster of a novel.  What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to negotiate the terms pertaining to the theft of the song ‘Coming Together’ and two others on Radiance Dunbar’s album.”

“Okay.  And you look so agreeable.”

“I know.”

“So, you’ve met Reece; our Exec.  And I understand your client was a girlfriend of our scout?”

“Correct.”  We’ve all taken our seats, and I’m examining the two.  It’s not easy to detect, but I can see that they’re more than a team.

“And remind me why Ample is responsible for this?”

“He’s your scout, she’s talent, and he’s also the brother of your Exec.”  At my words Reece’s hands move to a cuff beneath her chin and I can clearly see her irritation, but she’s been trained well and remains quiet. 

“What’s the resolution you have in mind?”  My terms are unique.  Not any I’m sure he’s thought of.  I have them printed out and I slide a copy to both.  She looks on his paper, and I know he’s the negotiator.  He reads a few lines and looks up.  His eyes return to the document and his finger starts tracing the words. 

“We’ll need some time to consider.”

“What are your options?”  I hope to close.

“Okay, let’s break and pick back up in about three hours.”

“Three hours it is.”

It’s Saturday, and he skipped ball.  We’re heading to the art gallery.  There’s something I want him to see.  She hasn’t said anything, nor have I, but I did connect the dots.  It’s the new Monica Shepherd Collection… there’s something familiar about it.  It’s hard to pin point unless you see it in the right order, and I’m curious to know if he’ll detect anything.  We enter and the place is full of people pointing and discussing.  I don’t lead or coach him and we initially wander in different directions.  I make a note of some of the new pieces and register some of the names and signatures until he takes my hand and says,

“There’s a collection I think you might like.”  There’s a girl, but her face is shadowed by leaves and small strokes of the brush that makes it almost hard to spot her.  Her hair is like many branches and it’s interwoven with the leaves.  There are deep blues, brown, multiple shades of green, and sparks of red and yellow here and there.  We stand in front of this particular painting pointing out all the eyes findings.  Then he concludes, “I think we should get it.”

Renegotiating Kaylin, a novel

Copyright 2019 by Natisha Renee Williams and Grace Call Communications, LLC

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