Page 51 of When Stars Collide
“Clarence, how’s your night been going so far?”
“Just beautiful, Mr. Drake. Thanks for asking.”
Phineas paused, looking over his shoulder at Clarence as he walked through the door. “And the wife?”
“Visiting her sister in Atlanta.”
“Ah, so you’re living it up like a single man for the weekend?”
Clarence laughed. “Something like that, sir. Too bad my definition of living it up is falling asleep in my recliner with a Hungry Man TV dinner on my lap and reruns ofM*A*S*Hon the television.”
“Clarence, Clarence, Clarence, we need to get you out more.”
“Look who’s talking,” I muttered, much to Phineas’s disdain.“You know,” I began, walking into the lobby next to him, “my apartment building has a doorman, too.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, he’s a homeless man named Gus … at least, that’s what we call him. Gus squats outside our building, carrying around a Styrofoam cup that houses his pet cricket. We think he may be schizophrenic. Occasionally, he’ll open the door for us … and also for people only visible to him. The last time he did it, Jo threw some change in his cup before remembering the cricket was in there. She thought she killed it and just about had a nervous breakdown, but all was well. The cricket managed to survive the great change monsoon of 2019.”
“That doesn’t sound very safe, at all.”
“Nah, it’s fine. Outside of Gus, the only sketchy people hovering around our building are the ones who Jo brings home, and— Holy shit, you have a bar in your apartment building!”
“And the raccoon has found a shiny object.” Phineas laughed. “Yes, I also have a restaurant in my building that serves great tilapia as well as a gym.”
“No wonder you never leave.”
I stared in wonderment at the expansive, modern chic atrium so high it appeared to be touching the stars themselves.
“Whoa, Mena, look out!” Phineas grabbed my arm, preventing me from walking into a column. “You know, most people look ahead and not directly up at the ceiling while walking.”
“Since when have I been most people?”
“You make a good point.”
“Is this what you wanted to show me? Because I’m sold. You have your own little community here. It’s a wonder you even come into the office.” As we approached the gym Phineas mentioned, I paused at the window. Even the building’s gym was massive, dwarfing the hole in the wall I used to frequent in my hometown in Ohio.
“Not in the slightest, but if you want to stand there and watch sweaty men working out the rest of the night, don’t let me stop you.”
“It’s tempting, but let’s carry on.”
I followed him to a row of elevators, where he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, removing a card which he then held in front of a sensor. One of the elevator doors opened, and he motioned for me to step inside. Once inside, I noticed him pressing the button for the roof, instead of one of the buttons for the floors.
“Taking me all the way to the top, eh?”
He smiled. “It’s the only place to be.”
The elevator began its ascent, moving slower than I would have guessed it would have, given the fast-paced lives the occupants in this building must lead. While it crept upward, I became grateful that it wasn’t made of glass, as I probably would have passed out, given how far up I knew we were climbing. Even gazing at the ceiling from the floor of the atrium had been enough to make my knees weak.
“So,” I began, leaning against the back wall of the elevator, “is it a habit of yours to bring strange women back to your luxury penthouse under the guise of showing them something they’ve never seen before?”
If he would have been drinking something, I’m certain he would have spat it out against the wall of the elevator. “No, actually. You’re the first. Well, the first since …” He trailed off, perhaps hoping I would let it go without making him finish his sentence. Apparently, he didn’t know me as well as he thought he did.
“Since?” I asked, raising my eyebrow.
“My ex-girlfriend. We broke up last year after two years together.”
“I’m sorry.”
