The Astonishing Dax Edmund

Chapter 6

"Mr. Edmund, this is Mr. Johnson," the voice on the other end of the line said. "I've been thinking about our meeting, and I've decided to go ahead with the partnership. I think it's a good opportunity for both of our companies."

Dax couldn't believe his ears. "That's wonderful news!" he said.

"Indeed. I cannot wait to work with you." He beamed.

Dax kept his composure. He summoned Jennifer Bezos, his assistant.

"We have Johnson on our team."

She clutched her hands together. "That's wonderful news."

"That's what I said." Dax beamed.

"This calls for a celebration." She added mirroring his excitement.

"Get out of my office." He said.

He hoped to maintain professional grounds now that he was the CEO.

He went to the gym lifting weights. The bench felt cool against his skin, the lights bounced off the acrylic painted walls and the mirrors. His back pressed against the bench as he pushed up. There was tension on his face.

There was nothing but the sound of the ceiling fan to fill the silence in the gym and the sound of him struggling.

Afterwards, he walked barefooted on the marble tiles and the water felt warm against his skin when he dipped himself in the water.

He could smell the chlorine, and hear the jingle of crystals when the chandelier stirred under the breeze. He gazed at the large plasma TV with remote in a stand within his reach.

He had nothing else to worry about. Even though he had long hours of work cut out for him. He blew off some steam trying to relax after a hectic day. This was his idea of a celebration, not having to deal with anyone's shenanigans until it was work day.

In his mind's eye, he could see his assaulters, three menacing men with badges on their shoulder of a hermit crab.

His assaulters came to mind.

He moved uneasily and that made him to feel at his back and shoulder blades where they had hit him.

How could he make profit with this new mindset. Perhaps he was dealing with this CEO thing all wrong. He understood firsthand what it was like to be terrorized by these gangsters.

He clenched on the remote to the point of breaking. Perhaps there was a way to reduce the onslaught in his own little way. He had an idea.

He stepped out, tip toeing with water under his feet and scrubbed himself dry.

Then he went into his woodwork listening to the sound of the chisel whittling away on the wood. He remembered the days when he carved his name on the tree by his orphanage and the school.

His vision became blurry, his eyes tingled and he blinked to have a better view of what he was doing. He saw the wood starting to form what he envisioned in his mind's eye.

He sniffed at the smell of sawdust and heard his foot tapping as he tried to get the shape of a notch correctly on wood.

The chisel clattered in the room, he could feel the coolness of the cold air with the air conditioner turned on. He felt at the oak work tables as he strolled out. Checking the timer.

When he was done, he worked on his strumming pattern in the music room, he adjusted himself on the stool when his butt was starting to get sore, the guitar felt cold and heavy on his thigh. His ears strained at the strumming, his eyes followed the length of the strings as he strived to get it right. The next progression sound foul to him.

He winced at his earphone on his other ear, he glanced at his phone on the table vibrating against the surface. He tapped on the button and anticipated Bryson.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your time off_"

"Any news about the case yet?" He said into his earphone. Feeling at the squeaky clean guitar surface and plucking at the strings. His shoulders relaxed as he listened to Bryson's voice.

"No but we have news about the 4th elevation project, it's been completed... what's that sound?" Bryson said covering his ear.

"That's me playing my guitar. How does it sound?"

"You could do better."

"I appreciate your honesty." He said and his eyebrows furrowed. "How's Delaney?"

"Invisible as always, she said she had something to do. The commissioning on the 3rd elevation is by tomorrow."

"Already?" He set his sights on the timer. "I didn't notice. Thank you."

"No problem, Boss."

He felt solid when he poised his foot against the ground, the strap zipped against his back when he took it off with a firm grip and he stood up feeling his muscles become less sore.

He knocked on the walls to get a rhythm and his vision went dark when he turned off the lights.

He made his way past the hall and took in the scent of freshly picked flowers. He gazed upon the portraits of people on parks. His parents and he could hear the quiet footsteps of workers trying to get to their jobs. His fingers felt clammy and sore from strumming for too long. He would consider using a guitar pick but did he have the dexterity for that kind of instrument?

He grimaced at the maids ogling at him, their faces turned as pink as the blossoms he just moved across. He went to his bedroom.

He saw the faint glow of a lamp worth $12,000, on the imported wooden nightstand. His eyes strained at the king-sized bed and the mat with a lion's portrait on it. He grinned at the solitude but it was short lived when he spotted the paper on the pillow.

He felt a pounding in his chest thinking, he slowly unfolded the paper with his signature boldly written on it.

He saw the divorce written on it and he bit on his tongue to restrain the anger in him. He had to leave her at once, who knew what she was going to do next?

He lowered the paper and sank to the bed reveling in the softness and warmth of the duvet. He heard the beep of the timer and he turned off the lights seeing only darkness and the faint glow behind the curtain.

The next day, he was uneager to get up after the beeping timer blared its way into his dreams. He felt his head pounding painfully and he blinked to register the state of the room.

Dax stepped up, feeling at his tailored suit and he adjusted his collars. He entered the office and he was surprised to see it empty. The air temperature changed when he entered the next, his skin felt cooler and it sank through his suit into his skin. He shuddered, as he walked to the next, he thought about the next face that he was going to see.

The sight of Jennifer's brown hair lowered behind the grey computer, the sound of clicking of keys and her fingers dancing all over the keys. He was met with smiling brown eyes.

"Good morning sir. Are you prepared for the commissioning?"

It hit him like a punch to the gut. "It slipped my mind. Thanks for reminding me.",

His palms pressed against the cool, heavy one-way doors and he heard his loafers clicking rhythmically against the tiles echoing. He thought of the next people and he saw the officials pandering to look sharp. They sat up around the black table and he heard Jennifer Bezos catching up from behind him.

They did not look too happy. Faces downturned.

"We have a situation."