Joe and Alice

* * *

(The Hanton Law Firm, New York City)

"Hands off my doughnuts, King!", yells Park as Joe takes a doughnut from the box of sugary pastries sitting on one of the two desks in their small office. The door is ajar as always and Park is walking toward the office from the elevator.

"If they're yours, then what are they doing on my desk?", Joe inquires, smiling coyly and then taking a bite.

"Former desk, you mean!" Park rebuffs, attempting to slap it out of his hand, after which they both start laughing. He continues, "..I hear you're getting your own secretary now. As if the humongous new office weren't enough.."

Chuckling a bit, Joe replies while consuming the rest of the doughnut, with his cheeks puffing out as he chews, "Well, you know what they say. The bigger the office.."

"..the FATTER the paycheck, you jerk!", Park interrupts abruptly but with a looming smile.

"Well, that's not what I was gonna say but.. it's good too!"

Then they both burst into bouts of profuse laughter.

"Some of us actually come here to work, ladies!..", an assertive female voice from the hallway interrupts them.

"Morning Porsha!!!" both guys then echo at her simultaneously; feebly attempting to do so in a feminine manner.

She doesn't stop or reply however. She just keeps walking down the hallway toward her office, the rhythm of her heels echoing elegantly.

"You know she's still got the hots for you, right?",

Park asks Joe rhetorically, as the sound of Porsha's clacking red bottoms gradually fades away. "Come on, Chris. That was a long time ago." he responds innocently.

"Yeaah, keep telling yourself that, man." Park mocks as he puts down his brown briefcase, "..I don't blame you for calling it quits though. She is quite a handful. Mahn.. I don't know how you made it out in one piece!"

"Uhun?.. I hear you. Don't act like you haven't been checking her out. I've noticed the way you've been looking at her recently." Joe opines while sneering slightly at him and adjusting his oxblood tie, as well as the cuffs on his sky-blue shirt sleeve, before turning to leave.

Upon hearing this, Park scoffs coyly at Joe, his pale cheeks becoming almost as flushed as his peach collar, "Yeah, right. I don't do these kinds of girls."

"Uhun?.."

"I don't even do relationships, man. I am a free-spirited bachelor, who spreads the love to special places where it is needed the most. Public service, I tell you."

"Really?.." Joe squints elfishly. "I believe the best term for that would be gigolo."

"Oh.. well, then that would mean that I actually get paid, you know. But.. I'm still here working this dead ass job. So..", Park responds, as he takes a prolonged bite from the sweetened bagel in his hand.

Joe smiles, "..And this new Welling family case seems to be giving you a lot of alone time with that very special attorney you've been crushing on."

"She is a ballbuster, Joe. So not my type.", Park opens a file on his desk.

"Keep telling yourself that, bro." Joe echoes, as he puts on his grey suit jacket and starts to bounce away.

"Oh please.." Park mumbles, looking down at the files on his desk. Afterwards, he looks back up and yells at Joe who is almost already at the elevator, "Don't forget Joe!.. Tonight! My place!"

"Yeah, I'll be there man!", Joe replies, pushing in the silver elevator button and checking his watch.

° * ° * °

(In a small apartment, Downtown New York)

"Por el amor de Dios, Miguel!.. If I don't find those glasses in the next ten minutes, I might get fired on my first day!" Alice laments, while searching frantically for her glasses.

She looks a bit of a mess right now. She is still half dressed and the thin rubber band on her hair is barely holding her roughly fastened bun in place.

The zipper behind her skirt is half undone, and the squeaky heels of her red-soled velvet black loubs are scraping the floor as she scurries across her apartment. She had to get a whole new set of shoes for this job; the new job she badly does not want to screw up today, by arriving late.

'Late on the first day? That is so Alice!' she thinks to herself. But with all her might, she wants to prove that notion wrong.

"Are you sure you put them on the dresser??" she continues, "Miguel!.. I swear to G..."

"...Hey hey, it's okay. I've found them." Miguel replies, rushing into her room.

Alice heaves a heavy sigh of relief, "Oh, Thank God.." She collects them, turns toward the mirror and puts them on. After doing so, she sighs again happily, as though her world has become more elucidated.

"Sometimes, you've just gotta take it easy, Ally." Miguel says as she buttons up her shirt. Then he reassures her again, "I know you're gonna nail it. You're one of the smartest people I know."

Upon hearing this, Alice turns to him and start to smile so much that her pink dimples almost engulf her entire face. Her pale blue eyes begin to sparkle like a glowing diamond immersed in the deep blue sea. If only young Miguel could remember the beautiful face of their Irish mother, right now he could swear that Alice looks exactly like her. She hugs him tightly and then pecks him on his forehead, responding warmly, "What would I do without you?"

Miguel, looking a bit irked, replies unenthusiastically, "I thought we agreed you wouldn't do that anymore?"

"Well.. you are my little brother. And I will keep pecking you until you're ninety." she whispers, ruffling his hair a bit.

"... If you're still alive."

"Miguel!!!" Alice exclaims, hitting his shoulder with a light punch.

"Ow!.. Just saying.." he replies sheepishly and rubs his arm in pain.

Afterwards, she gives him a playfully stern look and asks, "And how is it that you're taking a sick day off from school the exact same day I'm starting a new job?"

Miguel shrugs mischievously and then walks away, saying, "..Coincidence. My head hurts now.. I need to get some rest."

Alice sighs and shakes her head.

Afterwards, she turns back to quickly finish up her dressing. Then she picks up her loaded purse and starts to head out. Upon reaching the door, she turns around and runs back in to grab her coat before zooming out again.

"Remember! Lunch is in the fridge!" she screams, before closing the main door.

"Yeah!" Miguel replies from his room while taking off his pajamas and rushing to put some clothes on. He seems to be heading out today as well, although without Alice's knowledge.

° * ° * °