5 | MILES

“Candice,”

“Huh?” I turned to Sam.

“My-“ he paused, looking out the window. “Her name was Candice,” he said quietly.

“Oh no, you don’t have to tell me,” I said quickly. “I’m a stranger, after all,” Sam turns to me with a small smile.

“I know,” he said. “Sometimes it helps to talk,” he murmured. “I haven’t exactly been doing that for a long time and…you’re the first transman I've met, so…” he looked at me sideways. “If you don’t mind,”

“No, it’s okay,” I nodded.

“I was eighteen when I first started the treatment. I was so excited to tell my family the news as soon as my therapist and the specialists cleared me. My family are quite open-minded people,” his face fell then. “Or at least, that’s what I thought. So, I wasn’t afraid of telling them. When I did,” he shook his head, looking down. “Things went downhill. They threatened to disown me should I carry on with the treatment,”

“So, with the help of my big brother, I moved to Seattle and started a new life. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t…listen to them say all those things. That…wasn’t me. I just…” he sighed. “I couldn’t live a lie. So, six years later, here I am,”

“I work in a restaurant here, in town, so that’s my only source of income,” he said. “I can barely afford the treatment. I haven’t done my bottom surgery yet and…somehow, that’s hindering my sex life,” I chuckled looking away.

“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I’m not laughing at you. I just…I guess we have a lot more in common than I thought,” I said.

“I guess we do,” Sam agreed quietly. “I can’t even tell the only person who’s in my life right now,” he said. “I’ve lost so many people back home and now, my friend doesn’t know, and I don’t know how to tell him,”

“Well, I can’t tell you what to do, but friends are the most supportive people you could ever have. I mean, yeah, I got lucky Indra is my childhood friend. She could have stopped talking to me altogether. I mean, in a way, I did kill her sister, so…” I shrugged. “She’s the only person in my life and we’ve never been separated more than a week. So maybe, your best friend won’t be like your family,” I said turning to Sam.

“A part of me knows that” he said. “The other part is terrified of the chances that I might lose him. Yes, I just met the guy, but he’s been so supportive since I moved here. I don’t want to take away the only good thing in my life,”

“Keeping it from him will only serve as a bridge between you two.” I spoke. “I’m not saying tell him, but you never know,”

Sam nodded, not saying anything for another minute or two. We sat in the car, right in front of the pharmacy parking lot. We haven’t moved. Somehow, we clicked and…now, here we are.

“I’ll tell him,” he said. “Eventually, I will,” he nodded. “I might be weird, but I think it sounds better when it’s a female friend than a male friend,”

“Yeah, I guess,” I said just as my phone rang. “Sorry I have to take this. It’s my boss,” I said before pressing answering it. I’d used it to help navigate around the city, so it still in the phone holder on the dashboard. “Mr Stark,”

“Miles, where are you?”

“In town,” I answered.

“Where are you sleeping?” he emphasised.

“In a hotel not too far from yours, sir,” I hear him make a sound.

“Why are you there?”

“Because…it’s the only place I can afford that is close by,” I frowned.

“Mr Manando,” uh-oh.

“Mr Stark,” Sam muffled a laugh with his fist. I sent him a playful glare.

“This is a business trip, paid by the company,” he tells me. “You already knew that didn’t you?” I bit my lip, trying to suppress my own laugh. “Mr Manando?”

“Yes sir,” I said. “I knew,”

“Unbelievable,” I hear him grumble under his breath. “If you don’t get your ass here in the next five minutes, I’m firing you, you hear me?”

“Yes sir,” I said. “I’ll be there,” he didn’t let me finish before hanging up. Sam bursts out laughing next to me.

“You should go,” Sam said. “Before he fires you,”

“Oh, he says that a lot. He won’t fire me,” I said. “Apparently, I’m the longest PA he had. It’d be a bummer if he has to start all over,”

“Well, aren’t you so sure,” Sam said laughing. “Ya’ll are definitely fucking or something,” he said bursting into a much louder laugh. “Mr Manando,” he said mimicking Mr Stark’s gravelly angry voice.

“You almost sound like my best friend,” I scoffed, starting the car.

“She knows him?”

“We both work for him,”

“Damn, now I envy your life,” Sam whistled. “I guess I gotta go,”

“You can take my number, you know,” I offered. “In case you want to just talk or vent or whatever,” Sam’s face lighting up at the offer made me wish I’d offered sooner. Being in his situation, I know how hard it can be and while I have Indra, he has no one to talk to.

“Thanks, that really means a lot,” Sam says. We exchanged numbers before saying goodbye. I drove back to my hotel, packed up again and went to check out. Luckily, I got refunded without any difficulties. I’d be getting my money back in three to five business working days. I drove back to Mr Stark’s fancy apartment.

I’m so taking advantage of that beautiful view.

Mr Stark literary glared at me when I walked in. I didn’t get to dwell on that because he’s standing right before me, half naked with only a white towel wrapped around his waist. Water dripped down from his body to the floor.

Fuck me, why can’t I have a body like that?

No Miles, we don’t do that. We do not envy other people’s bodies. I’m very much content with my body and I’m not letting people like Mr Stark change my mind. Besides, I hate going to the gym. And I’m shit scared of getting that many tattoos. That is not me.

“You’re forty-five minutes late,” Mr Stark said, bringing me back to his eyes. “Where’s my bag?” he asked.

“Uh…closet,” I said. “I put your bag in the closet,” I pointed to his bedroom door. “Sir,” I added my eyes falling to his toned stomach. Fuck, is that eight pack? And the v-line- nope. I’m not doing that. I turned around and made my way to the kitchen. “I haven’t…eaten anything,” I said turning back to Mr Stark who’s still standing in the middle of the apartment, half naked. “If you don’t mind, I’ll heat this up and eat,”

I don’t wait for his response and hurried to the kitchen. I sent Indra a quick message, letting her know that I’m staying with Mr Stark now and she doesn’t need to send the money. Once I was finished with my meal, I went and settled myself in, in the guestroom next to Mr Stark. I have to admit, it’s quite a shitty arrangement here. Unlike Mr Stark’s room, this one is basically out in the open. If I leave my door open, anyone walking in at the front door can see what I’m doing from here.

I decided to hit the shower first before going to bed. Something tells me tomorrow will be a long day. And I’m dreading it.

*****

“So, tell me,” Indra said excitedly as I sat in the car, waiting for Mr Stark to finish with his call outside. We were currently parked right at the front door of the Roman mansion. I’d stayed in the car because Indra called and Mr Stark was already on the call, so I took the opportunity. “How did it feel sleeping in Mr Stark’s chest,”

“I ask myself why I answer your calls every time you call,” I said with an eye roll.

“Okay fine, I’ll let it slide,” she said. “But only this time,” she added giggling.

“You should get a boyfriend,” I suggested. “Or a girlfriend because it seems like you’re the only one who’s horny,” she laughed.

“I’m a virgin, you moron,” she said still laughing.

“Virgins don’t get horny?”

“That’s not the point,” she said.

“Right-“

“All I’m saying is…your life is more interesting than mine, so,” she said.

“Let me guess, because it revolves around Mr Stark,”

“Yes!” she chirped. “See? You get me,”

“Why don’t you date him then?” she laughed. “You’re a woman and…he likes woman. You like sex and it seems like he do too,”

“He probably doesn’t even know me, let alone that I work for him,” she groaned. “You, on the other hand-“

“You could pull out your best lingerie and stop wearing granny panties for one night and go seduce him,” Indra squealed.

“Miles Sethulo Manando, you did not just say that!” I laughed, listening to her scream. “Oh my God, don’t tempt me,” she said.

“I don’t see why you’re not doing it. Sex freaks should be together,” I laughed.

“Miles!” I jumped, dropping my phone. Turning to the window, my heart pounds as I come face to face with his glare. Did he hear me talk about him? Fuck. I’m screwed. “I turn my back for one second and you take a personal call, talking about sex freaks,” I gulped, picking up my phone.

“Sorry sir,” I said ending the call. “Friend won’t stop calling,” I gestured to the screen. I scrambled out of the car, moving to stand next to him, with my bag.

Six people stood by the door, waiting for us. A middled aged man with the biggest smile on his face as he spoke to the middle-aged woman standing on his left. Mr Stark’s mother stood on his left with a stoic face. A man about Mr Stark’s age stood next to McDevil with a rather bored look. Right next to me, stood a shy looking lady who had her head bowed, fidgeting with the hem of her probably expensive top. She’s pretty, I have to give her that. If my guess is as good as any, I’d say that is Mr Stark’s soon-to-be bride.

The sixth man stepped forward, wearing the typical butler outfit with his hands behind his back. He approached me with a small smile. “Welcome to the Roman Mansion, shall I take the car for parking?”

“Oh yes,” I said handing him the keys. “Thank you,” he only dipped his head before heading to the car. I followed Mr Stark up the steps leading to the other five people awaiting.

“I thought I told you he’s staying with the Romans,” Mrs McDevil decided this was a good chance to embarrass me in front of everyone. “What happened to the arrangement?”

“Mr Stark wanted to stay at the hotel,” I said.

“I specifically told you that this is important, and you disobeyed my orders,” she started yelling.

“I’m sorry…ma’am, but I work for Mr Stark,” I watched her face morphed into shock. “I take his orders only,” I said looking up at him. I expect him to scold me for talking to his mother like that. Instead, I see the corner of his mouth twitching and bit back a smile of my own.

“Mother, Miles work for me,” Mr Stark spoke up. “You will not speak to him in that manner,”

“Excuse m-“

“Shall we begin,” Mr Stark said turning to the old man. “I have somewhere I need to be,” he said.

“Oh, look how much you’ve grown, Emmanuel,” the other older woman stepped closer to Mr Stark, taking his hand. “I’m terribly sorry about your father,” she said. “He was a good man,”

“Indeed, he was,” the old man interjected.

“You’ve met my children before, right?” the old woman, who I presumed to be Mrs Roman and the man is William Roman. “Kevin and Eloise,” she smiled proudly at them. “Well, you’ll meet the other two inside, Anthony and Eleanor,” she said turning back to Mr Stark. “I’d prepared a room for you when I heard you were coming,”

“Thank you for the hospitality, but I prefer the hotel,” Mr Stark said.

“Very well,” Mrs Roman said. “I’m sure you’re a man who likes his space,” she said. “Shall we? I hope you haven’t had breakfast. I had the staff prepare brunch,” she said looking between Mr Stark and I. I flashed her a kind smile, noticing how nervous she looks.

“We can eat,” Mr Stark said, and her face lit up.

“Great, shall we,” Mrs Roman said leading the way into the grand house. We’re immediately met with the staircases leading to the top floor. The place had a touch of vintage meeting modern. I don’t think it worked in my eyes, but that’s just my opinion and it’s not my place. “Kevin, Eloise, please call your siblings for brunch,”

The two said siblings headed for the staircases, and we were led further into the place, right to the back. Mrs Roman took us to what looked like a terrace, already decked up with all kinds of meals. “Please, have a seat,”

“Thank you,” Mr Stark said unbuttoning his blazer before sitting. I didn’t know whether to sit, so I stood behind Mr Stark, occasionally staring at the food because Mr Stark dragged me out of the hotel before I could even grab a banana. It’s almost eleven and I haven’t had breakfast. “Miles sit down,” Mr Stark spoke up without looking at me. I took the seat next to his. For now, it was just Mr William Roman, his wife and Mrs McDevil and us at the table. “Next time you pull that shit you did last night, I’ll fire you,” Mr Stark spoke quietly, turning to me. “Do you hear me, Mr Manando?”

“Yes sir,” I said.

Minutes later, everyone was seated around the round table. McDevil made Eloise sit next to Mr Stark. A man sat in the chair next to mine. There was a little girl seated between Mr and Mrs Roman, who immediately reached for a strip of bacon from the serving dishes. “Eleanor, table manners,”

“Mom, she’s six,” the guy next to me grumbled under his breath. He didn’t dress like the rest of the family, who were all prim and proper. He opted for a black casual outfit. His hair was messy but in a good way. His bright blue eyes met mine and he smile. “Hi, I’m Anthony,” he held out a hand.

“Miles,” I said shaking it.

“So, what brings you here?” he asked, dishing up for himself. He passed the dish to me, and I did the same before placing it next to Mr Stark’s plate. I eyed him briefly. When he didn’t move, I leaned closer to whisper. “Can I dish up-“

“I have hands, Miles,” was all he said before grabbing the dish.

“Okay,” I turned back to Anthony who’s looking at us with interest. “He’s my boss,” I said. He nodded, diving into his meal. I didn’t want to overstep, so I kept quiet and devoured my food.

“You know you can always dish up more,” Anthony spoke up.

“Mmh?” I froze with the fork in my mouth.

“You look like you’re about to eat the plate,” he said. I lowered the utensils and wiped my mouth.

“Sorry, I haven’t had breakfast,” I said, realizing I’m about to embarrass myself by finishing before everyone. I tried to slow down. There wasn’t much talk around the table. The adults were occasionally glancing at Mr Stark, making small talk that he made it his mission to shut down.

They decided to take business back into the building. Anthony grabbed my arm before I could go into the office. I looked between him and Mr Stark, who was looking at Anthony’s hand on my arm. “Hi Emmanuel,” Anthony greeted Mr Stark, waving at him with a huge smile. “You don’t need him in there, right?” he asked him. “I could use a friend,” Mr Stark eyed him for a moment too long before he disappeared into what looked like an office, shutting the door behind him. “Great, come with me,” Anthony said turning to walk back the long passageway.

“Where’re we going?” I asked him.

“Upstairs,” he said. When I didn’t move, he turned back to me. “Listen, I’m gay, but I don’t bite. I just thought I should rescue you. They’ll take long,”

“But-“ I looked back at the door, biting my lip. “I’m supposed to take down Minutes for the meeting,” I said. “For Mr Sta-“

“Mr Stark will be fine,” he said walking back to grab my arm. I let him pull me up the steps.

“You have…an interesting home,” I commented, looking around.

“You mean a god-awful home?” Anthony scoffed as we walked side by side. “This is all my mother and her horrible taste,”

“You don’t like it?”

“Fuck no,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I don’t want to be associated with this shit. They don’t even want me here,”

“What?”

“I’m gay,” he said. “They want this happy big family that doesn’t involve gay people who will taint the Roman name and ruined the family reputation,” he said pushing open a door that led to another set of spiral stairs. We came up to yet another floor that overlooked the front door. I could see everything from this view. “This…is my spot. No one comes here,” he plopped down on one of the couches. “Well, except Eleanor. The little minion is everywhere,” he said. “Have a seat,” he gestured to the couch opposite his. His eyes were glued to the front door. “I sit here almost everyday and watch my father bring all of his bitches behind my mother’s back,” my eyes widened at that. When Anthony looked back at me, he laughed. “Oh no, don’t worry, I got over it,”

“You-“ I gulped, looking around. “You don’t know me,” I said softly. “You don’t have to tell me,”

“You have this look,” he said looking me up and down.

“What look?” I frowned.

“The ‘you can talk to me’ look,” I found myself smiling.

“I get that a lot lately,” I admitted quietly.

“See? You’re kind of easy to talk to,” he said.

“Thanks, I…guess?” he chuckled lowly.

“Why do you work for Emmanuel?” he asked me.

“Because I…needed the job?”

“How long?”

“Three years,” he whistled, his interest peeked.

“He let you in that long,” he commented. “You must be doing something right. The man used to change Assistances like he changes his underwear. Now I’m curious about you,” he said watching me closely. The way he was looking at me was making me uncomfortable. Like he was trying to figure me out. “Ya’ll are fucking,”

“Mr Stark’s not gay,” I said. “Neither am I,” Anthony laughed, looking back at the door.

“So, you don’t know,” he mumbled, turning to me. “Awesome,”

“Don’t know what?” Anthony’s face changes instantly, so I turned to the door. A lady walked in, all decked up and looking pretty.

“There’s one,” Anthony said. “One of my father’s bitches,” my brows raised as I looked at the lady. She didn’t even look thirty or something. She was speaking to the same man who took my car keys. “They don’t even try to hide it,” it seemed to be troubling him.

“If…you don’t mind me asking,” Anthony turns to me. “Why haven’t you told your mother?”

“Because…” he leaned forward, grabbing his phone from his back pocket, checking it quickly. “I have secrets, Miles,” he flashed me a smile. “And sadly, the bastard knows about them, so it turned into a blackmailing situation,” he said hoisting one of his legs up. “I had an affair with someone…very valued in this family and well, my father caught us, threatened to tell the families,” he said. “To shut him up, I told him I knew of his Mistresses, and I threatened to tell mom and the whole world, so we kept all this between the three of us,”

“You know how those stuck-up wealthy families are obsessed with maintaining their reputation and whatnot. It was basically that here,” he laughed shortly. “When the world found out they have a gay son, they basically threatened to disown me, but holding a solid upfront as a family was important for them, and…here I am, still stuck in these walls,”

“If they know about you, then…shouldn’t you tell your mother?” I asked quietly. “About the, uh, Mistresses,”

“Oh, I still can’t,” he said. “The world still doesn’t know about the other guy being bisexual. Blowing up all of this would backfire for him,” he said his eyes flashing with sadness, but it was brief. “And I wouldn’t do that to him,”

“That’s really thoughtful of you,” I couldn’t help smiling at that. “He must be lucky to have you, Anthony,”

“We’re not together,” I frowned. “It was just a silly affair,” he rolled his eyes. “Besides, we were both not relationship people, so it wouldn’t have worked. It was all just…sex,” his words aren’t convincing when I look at his face.

“You know it’s okay to fall in love,” I blurted out. “Maybe…when the time is right, you two can learn to love each other,”

“That’s something out of a fairy-tale, Miles,” he said shaking his head. “We were never like that,”

“But you liked him,” I pressed.

“I guess,” he shrugged. “It’s a tricky situation, so I’d rather not,” he added quietly. I didn’t say another word for a few minutes, while he was deep in thoughts. “You know, I’m the oldest,”

“Not Kevin?”

“Nope,” he said. “The company could have been mine. They’d made me believe that I was destined for this. They trained me for it,” he went on. “As soon as they find out that I’m homosexual, they took it all away from me,” Anthony scoffed. “Now look what precious Kevin did to us. They were so focused on grooming me, they forgot to do the same for him. Now he ran down our business, just like that,”

“You could help him,” I suggested.

“He doesn’t want my help,” he said. “If anything, he thinks I’m gloating because I got the smooth end of the stick and he wanted to figure it out himself. So, I let him,”

“How bad is it?” I asked quietly. When he looks up. “The company,”

“We’re losing important clients and money, basically,” he laughed. “Hell, even the employees are turning against us. It’s fucking hilarious,”

“Mr Stark will be able to help you guys,” I said with enough confidence. “He’s really good at what he does,”

“I hope so,” he said with a sigh. “How is he?” my brows furrowed in confusion. “Emmanuel. The last time I saw him was at his father’s funeral,”

“Well, I don’t exactly know how to answer that question,” I murmured, biting my lower lip. “Mr Stark only tells me what I need to know and…he doesn’t reveal much,” Anthony nodded.

“Okay, how is he as your boss?” he asked me.

“He’s very strict and to the point,” I said quickly. “He likes things done a certain way or he gets cranky, even over silly stuff that he doesn’t notice,” I smiled softly. “People say he’s the mean boss and…I used to say that too when I first started working for him, you know,” I admitted quietly.

“What changed?” Anthony inquired.

“My perspective,” I said. “The more I figure him out, the lesser I think bad of him. I don’t think he’s mean. I think that” I paused trying to find my own words. “From what I know, I think that he’s a human being like everybody else and…so much is expected of him. It’s not easy running the top company and still maintain that position for years on end. I mean, yeah, he’s really good at it, but I’d assume it can get tiring. And with all the bad publicity he’s been getting about…sleeping around, it can do something to your mental health. Even after all of that, they still expect him to be perfect and no mistakes,” I looked down with a heavy sigh. “Sometimes I think he’s being hard on himself too, just so he can be who everybody wants him to be,”

“So, I try by all means to go above and beyond for him, to make things easier, even if it’s just getting coffee or food without him having to ask for it. Yeah, it can get tough for me too, but I remind myself that it’s not easy for either of us, so if I do my job right, then he’s less stressed and cranky and he won’t yell at me,” I said with a smile. “Even if it makes me look like a pushover, but I don’t complain, because I know the truth,” Anthony looks at me, head tilted with a small smile tugging his lips upwards. It went on for a long time until I got uncomfortable. “What?”

“You know you could have said that when I asked you the first time,” he pointed out. I rolled my eyes.

“I guess,” I said. “I don’t know Mr Stark on a personal level, so I didn’t know how to answer,”

“Okay,” he said his smile lingering. “Now I get why he kept you this long,” he said with a nod. “I thought it was because you’re cute,” he said.

“Mr Stark is not-“

“Not gay, I know,” he said.

“I could be bias though, but I think he’s the best boss,” I said. “It’s my first job so I could be bias about it,” I shrugged.

“Wow, lucky son of a bitch,” Anthony grumbled under his breath. I laughed.

*****

We’d sat up there for hours, talking. Eventually we went down when Anthony received a message letting him know the meeting was over. “If that motherfucker doesn’t help us, I’m strangling him to death,” I laughed quietly as we neared the office.

The door is pulled open with such force that it creaked. Kevin storms out of the office, with people shouting for him back inside. When he sees us, he slows down and glared at Anthony. His eyes are angry red. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Congratulation, you got what you wanted,” he seethed. “I hope you’re happy for ruining my life,” he said before storming past us, shouldering Anthony in the process.

“What was that about?” Anthony asks just as everybody else walks out. I eyed Mr Stark and immediately went to his side, taking the iPad and notebook in hand.

“Mr Stark agreed to assist us,” Eloise spoke softly. “Only if you’re CEO. Not Kevin,”

“What?!”

*****

UNEDITED

Somethings are unravelling in the Roman Mansion. It’s getting spicy in here. Family drama and whatnot.