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MIKA EYES POPPED OPEN when the alarm went off at 9:45 the next morning. She soooo wanted to go back to bed! She was physically and emotionally drained. Mostly due to the man who had his heavy arm around her waist. They’d slept naked, their body heat enough to keep them warm during the cold winter night. Now in the morning light she didn’t want to examine last night, not yet. Right now she was still a little angry and a lot confused. Figuring it out would have to wait, she had more important things to do this Sunday morning.
She removed his arm and got out of bed, which woke him up. When she was sure he was cognizant she said, “Get up. We need to leave in around thirty minutes.”
“We?” Robert asked sleepily.
“Yes, we. I have someplace I need to be and you’re dropping me off.” She gave him a look that dared him to object.
“O-kay, how you getting back home?”
“Not your business. Chop, chop.”
He watched her naked ass walk into the bathroom then heard the click of a lock. He was not looking forward to a morning of her attitude. But a smart man knew when he was on thin ice and learned how to tiptoe. Damn his cousin Edward for being right.
* * *
MIKA REFUSED HIS OFFER to make her a quick breakfast, and the coffee he’d brewed. So imagine how pissed he was when she made him stop at a McDonalds once they reached downtown. She proceeded to order four large coffees and twenty-five various breakfast combos. Rubbing salt in the wound when she told him if he wanted something for himself, he should order it. Then she made him pay for it all!
She also refused to tell him where they were going, parceling out directions as they went. By the time they parked in the back lot of a medium size building, his irritation had skyrocketed along with his curiosity. She piled most of the bags of food in his arms, taking the coffee herself as they walked through the back door.
“Where are we exactly?”
“You’ll see.”
“Mika...” he said exasperated.
She just ignored him.
He shook off his annoyance and continued through the complex. Taking a look around as he went. He saw various rooms in different sizes. A few were clearly offices. The rest he saw had some books and what looked like school supplies in them. In another room, he glimpsed what seemed to be a pantry of sorts. Clothes, purses, and jackets were organized on racks. There was a shelf of bins that held deodorant, toothpaste, tampons, etc. He wrinkled his brow, trying to figure out exactly where they were. When they walked into a gym-like area with a handful of lunch tables set up, it became clearer.
“Hey girls! Happy New Year! I got breakfast. Hurry and come get it. Then take your seat. We’re going to have a special presentation this morning.”
Mika put what she held down on a table, taking off her coat. Then telling Robert to place what he had a little further down on the table, as the 15 girls were already rushing him.
As he was mobbed, the ladies made their way over to her. Andrea was giving her a look that said, What the fuck? While the other two were eye molesting Robert and grinning at her.
“Happy New Year to you. I’d be happy if I started the year out with him!” Kimberly said fanning herself as Mika handed her a coffee and a bag.
“Where do you find these fine men? I need to hang out with you more. Damn girl!” Julia complained.
“He’s just a friend,” Mika mumbled around a bite of her own McMuffin.
Kimberly choked on a sip of coffee as she tried not to burst out laughing. “You a damn lie,” she said in a near whisper. “You didn’t come here with your ‘friend’, who is still dressed in a full tux from last night.”
Julia was shaking her head as well. “Whether friend or special friend, what’s his name?”
For the first time Andrea spoke up. “His name is Robert...he’s Cam best friend.”
“You two make me sick. Greedy, monopolizing all the men,” Kimberly said pouting.
“Why is he here?” Andrea asked briskly.
“You guys just have a seat and you’ll see,” Mika said looking at her phone to see it was indeed eleven a.m. on the dot.
Mika stepped forward addressing the girls, clapping her hands to grab their attention. “Okay ladies, you can finish eating as we have our first lesson of the New Year. As you can see we have a guest today, who also happens to be a male. This is Robert Lorde, and he’ll be demonstrating a few ways a man should treat a lady. He even got dressed up to make it more realistic. I would have done the same, but there was an unfortunate accident with the dress I planned to wear.”
Mika saw his eyes pop in surprise, then narrow at her dig. She had to bite her lip to keep from grinning. “Ladies let's give him a warm welcome to The Growth & Hope Center.”
Robert walked forward slowly, a loose smile on his face. Oh he was going to get her back somehow. He didn’t know when, just that he would. So far she’d used his money and outed their connection to Andrea, who still looked like she had entered the Twilight Zone. Now she was making him perform so to speak, in front of a room full of teenage girls. Half of which couldn't stop grinning and giving him sly looks, while the other half looked at him warily. While he walked over, Mika grabbed a chair and sat it at the table.
“Let’s start with how a gentleman should get your chair for you when you’re on a date.”
Robert obliged her. Pulling out the chair and waiting until she lowered herself onto it. Before also helping to push the chair in closer to the table.
“Why you gotta have help to sit? Thought ya’ll always telling us to be independent women and s-tuff.” Tamara caught herself before she cursed.
Before any of the women could speak up, Robert did. “Because it’s not about you being capable, which you are. It’s about a man showing you basic respect. When a man is helpful in big or small ways, it shows that he cares for you. If a guy can’t show you basic respect in everyday aspects of your life, that means he’s thoughtless.”
All the girls were attentive, as he’d used his “no-bullshit” look along with an edge to his voice.
“Mr. Lorde is absolutely right.”
Alysia a shyer girl, raised her hand. When Mika smiled and pointed to her she said, “Ms. Harrison, what if the guy honestly doesn’t know he’s supposed to get the chair? What do we do then?”
Mika rose replacing the chair, then shooed Robert off to the side. “Well you should stand by your chair, then look pointedly at your date. You can give a slight head nod to the chair if he still doesn’t get it.” She demonstrated and Robert played along, looking oblivious as she stood there until she nodded her head. Hustling over to get the chair to the girl’s giggles.
“It’s okay to stand your ground. It’s important to set the tone for how you want to be treated early in a relationship. Don’t you agree Robert?”
There was a slight pause before he said, “Yes.”
She stood up and went over by the door, motioning him to join her.
“Also, whenever walking on the street with a man, you should be on the right. The farthest away from the street.”
Mika and Robert linked arms and strolled across the room.
“Again it’s a sign of care and respect.” Mika explained. “With you on the inside, you’re more protected. From mud splashes or a car jumping the curb.”
“Do we have to link arms like that all the time?” A girl shouted out, her voice clearly appalled at the thought.
Mika laughed. “No, not unless you want to. You can just be walking side by side or holding hands. Doesn’t matter as long as you’re on the inside.”
They ran through a few more examples. A man holding the door open. How a man should shorten his stride a bit, so a woman doesn’t have to work extra hard to keep up. They demonstrated that if a man saw a woman was cold, he should loan her his jacket, assuming he had one. When Robert undid his tux and took it off, she heard a few giggles from the girls and Kimberly mutter loudly, “This is too much and not enough!”
For the final demonstration, she had him sit down at the table where the other ladies were at before she entered the room. “Lastly young ladies, if you enter a room and there is no seating left and a male is seated, he should happily give up his seat once he’s noticed you need one...right Robert?”
He reluctantly said yes, reminding himself this was all for impressionable young girls. He was aware she was pointing out his flaws. Truthfully a lot of these tips were similar to what he had drilled into Brihanna. Teaching her to demand respect from everyone, in particularly men. He got the message, and after last night could admit he deserved it.
“Okay ladies, that’s it for our Male Manners class. Let's give Mr. Lorde a round of applause for helping us out today.”
The girls did so, as Robert gave a small bow.
“Now,” Mika continued. “Take fifteen. Clean up breakfast, then we can start on your vision boards.”
Tamara was all smiles now, having warmed up to Robert. “Can he stay and help us with our boards?” There were murmurs of agreement around the room.
Andrea stepped forward and shook her head. “Sorry girls. Robert can’t stay for that. Some things are girls only. Vision boards are deeply personal, and we want everyone to feel comfortable. So you can really put what you feel on the boards.”
Amidst the groans of disappointment, the adults met at the head table, where Mika finally introduced him to everyone.
“Thank you so much. This was a great lesson for the girls to learn, especially from a guy,” Julia declared. “I could tell they took you more seriously than they take us.”
“Yep, they consider us ‘old’. As if we couldn’t possibly know anything about male and female interactions,” Kimberly put in. The other ladies agreed sharing a laugh.
“Not a problem ladies. I’m glad I could help. I’d actually like to come back and talk to them about financial responsibility and investing, if you think that would be okay.”
Julia’s eyes lit up as she was an accountant. “Absolutely! Let’s cover basic budgeting first, and then you can move to investing!”
“We’ll look at our schedule for the year and make sure to get you in. Should be able to give you plenty of notice,” Kimberly said making notes in her planner.
“No worries.” Robert said easily. “I’ll make time whenever you have a spot for me. These two know how to reach me.” He indicated Andrea and Mika.
“I sure do. Let me walk you out,” Andrea offered.
Mika followed the two as they headed toward the back door, the girls waving goodbye to Robert.
Robert slung his arm about Andrea’s shoulders and made conversation. “How you doing A? How was your first New Year with our boy?”
“A?” Mika questioned from behind them. “You actually let him give you a nickname? Is there anything you won’t do for Cam? You hate nicknames.”
Andrea threw a dirty look over her shoulder. “Robert didn’t give me much choice, and it grew on me.” She turned back to the man by her side. “We had a good time. Kept it in house with our own little party. We had hats and everything. Along with a lot of champagne.”
“I bet he got you another piece of jewelry, didn’t he?”
Andrea let out a laugh. “Yes! You really should talk to him about that. He won’t listen to me.”
“I’ve tried. Damn boy will end up broke.” Robert exaggerated a big sigh. “Guess I’ll have to do my job better and keep making him money.”
Andrea gave him a quick squeeze as they neared the door, then stepped back bringing the group to a stop. “You do that. I was surprised to see you...but you did a great job with the girls.”
“I was only supposed to be dropping Mika off.” He gave Mika a half-amused, half-annoyed look. “You’ll get her home?”
“Of course.” Andrea’s eyes danced between the two, before she shook her head a bit. “See you later. Mika don’t forget you told the girls fifteen minutes.”
Mika had her arms crossed, staring seriously at Robert. “I know what I said, I won’t be long.”
Biting her tongue not to snap back, Andrea turned and walked away.
Alone, Robert grew more serious as well. “I get it. Your lessons.”
“Good. It seemed to me you needed a refresher.”
“Point received and taken. But to be fair I never said I was a gentleman.”
“That’s obvious. I’m telling you to do better,” Mika said firmly.
He slowly closed the distance between them and pulled her in for a hug, folded arms and all. Stepping back he gave her a quick kiss. “I hear you princess.”
She finally cracked a smile and gave him a shove towards the door. “Get out of here before I figure out some other way to torture you. And put on your damn coat. I don’t play ‘nurse and patient’.”
He was still laughing as she shut the door in his face.
