Chain Reaction 2.35: Being Used

Alex

     My life is...well, lifeless. Colors are no longer vibrant. Food doesn't have a taste.
     So, Laura is dating Kenneth Franklin. Good for him. Maybe he'll treat her right.

      The world hates me. My own son tops that list. I try to be as decent a father as I can, but he seems bent upon making my life even more miserable than it is. I get it: he's furious with me. I'm not saying I don't deserve it, but I didn't expect this much animosity from my son.
     Sometimes, I wish he'd go live with his mother.
     But then I would have even less reason to live.

     To hopefully appease my son, I hire a butler.
     Perhaps it will be nice to have someone else do all the mundane things. It could leave me time to better communicate with my CFO. I'm still running the show from my home computer, but he's my man at the office. But I don't do that often. I don't need to. My company almost runs itself.
     With a butler, I can make time to try and pull myself out of this depression. Or... I can make time to let the depression consume me.

     The Maker builds Drake a new bedroom, taking away space on the porch we pretty much don't use. Drake's old room will be for the new butler, whoever he is.

     I mean she.

     I go downstairs and greet her. She's already started tidying the place up. Her name is Masami Nakamura. She tells me people call her Sam for short. I ask her which she'd prefer, and she says either is fine.

     We go over her duties. They're pretty standard.

     It does help having her around, I quickly realize. In the simplest of matters, I never have to answer the door. Masami is instructed to invite guests in, tell me who's here, and entertain them even if I choose not to come down, which is what typically happens.
     I do my best to bury myself in my work, but it's hard. I started this company with Laura. She took a buyout.

     Here I sit in my castle on top of the world. If it weren't for Laura, this may never have happened. I'm president of the best internet security company in the game. I'm richer than my father ever was.
     I'm ten times lonelier than my father ever was.
     Masami asks me if I'd like some tea. Startled, I realize she's standing about two paces to my right. I don't know how long I've been sitting and doing nothing but stare at the screen. She must think I look tired. I am. Sleep just brings nightmares. I tell her no.
     I get a ding from my computer. Someone emailed me.

     Oh, Maker. It's Laura. She hopes Drake can visit this weekend. She claims she cleared it with him but wanted to check with me first.
     An email? She didn't want to call me, not wanting to speak to me. But it could've at least been a text. She knows I always have my phone on me. She didn't even want to text me. So cold.
     Once I'm finally able, I email her back, saying that would be fine. I keep it polite, leaving out how I wish she'd come back to me, how sorry I still am, how I'm dying inside. But I know that wouldn't be received well. It would only make me look pathetic.
     I am pathetic. I've ruined everything because I couldn't stop loving Brielle.

     I hate Brielle!
     I know it's not totally her fault, but those feelings I once had have turned sour, done a one-eighty. Yes, she's had bad things happen to her, but she used me. Maybe not consciously, but she did. I'm sure she could tell when we were teens how much I loved her, yet she never came out and said she could never love me like that--until I asked her to marry me. She let it continue to a point when I could be utterly crushed. Used.
     Perhaps it's better to hate her. In fact, I might not ever think of her if it weren't for Drake constantly reminding me. He thinks he cleverly hides the references by talking about Emily and how wonderful Emily is, but I know what he's doing. His vindictive side has been triggered, and I'm the primary target.

     Friday night comes, and I hate that I don't feel bad that I'm glad Drake is with his mother.
     Masami tells me of a visitor that I decide to see. Her name is Traci Ott. She's tried a few times in the past to flirt with me.
     When I walk into the foyer, she exclaims how she'd heard about my divorce, that she wanted to give me a little time and then come visit. There is something in her eyes that makes me believe she has another purpose for wanting to come over. The more we talk, the more I realize something: I want between her legs.
     I'm not sure how it happens, but she eagerly pulls me upstairs. For a few moments, I'm not the one being used. Still, the next morning, Traci leaves satisfied.

     To my surprise, Saturday night also brings with it a visitor, Addyson Metzger. Just like Traci, she acts like she's here for one purpose, and we quickly end up in the bedroom.
     These women may not be as beautiful as Laura, but it's nice to forget about my sorrows for just a few moments as I enjoy all the temporary pleasures they can offer.

     In the ensuing weeks, Traci and Addy visit several more times, but I don't come downstairs to see them unless Drake is at his mother's for the weekend. Then, they happily take care of me.

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I just wanted to say that if you thought the pictures were a little poor when it came to color, that is on purpose. To match Alex's mood, I deliberately dropped the saturation.

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