Temptation So Sweet

The morning started with a promise of something new. She couldn’t quite figure out the reason why she had this familiar feeling in her stomach. She was following her bosses’ suggestion to take a vacation. Pharise had called Jason to apologize for literally having a break down in his office that day. He accepted her apology easily. Realizing she needed to release the emotions that had been haunting her for the past two years since the day she had left her mother at the hospital for the last time. She would trade anything to go back to that day, but fate would not allow it. Instead, she was off to take some long needed time to recover and heal. She was headed to Washington, DC, one of her favorite places. She loved the feel of the city and the crisp air. It was late summer and fall was waiting patiently on the horizon. The Renaissance Hotel would be her temporary home, another favorite of hers. Although Jason had suggested she not think about work, an old case that was still open was suddenly on her mind. If she got a chance, she would do a little more background on it to see if anything came up. The last time she was in DC, nothing blatant stood out. There was something unsettling about the company and the allegations that one of the employees had initiated. She couldn’t quite tell if she was just dealing with a disgruntled employee or whether there truly was some merit to the allegations. While taking it easy, she would do a little investigation into the affairs of Allegory Medical and see what she could find out. The Renaissance hotel was grand to say the least. It was a mixture of contemporary and elegant ambience. One could always find someone famous milling in the lobby or hanging out in the guest area. She was always wide-eyed when she saw a movie star or television icon. This was indeed the place to be. She stood at the hotel registration counter lost in her own thoughts when the registration clerk asked for the third time, “may I help you”. Quickly recovering, Pharise offered her name. Jason’s secretary had actually made the travel arrangements for her. She opened the door to the plush room that reeked of elegance and pleasure. She breathed a sigh of relief. Jason was not only her boss and friend, he was like the big brother she had never had. In his own subtle way he was taking care of her just like he had been doing since she met him at the Legal Alliance Workshop ten years ago. Jason had been married for 25 years to the love of his life and had two children he adored. His wife, Peggy, was a local attorney who had learned how to have a good work-life balance. She worked at the office three days a week and was home for four days a week. She left work every day by 5 PM, no exceptions. I, once, asked her how she was able to achieve such a feat. Her answer was simple. She said, “I just learned how to say the magic word ‘no’. No, I won’t be able to work on that today.” She was an exceptional attorney and her boss had sensed that her response would not tolerate debate. As a great and irreplaceable asset to the legal firm, they could not risk losing her. Pharisee unpacked her over-priced custom black LV luggage because she hated living out of a suitcase even for one day. First, on today's agenda was to shower and take a walk down to the local deli. It was one that she often frequented when she was in town. Washington DC had a monopoly on good restaurants, good music, and interesting things to do. Her plans included spending at least two days at the Smithsonian museum. There was no way she could see everything in one visit. Her "to do" list, also, encompassed a visit to the Grand Central Station and to get some shopping done. She would be open to “whatever” on this trip. Pharise stepped out of the hotel. The northern wind was a little brisk. She wrapped her arms around her body to keep the wind from blowing her clothes open. No one else walking seemed to notice the breezy cool weather. But, she was a southern girl and she was use to hot humid days. The wind was a welcomed visitor. The street was filled with people walking with a mission. Today, she was not that person. She was there to enjoy herself and she would not be in a hurry. She was learning that she did not always have to be on fast-forward. Her goal was to slow down on this trip and just enjoy. The deli was almost filled to capacity, but she still wanted a window seat. The smell of baked bread welcomed her at the door. Enduring a short wait, she was led to a table that allowed her to watch the happenings on the street. She loved people-watching, something she rarely had an opportunity to do. She and her sister, Felice, spent most of Memphis in May, a local festival, just watching people having what they considered fun. Most of them were too enamored with the local beers, daiquiris and colodas, and other fruity drinks with sexual names to even know their name or where they were. She ordered her meal, a roast beef sandwich with spicy mustard, a side salad and jalapeños on the side. The deli had the best roast beef. She took one bite, closed her eyes and leaned her head slightly back enjoying the succulent taste. Her internal antenna went on full alert. Someone was watching her. She had always had what her mother called a sixth sense. She couldn't quite discern if this was good or bad, most of the time it felt just good old creepy.