The Medford building was a recent remodeled structure, towering six stories high. Other than the State Capitol building’s gray dome, it was the second tallest building in downtown Olympia. The cause for the remodeling was due to a 7.0 earthquake that centered in the Nisqually Valley. The quake extended as far north as Everett, Washington and as far south as Portland, Oregon. The quake was the first major earthquake Jaymes had experienced in his life. He was at work at the time, up on the sixth floor where his office overlooked the corner of Washington and Fourth Avenue. The building was restored to the original historical architectural design. A creamy white color building with small statues of winged gargoyles evenly spaced above the main entrance, jutting from the exterior of the building.
Olympic Northwest Web Design, a company Ellyn and he had started from their home when the dot-com industry was a growing popularity. Megan, a long time high school friend of Ellyn came aboard as the company’s financial advisor and project manager. When the dot-com companies within the Pacific Northwest – save a few – started declaring bankruptcy, Jaymes and Megan invested their company’s financial net worth in some of them, consolidating them into one conglomeration.
Parking his Jeep Cherokee a few blocks away, he locked up the vehicle and balanced the shoulder bag on his right shoulder. After depositing the five-fifty per day parking charge, he headed south along Fourth Avenue. He passed a bookstore specializing in hard to find and out of print books, a specialty teashop and an Internet café he frequented often. A narrow alleyway separated the two buildings. Across the street was ‘Jakes on 4th’, an upscale restaurant and club, a place Jaymes loved to dine at. Next to ‘Jakes’ was one of two historical theaters, where Tango was now playing.
Checking his watch, he looked down the corridor of the avenue and decided to cross the street where Lilly’s coffeehouse was located. Stepping in from the warming crisp air, he drank in the atmosphere of the diverse clientele of patrons. Mostly college students sitting at small round black tables studying, some working on laptops, while others enjoyed their obscure reading. The scent of rich blends of coffee, just as diverse as the patrons, lingered in the atmosphere. The radio played the local station from The Evergreen State College.
“Good morning, Jay.” The young blond barista greeted him with a smile; her copper eyes had a dull sparkle. Her short hair showed dark roots and a cherubic face sported a gumdrop nose with thin cupid bow lips accentuating her young face. “And how are things with you and Ellyn?”
“Going pretty good, Jenna. Going good. How is college this semester?” he asked.
“It’s going. Think I’m going for a political science degree, not quite sure.” She smiled again. “I haven’t seen Ellyn lately, how is she?”
“She’s doing alright, being busy at home with her projects.” He made quote mark motions in the air. Jenna just laughed.
“Tell her to stop in, we miss her.”
“I’ll do that.” Jaymes returned her smile.
“And I suppose you would like your usual?” Jenna asked, already busying her hands with his Java of choice.
“Yep, you got it. A caramel mocha.”
“Commin’ right up.” She winked and had it already done, situated on the round counter top. “Anything else?”
“Just the mocha, just the mocha.” He paid her what he owed. “Keep the change, you know how college is,” Jaymes replied, lifting his cup, then turned and walked out the door.
Checking his watch, a homeless couple called out to him. He had not seen them there when he walked into Lilly’s. The scrawny young man asked him if he had any spare change, Jaymes handed him a few dollars and made his way across the street.
Stepping into the shelter of the Medford building lobby, Jaymes took a drink from the cup, the liquid too hot as a small drop scorched his tongue. The narrow foyer was separated by a hair salon on one side and a lawyer’s office on the other. Jaymes pressed the single up arrow for one of three elevators. Just as he entered the far-left elevator, his cell phone chimed its annoying ring tone. Checking the caller ID, he disregarded the call, not recognizing the number as he endured the ring tone.
Pressing the sixth floor button, he waited impatiently as the elevator ascended to where his office was. As the elevator door opened, he stepped out and a narrow, forest-green marbled tile hallway greeted him. The dark wood-paneled walls were lined with sports memorabilia. Jaymes walked toward the single glass door where Olympic Northwest Web design was located. Entering, he noticed Kristi engaging a client on the phone.
Seeing him step in, Kristi waved him over. A wireless earpiece jutted out from her straight auburn hair as she finished up her call. Her round brown eyes were those of a deer, her face was school girlish, with a small Jewish nose. Her thin ripe lips glistened with an earth tone colored lipstick. She was just a few months shy of twenty-one. Standing only five-five, and weighing slightly over a hundred, a prominent Firm frame, tanned from playing tennis. A burnt red blouse hugged her slight curves, as well as a long black skirt, split along the right side, revealing cinnamon color nylons.
“Morning, Jay. Megan is in your office expecting you.” She then handed him a stack of office mail and phone messages. Jaymes placed the cup down on the edge of her desk and quickly glanced through the stack. After perusing through the stack, he stowed them in the unzipped pocket of his shoulder bag and picked up his coffee.
“Thank you, Kristi, I shall now skip gleefully toward my office since Megan is already there. She probably thinks I’m running late.” He rolled his eyes, his voice fluctuating in a comical tone.
“Are you late?” Kristi asked, trying to hold back a giggle as he turned and headed to where his office was, leaving Kristi to fend off the sudden explosion of calls on her phone console.
Breathing in deeply, Jaymes exhaled slowly before stepping into his spacious office. A cherry wood desk occupied the center of the room. An attached bookshelf ran along the far wall to the right, extending along the back wall opposite the office door. Stowing his shoulder bag under his desk, he placed the cup of cooling coffee to the side and looked over at Megan. She was gracefully filling the leather high back chair across from him with a tall exotic frame.
“Morning, Jay,” she softly spoke in her British accent.
“Morning Meg,” he replied, settling in his high back captain’s chair.
“Why are you here?” she asked him without hesitation.
“Well, we’re supposed to go over the next quarterly budget,” he said searching her face. Five years older than Jaymes, Megan carried a confident and secure composure. Grace with sophistication without the stereotypical aristocratic mentality, quality men found somewhat challenging. Her hair was cinnamon, with large, long curls that blanketed her shoulders. Her face angular with a strong defined jaw line, pinpoint jungle green mystic eyes holding you captivated with a strong soft gaze. Her well-proportioned body was shrouded in a tight navy skirt, white blouse, and a matching navy jacket. Sitting with her legs crossed, she tapped her two forefingers together. Her lips pursed ever so slightly.
“And so you think this is more important than being home with your wife on your anniversary?” Megan winked. “Ellyn called me by the way. She said you ran out of the house as if your tail was on fire. What’s wrong, Jay? Can’t handle a passion driven woman these days?”
“Oh come on, Meg! Give me some credit. It’s Ellyn that can’t handle a romantic passionate driven man like myself,” he bantered back with a chuckle. He took a sip of his cooled off Mocha. The thought of Ellyn seductively teasing him plagued his mind.
“Jay, it’s okay. Not all men can handle such unbridled passion a lady has to offer, especially one’s wife.” She paused again, uncrossing her legs and leaned forward. “Go ahead, take the day off from work and spend it with Ellyn.” Her eyes twinkled “That is, if you truly can handle her.” She winked again, standing and took a seat on the corner of his desk. “Besides, our meeting is postponed. We have to go over some new proposals as well.” She then stood and walked over to his office door. She then stopped and looked over at Jaymes. He still was watching her. “Oh, I will be kidnapping your wife tomorrow for a brunch date by the way. And don’t forget, I will find out about your little romantic escapade tomorrow.”
“Ellyn can never just kiss and not tell,” Jaymes chuckled, shaking his head.
“Jay, what do you expect, we’re the best of friends since high school,” Megan winked, returning his smile.
“So, let me get this straight,” he began. “I go home, spend the day with my beautiful vixen of a wife that you or she thinks I can’t tame. Take her out and wine and dine her, and you come over the next day to kidnap her for a brunch date and talk about how I could not handle her?”
“I couldn’t have said it better myself, Jay.” She smiled, his office door half-opened. “Besides you love her too much to be here today.” She was about to turn and walk out of his office, leaving him to his thoughts when she turned back to face him. “Oh, by the way, what do you have planned for Ellyn tonight?” she asked casually.
“I guess you will find that out tomorrow,” he responded playfully. “What do you have planned out with her tomorrow besides a brunch and discussing my adequate godlike qualities?”
“Just girlie stuff,” she replied with a queer smile and then stepped out of his office, smiling to herself for having the last word in. Jaymes could never beat Megan and Ellyn in a battle for the wits, especially when the three of them get together with Megan’s only son.
Sighing, Jaymes shook his head and stared at his desk. He admitted he would rather be home with Ellyn right now. Smiling as he conjured up the image of Ellyn wearing only a white cotton button down shirt.
Powering up his laptop, he waited until the computer ran through its boot up process and connected to the Internet. Opening up his email account, he began reading the new messages and responding to the more important ones. Once that was accomplished, he focused on cleaning up his desk, organizing everything for Monday morning. Checking his watch, he noted the time – 8.30.
Leaving his office and the Medford Building, he made his way north along Fourth Avenue and found where his Cherokee was parked. Unlocking the passenger side door, he stashed his shoulder bag, his laptop, and his jacket in the seat and then closed and locked the door. Looking heavenward for a moment, he relished the clear morning sky. The light September breeze carried the scent of salt on her wings. Budd Inlet was five blocks in the opposite direction. Jaymes found a steady brisk pace, walking south toward the Fourth Avenue Bridge.
He reached the boardwalk that paralleled part of State Avenue, the intersection converging from two one-way streets into a two-way road. The boardwalk extended alongside Fourth Avenue, ending at the bridge, as well as past Budd Inlet Marina and ending where the Port of Olympia begins. Jaymes walked the southern point of the boardwalk to where a handful of shops existed. Across from the shops was Heritage Park with a flat-water fountain sprouting jets of water in synchronistic patterns. Jaymes entered the third shop.
Tanders Jewelers was a narrow store with jewelry encased in glass showcase counters. The counters ran in a unified u-shape pattern around the store, mirrored with a circular electric model train that was suspended from the ceiling. A single swinging cabinet door interrupted the design, opposite the entrance. A melody of violin played softly from a hidden stereo. Jaymes looked over some necklaces, then the rings that seemed to dominate the left side of the store. Gold, silver, white gold bands were contrasted against black velvet cloth like material.
“Jay, good to see you again.” Mr. Tanders has a deep baritone voice as he approached Jaymes from the back of the store. A stocky older gentleman with a wisp of white hair that barely covered his mostly baldhead, he had black eyes hidden behind a pair of round rim glasses that rested at the end of a bulbous nose. Thin lips trembled as he spoke. A heavy-set man possessing a deep-bellied laugh. A kind gentleman who had kept his jewelry store opened for over forty years.
“Mr. Tanders, you’re looking well,” Jaymes spoke respectfully, shaking the man’s large hand. Mr. Tanders still had a strong grip.
“You’re too kind, too kind, Jay!” He waved the comment aside.
“Well…I’m here to pick up Ellyn’s gift.”
“Already?”
“It’s not a problem is it?”
“No, no not at all Jay, not at all. Just wasn’t expecting you at this time of day.”
“Well, she doesn’t know I’m getting this for her. When I saw the look in her eyes when we happened to pass by one night, I knew I had to get it for her.”
“And she’ll love it. How long have you two young kids been married?”
“Five wonderful years.” Jaymes smiled, savoring those words.
“The Mrs. and I were married for sixty wonderful years. God rest her sweet soul.” Mr. Tanders spoke with revered reverence as he looked up toward the ceiling, patting his heart lightly. “Sixty blessed wonderful years, Jay.” He glanced back at Jaymes. “You don’t take your young lady for granted. She is a rare jewel, unlike these. A precious diamond, remember that my son.” He then smiled, showing his dentures. “Anyway, I have it all ready to go for you, let’s take a gander at that ring you’re getting for your beautiful jewel.” Jaymes followed the old gentleman to where the glass showcase counter ended and the swinging door was. Mr. Tanders retrieved a black velvet material, laying it out on the counter top. Then, retrieving the ring, he stepped back.
The ring was a diamond surrounded by midnight blue sapphires, reminding Jaymes of Ellyn’s eyes. The sapphires created a heart shape around the diamond. Jaymes examined it and smiled contently.
“It’s perfect,” Jaymes said with fascination, as if he was intoxicated while staring into Ellyn’s eyes. He pulled out his wallet from his pocket and produced a lone credit card he and Ellyn had agreed upon getting. After signing the receipt, Jaymes held the black ring box with its prized treasure the aging jeweler had handed over. Jaymes pocketed it. “You have a blessed day Mr. Tanders.” Jaymes shook the gentleman’s hand one last time and walked back out into the now warm September late morning.
Anxious to see Ellyn’s face when she opened his gift, he walked even faster to where his vehicle was parked. Just before reaching the Cherokee, his cell rang. Answering it, he forgot to check the caller ID.
“Hello, this is Jaymes.”
“Jay, it’s Chandler, where ya at?” Mickey Chandler’s thick voice dripped over the airwaves.
“Downtown Oly, why?”
“Meet me at ‘Jakes’,” Chandler quickly said. “I need to talk with you.” Chandler then hung up, leaving Jaymes wondering what was going on. The only time when Chandler called him was when he was in trouble, or they hadn’t spoken with each other in quite some time. Settling on the latter thought, Jaymes hurried over to ‘Jakes on 4th’ to meet up with Chandler.
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