The Power of Weakness

Chapter 6

Despite the odd feelings Ari stirred in him, on Monday Meyer continued the new morning routine of coffee on the bench. He even managed to convince Trevor that he was no longer in an unexplained state of agitation so that Trevor would go ahead to the office without commandeering an elevator for him every morning.

He didn't have any luck in his quest until Tuesday when he saw her only briefly. She was leaving the coffee cart when his driver pulled up at the curb to let him out. He saw her again that afternoon, in the lobby. He was on the other side of the large space, observing her as she registered that he was in her field of vision. She lowered her chin and looked at the floor. He took advantage of the fact that she took her eyes off of him and he changed his route in order to cross over hers. "Good afternoon, Ms. Nichols," he said as they passed.

"Sir," was all she managed, but it was enough to increase the beating of his heart for a few moments.

Tuesday night he attended the Huxley's fundraiser for some oddly specific charity with Belinda Howard. She was delighted at their matching accessories. All through the evening she ended up making gestures or standing with Meyer in a way that accidentally highlighted their complimentary items. People happened to notice the similarities of their accoutrements and commented on it through the night.

Meyer knew, though Belinda probably didn't, that one thing they had in common, was that very little that happened in their lives accidentally. They were both masters of orchestration, they just operated on different levels. As promised, he made sure she looked good in front of Erica Huxley. However, that night, Meyer found Belinda more annoying and tiresome than usual. He got through the dinner with one thought.

She's been useful and is a decent person, but tonight's show is my parting gift.

After dropping her off at home, he put the cufflinks and tie pin back into their case and passed it to Trevor to deal with.

Wednesday morning, Meyer sat on the bench closest to the bus stop. He held a cup of coffee in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Countless people stepped off the busses as he watched, checking the time as each bus arrived. If anyone was observing him without knowing who they were looking at, they might guess that this was a man nervously waiting on someone. Finally, he caught sight of a pink blouse through a bus window. He recognized the cascade of blonde hair over the blouse though he could not see the wearer's face.

"Ms. Nichols," he called out to her as she stepped off the bus.

Upon seeing who said her name, Ari dropped her eyes to the ground. She nervously adjusted the shoulder strap of her bag and went to the bench. "Did you want something from me Mr. Meyer?"

"No. In fact, I have something you want." He held out the cup. "I secretly asked David which tea you drink and picked this one up for you," he added conspiratorially.

David was also the source of his information about her usual bus arrival time. Ari stood still, not extending a hand to take the cup from him. He set his coffee down on the bench, stood up, and gently grabbed her hand. Placing the tea in Ari's grasp, he continued to hold both the cup and her hand for a few seconds longer than necessary.

"Enjoy." He was barely audible above the sounds of morning traffic. After retrieving his coffee, he strode towards the Fairfield building.

"Thank you, Mr. Meyer," she said to his back.

That same day at lunch, he had a client meeting at a decent steak house not far from the office. It wouldn't normally have been the kind of place he'd pick, but it was a favorite of a different executive he would soon go up against and he liked to get into his opponent's minds a bit. He settled in across from his client and saw the back of a familiar head a couple of tables away. Ari seemed to also be in a client meeting.