Dear Adam (19 page)

I'm dressed to the nines today, a standard
for when I'm working.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:08 AM

To: Adam -

You wouldn't mind if I was smelly and
unwashed?

My usual lazy getup. You know. Blue cotton
slip, trimmed with dark gray lace.

You have a tie on? Is it patterned? And what
kind of shoes? Patent leather? Do you have your suits custom-made
or are you able to wear them off the rack then tailored to fit you?
Where do you buy your suits? Do you have a little handkerchief
peeking out of the breast pocket? Do you wear cufflinks? Your
necklace - is it inside your shirt or out?

Why are you working on a Saturday?

My stomach's growling. Where's MY
breakfast??

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:12 AM

To: Eden E

I wouldn't, not if we were at home and you
were feeling lazy.

Plain black silk tie. Black leather shoes,
without laces. I shine them before every day I work. I have my
suits custom made. I don't have to, but I prefer it, and I admire
the tailor's trade. I don't like wearing brand names. I have a
tailor in the UK, and one in Italy. I very occasionally have the
handkerchief peeking out of the breast pocket, but only at very
special occasions. I wear cufflinks 90% of the time, and 100% when
I'm working. My necklace is under my shirt.

It was the only day all the people that
needed to be in one room could be.

You're the woman. Cooking and cleaning is to
be done by you. Chop chop.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:21 AM

To: Adam -

Now that I think of it, you were wearing a
black suit in my dream.

What material is the suit? Do you have a tie
clip? Are your cufflinks silver? Would the handkerchief be black
also?

I'm definitely staying in bed and ignoring
you then, with a remark like that. The only way I'd get up is if
you brought me breakfast on a tray. On your knees.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:23 AM

To: Eden E

It would be black or white, depending on the
occasion. I always wear a silver tie clip. I keep my money in a
silver money clip as well. My cuff links are all silver.

A light Italian wool with cupro lining.

On my knees ... is that where you'd like me?
:P

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:27 AM

To: Adam -

Yes.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:29 AM

To: Eden E

Haha, dominatrix.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:37 AM

To: Adam -

Do you have your Agua Lavanda on or Armani?
Is it Armani sport code or just Armani Code?

What kind of hats? Straw? Fedoras?

What did you eat for lunch, was it during
the meeting? Is it still going on? I can wait until tonight since
you're busy.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:40 AM

To: Eden E

Agua Lavanda. Just Armani Code. I would wear
it if I were to see you later on. Have you smelled it?

Usually snap brim trilbies, but I do have
some fedoras and panama hats.

I haven't had lunch :( Feed me, Edie.

I am looking forward to it as well, I feel
like since we ironed out our issues (American sense), we've become
a lot more intense and close.

We're in the car on our way to another
meeting.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:48 AM

To: Adam -

Haven't smelled it. That will be one of my
errands today. The prospect of it is my impetus for getting up.

Drat, I have to go outside. Do you think it
would be cruel and inhumane of me to inflict my malodorous, natural
state on the unsuspecting general population? Especially when the
weather's so hot? To take a shower or not to take a shower.
Decisions, decisions.

You must have your hats custom-made. I don't
believe they have any ready made to fit your big head.

No lunch? Are you in a meeting with
Italians? Doesn't seem possible.

You asked me if I would take a leap of faith
with you. Here I am leaping. Blindly.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 8:52 AM

To: Eden E

No, I asked us to take a leap together, so
here we are, holding hands, leaping blindly together.

Don't shower. Don't go out unless you have
to.

We haven't had time. It will be a big dinner
though.

I do have quite a big head, and have had
custom made hats. Though there used to be a hat shop in Pimlico,
London, that used to have a range of sizes and very good quality
hats.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:00 AM

To: Adam -

Too late, you've roused me.

I am now torn on what I should wear. A
canary yellow dress or a tomato red (with a touch of orange in it)
one. Both have spaghetti straps and fall above the knee.

I'll pretend I'll be seeing you after your
meeting and before you go out with your friends. I'll wear heels.
And dangly silver earrings. All my jewelry is silver. I'll be
sitting in a cafe in town. I'll bring a book with me. And I'll be
impatient for you to arrive.

How did I know you had a big head? See, I'm
psychic.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:02 AM

To: Eden E

Roused or Aroused? Either way, how did I
manage that?

The one with the orange in it, though had it
not had orange in it, I'd have picked the yellow one.

If you're going to pretend that, then you
need to wear the appropriate underwear, because I'd least have a
grope before I went out in the evening. Even if only a quick hand
under the dress job.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:08 AM

To: Adam -

You prefer the red? I'll wear the canary
then.

I would be displeased that you kept me
waiting and will be running off to meet your friends so there will
be no groping. You'd have to do a copious amount of sweet-talking
to get that and there wouldn't be enough time.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:11 AM

To: Eden E

I'll grope all I want thank you very
much.

Do you ever wear short skirts?

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:15 AM

To: Adam -

I just noticed a bruise on my thigh - have
you been around without me knowing it?

Yes, I do.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:15 AM

To: Eden E

I think I'd like YOU in a short skirt.

Yes I've been munching on your thigh in your
sleep.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:16 AM

To: Eden E

Attach: BA.jpg

:)

Eden opened the attachment. It was a black
and white photo of a pale, chubby baby with big eyes open in
wonderment and mouth slightly open, the kind of baby that one
longed to pick up and smother with kisses.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:17 AM

To: Adam -

Who is this?

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:18 AM

To: Eden E

me

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:23 AM

To: Adam -

You should have warned me. I didn't want to
cry today.

You must have been over 6 months old because
you have at least four teeth showing - unless you teethed early. It
doesn't look like you were able to prop your head up by yourself.
And those sausage arms - you would have been irresistible.

Thank you.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:25 AM

To: Eden E

Why did you cry?

Now imagine a bigger, more manly version of
that, in a suit, and that's me, still with hair closely
cropped.

I don't know how old I was. Sausage arms,
haha.

I told you I had something nice planned for
you.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:30 AM

To: Adam -

Tell me you still have those delicious
chubby arms and I'm yours, completely.

Of course I'm crying. Seeing you, or a
version of you, for the first time is emotional.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:32 AM

To: Eden E

More muscular now, ha.

I hope that was a welcomed surprise.

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From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:34 AM

To: Adam -

Well, then I'm a goner for sure.

Is this mine or should I delete it too? I
want to keep it.

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From: Adam -

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:38 AM

To: Eden E

Attach: photo.jpg

You can keep that one. I promised you
something. That is it.

I am sending you another one, but please
delete it as I was reluctant to send it, but I thought I'd bite the
bullet. This is the only other picture I have from my childhood.
It's after a fight at school. My hair was blonde and got
progressively darker as I grew up, but obviously here I'm wearing a
baseball cap.

She eagerly opened the attachment. Adam
didn’t want her to keep this one, so that meant the second photo of
him was close enough to his current looks that he hesitated in
sending it to her.

It was another black and white picture of a
hulking boy in a white dress shirt with dark stains on it, loosened
striped tie and slacks. A baseball cap sat on his head, with the
brim turned sideways. He was sitting on a couch, looking straight
at the camera, neither smiling nor frowning. His face held none of
the innocence of the baby picture, with a big bruise around one
eye. He might have been 10 or so, rather big and menacing looking.
He emanated hostility, as though ready to swing a large fist should
anyone touch him. If this boy had stood in a playground with other
children, without hesitation, Eden would have picked him out as a
bully, destined for a violent life of crime.

She placed the baby picture next to this one.
There was a resemblance there - the round face shaping up to a
square one, with the jaw becoming more defined. The shape of the
eyes, the fair skin, the strong nose. Though this boy's face was
still young, with a bit of baby fat around the chin, it wasn't a
great leap to imagine the adult he would someday become.

She thought of what little Adam had told her
about his childhood, things that made her heart ache. After years
of neglect and who knows what else, somehow that baby turned into
this tough, hardened-looking boy, with half-lidded eyes that
discouraged anyone from coming near him. A history of hardship was
written on his youthful face. This boy was who Adam was at his
core, and it made her unbearably sad.

From: Eden E

Date: Sat, Aug 11, at 9:42 AM

To: Adam -

How old were you? What was the fight about?
Is that blood on your shirt? Is this a uniform or you wore suits as
soon as you were able to dress yourself?

How long can I have it for?

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