Déjà Vu - 1. Chapter 1

Sounds of a spring brook flowing, crickets chirping subsides to the songs of finches, and a familiar raspy snore awakes me from my sleep. I struggle opening my eyes, but I do not want to for I am comfortably safe in my warm bed. Through my eyelids I see the transition from black, purple, blue, green, orange, red, then finally yellow. Before I know it, the warmth of the sun eases the blankets off of my body as the evaporating sweet dew from the herb garden outside fills my lungs. The rooster begins his call for the new day is beginning.

I turn over and kiss my love on the lips, knowing that is to only way to stop the raspy snoring. Sluggishly they open their eyes and say, "Good morning!"

"Good morning to you too! How did you sleep?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"I believe that was the best that I have slept in a long time. How about you?" They asked as they pulled me in for a sweet gentle kiss.

"I slept well. Given that I only had to kick you three times, slap you twice, and tell you to turn over only once for you to stop snoring and that was before I fell asleep." I said as I pulled away to roll out of bed.

"So an improvement? I will call it a success." They said as I look at them with a scolding stare. "Relax," they said as they fought the blankets to wrap their arms around my waist and fling me back into bed, "it just us out here. No one will bother us. I promise." With another sweet kiss, a soft, "I love you," came from their lips.

"I love you too. We need to start the day. There is so much to do!" I said.

Before I knew it, we were dressed and holding hands as we walked outside. The air so fresh and cool, the landscape rolled out in front of us like a hodgepodge of postcards from around the world. The spring brook transformed into a dry riverbed and we were climbing over boulder mountains, then the Joshua trees morphed into Sakura trees. Pink and white blossoms gracefully dancing with gravity as they covered the ground below, then emerald hills in the distance rushed towards us being to grow into majestic snow capped mountains and then we were standing on the banks of a lake as a waterfall projected a rainbow laden mist in the midday sun.

"I want to be like this, with you, for all of time." They said holding me closer to them.

"Nothing else would make me happier, however you need to find me if you want for that to happen." I said as I felt the earth beneath my feet start to give way.

"How will I know when I see you?" They asked trying their best to never let me go.

"Follow your heart, it will lead the way. Your missing part, come what may. Unlock your mind, you will find. Eyes be kind, heart never blind." I said as I kissed their hand one last time and fell falling in a dark abyss with a deafening beeping piercing my ears.

****

I rolled over with my alarm clock glaring back at me the time, 6:30 am! "Really?!" I asked myself knowing that my mind would answer, 'Yes, really! So hurry up out of bed or you'll be late!'

I made my way to the kitchen, coffee already brewing so I pick up my tablet to review the news of the day. Blah blah blah, politics, blah blah blah, violence, blah blah blah, no joy anywhere. This is what depressed me beyond hope itself! If the world around me is not positive how can I be positive?

I closed my tablet then I made my coffee. Quickly drinking the coffee down as I ran to finish my morning routine so I could make it to work on time. Shave, shower, brush teeth, dress, grab bag. "Phone, wallet, glasses, all check. Okay let's go!"

I put my earbuds in, starting my playlist, so I could begin walking to work. Lost in my music, living for the lyrics and the beat, lip syncing to every song, and before I knew it I was at work. I walked into the building, scanned my badge, and made my way on to the elevators. 'Por Una Cabeza' came on and my mind is transported to the tango scene in 'True Lies', unknowing that my body was swaying and my hands were flowing with the melody. I imagine dancing across the floor, the passion, the intensity. Then I felt a warm hand grab my arm and I woke from fantasy.

"You alright? It looks as if you were in another world." A smile across a face that is haunting familiar.

"Have we met before? It seems that I know you, but I can't place it." I asked as I took out my left earbud and looked into his eyes.

"Sorry. My first day here. They called the Temp Agency and surprise! My name is Kevin." He said with his deep green eyes like jade, his red hair like a raging fire, and is sophisticated London accent.

He held out his hand and I held out mine, "My name is Steven. What floor are you going to?" As we shook hands, the feeling of electricity beginning from our palms surged to our hearts and the base of our heads.

"Eleventh floor. Do you have one of those shock buzzer things?" Kevin asked as he was massaging his hand.

"No." I said as I held open both hands. "Strange", as I began rubbing my hand.

A moment later the elevator dinged and announced, 'Eleventh Floor'. Standing in front of the stainless steel doors wearing her ever popular black Prada power suit was the boss. "Steven. So nice of you to be on time for once." The boss said in an icy tone.

"Laura. It didn't hurt you to finally give me a compliment, did it? Being nice to me will not be enough to bring your wings back." I said as I heard Kevin gasp for air.

Kevin and I stepped off the elevator and I moved towards Laura. She was staring me down, I returned the stare right back at her. Both of us not flinching until Kevin put out his hand and said, "Hello, Miss. My name is Kevin. I believe you were expecting me."

"Ha! I win and you lose!" I said being totally immature.

"Only because you have that presentation after lunch. Don't forget that I am winning the war." Laura said as she was undressing Kevin while she shook his hand.

"Great. Kevin, is it. I see you met Steven, he is our best associate. Kevin, you will be filling in for Steven's assistant and helping him with the presentation. If you do well, you might have yourself a new job. I've got to go and freshen up. Is it hot in here?" Laura left and looked back at Kevin with a leering glance.

Kevin with a dumbfounded look over his face said, "It never fails. Women look at me and see me as a piece of meat to only be tossed away in the rubbish bin the next morning. Little do they know, I prefer men." Kevin looked at me and gave me a wink.

"I'm guessing that I need to show you around the office." I quickly changed the subject as I was processing what just happened.

"Great! Lead the way." Kevin eagerly beamed.

After showing him the layout of the office, introductions, and the break room, we met in my office. I took the file off of my desk and handed it to Kevin, "In here you will find all the speaking points have been highlighted. Familiarize yourself with the file. In about an hour, come back in here and we will go over the PowerPoint to meld the presentation into a work of art."

"About art? Paintings or sculptures?" Kevin inquired.

"Focus on the file. You have 57 minutes. van Gogh." I stated to see if he was paying attention.

"Good to know." Kevin said as he went to the empty desk in front of my office.

****

Thirty minutes later, Laura enters my office with two cups of coffee. I was sitting on my basic IKEA sofa as she rolled my desk chair over, positioning it so she could spy on Kevin while talking to me. "I see what you are doing. Do you have any shame?" I knew the answer to the rhetorical question.

"Shame did not help me get this far and I have no need for it." Laura said licking her lips and adjusting her blouse for Kevin when he looked at her. "I stopped by to ask you about last night. How did it go?"

"You know it was a disaster! I swear that you do this to torment me! Hell, my mother isn't this invested in my love life, and we have a very open family!" I voiced as I was becoming upset. "We met at the bar. Had a few drinks, he heard that I worked here and asked to come to my place."

"You said yes of course?" Laura mind was living through me, but became quickly disappointed when I simply said, "Nope!"

"What do you mean nope? What did he do?" Her joy was washed away by Kevin walking to the break room, out of her view.

"I'll tell you over wine tonight." Catching her staring out at the empty desk, "Because it is my birthday."

Laura quickly faced me and said, "Liar! Your birthday was last month."

"Kevin is a temp and your subordinate. You can't." I pleaded because I actually cared. Plus I broke her heart already by coming out to her.

"What do you know? STEVEN! Tell me!" She knew and began to tickle me.

Damn her. She knew my weakness. Unrelenting, she jumped on me and would not stop.

"TELL ME!" She demanded.

"NEVER!" I tried my best between loud giggles.

Kevin walked in, standing in the doorway looking at his temp bosses act like children while they play on the sofa. He softly shut the door to tell us, "If you and Steven are finished, I would like to review the presentation now."

Laura's skirt was up, exposing her upper right thigh, as I had her pinned so she wouldn't tickle me. Laura said to Kevin, "Impressed with what you see? I would love to show you more." She softly let Kevin know.

Kevin replied coolly, "Very much," his eyes checking my backside, "and you look nice as well, Miss."

Laura being very astute whispered to me, "He likes you."

"I know. He is very attractive. I have to wait until after work though." I whispered back.

We both stopped our antics and straightened out clothes. Laura leaned in and said, "Hurry or someone else will be on his arm, maybe me!"

I shook my head, then my jaw dropped when Kevin let out by saying, "Miss, just to let know I'm gay. The only way you will be on my arm is if we are are helping you because you had too much to drink."

Laura opened the door, screaming at me to hurry on my project, and slammed the door.

Kevin and I both laughed.

The remainder of the day was the best day ever. Kevin was so focused on the making sure he know the talking points. Our presentation was a huge success, Kevin stepped up and saved the day. He even shocked Laura with is dedication. She even complimented him. We left the board room and returned to my office.

"You made Laura speechless and then she give you a compliment. I hope she makes you a permanent employee." I praised Kevin as he started to blush.

"Before she makes my temporary position more permanent, would it be too forward if I asked you to have a drink with me?" Kevin asked with a twinkle in those green eyes.

"A drink then I have to go." I said as I was almost done organizing my desk for the next day. As we left my office I put in my right earbud and went playing the playlist from that morning. The song was only halfway finished.

We walked to the elevator, standing waiting for the doors to open, Kevin asked, "The song were you listening to this morning, what is the name of it? I ask because you were off in another world."

"Por Una Cabeza. You might know it better as the song in the tango scene in the movie, 'True Lies.' The way the violin expresses the passion and yearning is breathtaking." I told Kevin as the doors opened.

We both walked in and moved to the back wall, closer this time than this morning. Kevin started repeating to himself, "It will lead the way, come what may. You will find, heart never blind."

"Follow your heart, your missing part. Unlock your mind, eyes be kind." I uttered after hearing his words, as if I were back in my dream from this morning. Suddenly sweet Sakura blossoms filled the air...'Ding, Ground Floor' the elevator announced.

Kevin took a moment to come back from his trance to finally said, "Are you smelling cherries in the air too?"

"Yes. I thought I was the only one." I cautiously answered.