Almost Pt. 04.1

"Don't listen to anybody. Nobody knows the magic bullet. If they did, they'd sell it and make a fortune. Follow your gut. Follow your instincts. Every once in a while, take a chance." - Michael Cudlitz

Samantha looked around her second-floor room in her parents' home. It was like a 5-star hotel suite with a furnished living room that included designer furniture, a 60" 4k television Super HD television that could retract with an amazing surround sound system that was built in as to not spoil the flow of the interior design. An area to eat that could seat 6, a fully stock bar, a small kitchen area with a frig, stove, and micro-wave. Off to left the side of the living room was a set of double doors that led to a bedroom fit for a princess. She was Daddy's little girl and though 'Billionaire' Benjamin David Harrison was an extremely busy man, he kept his family close. Family was everything. It was the one of the many things he impressed on all his children when the opportunity presented itself.

Samantha picked up the service phone and asked Maria, one of the family's long time live in staff to bring her a coffee before she sat down. She had been carrying around her cell since her conversation that morning trying to decide if she should follow Cheryl's advice. Maria knocked on the door before entering to serve Samantha. Maria had been working for the Harrison's since Samantha was a young teenager and knew her moods. After pouring the coffee and placing it on a small table she asked Samantha, "Is everything ok Miss Samantha? You look a little sad."

Sam looked up and said, "Oh Maria, I met a nice guy last night. I mean really nice. And Handsome? Yes...yes...and yes! You know that actor, Jake Gyllenhaal? He's his identical twin."

"That's a good start. Show me a woman who doesn't enjoy the company of a handsome man and I'll show you a woman who prefers other women. Did you have a nice time?"

"Seriously? Yes, I did, but he's is couple years younger than me and..."

Maria laughed, "Miss Samantha, you're only 25. Was he wearing diapers? How much younger is he and do you have trouble with him being less experienced and mature than you?"

"No, no, that's not it. Well, some of it is... it's complicated."

"Miss Samantha, men are not that complicated. They are quite simple. Either they are good or they are bad. You say he's handsome, but are you attracted to him? "

"You mean like, 'having sex with him', attractive?"

"Is there any other kind?"

Sam smiled at that thought for a moment, "I wouldn't kick him out bed. But,I don't know if he's worth the effort."

Maria looked compassionately at her young miss. She knew the young woman's unfortunate social life history with men. Men could be such bastards. Maria had experienced her share of disappointments in life.

Maria's first husband was a handsome a man as she was as beautiful a woman. He was also a cheating shit that gave her a serious STD after being married just 6 months. When she came home with the doctor's report, she seriously considering stabbing him to death with a kitchen knife, but thank Mary mother of Jesus her sister was there and held her back. She convinced Maria to throw all his clothes out of the their home and kick his ass out as soon as he came home that same evening. Maria was divorced 6 months later. That happened when she was just 19 and set the foundation for her trust issues with men. Now 16 years later and at the age of 35, Maria was still single. Sure, she had dated but she needed a real man. A man who would love her for who she was and not just because she was a Latin bombshell any man would use as masturbation material. This was the common thread shared between the exotic beauty and the beautiful young woman she attended. Both wanted someone not only to love, but to entrust their heart with.

"Do you see him lacking in traits you define as manly? Did he show respect to you? How was respect shown? How similar are your tastes in music, entertainment, recreation, holidays, sexual appetite and physical fitness?"

This is exactly the reason why Samantha enjoyed confiding with Maria. She asked the hard questions. Samantha could take the hard questions and decided a few years before she would ask her parents permission to take Maria with her when she finally moved out.

"Maria, it was just a blind date. We talked some but..."

"Miss Samantha, was he easy to talk to?"

Samantha laughed, "Yes, he was easy to talk to, but ...I want a future with a man. How do I know if those plans should include him?"

Marie replied, "They're people who are able to plan their career, their future, and their love life, but I've never had any luck with that. I just do things and hope for the best. All I can suggest is to say yes, take a chance. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't."

Samantha looking at her phone, replied, "My father told me once, every time he moved ahead in business, it was because he was willing to take a chance, put his head on the block, and would try something new. The problem for me is after a while that gets to be a pain in the neck. "

Maria thought a moment, "Listen to what your gut tells you. Not your heart. The heart is so foolish it can't help its way of behaving. Of course, you have to find the man attractive first, no? You will want to make love with him no? Who wants to sleep with an ugly man? Second, did he treat you with respect and like a lady? Was he more interested in talking about himself or you? Third, is he a real man ready to devote himself to one woman? To care for you only and love you only? That is what I look for and demand. I would rather live alone the rest of my life than to be with a man that did feel the same way. Why? Because if you do get in involved with a man like that it will be like living alone anyway. In the end it will destroy you."

Maria finished bitterly before she could bite her lip. She looked down at Samantha. No, this wasn't the fair way to finish this conversation. With her own bitterness and frustrations. She must be positive for her young miss. "You need a man who is proud to love you and willing to risk it all just to be with you".

"Maria, where do I find a man like that?"

"Samantha, it may be as simple as taking a chance and grabbing some young man's hand you're interested in." After a pause, "Is there anything else I can get you now?"

Sam looked up from her phone, "No thank you, Maria. Before you go, one more thing. May I ask, where did you learn these things about men?"

Maria sighed, "Oh Miss Samantha, I learned what I want from a man by experiencing what I didn't want from a man. A meaningful life is about being real. Only then will you and I or any woman be able to share ourselves completely with another to have a full, happy and contented life. I want a real man, not someone doing his impersonation of a real man."

Looking around at the wealth in the room for a moment, "Please don't be angry with me for what I am about to say, but things will not make to happy. A good man and a nice family are what would make me happy. You are a woman too Samantha and this is our world. Look at your mother. She is a wonderful woman who watches over your family like a she-wolf. Believe me now. A mother pass's that on to her daughters. She has passed that on to you. I see it in you! Be a proud and strong woman like your mother. That is her gift to you. It is your destiny!"

Maria was not the house maid now. Maria was a freaking 'Master Jedi". Jesus Christ! Samantha was amazed as she saw a passion in Maria she'd never displayed before. A passion for life. A passion for a life she wanted but did not have the courage to pursue. Life was so unfair at times. Samantha needed answers and had to ask, "Is there anything you look for... you know...in a man?"

Maria smiled, "Well, for me? A man, how you say, he has to make the hair on the back of my neck stand when he is near. At least in the beginning. He should be handsome but as a couple... YOU should be the more attractive one. Do you understand want I am saying?"

Samantha nodded her head in agreement. "Maria, I think I should have written this all down. This is really some good advice."

Maria had to get back to work but she felt happy to have the young miss listen to her advice, "And no matter what, if you're not attracted to him like that, forget him! You will end up being miserable. And with a beautiful woman like you, he should put you up on a pedestal!"

Samantha broke out in laughter at that.

"Don't laugh because I'm serious. He should be willing to lay down his life for you! Also, he must only have eyes for you. This thing you will learn after a short while of observing him in public. Where do his eyes wander when you're together? When you are out with him... does he look at other women with lust in his heart? All men do that. That is normal. But a man who will do that... while next to his woman... that is an insult! "

Maria looked down at her young Mistress. Samantha was riveted with attention to what Maria said. This was just normal girl talk for Maria. Latin women spoke with passion about love. Still, it was just talking. Time to tone it down a bit for her young employer.

To break this spell Maria laughed, "If you find a man with all those good qualities and don't like him, send him to me and I will take him off your hands. But you won't know anything if you don't take a chance. This is a woman's miserable task in this world. To find a man she wants as a friend and desires as a lover, seduce him without his being aware that is happening, and crush any other woman who is foolish enough to try and take him away. And if you find a good man, believe me, other women will try to take him away. Finally, even the best couples have their problems. I will give you some advice my grandmother gave me years ago. What I am about to say goes both ways for both the man and woman equally. My grandmother had been married 62 years when she sat me down one night and said, "When a man and woman get together and decide spend their life together there will be times of unhappiness. Sometimes the relationship is 50/50, sometimes it's 60/40, sometimes it's 80/20, and sometimes you will not get anything at all. This goes both ways. And during these times of not getting what you want, remember why you became a couple. Your grandfather and I had our share of fights, but we never forgot why we became a couple." That was my grandmothers advice to me and now that is the advice I am giving you." Then laughing Maria added, " My other piece of advice is if your man ever cheats on you, make sure you have a sharp set of kitchens knives around." Maria looked down at the shocked expression Samantha, "I'm just kidding about that last piece of advice Miss Samantha."

Samantha smiled at Maria, "You wouldn't kid a kidder Maria?" Both of them broke out in laughter. Maria continued, " My dear sweet Samantha, that was too funny. But if such a situation were to happen to you, come and talk with me before you do anything."

Samantha nodded her head in acknowledgement and then spoke, "You know so much Maria, you could write a book."

Sighing Maria responded, "Samantha, if I know so much why am I still looking for that man?"

Samantha shrugged her shoulders. Maria gently smiled, turned and left the room.

Damn it to hell! Samantha was back where she started from. On one hand, Dan was certainly a handsome man. On the other hand, his kisses didn't make the hair on the back of her neck. Was she thinking with her heart or with her brain now? Maybe it was her gut. She felt in control while she was with Dan. Did she feel a need to control him? No. Did she want control in a relationship she had with Dan? YES! But she also wanted a man who was an independent thinker and yet considerate, loving individual. Maria was right. Someone who put her first.

It made so much sense with Maria there. Maybe Cheryl and Maria were both right. Maybe men are really like puppies that only need to be house broken. Of course, you'd have to start off with the right breed of puppy. And could she be the one to housebreak Dan? How would she even do that? Then another thought came to her. If Dan never had been with a woman, she would have all the control in the relationship. She would never abuse that control. She knew her mother used her feminine charm on her father and he never denied her anything. She had observed it silently many times the way her mother could bend her father without him being aware of it. They fit so well together.

Samantha finally stood up and went to the mirror in her bathroom. She critically studied her own face for a moment. She was a Harrison! She was her mothers' daughter! All doubt erased, she made her decision. 

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Dan was cleaning up his room when his cell went off. No one ever called him. The phone was paid for by the Agency and only the Agency contacts used this number. And of course, Sam. And the Agency never called on Saturdays. He stumbled a bit as he leaped over his bed to grab it off the desk. He looked down. Yes! Trying to sound natural he answered, "Hi, Dan's Pizza Palace, Dan speaking. How may I help you?"

Sam looked down at her phone a moment to see if she had the right number. Cute. Dan was being cheeky. Fine. She could play this game.

"Yes, I'd like to order a pepperoni pizza to go and no anchovies."

Dan looked down at his phone. WTF! Must be a wrong number. Putting it up to his ear again and with a slightly embarrassed expression replied. "Sorry, I was just kidding. You have the wrong number. This is Dan Hamilton. Sorry."

"No kidding? Hi, Dan! It's Samantha, I'm just calling to say hello and that I had a nice time last night meeting you. I got your text. It was sweet. I was wondering if you had plans for this afternoon? I thought we could meet somewhere for a bite and chat some more."

Dan returned to his previous stunned self at Samantha's request. Her voice sounded like an angel from heaven to him. Trying to regain some semblance of being in control as though he had conversations like this every day he replied, "You're too funny Samantha, I knew it was you. I was going to call you but you beat me to it. I am so happy to hear from you. Honestly, I thought about last night a lot, you know, meeting you and being together. It was a good time. I'm so happy Cheryl introduced us and everything. I would really enjoy seeing you again. "

"I feel the same way. Let's meet." Sam said in a matter of fact manner. Now that she had made up her mind, business was business. "How about I come by your place in about an hour with my car. Dress casual and I'll see you in front of your building, say around 2:00? "

Holy Guacamole!! At that moment Dan felt ashamed for not going to church more often. It was a fucking authentic religious experience. All his academic achievements paled in comparison to this moment now. Here he was working up the courage to text this movie star of a woman with some random things to do and she calls HIM and ask HIM out! This afternoon! At 2:00 P.M.! Fuck me in the heart with a knife!

The situation now was people like Dan who are in love often become edgy, dangerous. They lose their sense of perspective. Dan was no different than the average bear with furniture. Like the previous night, Dan spoke from his heart without thinking, "Of course I'll meet you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Samantha."

Samantha paused. And paused. And paused. And paused.

Oh, SHIT! I did it again! Dan finally spoke, "Are you still there Samantha?"

Unlike Dan, Samantha's' brain was firing on all 8 pistons, "Dan, be outside at two o'clock. K?"

Dan feeling he'd said the wrong thing again and trying to lighten things up in a jokingly replied, "Samantha, your wish is my command."

Not meaning to, but sounding firm, Samantha said, "Ok Dan, see you a two o'clock. Bye." And disconnected the call.

Samantha looked down at her phone. This was impossible. Damn that Cheryl, 'Queen of the Matchmakers'! One fucking blind date! But the one thing Samantha could not deny at that moment was she felt her heart release all the heaviness she carried within. It was as though a ton of bricks had fallen off her shoulders. No man was stupid enough to say something so meaningful and romantic and not mean it. Whatever sins (mistakes) Sam had made in the past, whether real or, a simple part of her imagination had been released. If Dan was a player, the hate she felt for the way other bastards had treated her would give her the strength to find a sharp set of kitchen knives.

But... if this was as real as it felt inside... and... it was true that Dan was untouched by any another woman, she was determined he would belong to her and only her. There was no more doubt in Samantha's mind. She was her mother's daughter. A she-wolf in sheep clothing. No more questions. Damn any woman to hell who got in her way and desired that death wish.

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Samantha's father, Benjamin David Harrison was the master of his domain. He was born into wealth. As the son of a multi- millionaire, he flipped those millions into billions. It didn't happen by luck or circumstance. Oh no! People tend to look at rich people the same way they look a genius. If they worked hard enough and with enough money, they could accomplish the same thing. Bullshit! Why do people rise out of nowhere to become leaders of Nations? DRIVE!

Benjamin David Harrison, besides being shrewd businessman was an ferocious reader of history and consider Abraham Lincolns a man he admired. Old honest Abe grew up in the sticks in a log cabin on the western frontier in Kentucky and Indiana. Largely self-educated, he became a lawyer. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1846 for the state of Illinois, but because opposition to the Mexican-American War was unpopular among Illinois voters he returned to law. Lincoln returned to politics in 1854 and he became a leader in building the new Republican Party. The same Republican Party of Donald Trump. In 1858, while taking part in a series of highly publicized debates to his Democratic opponent who supported slavery, Lincoln lost the U.S. Senate race. Because he refused to surrender the cause of the Republican Party drive to end slavery, in 1860, Lincoln secured the Republican Party presidential nomination and became President of the United States of America. Though born in poverty it was thru his determination despite all he changed the face of a nation.

Most people looked a Benjamin David Harrison as some lucky son of a bitch who had a way with words. Most of those people are what could be defined as, "ignorant". Some folks think that ignorant means 'stupid'. But ignorant means, "you don't know any better". Doesn't mean you're stupid. Ignorant people just don't know any better. It's not an insult. Ignorance can be fixed. But the desire to remain ignorant? That's separate issue. Where do you think the expression, "You can't fix stupid" came from?

And Samantha's father was not an ignorant man. On his desk that very same Saturday morning, (there is no such thing as an off day for Benjamin Harrison) held a report of Samantha's previous night. Mr. Harrison loved all his children, but Samantha had been the last child of three born and had been a wild, troubling one. He wanted to believe she was more like his side of the family than his wife. Why? Because he was tough.He loved Samantha so much it hurt him to learn of some of the things she allowed to happen thru bad judgement. Samantha was his baby girl in the family. And family was everything. Only family could be trusted.

Oddly he learned that from John F. Kennedy, a hero of his from his youth. As far as Benjamin Harrison was concerned, the last real Democrat in America voted to office as President of the United States of America. Hell, Kennedy had appointed his own brother Bobby to Attorney General to the US. Why? Because Robert Kennedy was family and he trusted his brother.