Read Online Rocket! An Ell Donsaii story #4) by Laurence Dahners - Free Book Online
Authors: Laurence Dahners
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really any reason to stop working on it until Ell herself was ready to give up. With PGR Comm paying her a minimum royalty of 2.1 billion dollars a year, minus the 230 million a year she was funding NCSU and UNC with and about 800 million in taxes she had about a billion dollars a year in disposable income. Financing D5R hardly put a dent in that kind of cash flow. She didn’t want to tell them that because she really didn’t want people to know how wealthy she was. She looked at Ben a moment, then around at the others. “Our investors,” she said, “have personally guaranteed me six months of salary for each of you should they abandon our efforts here at D5R. I hope that that’s enough cushion that all of you will be able continue to focus all your energies on achieving success, rather than on backup plans?”
There were surprised nods all around the table and the meeting broke up shortly thereafter.
***
It turned out that Gordon and his roommates lived south of campus in a small rented house. Ell’s car dropped her off and headed out to find a place to park as she walked down a gravel driveway. She could already hear the heavy thump of music. She had arrived very late to her first ever “college party” so she wouldn’t feel too awkward arriving where she didn’t know anyone. It looked like she’d been successful; the front porch was crowded with people swaying to the music. People spilled out into the yard most of them holding a cup in one hand. Ell slowly worked her way into the crowd.
A young Asian man staggered into her. For a moment the multiple attempted kidnappings she had suffered at the hands of Chinese nationals leapt to the forefront of her mind. Then the red faced young man smiled widely at her and held up his beer, “Heeyy! You’re pretty! I’m Joe Chan. Can I be your boyfriend?” He swung his hands to point at himself with both thumbs, spilling some of his beer.
Ell grinned at him, “You can be my friend.”
“Heeyy!” he raised his arms. “And I’m a boy! Tha’ makes me a boyfrien’, right?”
Ell laughed at his cheerfully good natured drunkenness, “A ‘friendly boy’ at least. A friendly boy who’s had too much to drink, I think.”
“You’re a poet! But you’re right. You should help me maintain my balance.” He put an arm over Ell’s shoulders, “If you help me walk without falling I’ll introduce you to the band.” He waggled his eyebrows proudly, “I know ‘em all .”
Ell rolled her eyes, “OK, I’ll hold you up.” She looked toward the window, surprised that people staying in a little house like this could afford a live band for their party. “Take me in and introduce me.”
“All righ’!” Joe said enthusiastically, starting toward the porch steps, “Gangway, pretty lady comin’ through!” He began crowding his way through the people on the stairs shouting all the while.
Ell worried that someone would object but they all grinned good naturedly at Joe, many shouting good natured taunts, “Oh no, Joe’s fooled another one.”
“Give it up Joe, she’s too good lookin’ for you!”
“Look out little lady, he’s a devil in disguise.”
Joe drew himself up, “Ignore those small minded people, remember—I know the band!” He clumsily maneuvered her in the door.
The house had a surprisingly large front room, crowded with even more people. The band was set up at one end. The people were swaying to the loud music, or perhaps you could call it dancing, though packed so tightly, it was a little hard to tell. Joe said, “Let’s dance!” Or at least that’s what Ell thought he said. He took his arm off her shoulders and turned toward Ell. Assuming a wide stance he began moving jerkily to the music.
Ell turned toward Joe and began swaying and shuffling her feet in a minimized version of the line dance she’d learned in Las Vegas. Joe smiled happily at her then bumped into the woman behind him. He turned to apologize to her and Ell
There were surprised nods all around the table and the meeting broke up shortly thereafter.
***
It turned out that Gordon and his roommates lived south of campus in a small rented house. Ell’s car dropped her off and headed out to find a place to park as she walked down a gravel driveway. She could already hear the heavy thump of music. She had arrived very late to her first ever “college party” so she wouldn’t feel too awkward arriving where she didn’t know anyone. It looked like she’d been successful; the front porch was crowded with people swaying to the music. People spilled out into the yard most of them holding a cup in one hand. Ell slowly worked her way into the crowd.
A young Asian man staggered into her. For a moment the multiple attempted kidnappings she had suffered at the hands of Chinese nationals leapt to the forefront of her mind. Then the red faced young man smiled widely at her and held up his beer, “Heeyy! You’re pretty! I’m Joe Chan. Can I be your boyfriend?” He swung his hands to point at himself with both thumbs, spilling some of his beer.
Ell grinned at him, “You can be my friend.”
“Heeyy!” he raised his arms. “And I’m a boy! Tha’ makes me a boyfrien’, right?”
Ell laughed at his cheerfully good natured drunkenness, “A ‘friendly boy’ at least. A friendly boy who’s had too much to drink, I think.”
“You’re a poet! But you’re right. You should help me maintain my balance.” He put an arm over Ell’s shoulders, “If you help me walk without falling I’ll introduce you to the band.” He waggled his eyebrows proudly, “I know ‘em all .”
Ell rolled her eyes, “OK, I’ll hold you up.” She looked toward the window, surprised that people staying in a little house like this could afford a live band for their party. “Take me in and introduce me.”
“All righ’!” Joe said enthusiastically, starting toward the porch steps, “Gangway, pretty lady comin’ through!” He began crowding his way through the people on the stairs shouting all the while.
Ell worried that someone would object but they all grinned good naturedly at Joe, many shouting good natured taunts, “Oh no, Joe’s fooled another one.”
“Give it up Joe, she’s too good lookin’ for you!”
“Look out little lady, he’s a devil in disguise.”
Joe drew himself up, “Ignore those small minded people, remember—I know the band!” He clumsily maneuvered her in the door.
The house had a surprisingly large front room, crowded with even more people. The band was set up at one end. The people were swaying to the loud music, or perhaps you could call it dancing, though packed so tightly, it was a little hard to tell. Joe said, “Let’s dance!” Or at least that’s what Ell thought he said. He took his arm off her shoulders and turned toward Ell. Assuming a wide stance he began moving jerkily to the music.
Ell turned toward Joe and began swaying and shuffling her feet in a minimized version of the line dance she’d learned in Las Vegas. Joe smiled happily at her then bumped into the woman behind him. He turned to apologize to her and Ell
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