Chapter 41 Meeting with Gloria
Rick quietly entered his apartment, his thoughts a swirling mess of confusion and contemplation. The encounter with Lisa at the club had left him feeling both intrigued and uneasy. He knew he had initiated this experiment to get to know more about the system, but the outcome was something he was hoping against. And that had left a bit of complexities in his heart.
The system was the only thing he had at his disposal. But if the system was going to be ineffective, he was going to have some issues. Issues he need to take care of on his own.
As he closed the door behind him, Rick noticed his little furry new roommate, sprawled out comfortably on his bed.
The rabbit's white fur glowed softly in the dim light of the room, and its long ears twitched slightly as if acknowledging Rick's presence without fully waking from its slumber.
Rick couldn't help but let out a small chuckle as he looked at the rabbit. "Not even going to greet your master?" He whispered to himself.
He slipped off his shoes and tiptoed closer to the bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping creature.
With a sigh, he sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze still fixed on the rabbit. It was not in the middle of the bed, so Rick just relaxed himself and slipped under the quilt, not trying to disturb it.
As Rick lay on his bed, and the rabbit finally opened its eyes, it slowly moved and gently came up and sat on Rick's chest.
Rick could feel its weight on his chest, but since the rabbit was only slightly bigger than his fist. Rick hardly felt any discomfort.
On the other hand, as soon as the rabbit came to snuggle him, a calming presence, hopped onto his chest, its small, furry body radiating comfort that seemed to melt away his troubles. His hand absentmindedly was on the rabbit, stroking the rabbit's soft fur, finding solace in its company.
With comfort seeping all over his body and the warmth of his quilt, his mind began to clear up. Rick pulled out his phone and check his messages. And to know surprise there was a flurry of messages waiting for him, and each one brought a unique mix of emotions.
He had messages from Amanda, Emily, his father, Ray, his store buddy and to much surprise Gloria, the owner of the store he worked at.
**From Amanda (4 messages)**
<nullb>1. <nullb>Amanda: Hey, hope you got back okay. It was one of the best breakfast I had today. 😊
<nullb>2. Amanda: Rick, are you there? I know things got a bit complicated today, but I'd really like to talk to you. Please call me when you can.
<nullb>3. Amanda: Okay, I get it if you need some space. But just know that I care about you, and I'm here whenever you're ready to talk. ❤️
<nullb>4. Amanda: Rick I know you must be busy with college, but call me whenever you are free.
Rick checked her messages and quickly replied to her that he had been busy with college work. And is a bit tired. He will call her tomorrow.
And as if she was waiting for his message, there was a quick reply from Amanda's side.
<nullb>Amanda: Ok, we will talk tomorrow. Take care and rest well... Love you... ❤️
**From Emily (4 messages)**
13:42
<nullb>1. Emily: Hey, Rick. I hope everything's okay. You kind of disappeared yesterday, and I was worried about you.
<nullb>2. Emily: Where are you? You are not at your apartment. You didn't even come to classes.
<nullb>3. Emily: Your father called, I told him about the hospital.
<nullb>4. Emily: Hey, is something going on with you? Are you in some trouble?
<nullb>Rick: Nothing serious. I just have some things to take care of. And I will talk to my father.
**From his father (1 message)**
<nullb>Dad: Rick, I heard there was some trouble at the hospital. Are you alright? Call me when you get this. We need to talk. I have something to tell you.
**From his store buddy (8 messages)**
<nullb>1. Ryan Work: Hey, Rick. Gloria's been asking about you. She's wondering when you'll be back at the store. Everything okay?
<nullb>2. Ryan Work: Rick, you there?
<nullb>3. Ryan Work: Gloria's has been on my hanging around my neck like a sword. Seriously, man, where are you?
<nullb>4. Ryan Work: Alright, this is getting ridiculous. You need to answer your phone or show up at the store.
<nullb>5. Ryan Work: Last warning, Rick. If you don't respond, I'll have to tell Gloria to look for your replacement.
<nullb>6. Ryan Work: Rick, are you ghosting us now? Not cool, man.
<nullb>7. Ryan Work: Man, please reply. I feel like crying.
<nullb>8. Ryan Work: Seriously, Rick, Please reply.
<nullb>Rick: I was busy. Will talk to Gloria myself.
**From Gloria (1 message)**
<nullb>Gloria: Rick, are you alright? You only sent me one message, and there is no follow up about that. Where have you been?
And Gloria was right. Rick only sent a message to her a day after he was discharged from the hospital. But it was a simple message saying that he got injured and was being hospitalised. There was nothing more.
But Gloria wasn't the type of person to actually act so impatient. She was quite a good boss. So why would she act that way to Ryan?
Gloria, the store owner, was a striking woman in her late thirties, or maybe early forties. exuding an undeniable allure. Her physical appearance commanded attention in every room she entered that would turn heads, and a well-rounded posterior that left a lasting impression. She was a testament to the allure of the fuller figure.
And Rick wasn't immune to her charms as well. He often found himself captivated by her presence, and it wasn't just her physical attributes that held his gaze.
Gloria possessed a curvaceous figure, with ample assets that seemed to defy gravity. Her bosom, prominent and inviting, was accentuated by form-fitting clothing that hugged her figure in all the right places. Her hourglass silhouette drew the eyes of both customers and employees alike, a testament to her natural allure.
She had a shapely posterior that Rick couldn't help but notice whenever she moved gracefully through the store. Her voluptuous curves, combined with the sway of her hips, created a magnetic effect that left Rick and others momentarily entranced.
But it wasn't just her physical beauty that made Gloria captivating. It was her distinct Latina charm that set her apart. Her warm, sultry accent was difficult to resist, adding an air of mystery and sensuality to her every word. Rick found himself hanging on to her every syllable, drawn in by the intoxicating cadence of her speech.
What truly set Gloria apart was her distinctive accent, a sultry blend of her Latino roots. Her voice carried a husky, seductive quality that had a way of leaving those who heard it feeling intoxicated. Rick, in particular, found himself enchanted by her accent, which had a magnetic pull on him. Whenever Gloria spoke, it was as though an invisible spell had been cast, stirring a potent attraction within him.
Her skin bore a warm, sun-kissed tan that beautifully complemented her Latino heritage. Her dark, lustrous hair cascaded down her back in waves, adding to her magnetic presence. Gloria's features were finely sculpted, with high cheekbones, full lips, and expressive eyes that shimmered with a mix of mystery and desire.
Every time she spoke, whether giving instructions or engaging in casual conversation, Rick couldn't help but feel a certain part of his body respond to the sheer allure of her voice. It was as if her words had a power of their own, stirring something deep within him.
"Uhmm..." Just thinking about her actually made him hard down below.
Rick scrolled through the messages, feeling a mixture of guilt, confusion, and concern. It was clear that his absence had sent ripples through various aspects of his life, and he couldn't ignore them forever.
Rick quickly typed a reply for Gloria.
"I am feeling a lot better right now. Will be back soon. Thank you for your concern," Rick replied.
And maybe the rabbit, nestled on his chest, seemed to sense his turmoil. It raised his head and looked at Rick with those sparkly eyes. His skill was activated and again that comforting feeling filled Rick's body.
"Thank you, Mr. Rabbit," Rick smiled as he looked at the rabbit, and expressed his appreciation.
Rick leaned in close to the rabbit, as if sharing a secret. "You won't believe what happened today. I was actually out there doing some experiment."
The rabbit looked at Rick with its beady eyes, seemingly intrigued.
And Rick started to tell the rabbit about what he did and all that happened with Lisa and Rick.
The rabbit twitched its nose, almost as if it understood the whole of Rick's words. Rick chuckled when he saw the look on the rabbit's face, and patted the rabbit gently, "I am sure you wouldn't know what I am saying. Well, it was just a one time thing. I am not going to do it again."
"But here's the kicker," Rick said with a grin, "I will let you meet this beautiful girl. Her name is Amanda."
"She is such a nice girl. I am sure she would be squealing in joy when she sees you. You are just so cute," Rick told the rabbit and looked at him as if lecturing him, "And you should not through tantrums at her as well. If she wants to pat you, let her do that okay?" Rick said.
And unexpectedly, he got a nod from the rabbit.
"Good boy..." Rick rubbed the rabbit's ears praising it. He had no idea if the rabbit was a boy or a girl. But it wasn't a big issue. Apparently "guessing" someone's gender was considered toxic and racist these days. So he will let the rabbit decide what he wanted to be called. For now, Rick didn't have the energy to actually think about it and name the rabbit. He will do it later.
As he thought about it, Rick started to feel drowsy, sleep starting to take over him. But just as he was about to fall asleep, his phone buzzed, waking him up.
Rick checked to see who it was and surprisingly, it was a message from Gloria.
But what shocked him more was the content of her message. When he opened the message, he was greeted by a photo of him and Amanda from the jewelry store. It was clicked last evening.
And there was a message below it.
"You and me. We are meeting tomorrow at five in the evening at the store."
"..." There was actually no room for discussion.
"But hey, that's a nice angle. Should I send it to Amanda? She would be happy?"
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[A/N: Don't forget to vote, leave a comment and send me golden tickets]
Q. What is going to happen tomorrow at the store? [Wrong answers only]