Page 1 of King of Players

one

The Commodity of Kindness

Kaira

Stretching back my arms up high, I carefully worked on the high bun I was trying to fix with several bobby pins. Today—and until nine o’clock—I was dedicated to making sure that everything in my house reflected class.

As I checked my appearance in the mirror, I caught a couple of pins that weren’t doing what they were supposed to. Gently pulling them out and readjusting, I thought about how proud my grandmother would have been. It had been six months since she had passed away, and this was my first fundraiser since her passing. I needed to honor her memory by carrying on the tradition. And her passion was and always had been, serving the church.

Adding a touch of lip-tint with the small, soft applicator, I mused over how she would disapprove of the color I was adding. “Nothing will top the beauty God gave you, darling Kaira,” she would say.

At twenty-nine, I was beginning to have my doubts. Wasn’t she also the woman who frowned upon every male friend I had brought home? And wasn’t she the one who refused to remarry after my grandfather had passed away? Having spent the last twelve years of her life a lonesome widow, she carried her suffering like a medal.

That was where we disagreed the most.

I loved the church and what it did to serve the underprivileged, but I also couldn’t shake the feeling that God was much greater than what my grandmother had believed. He was grand, vast and he wanted me to be happy. If it weren’t for that firm faith, I would have stopped helping the church by now. My inheritance was generous enough to grant me a comfortable life, and my philosophy studies had rendered me questioning.

Constantly questioning everything… except kindness and generosity toward fellow men.

Even if God thought it was best to take away my parents when I was only seven. Even if that swerving car driven by a drunken driver had mercilessly torn my sense of safety and security to shreds.

I trusted my instincts and intuition, and they constantly told me that I was exposed to so much pain only to empathize, care, and lend a helping hand to those who suffered.

Satisfied with my work-ready appearance, I smoothed the wrinkles out of my white t-shirt, tucked it into my high-waist jeans, and left the room.

“Good morning, Miriam.” Over the kitchen counter downstairs, I smiled at my house manager, who immediately extended a hand with a steaming mug of coffee for me.

“Good morning, Ms. Bradley.” Resting her arms on the counter, she crossed them and said, “Everyone’s here. They started with the garden and will work their way in, as you advised.”

“Great.” I sat down on the barstool. “I’ll finish this and go give them a hand.”

Giving me a serious look, Miriam tilted her head. “You always do this; exhaust yourself all day and end up collapsing right after the fundraiser.”

“Well, at least not in the middle of it.” I giggled. “Let’s see if I still got it, or if thirty is creeping in too soon.”

Throwing back her head with her echoing laugh I adored, the old woman said, “You’ll never know what it’s like to be old. Not with a mind like yours.”

Lifting an eyebrow, I took a sip of my coffee and mulled over her statement for a moment. Sitting down the mug calmly, I shrugged and tried to hide my concern behind a smile. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that.”

Gracefully in her long dress and high ponytail, Miriam made her way around the counter and stopped right in front of me, tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear the exact same way my grandmother used to. “You’re a gemstone, darling. And those only get more and more precious over the years.”

***

The preparations for the fundraiser had gone perfectly, with the planning company that had always taken care of my grandmother's events free of charge. My friends from the church and the attached youth center were also incredible, helping out with everything, knowing that it was all for the benefit of their community.

While I took shelter from the scorching sun, I stood out on the veranda with a glass of iced tea. Evan, the man from the company responsible for the guests and invitations, approached me, holding up his phone. “Just got word from Abel Drakos’ assistant that he’s bringing a friend of his.”

I smiled, the sun causing me to squint my eyes. “The more the merrier! Let’s hope he’s not only coming for the party.”

Standing beside me, the young, energetic man shook his head. “I don’t think so. Mr. Drakos wouldn’t do that to you.”

“He barely knows me,” I scoffed. “His mother knew my grandmother, and he’s only here to honor her memory.”

“And that’s precisely it. I think he’s trying to double-honor it.”

Nodding, I flashed him a smile. “I’ll go with your optimism.” And then I took a large sip of tea, catching a half-molten cube of ice in my mouth and chewed it. “Gosh, if it stays this hot tonight, I think we’ll spend most of our time indoors. I’d better go make sure they set up enough hydration stations.”

“Do your thing.”

---