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See, this is one or the reasons that the timeline in this thing is a little tangled.
This is set on the same day that Bobbi is out at LAX and in the evening will meet Malikah.
Some of this recently appeared here in the Erotic Couplings category.
I just need to get this section up to speed.
If you've been following this, you might recall how Max saw Patterson at a traffic light in town. Some of that is here, so you might want to scan ahead if you need to.
It's kind of a big day for Su-jinn. I just wanted to get the whole thing in for this category so nobody gets left in the dust.
Uh, more than they already are, thanks to me not numbering things. Sorry.
0_o
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Jane called Su-jin a bit before 6:00 AM and after the good morning pleasantries, she asked for Max.
"Hey, I'm so glad that you didn't end up going back to the loft," Jane said, "Thank you for ..."
"'Sokay," Max said, "No worries, I stayed with Su-jin. I just wanted so much to give you guys the best shot. Everything ok? Did the love potion work?"
"Yes!" Jane said with a chuckle, "What love potion? Where did you get a lov-"
She heard Jane blow air past her lips for a second, "A figure of speech. Listen Boss, don't you think that if I HAD a love lotion at all, that I might have used it once or twice on the way down from the frozen wastes of Pennsylvania to improve my lot in life?"
"Does Pennsylvania have frozen wastes?" Jane asked.
"They fucking do in winter if you're on a trike with only a cop winter windshield and leg guards to hide behind," Max grumbled, "What's up?"
"Bobbi's not gonna be in and she usually gives Su-jin a ride. I was wondering if -"
"Got it covered, Boss," Max smiled as a naked Su-jin walked past her and stopped on the way from her shower to blow Max a kiss before she got to work tying her hair into a long pony tail - and it was going to require the use of about six ties at least.
"Can I ask you guys for a huge favor?" Jane smiled, "I need to exploit you for your Servi-car today. Could you stop and -"
"A coffee run, right?" Max sighed, "Donuts too?"
Jane's voice turned a little plaintive, "Yeah. Pleeeease?"
Max was shaking her head, though only Su-jin could see it, "Don't you think it's a little cheap to try to buy everybody's good will in the morning with coffee and donuts? You have absolutely no shame at all, do you?"
Jane chuckled, "Not if it gets me what I want and it's always worked so far. So willya do it?"
Su-jin stood bent over, looking in her wallet while Max sat happily stunned, "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
The spell was broken when Su-jin stood up and held out a pair of twenties.
"Max?" Jane called, "You ok?"
Max took the bills with a sigh, "Never better, Chief. Consider it done."
"So did you end up on her couch?" Jane probed.
"A gentleman never speaks of things such as this," Max said dryly, "It is not correct."
Jane groaned, "Last time I looked, Max Honey, you weren't exactly -"
Su-jin was smiling into her mirror back at Max, easily close enough to hear both sides of the conversation in the quiet room. She nodded.
"I stayed with Su-jin," Max repeated, "We don't know much about what's gonna happen, but she's asked me to stay with her and it saved me from begging her shamelessly, for which I am very grateful,"
She winked at Su-jin. "I remain at your service."
She chuckled as Su-jin began to laugh softly, "Once in a while, she's willing to allow it if you have need of me or if I need your help - which is much more likely."
Jane was silent for a moment, "Please tell Su-jin that I owe her. Please tell her that she's wonderful."
Su-jin finished up her pony tail and looked back, "Jane, you owe me nothing, just be my friend." She laughed a little, "Forget about Max. She tell me I am wonderful all the time."
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Max took the last tray of take-out coffees very carefully from Su-jin and set it down inside the Harley's trunk with the others. She was wearing her coveralls, standing on the back bumper and the motion caused her to be bent nearly double as she moved a small tarpaulin to act as a cushion so that the cups all remained upright in a turn.
Back in the shop and in cars and pickup trucks lined up in the drive-through lane, men sat a little spellbound with their jaws in their laps, some with their tongues there as well.
"If I have to be here to get looked at," Su-jin grumbled quietly, "it is another thing that I can love about these suits."
Max straightened up and got down to close the lid, "It doesn't really matter. Some guys have imaginations powerful enough to come very close to being X-Ray vision. They're just built that way and they can't help it. Doesn't mean anything bad, it's more like a curse they can't help. It gets in the way.
She smiled, "You want to see widespread carnage? You just kiss me right here in front of them - and I am kidding."
Su-jin chuckled from the image in her head, and then she smiled widely.
"Here comes Kwang-jo! He is a new friend of mine. I thought of mentioning him to you last night, but I forgot completely. Please forgive me, but I want to use him for a moment. Maybe break some hearts."
Su-jin stepped forward a little to meet Kwang-jo as he came up to them and she took his hands in hers, "Please, would it be improper to hug you, Kwang-jo?"
He smiled, "Not if it is not excessi-"
Su-jin threw her arms around his neck and got to her toes to hug him. "Thank you for our talk last night," she whispered, "You really helped me. You are helping me feel better right now. I felt like I am standing on a stage in front of so many men. The women who come here drive through for what they want. My friend Max has her machine here, but ... too much work to put everything inside the back."
She let go and stepped back a little, "Kwang-jo Kim, this is Maxine Klein. She works with me and she will room with me too. Max, this is Kwang-jo, he is -"
Max chuckled as she held out her hand, "Yeah, he is.
Good to meet you, Kwang-jo," she grinned.
As they drove off five minutes later, they had to wait for a light. Max turned her head back a little, "Well Holy Mother of Toilet Seat, Su-jin. Where did you find him? You're amazing. For a girl who doesn't often think of them, you sure have great taste in men."
She held out her left hand and shook it a little, as though she'd burned her fingers.
Su-jin shrugged, but she was smiling, "I met him on Wednesday, over at Jodi's. We talked and he likes Tyler. He just offered his friendship to me because he was happy to meet someone that he could speak Korean with. He lets me talk to him when I worry about adopting Tyler. I think he is a good man. He knows about me and it is alright. I thought, why can I not have a friend like him?"
Max laughed a little, "Please have a friend like him. Shit, I'd give a lot to see you two next to each other in clothes and not overalls. Do you know what he is? Like his job?"
"He said he is tactical response," Su-jin said, "Sounds mysterious to me. I know that he was in the Special Forces in Korea. His brigade deals with reconnaissance a lot of the time, I think. Lots of quiet sneaking around, but I am not sure of these things."
"He's a SWAT cop, here" Max said, "He probably won't ever get fat in his job, and I doubt that he spends much time handing out traffic tickets. I think I can see why you like him. He's just ... I think he's a great guy. I only met him and it was two minutes, but that's what I got from him."
Su-jin had a thought, "You may see him a lot, I think. I feel the same things from him as I do from you. I feel good to be near friends like you and him. It is something that I like very much. I have not had close friends in a long time. Here, I find so many good people.
Before I forget again, ask me tonight for a story. I have a good one for you." Max nodded as the light turned green and they moved on.
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Max and Su-jin were just getting their helmets off in the parking lot when they heard Jane coming from a long way off and they just waited for her. As she got closer they looked and saw that Jane had a passenger. Max opened the trunk of her Servi-Car and carefully began to lift out trays of coffee.
Susan climbed off as soon as Jane stopped and nodded back that it was safe.
"I'm gonna do the morning meeting thing and Su-jin, if it's possible - since I don't know your agenda, could we all meet in your office right afterward? Us four here?
And by the way, this is Susan Horseman, Su-jin. She's my oldest and dearest friend in the world. She's visiting here today, but she'll be starting with us next Monday. Suzi, please meet Su-jin Kim, our lady of the financial crystal ball."
Su-jin thought for a moment and then she nodded, "Sure Jane." She stepped over and held out her hand, "My name is Su-jin, but if it gives you trouble, please call me Amy instead. I'm happy to meet you, Susan."
Susan smiled, "Thank you, Su-jin. Good to meet you too."