Gary was the average bachelor. Never married, no kids. Toe headed, 5'10" tall, decent build, a great career, and a trusted circle of friends. He had early in his life tried the committed relationship but quickly realized it wasn't for him. Amid a torrent of tears and curses, he broke it off with his girlfriend, then promptly joined the Army.
That turned out to be a four-year commitment he both loved and despised. While it afforded Gary the opportunity to travel and date, he hated the stiff structure of military life. So, he decided to take his G.I. bill and try college. Eventually, the money ran dry, and he left school with a two-year general degree. He did, however, learn something. He was very adept at and enjoyed working on computers. Since 'IT' wasn't really a thing at the time, Gary did what most people hadn't thought of to that point. He started a computer repair business. The shop he opened blossomed, flourished, and eventually expanded into one of the most respected 'IT' companies in the southeast.
During this time, there was an entire conga line of women. Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, any flavor he could think of to his heart's desire. Gary almost screwed that up with a blonde floozy.
Two months after a particular booze fueled weekend, he was confronted by an obnoxiously loud, buxom woman going on about being pregnant and how she knew it was his. Once he got the blonde calmed down, he asked what she wanted to do. Neither of them wanted nor honestly needed a child, so the choice was obvious. After a brief trip to California, the situation was resolved, and they both, to Gary's relief, went their separate ways.
Deciding to remedy any further unwanted outcomes, he contacted his doctor and made an appointment for a vasectomy. His doctor naturally tried to talk him out of it, explaining how, at 35, he could still want a family in the future. Gary was adamant, though, and went through with the procedure.
Now, 15 years later, Gary was celebrating his 50th birthday with a few of his closest friends. Seneca, William, and Caran had initially set out to give him a surprise party. When Gary caught wind of it, he had Seneca nix the idea. To him, Seneca wasn't just a friend. He was an equal peer in the IT world. Gary had hired him fresh from Tennessee State University. In his estimation, one of the three best hires he'd ever made. The other two, of course, were William and Caran.
"What's the matter, old man, feeling blue about the big 5-0?" 'Old man' was Seneca's moniker for Gary.
"Not really. Just didn't want to make a big to-do over it, that's all."
"Uh huh, that's what you say. We're at a bar at the Marriott instead of an upscale titty bar, and you ain't blue?"
"No, not at all."
Caran, in his English-Indian accent, was the next to pipe in.
"Huh, you sit here zipping on your drink, barely, and we are zupposed to believe that you are not at least a little depressed? I do not believe you."
"Yeah, dude, they're right, ya know. I ain't ever seen you act like this before!" William had been at Texas Instruments for years before Gary hired him. But no matter how long he worked for him, William still had that Texas charm and accent. "I mean hell, why ain't we shovin' dollar bills in a strippers butt crack right now?!"
"Guys, I just..." Gary picked his words carefully. "I don't know. I'm not depressed, I guess. If I had to describe it, I'm bored."
"Wait. Yore bored with titties and pussy?!" Exclaimed William.
He was immediately shushed by the other members of the group. Once the few eyes that had heard William turned away, Seneca laughed and looked dead at Gary's face.
"You're not bored, old man. You're jaded, my friend. You can't find new adventures and have become jaded as hell! You have become our little groups. Hugh Hefner."
"C'mon Seneca, seriously? Jaded? Me?"
The rest of them burst into laughter.
"I tink Mister Seneca is correct!"
"Boy, howdy. Who'd a thought it!?"
Gary knew it was all just good-natured ribbing, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew Seneca might just be right.
**********
It had been a couple of weeks since his last get together with his friends and Gary had spent it thinking about what Seneca had said. He really didn't think he was jaded, just bored with the hum drum same ol, same ol. He just wasn't sure how to rectify that.
Gary was so wrapped up in his thoughts he never saw her until he ran into her. She hit the ground with a thud dropping two cups of hot coffee.
"Oh shit! I'm sorry!"
"God damnit, dude!" She was far from quiet. "That was our fucking coffee! Fuck!"
"I said I was sorry. No need to come at me like that girl." To him she looked young-ish, hence the girl comment. She looked up at him finally as Gary extended a hand to help her up. She snubbed his offer and got up on her own and brushed herself off.
"I'll get you some more coffee. There's a nice local shop down the street. You said our, were you taking it to someone or meeting them?"
"That's fine. It was for me and my b...sister. Here she is now."
Gary turned to look and couldn't believe his eyes. A twin? The wheels in his head began to turn. Both were cute. Raven black hair, long in back, page boy cut and style in front with sky blue eyes. Not something you saw every day but without a doubt, very cute.
"Before you ask, yes, fraternal twins. I'm Rihannon, Ann for short. That's Rikki."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Gary, Gary Kelly. I truly am sorry about running into you like that. My mind was somewhere else entirely."
"Yeah, like up your ass? Seriously though, how did you not see me?" She was definitely a spitfire.
"I told you, my mind was preoccupied. Now, you want that coffee or not?" Rihannon looked at Rikki who in turn looked Gary up and down. Rikki shrugged and nodded yes.
"Let us get our shit and we'll follow you there." The pair disappeared around the corner of the building and re-emerged several minutes later carrying backpacks and sleeping bags. Once at the coffee shop Rikki stayed with the bags while Rihannon ordered, and Gary paid. It wasn't a beautiful day, but it was decent enough, so they grabbed a table outside.
"You ladies traveling somewhere specific?"
"What was your first clue Sherlock?"
"Look, if all your answers are going to be snide comments, enjoy your coffee. I do have things I could be doing right now." Gary got up and started walking off. As he turned, Rikki was giving Ann a hard look.