<br><br><center></center>
<br><br> My real estate agent is my ex-wife's best friend.
It's not a conflict of interest as such, except for the fact that Stella is single and drawing a bead upon me.
There's a boundary here and although I'm sure Ari has relinquished her interest in me, she would still find Stella's actions to be over the line.
<br><br> “Do you want to have coffee first and go over the listings?” Stella’s voice has gone soft and her eyes are pleading.
In my mind I see us together on the couch, she leaning in provocatively pointing out properties.
‘I’ve had my morning jolt,” I smile.
<br><br> A shadow flits across her face like a wisp across the sun. Sometimes I think there’s discernment there. I can tell she’s pondering my nuance. Regardless, it has the desired effect—it backs her off a bit.
It’s barely perceptible but I see her shoulders slump slightly, and almost feel guilty.
“Well then, perhaps we should get going,” she says lightly, “and maybe stop for a takeout coffee en route.”
<br><br> “Sounds like a plan,” I reply breezily, matching her tone.
I’m already putting on my coat, elated at checking her Queen, even temporarily— and mindful of the stormy weather, I’m taking a pass on her umbrella suggestion, feeling too much like Prufrock already.
She does that to me.
<br><br> It’s funny how life is. Ari was the thread that led me to Stella—although I had my doubts about employing one of her friends, but it worked out superbly in the end.
It was Stella’s idea we take a short-term lease on a High Park condo, rather than the Victorian palace in Rosedale Ari wanted.
I’m not sure how far Stella’s perception extended, if she spotted storm clouds on our horizon, but because of her cautious advice, she minimized the fallout from our divorce.
<br><br> I was reluctant, of course, to rehire Stella, especially knowing she was flirtatious, but Ari and I split on good terms and she gave her blessing to the affair—which is probably an indelicate way to phrase it, but I thought I should be mature and rise above my feelings of discomfort.
Besides, I have to admit Stella is very good at what she does—all coyness aside, and I owe her for sparing me the burden of unloading an expensive mistake.
<br><br> In a way, Stella’s ties to Ari offer me a kind of protection—it would be indelicate considering my recently failed marriage for her to press in too much—although how much more she’d press otherwise boggles even my imagination
Besides, at the moment, our working arrangement works to my advantage. I’m leery of personal involvement, wanting to keep things straight business—and to be frank, have no intention of falling for a career woman again.
<br><br> I smile inwardly as I ponder the situation and being of Greek descent, there's irony here on many levels.
My ex-wife, Ari, reminds me of Ariadne in Greek mythology who with a thread of glittering jewels helped her lover, Thesesus, escape from the Labyrinth and the Minotaur.
But all analogies limp and this one is no exception. Ari would not sacrifice her jewels to help me and certainly not enable me to end up with Stella.
On the other hand though, Stella is more that a rival—I might even go as far as to say she reminds me of the Minotaur.
And as an old Greek proverb states, you must be careful if you say no to the Minotaur.
<br><br><center>© 2019, John J Geddes. All rights reserved</center>
<br><br><center> [Photo](https://scannain.com/irish/p-o-v-marlohe-cast/ ) </center>
<br><br>
hiveblocks