The Wrath of Poppy Leroux

“What the fuck is going on?” I lowly growled through my teeth.

There was something Adam was hiding and I was determined to get to the bottom of it. Of course, I didn't want to hurt my best friend in the process, so I waited until she had gone into her bedroom to change before I charged at him.

“What did Poppy tell you?” Adam's voice was even quieter than mine.

“It doesn't matter what she told me. I want to know the truth, and I want to hear it from you.” I cornered him and stood with my arms crossed.

“Shh” he hissed as he grabbed my shoulders and walked me back to the sofa in the living room. His eyes occasionally shooting towards their bedroom. He lightly nudged me to sit down and then did the same. “Poppy and I go way back...” He let out a sigh and rubbed his hands over his eyes. “It's really too complicated to explain right now.” His body leaned against the arm rest as he checked to see if Kadie was around.

I moved myself forward, blocking his view. “You know, for a lawyer, you have a pretty shitty poker face, Adam.”

His eyes cut back to me “Lynn, I'm serious. It's a long story and I can't talk about it right now.”

There was a flash of sixth sense that came over his face and he sat upright. Just then Kadie pranced back into the living room. She plopped down on the opposite end of the sofa I was sitting on. It was a little chilly in the room and she'd just changed into her Soffe shorts, so she grabbed the throw that was hanging off the arm rest and wore it. “What's going on?” She asked as Adam quietly typed away on his phone.

I looked at him, his face staring intently at the screen, and back at Kadie. “Oh, nothing. Adam was just telling me how he knew Poppy.”

Kadie tilted her head in realization, “Oh yeah! How do you know her, Adam?”

His eyes glared at me before he smiled at Kadie “Poppy use to visit New York a lot when we were all younger. She'd always end up at our high school parties somehow.”

“Interesting” I strummed my fingers on my chin. I turned towards Kadie “That's weird that you didn't know that Kadie.” I knew exactly what I was doing.

Kadie sat quietly as she thought about it. “Yeah, how come I didn't know about it?” She looked back at Adam, who was looking at his phone again.

“Oh, must have slipped my mind.” He brushed off her question.

Before I could push Adam any more, Kadie changed the subject. She went on about a work event. I lost my attention when my phone vibrated in my lap. It was a text from Adam.

Stop doing whatever it is you're trying to do. I said I will tell you later.

When? I texted back.

Tell Kadie your taking the subway and ask me to walk you.

“Hello?” Kadie's voice pulled our attention away from our phones. “Is anyone listening to me?”

“Of course” I smiled at her. “It's just Connor's wondering where I am. I promised I'd see him tonight. I think I better get going.” He really had texted me earlier, so it wasn't like I was lying to her.

“Oh” Her smile vanished. She stood up ready to give me a hug goodbye. “Thanks for all the help!”

“No problem. I do need a favor though” I stood up and grabbed my coat. “Do you mind walking me out to the subway? Your street is eerily quiet at this hour.” Normally the streets would be buzzing around this time anywhere else in the city. But since Kadie and Adam lived in a residential neighborhood, the streets were a ghost town after sunset. The only way you could get a cab is if you called one beforehand.

“Do you mind, babe?” I only asked Kadie because I knew she was going to end up asking Adam to do it instead. Plus, it would've seemed suspicious if I'd asked him first.

Adam sighed, playing along, “Yeah, sure.” He kissed Kadie before we walked out of their apartment. We'd gotten a good twenty feet away from the door before Adam started talking. I didn't even have to prompt him. “I know Poppy because we had a thing for years.”

I gasped and spun around. “I knew it! So, what? Are you sleeping with her now?!” I stopped walking.

“No!” Adam took another step before he came to a stop. A cool breeze filled the street, rustling the tree we were standing under. There were leaves falling on our heads, but we were too zoned into our conversation to notice, or care.

“So then what's the story? Why was her bracelet in your car? And why did you lie to Kadie and tell her you bought it for her?”

“Because I did!” Adam's hands jetted out of his pockets as his voice shouted over mine. For as long as I'd known him, he'd always been a really laid back guy. It was almost frightening seeing him so irritated. I took a step back. He noticed my expression and lowered his voice before he continued.“I told you, she use to come to our high school parties all the time. I went to an all boys private school, in New York.” He said, as if to justify his next statement, “Our parties were nothing but drugs and sex. And Poppy was this cool foreign chick who was into it all. We fucked around a few times and she never left me alone after that.” He saw the disappointment on my face. “I'm not proud of it.” He shrugged his shoulders, placing his hands back into his pockets. “That's not who I am any more, Lynn. I haven't been that person in years!”

There was a second of silence before we started walking again.“When did it stop between you two?”

Adam ran his hand through his hair,“Jesus, I can't even remember how long it's been! I fucked up too many relationships because of Poppy. I was done with her neurotic antics when I was a junior in college. Everyone I knew had gotten their shit together, except for her. She'd always reach out to me, but I stopped all communication with her before going to law school. I knew if I didn't, she'd take me down with her.” Adam turned towards me as if to tell me something I didn't know, “Her life is nothing but drugs, sex, and corrupt behavior. She's a fucking mess. She puts on a front for her family and the cameras, but everyone in her social life knows how she is.”

“You haven't seen her since before law school?” I asked, trying to put the puzzle together.

As we turned the corner of the street there was a couple, hunched over from old age, walking towards us. They stopped in front of us when they'd realized it was Adam, “Oh, dear, how have you been?” The old woman said in a brittle voice.

“I've been great. How about you Mr. and Mrs. Mathews?” Adam spoke loudly to the couple. They responded by smiling.

“Fantastic! Thomas just took me to the ballet show! Have you been, dear? It's just so lovely! You must take Kadie!” The woman filled with joy as she spoke.

“I most certainly will!” Adam responded just as enthusiastically.

“Where's Kadie, son?” Thomas, the elderly gentleman looked around.

Getting the hint, Adam explained who I was. “Oh, Kadie's at the apartment. I'm just walking her friend to the subway stop.” I smiled at the couple.

“What a gentleman” The elderly woman said to her husband. “We better get going if we want to make it to our house before sunrise.” Adam said goodbye and the couple, very slowly, walked away.

Adam shook his head as if to remember what we were talking about. “Yeah, once Poppy got as big as she is in Europe, she stopped coming into town as often.”

I remembered why we were talking about Poppy to began with,“then, what about the bracelet?”

“Poppy had introduced me to Jebrone back in college. Way before he met Henry. So, when she found out Jebrone and Henry were dating...”

I put two and two together and cut Adam off"...She made Jebrone tell her where you were.”

“Exactly! She literally stalked me until she found me leaving J.Crew one day. I was getting a present for our 6 month anniversary.”

“The bracelet” I whispered.

He widened his eyes and nodded his head slowly as I'd finally realized what he'd been trying to explain. “She jumped into my car once I'd gotten inside. At first, she tried to come onto me, but I pushed her away. Despite what you think, Lynn, I'm happily in love with Kadie.” I looked down, ashamed, because I knew he was telling the truth. “The reason she was so adamant about finding me is because she wants me to represent her.”

“Is she having legal issues?” I asked, confused.

“No. She found out I represent A-list clients and wants to be associated with them.” He rolled his eyes. “I pretty much laughed in her face and put her down. She got furious. She saw the bracelet I'd just bought and knew I had a girlfriend. Poppy told me if she ever found out who she was she'd make her life a living hell. And then she smashed the bracelet before she left. I was way too heated at that time to go back into J.Crew to exchange it. By the time I'd gotten home, Kadie found it.”

We stopped again once we'd gotten to the subway stairs. “If that's the case, why couldn't you just tell Kadie? I'm sure she'll understand.”

“I've thought about that. But, I knew if I did it would jeopardize her job.”

I cut Adam off again“...Because Poppy is Eva Darlington's niece.”

“You know how Kadie is, so protective of the people she loves. If I'd told her everything it would've caused a conflict of interest.” He leaned against the stair railing in defeat. “Trust me, from previous experience, the wrath of Poppy Leroux is vicious.” I joined Adam by leaning against the railing.“After I found out Poppy found me through Jebrone, I told him the situation and he made sure Henry and Sarah didn't mention that I was Kadie's boyfriend. Neither one of us had any idea Kadie had invited her over tonight. I tried so hard to avoid this.” His eyes drooped in sadness.

I felt a piece of my heart break. From the little bit I'd known about Poppy, she knew how to play dirty. But, as long as I was involved, there was no way that coattail-riding bitch was ruining my best friend's happiness!