Free The Wishing Coin: A Modern Fairy Tale by Antara Mann

only the essential work with a couple of virtual assistants taking on part of his duties and, most importantly, he’d be an angel investor in the new Buffer or Uber. But now, he had to provide for his family and he couldn’t invest even the minimum amount of capital in risky endeavors. That was why he was putting up with his current lifestyle and workload.
    He parked his car next to the other managers’ cars in front of Cisco’s office and got out. He was just about to lock it when a small photograph fell on the ground. He picked it up and recognized his old friends from The Jackal: Ashley, Wayne, Chad, and himself. It had been taken several years before. They had already given up on their dream to become the “new rock stars.” Craig examined the photograph more closely – all of them seemed to be smiling and looked more positive than he remembered from their last meeting. When the photograph had been taken, Ashley hadn’t yet given birth, Craig looked younger – he’d just got engaged, and Wayne hadn’t had the anchor beard he was wearing these days. The only one who seemed unchanged was Chad. Craig wondered what Chad was doing now, and then lifted his eyes and headed for the office. Well, he’d find out in a few hours, anyway.
     
    Chapter 4
     
    “Okay, good, now turn a bit to the right… good. And look at me seductively… Excellent! I want you to express innocence. Narrow your eyes and…” The sound of shots taken one after another echoed around the studio. “Perfect! Don’t move! You look so sexy that you turn me on; imagine what you’ll do to the straighties out there.” Chad managed to snap one more photograph before his cell phone started vibrating in his back pocket.
    “I’m sorry, Sidney, would you excuse me?” He took the phone out. “Yes?”
    “Mr. Keeney, I’m calling to remind you about your meeting with the guys from The Jackal. I can see ‘27th June, eight o’clock, Gordon Biersch’ marked in your calendar. You’ve marked it as ‘high priority.’”
    “Oh, yes, thanks, Claire. I appreciate it. I was completely engrossed, and if you hadn’t reminded me, I’d surely have forgotten.” Chad ended the call and hurried to finish the photo shoot. During the conversation, the girl had been standing and waiting with a bored expression, wearing only panties.
    After an hour, Chad had some free time, so he called his boyfriend.
    “Hello?”
    Chad immediately recognized Martin’s voice.
    “Baby, how are you?”
    “Well, I’m having a row with your cat. He won’t let go of my cashmere wool sweater.”
    “I’m glad you two are having fun. Listen, tonight I won’t be able to attend your rehearsal…”
    “I knew it! I’m always uncrowned by some anorexic model! I’m starting to get really jealous. What makes me less important than them?”
    “Martin, this has nothing to do with my work. I’m seeing my old buddies from my former band.”
    “Yes, of course you’d rather see them than come and watch me at the theater! I’ve been talking you into this for weeks and when you finally agree, you come up with this thing about your schoolmates.”
    “Friends, not schoolmates,” Chad corrected him.
    “Whatever! Tell me, is it too much to ask for my boyfriend to come and watch me during my dress rehearsal?”
    “Baby, tomorrow I’ll do my best…”
    “‘Baby, I’ll do my best.’ I’ve heard this a zillion times… No! Garfield, let go of my sweater! It’s not a toy for you to play with, come here!”
    Chad waited a while and then added: “I’ll make sure I come home before midnight. If you go somewhere with your colleagues after the performance, call me.” He ended the call, leaving his boyfriend to chase the cat. He tried to picture them – they must have looked ridiculously funny. Despite Martin’s reaction, Chad had to go; he owed it to his old friends. Besides, this year marked ten years since the unlucky showcase that had changed the fates of all four of them.