America 1982-Chapter 422 - 60: Jason’s Healing Girlfriend

Susan began to doubt whether Tommy had been joking when he said that Jason had found a woman similar to herself.

After being around Tommy for so long, she knew all too well that deep down, he was a male chauvinist, despite being able to preach about gender equality convincingly enough to move a crowd of women to tears.

As she exchanged pleasantries with Jason and his girlfriend, Susan Hadley, Tommy was inspecting Susan’s apartment. It was in a prime location and delicately furnished, but stepping inside, you wouldn’t feel warmth; instead, it was like lying down in a morgue.

Everywhere you looked, there were shades of grey: the walls, the sofa, even the bedsheets.

In North America, grey represents indifference.

"Indifference isn’t something you can cultivate by sleeping in a morgue every night, Susan. It’s innate," Tommy said after he finished looking around the apartment, then leaned back on the sofa and spoke unapologetically, "I knew you felt some sympathy for those girls."

Before Susan could respond, Tommy headed for the liquor cabinet and beckoned Jason over to talk business, "My guy is setting up a financial news site; he’ll need your cooperation."

"Cooperation? Shit, Susan’s liquor cabinet looks more like an American man’s than my own—all high-proof spirits," Jason said as he searched and finally found a bottle of low-alcohol wine, commenting on the label as he looked at it.

Tommy turned his back, looking out at Susan, who was being taken outside to bask in the sun by Jason’s exuberant girlfriend, "How’s the Wyse Technology company’s terminal product doing on Wall Street? There’s a Bloomberg company in New York selling that stuff too, and what pisses me off even more is that they’re planning to launch a financial news site as well."

"WT’s terminal ranks third in sales, behind IBM and Xerox, if I remember correctly. Bloomberg’s terminals are right behind us, at fourth," Jason thought for a moment and then provided the answer.

Tommy nodded, "Good, keep it up, or better yet, have your girlfriend put together a small team to specifically find flaws in that thing and then have it exposed through media closely cooperating with EFF—completely trash it."

"I’ll try to maintain our position, to prevent you from always hitting on my girlfriend," Jason said to Tommy, annoyed, "Stay away from her." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Tommy took out two wine glasses and handed one to Jason with a smile, "How’s it going between you two?"

"Amazing, every day is like the first time we met. At night we’re inseparable, like conjoined twins. I mean, I’ve seen my share of big scenes—after all, I was there when Stephen booked all the girls in a Los Angeles nightclub for himself—but Susan Hadley, the future Susan White, is truly one of a kind," Jason spoke of his girlfriend and immediately became animated.

"I’ve never admired any woman, except for your girlfriend. She’s the first one," Tommy said sincerely, "How strong a heart and how clever a strategy she must have to break free from such a dreadful environment, to change her fate on her own, to optimistically enjoy life. After all, besides myself, I’m surrounded by losers who depend on Daddy Tommy’s patronage to become billionaires."

"What was it you just asked me to help you with? Oh right, I remember now, help increase sales for Bloomberg terminals, right?" Jason poured a glass of red wine and said nonchalantly.

Without any hesitation, Tommy replied, "I’ve always respected you the way I respect my father-in-law, Jason. You hold the same stature in my heart as he does."

"I forgive you. Next time there’s an EFF board meeting, remember to repeat that publicly three times," Jason said, patting Tommy consolingly and handing him the poured wine, "So, I resemble your father-in-law?"

"Yes, I have his porn, and I have yours. As a film enthusiast, you both hold the same status in my heart."

"Shit! Is there anything twisted you wouldn’t do? You actually have your father-in-law’s... I have to ask, is it good? Are there any high-society positions worth learning?"

"I’ve never watched it, just dutifully collected it as a detective," Tommy replied.

"You had a private detective tail your own father-in-law; what twisted deed wouldn’t you do?"

"Indeed, there is something I haven’t figured out how to do yet."

"What’s that?"

"Get the leading men from two different films to co-star in one." Tommy looked at Jason, "If you agree, I could go and work on persuading my father-in-law."

"F*ckYou~ Tommy! F*ckYou!"

As the two men leaned elegantly against the liquor cabinet, making small talk, the two Susans sat on the high-rise terrace, drinking cold beer and soaking up the sun.

"Jason often talks to me about the old days at Actor Corporation with you and others," Susan Hadley said with a radiant smile, taking a sip of her beer.

Susan shrugged and nodded slightly, "I often reflect on those experiences too, Susan...it feels strange..."

"You can call me Susy, Susy, or Thunder, or just T like Jason does—usually, I let only people close to me call me that," Susan Hadley told Susan.