Chapter 5: Turning 24

ELAINE. 

"Flower Delivery for Elaine Daniels" the receptionist called out and I almost sunk into the floor in shame. 

One half assed proposal has tilted my world upside down. 

One half assed proposal and a foolish brother. I can't forget to point that part out. 

The  cooing from my co-workers as I received the bouquet from the delivery man was embarrassing enough till I found a note. 

“Someone finally has a suitor” George, one of our waiters shouted with a whistle that called more attention. 

The card attached to the pink hydrangea and lilies artistically arranged read: My office tomorrow 10am or jail. 

Great! 

Even today on my birthday I have to constantly be reminded of all the ways turning 23 feel like a shitty year. 

I was an orphan who was in debt by association.

I'm one sleep away from having my brother, the one I shared a womb with go to jail for fraud. 

The loud sigh that left my lips made me feel like a 80year old woman and I threw the flowers in the nearest bin, not bothering to hide my disdain at the beautiful masterpiece and the sender. 

I didn’t bother explaining anything to anyone and I walked back to the kitchen area avoiding their questioning gaze. 

The chiming text from my old iPhone which was about 6 generations behind cut off my self wallowing and the text there didn't even lighten my mood, but it was sadly another thing I had to do. 

I made a quick mental note to stop by my moms grave today. Visiting my mom always gave me clarity and made me feel better. 

This was my life. Dutiful daughter and sister. 

******

Elaine Kyros didn't do night clubs or other worldly vices. Frankly I can't afford them. 

Except tonight. 

Tonight I'll take another form of alcohol outside of the beer snuck at my prom party and make all the bad decisions teenagers make since I spent my own years caring for a sick parent. 

Nobody understands how hard is it to care for someone living with a terminal sickness. It's like hoping against hope. You pray they get better by a miracle when clearly the prognosis is that they are dying. Yet living without that hope will kill you faster than it will take them. 

The line of thoughts made my eyes water and I shook my head three times for good measure, in a bid to clear my head manually. A form of manual reboot or restart. 

Right on cue as if Diana could sense my impending gloominess. She held me by the chin and adjusted the fringe from the blonde wig I was wearing and whispered, "tonight is for you. It's your Jordan year bitch and whatever you do, I will make sure you let your hair down tonight and have fun. Whatever is going on with you that has had you sighing over and over lately this will help take your mind off it." 

I smiled and made to hug her. The smell of Cherries hitting my nostrils which was her signature scent. 

I wish I could tell her about this big decision. I wish that it was something that would change my life forever, but she had her own issues and I couldn't burden her with mine. 

The mini dress I had on wasnt really warding off the cold and I wished I had done the sensible thing by wearing thights under them as I wanted to, but Diana swore that real baddies knew to brace pain in the pursuit of beauty and the entire statement was messing with me. 

My dress was a black number that stopped midthigh and had a bare back with a halter neck.  The satin material glistened on my skin and it was a good background for the bold red lipstick I wore which complimented well with the smoky eye look I had on. 

 

The warmth from the inside of the club hit me the moment we entered and I was grateful for it. 

It looked way more posh than what's usually attainable to me, but Diana's boyfriend works here and we were able to get in.

Perharps the evening wasn't going to be so bad after all. 

We ordered our first round of shots and I followed the right instructions to try one, salt, and lime alongside but I hated the taste to my core. The strong liquor burnt my throat and stomach and I had the immediate need to retch. 

I decided to order for a cocktail next; one that looked pretty since I wouldn't know how it tastes, hoping it tasted better than the tequila I had earlier. 

Two glasses later and I was slowly begining to relax. The air inside the posh club was warm not as cold as it was outside yet somehow still cold enough to make the air on my skin stand in attention. 

The music was loud downstairs where the main floor was but up here it had like a private dining situation done in shades of black and red leather. There were a few booths with people sitting to my far left puffing out a cigar and someone playing the piano. 

Diana and her boyfriend were dancing to a slow tune in the far corner and I smiled, truly amazed at how enamored they were with each other. 

My parents married for love. Against all odds of race, disapproving parents and sickness. Theirs was the kind of love that lasted generations. The bonny and Clyde or the Romeo and Juliet ones. 

I've always wanted that for myself too. To find someone whose heart resides outside of his body in mine. 

Not the useless contract one I was offered recently. 

Not tonighth El. 

My little pep talk had me finishing my glass and smiling sweetly at the bartender. Instead of ignoring everyone that has said hi to me, I should try to let my hair down before I get locked up for life. 

Even though I've sworn like a million times not to think of that cold monster, the flowers I got delivered at work yesterday came to mind again. 

I have to make a decision tomorrow. 

All further musings were put on hold, "Hello" the one line greeting from the deep voice had me looking up to who it belonged to.

“Hi” I croaked out taking the time to look him over properly. 

He was long. Because tall doesn’t describe how huge he towered over me in standing but he was cute. Not the- you’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen in my man type. Like Mr Demon. But in a boyish cute kind of way

 

Something was oddly familiar about him. 

The three cocktails I had, was making my brain a little woozy right now, but I swear I’ve seen him before. 

He had on a black silk shirt which kind of matched the texture of what I had on, and the top 3 buttons were loose so that I could see clearly the outline of his chest wall and the small silver jewelry that dangled on his neck. 

He leaned on the edge of the countertop and smirked as if he knew I was checking him out, yet very confident that I’ll like what I see. 

“Like what you see?” The deep Greek accent popped out now and I remember where I met him. 

I scoffed immediately. I hate arrogant men. 

This was: Accident man. The Greek accent, the broad shoulders, it all ties it together. 

“Remember me?” I asked, rolling my eyes. 

“Im sure if we have met before I’ll temper such a pretty face as yours.” And went ahead to wink. 

I opened my mouth in shock then chuckled at the audacity of hitting on me after being rude at the train station the other day. 

Whatever words I had to say next were cut off in the next few seconds. 

I smelled him before I heard his voice. “If it isn’t my bride to be frolicking with another man in my establishment” 

I spun around in shock, wanting to be sure that all my thinking did not suddenly conjure him up, yet standing in all his full glory in a white pristine shirt and blue slacks was my creditor. The man that held mine and my brother's life in his hands.