His Sister's Return

by Mary Goldberger

  “I will get you back later for that,” she teased. “But let’s try to solve your problem first, okay?”

  Samuel laughed as he started to talk with her about his proposed plan and Alina interjected once, “You are talking about the plan you were explaining to me on my first night back.”

  Samuel only smiled going in to farther detail as Alina listened adding suggestions, asking questions when she didn’t understand, or even giving him advice on something that she thought needed a little more detail involved.

  For two hours that is exactly what they did as Samuel went over his proposal and Alina listened giving her input. Alina knew that when it came to corporate business her brother was one of the best, although she had a suspicion that Trystan was up there with him, and she was only an amateur, but her listening allowed him to hear it for himself, which helped him to learn where there were problems he needed to fix.

  “Thank you, Alina,” he said as it started getting late. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

  “Either talked to dad,” Alina told him with no anger in her voice, “or kept your fiancée up so she could help you.”

  Samuel sighed as he told her, “Right now, Marla has her own problems to worry about.”

  Alina frowned as she asked, “Is she okay? Did something happen?”

  “Calm down, Alina,” Samuel said with a slight chuckle. “She is just stressing because her show is coming up and this show will either make her designs known, or it will set her back.”

  Alina nodded her head understanding the pressure that she was under as she had when she opened her first restaurant at the age of 21. It was nerve racking wondering if you remembered everything, or if there was an important item that you forgot to order, and she suspected in Marla’s case, the models who would be showcasing her outfits if they would all show up and what outfits would look better on which model.

  “I think she will do great according to what you told me about her,” Alina said. She was thoughtful for a second before she said, “Do you think I can make a stop by her shop? I could use some dresses although I don’t particularly like them but I’ve noticed that they actually seemed to be cooler for this area.”

  Samuel laughed as he told her to go ahead; the only thing he asked is that she didn’t tell Marla who she was because he wanted to be the one to introduce them.

  “Sam, I think you are asking for trouble,” Alina warned him, but Samuel only laughed it off.

  Alina shook her head as they got off the phone not too long after as Samuel said he was going to call his fiancée and Alina decided she couldn’t wait to meet this woman.

  The next day, Alina was rethinking her decision to go to Marla’s shop as she thought about the accidents she had been having. That decision was decided for her when she received a phone call from her Uncle Sarette and other facts that she couldn’t avoid.

  “Hi Uncle Sarette,” she said as she tried to put on her jeans the fabric rubbing against her bruises leaving her breathless.

  “What is wrong, Alina?” Her uncle asked sharply hearing the thickening of her breathing and she grimaced as she told him what happened.

  “This is getting dangerous,” he told her in a tight voice. “You need to go to the police and tell your father.”

  Alina’s lips tightened as she said, “You and I both know that the police can’t do anything because of poor eyewitnesses, and I bet anything that the cars were either stolen, or paid for with cash so there is no record of who brought them. Right now, I have suspicions but no evidence so what exactly am I supposed to do with that?”

  “Damn it,” he said on harsh note. “You actually listened when I talked.”

  Alina only snorted as he continued, “There is nothing you can do, but having the report on file will help when something does happen.”

  Alina thought about that fact as she said slowly, “That is true.”

  Uncle Sarette knew that she would think about that suggestion so he went ahead with what he called for, “Thanks to Sam, it didn’t take as long as I thought to track down all of his ex-girlfriends. To be honest, Alina, we can’t see any ex-girlfriends with a grudge to bare or even looking to getting Sam back. Of all the women he dated within the last ten years, only five are not married but each one of them are in a steady relationship even though they admitted that they weren’t looking for commitment yet.”

  Alina listened to this news with a frown as she surmised, “So it has to be somebody else, somebody that Sam missed when he gave the list…”

  “Sam was thorough, Alina,” Uncle Sarette told her with no doubt in his voice.

  Alina nodded her head as she said with confidence, “Then has to be someone who thinks that they have a relationship when there is none.”

  They both sighed at this thought because Uncle Sarette knew if that was the case then the woman was more dangerous due to the fact she was living in an imaginary world she created.

  Alina shook her head because it meant it could be anyone although she had a feeling that it was someone he had a passing acquaintance.

  “It just became more difficult,” Uncle Sarette told her, and he heard Alina sigh through the phone.

  “What about the secretary?” She asked starting to pace her room.

  Uncle Sarette’s voice changed as he recited the information he learned, which told Alina that what he learned he didn’t like. “She is ambitious and very pretty from her picture including from what other employers have said although she isn’t liked by those same employees we have talked to. Unfortunately, she has a tendency to fall in lust with her younger bosses normally to the point that she ruins them when they don’t comply.”

  “Uncle Sarette,” Alina said worriedly.

  “Sam knows more than she thinks so he hasn’t given her any encouragement,” he told her before relaying all the information he pieced together so far.

  After they hung up, Alina made a quick decision as she grabbed her purse and reaching inside she pulled out a pair of glasses that she slid on her face. She chuckled as she thought about the ‘Superman’ shows she used to watch and how silly she thought it was when a pair of glasses could hide an identity. It wasn’t as stupid as she had thought because she did it one time on an accident only to have a friend of hers look at her as if she had never seen her before, which caused them to laugh their heads off for an hour straight afterwards.

  Alina smoothed her hair as she had left it loose today so it was curling like it normally did when she didn’t take time to tame it, but with the glasses, she had to admit it looked good together.

  She headed out with ease as she recalled the name of the shop where Sam’s fiancée worked, which was her first stop for the day.

  Fifteen minutes later, she walked in the shop and fall in love with the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. She was staring at it when a woman came over to her and asked, “Would you like some help?”

  Alina glanced up and was going to say ‘yes’ until she saw the sour expression on the woman’s face that contrasted with her pleasant voice.

  “No, thank you,” Alina replied politely giving the woman a small smile before she turned away.

  The woman walked away mumbling underneath her breath and Alina started looking around before she ended up back in front of the same dress.

  “It is beautiful,” a soft melodious voice said, and Alina laughed.

  “Yes, I have to agree although I am wondering if it would look good on me,” Alina said turning around to meet the eyes of a stunning woman. She wouldn’t call her beautiful as she didn’t classify as beautiful with too wide mouth and upturned nose with her wide cheek bones, but there was something about her that Alina described as stunning.

  “Hi, I am the owner of this shop, Marla. Maybe I can help you find something,” she said, and Alina smiled as she nodded her head.

  She had finally met Sam’s Marla, Alina thought as they chatted and walked around the shop Marla giving her pointers on certain styles.
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  Alina was one of those types who didn’t like trying on things in the store, but more of buy based on her size and try it on at home. If it didn’t fit, then it was her fault and she learned to fix it until it did.

  They were still talking when the girl from earlier came back with a hard look in her eyes as she said, “Marla, Samuel is calling to speak with you.”

  Alina watched as Marla’s face lit up with excitement and happiness as she said, “Excuse me” before she hurried away.

  You did well, brother, she said mentally as she handed the few dresses to the clerk and she turned as the shop doors opened only to still at the look on the shop assistant’s expression.

  Alina felt a chill go up her spine at the look although it was not as chilling as Trystan’s cold expression, but it had a similar effect. Alina didn’t feel fear, though, but worry and uneasiness was definitely there.

  “Your total, miss, is…” the clerk’s voice caught her attention and she turned back as she gave her total and Alina paid with cash as she had barely spent any money so far on this trip.

  After the dresses were bagged, Alina turned to look at the assistant again only to see that she was gone.

  “Ma’am,” she said turning back to the clerk who was straightening the corner. “I’m sorry to bother you, but who was that woman just now?”

  The woman looked at her strangely until Alina clarified, “The one who came to get the shop owner for a phone call.”

  “Oh,” the clerk said a look of disdain followed by fear crossed her face, and it sharpened Alina’s interest. “She is the shop assistant although she doesn’t really know anything about designs, but she has a good eye about what looks good on others.”

  “Can I get her name please?” Alina asked with a smile.

  “It is Dana Smitherson,” the clerk said before she was called away.

  Alina turned and started to walk away when her arm was grabbed roughly, and she was swung around to meet the wide angry eyes of Dana Smitherson.

  “Is there a reason that you asked for my name?” She said in a hard tone.

  Alina looked down at the hand and back up at the woman as she grasped the hand on her arm, and with a single twist, she had taken the woman’s grip off her arm.

  “No reason,” she explained as Miss Smitherson looked at her. “The clerk said that you were good with knowing what fashion looked good on people and yet I didn’t get that impression at all.”

  Alina watched as the woman’s eyes went wide and almost popped out of her head when Alina smiled and said innocently, “But I guess I caught you at the wrong time and you had other things on your mind so I asked for your name so next time, I can get you to help me.”

  She shrugged her shoulders as she apologized, “I am sorry if I disturbed or offended you any way.”

  Alina watched as the woman’s eyes looked at her suspiciously before she relaxed and nodded her head. “It is has been a rough day, but next time please ask for me and I will help.”

  Alina nodded her head giving a small smile as she said, “Thank you in advance.”

  Dana was called away a second later and Alina said ‘good bye’ as she hurried away, but as she left the store Alina had a thoughtful look on her face.

  As she got into her new rental, she placed her bag on the passenger seat before she pulled her cell from her pocket and placed it in her lap. She waited until she pulled away heading back to the hotel before she made her phone call.

  “Uncle Sarette,” she said stopping at a red light as he answered. “Can you check on a name for me?”

  “Someone who dated Sam,” he asked without question.

  Alina laughed as the light changed and she went ahead. “No, and I doubt that anything will come from it, but it was a weird feeling a got so just humor me, okay?” She said in exasperation.

  “Okay,” Uncle Sarette said not going to tell her that he would rely on the feeling she got then anyone else’s. “Go ahead.”

  “Dana Smitherson,” Alina told him as her palm began to throb. “Find out anything you can about her and soon because she works in the shop ran by Sam’s fiancée.”

  Chapter 10

  The week was drawing to a close and Alina stood at her window looking out before she made a sudden decision. She walked over to the phone and called Sam at work getting his secretary as she knew she would.

  “Hi, I would like to speak to Mr. Blairson?” She asked as she packed a small overnight bag before grabbing her purse putting everything in it that she needed for what she was planning to do.

  “May I ask who is calling?” The velvety voice said on the other end.

  “Alina,” was all she said catching the indrawn breathe of the woman who immediately put her on hold and Alina counted up to twenty when she returned.

  “I am sorry, but Mr. Blairson is busy at the moment,” she told Alina. Alina waited to see what else she would say when the woman hesitated before saying, “As his secretary and a close friend, I should warn you that he is engaged to be married.”

  Alina smiled although when she spoke her voice was calm with no hint of a smile, “Thank you for giving me the heads up, but I will call back later.”

  She hung up before the woman could make another comment and pulled her cell out of the purse she just put it in, and dialed Sam’s cell knowing that when it went to voicemail he was in a meeting. So the secretary hadn’t lied about that, Alina surmised laughter in her eyes as she shook her head.

  “I will be going out of town for a few days. Call you when I return,” was the message she left before she hung up the phone.

  Grabbing her overnight bag and her purse after replacing her cell inside, she headed out of her room closing the door behind her until she heard the click before she started over to the elevator.

  The phone in her room rung a few minutes later, but as she wasn’t in, it just rung until it finally stopped.

  Alina stepped off the elevator at the lobby floor where she stopped when she saw Trystan standing by the receptionist desk listening to something that the woman leaning on the desk was telling him. She didn’t feel like meeting with him so she quickly walked through the lobby sliding the sunglasses that she held in her hand on her face as she stepped out into the sunlight wondering what his partner and he were up to now.

  She smiled at Rob who gestured for her keys, but she just shook her head as she started for the parking lot and the car. Her side was still slightly painful, but it was healing as was her palm looking down at the good size scar she had across her hand.

  She shook her head and her smile widened as she strolled to her car unlocking it and tossing her things in before sliding inside.

  As she started the car, she sighed with a sense of happiness because she was about to go a new direction whether it was the right one or not, she wasn’t sure but she was going to take it anyway.

  She drove out of the parking lot with laughter rolling down the windows catching the breeze as she drove away from the hotel.

  A wicked smile crossed her face as she passed a flower shop on the way and she wondered how Sam’s secretary liked the flowers she would be receiving this afternoon.

  Samuel frowned as he heard Alina’s message, but although he worried about her, Alina was old enough to do as she pleased without her big brother looking over her shoulder. He sighed as he put down his phone knowing that the reason he was like this is because he never got the chance to be the big brother for Alina at least once in the last twenty years.

  There was a knock on his door and he looked up as it opened to reveal Marla as she said, “I hope I’m not bothering you.”

  “No,” he said getting up from his seat as he looked down at his watch. “In fact, I am hungry as I just came from a very long meeting. How about we have an early lunch?”

  The smile that came across her face made his breath catch in his chest as she said, “Exactly what I was thinking.”

  They walked out together talking about where to go when a delivery man s
howed up with a vase of beautiful flowers.

  “Miss Nels,” the man said, and Miss Nels smiled getting to her feet as she slanted a look at Samuel as they stopped by her desk. “Sign here please.”

  She sighed before the man presented the flowers and walked away as Miss Nels gushed, “Someone really shouldn’t have” her eyes on Samuel.

  “You have a secret admirer,” Samuel said his arm curved around Marla’s waist, and Miss Nels looked at him with confused eyes.

  “I thought…” she began only to stop as the delivery man returned with a frown.

  “I am sorry, miss, but you owe us $32.54,” he said as everyone stared at him in disbelief.

  “What…” Miss Nels sputtered out as she clutched the flowers.

  The delivery man frowned said, “The woman who placed the order said it was a common practice of yours to order flowers and have it delivered to you putting another’s name on the card. I believe the name written on this card was S. Blairson. The woman was very specific and told us to tell you to keep dreaming.”

  There was total silence at his words as Miss Nels looked on in anger and screamed, “I am not paying for any damn delivery that I didn’t even order.”

  The man looked at her with a frown before he shrugged his shoulders and grabbed the vase from her as he said, “Have a good day, miss.”

  He walked away without looking back and as he got back into his truck after leaving the building, he called his boss. “I did as requested and the woman was furious. I hope I don’t lose my job for this,” he said.

  His boss chuckled before she said, “No, it was for a friend so you are fine and you can take the flowers to your girlfriend. They are already paid for.”

  The man smiled although he wondered why he went through the charade from the beginning, but he shrugged his shoulders as he didn’t care. Besides, he had delivered to the same woman in the last few months with similar flowers with the same name on them, and yet it didn’t seem like the man had any interest in her at all. He shook his head as he drove away from the building.