by Ellen Hutton
Chapter 4
It was Christmas, and the morning's weather was better than the previous day. Fresh snow was not coming down, but the coldness of what was left from yesterday's downfall lingered. Eunice was at my house as she promised. I watched her as she stood across me in my bedroom, going through my dresses. She was trying to "put me back in the market!" She said. She looked quite adorable with her hair in ponytail and the seriousness on her face was simply exhilarating. As I observed her, my mind drifted.
When I burnt my memories of Nate last night, I thought I was going to get better... erase all the perturbing memories in a whiz. I thought I was locking my sad emotions away forever. It however seemed Uncle Richard was right. It wasn’t as easy as combing wet hair. I got taken aback by thoughts of the years of my life wasted. Would I ever let myself fall in love again? Would I ever be─
"Miranda!" I heard Eunice call out.
"Miranda!" She screamed.
"Huh? Oh… Yes. Sorry." I mumbled.
"Get out of your Idée fixe and look at this one." Eunice cast a growling stare at me.
She held a dress with the tips of her fingers, strategically placing it on her lean figure. It was a knee length lemon dress with mustard stripe from the shoulder to its lower waist. It had fancy glowing buttons near the hem and a lace lining around the neck. It’s beautiful. I remember Uncle Richard gave it to me when I got my first promotion at work before I even started my own small company.
"I might freeze to death in this." I chuckled.
"Come on Miranda. Of course you'll use a coat. I know you are scheming for ways to stay home tonight, but quit the shenanigans Miranda. I won't let you cry yourself out for one more night."
I rolled my eyes. I wasn't crying! What did she mean crying? She was sounding like my high school principal.
"But... "
"No buts!" She warned.
"Not like I have any butts anyway." I joked, shifting to the side and slapping my petite behind.
We both laughed, and then she threw the cotton dress on my face.
"It is soon going to be a new year Miranda. Let's find you some new happiness. "
**
I stood in front of the mirror, turning and swirling my coat. Eunice stared at me from behind, not uttering a word, but a ghost of a smile hung from her trim lips. I smiled to myself, and held my cold cheeks in both palms as goose pimples began to form on my tender skin. It had been so long since I went on an outing like this one. With Nate, I was conservative to say the least. The butterflies in my tummy began to fly closer to my throat, as if to choke me. I gulped.
"You are doing just fine." Eunice's voice disrupted the silence.
I laugh at her demented psychology. Even a blind man would spot the anxiety and uneasiness in my demeanor. I had spent a large chunk of the last hour brushing my hair. I did that whenever I wanted to get stress off. Some women prefer to chop onions and carrots or slice vegetables. I brushed my hair. That was my medicine.
**
Eunice was dressed in blue jeans and a nice sweater with an image of Elvis Presley drawn over the chest portion. She had brown mittens over her fingers and a cute brown scarf round her tiny neck. She looked younger than her age. Her round eyes and wide nose stood distinctively from her features. She was a bit taller than me, with beautifully long brown hair that curled a bit at the bottom. My eyes drifted from her black and red pure leather boots, back up her shapely thighs in the thick blue jeans, through her thermal under garment inching out just below her sweater, till I reached her face. Her eyes were pointed at me. I could see a twinge of pity in them. She must have thought I was such a mess... daunted by deception... a poor thing crawling up in her shell; cowering, after being heart broken by Mr. Perfect. I let out a soft reassuring smile, as if to say "don’t worry Eunice. I'm alright." But I was not. My emotions are still haunted by betrayal. I felt like a baby, learning to walk, after crawling through the dirt. I felt dirty. I felt guilty. I felt guilty of gullibility; and naivety. I cursed the name, Nate.
"It's time to go." Eunice said, after glancing through a text that just came into her phone. She waltzed towards my old fashioned hanger, and whizzed her fur and leather coat off it. Dipping her phone in her black purse, she smiled at me as I put on my tweed jacket and fancy blazer, and pointed to the door. Here we go! I thought in my mind.
**
A black car was parked outside my house, right in front of the snowy garbage cans. I put my hat on and kicked my way through the snow, trailing behind Eunice, slowly approaching the car. The back door sprung open and we quickly dived in. Garrick and his girlfriend; Diana (who sat in the front), throw happy faces at us as we settled in. I took off my hat and placed it on my lap while adjusting my blazer and smiling back at the couple in front of us.
Eunice and Garrick had been close friends for as long as I could remember. They lived close to each other when we were younger. Kyle and I; Eunice and Garrick... so it was. Fond memories of childhood swarmed through my mind as the soft Mercedes ignition went off. I looked out the window into the streets as the car began to accelerate. It was my first Christmas party away from Uncle Richard and his family. He understood. He actually thought it was a good idea. Now it is time to move on Miranda... It's time to move on. I muttered to myself.
Chapter 5
“We are here!" Diana roared over the loud music blasting from many speakers in the car. She clapped her hands and banged her head vigorously to the high tempo song, while smiling wildly at Garrick.
We found a parking space and Garrick turned off the car engine. He looked back at Eunice and I, and said, "You have to be careful in there. There is usually this camarilla in there. Stay safe and have fun."
I stepped out of the car and immediately felt the smog in the air. It was dark... A couple of other cars parked around and about us. The ambiance resonated solitude. I put my hat back on and tighten my fancy blazer across my body before casting a sideward glance at Eunice, almost like I was waiting for a cue to advance forward.
She walked up to me and took my hand and led me behind the chuckling couple in front of us. As we inched closer to the main entrance, soft sounds of violin began to fill the air, gently. My uneasiness started to grow... Those goose pimples were back, tightening my skin, and filling my mind with anticipation.
Our entrance was greeted by warmth and the snug hands of coziness. The cold was trounced by the heat inside... Ah! The combination of wearing cold and overpowering heat felt like sprawling under my duvet, with my toes out. Such an amazing feeling it was.
The main hall was dimly lit, with fancy lights at various positions and two remarkably beautiful chandeliers. My legs were heavy and I hardly even noticed that Eunice still held my hand. I looked around. Couples loitered about multifarious corners, while groups of friends took more distinctive spots. I could easily spot a few loud talkers; some had obviously had too much to drink and were telling tales after tales of random jokes and experiences. Eunice and I strode towards the pub and took our seat near a middle aged couple who seemed contented with just watching everything that went on around them. Eunice ordered for something... I really didn't hear what she requested for. I knew it was free, plus I was too taken in by the lovely things I saw. We sighted Diana and Garrick, already laughing their night away with a group at one of the far end. Old friends, maybe, I thought. Someone tapped me on my shoulder, and I turned sharply like a scared little girl. It was the man behind the counter. He put down a tray of two glasses, containing some colorless alcohol. I am not an alcohol person, so I couldn't tell what it was. I smiled at him and he left. Then I realized... Eunice was not by my side any more. I made for my phone to call her, but immediately decided against it. She probably left on purpose... to make me an official product on the counter.
I began to feel more comfortable and decided to take a sip from my drink. I knew it was strong alcohol. I never trusted anything without a color. I contracted my nostrils to block whatever pungent alcoholic smell might eman
ate, and poured a little into my mouth, then gulped... It burned.
About fifteen minutes had gone by, and I finally caught a glimpse of Eunice, sitting across from Garrick and Diana, being chatted up by a guy with near blonde hair. She was laughing a lot, so I imagined she was having a wonderful time. I began to get a bit jealous... Eunice caught my stare and returned it with a smirk. I looked away and took another sip of my drink. My skin was loosening up gradually; I was feeling more relaxed. The alcohol was hot and quite hard to swallow, but it had a resultant soothing effect. My night was turning into a happy one; the DJ played soft romantic songs and mixed with jazz. Heaven! Alas, my feelings were reverted when songs of heart break came on. Suddenly, I urgently needed to pee. My eyes were quite drowsy, but I managed to get myself off the bar stool and saunter towards the ladies. It was not difficult to find.
I descended on the toilet seat with alacrity and involuntarily heaved a sigh of relief as my pee gushed out in a sputter. I could still hear the songs in the background. I tried to take my mind off it, but the harder I fought, the stronger it became. I gave up, and allowed it sink in. That seemed to work... as my nerves began to receive calmness. I finished up and flushed. Nothing would be allowed to ruin this night for me, I told myself.
The DJ had changed the tempo of the music when I got out. Pop songs were now in the mix. I saw a staircase that led upstairs and I decided to explore. As I Climbed the flight of stairs with care, I suddenly remembered that my purse was still at the bar.
Briskly, I turned to return to the bar when I saw him, standing with a cute smile in front of me. I used to have disinclination towards creeps. But this creep was a cute creep. God! He was handsome. He had long masculine face with his beards trimmed into a teddy. I notice his height, Oh my god! I had always been melted by tall and handsome men─ which explained my fascination with basketball. Even till now, I can't say that I know how the game is played, but I enjoy watching those honks, running around, nicely muscular and sweaty.
The halyard of my emotions began to raise the yellow flag of my heart. My brain attempted to hesitate, but my heart said no. I said no.
"Hi...Miranda, what are you doing here?" he said.
And just then it occurred to me. He knew who I was. Wait… I knew who he was. Oh my god, the little sips of alcohol I had taken was messing with my head already. I was staring at Kyle and I did not even know it. He looked so handsome under the lights. His face made me melt on the spot.
“Oh Kyle, please forgive me, I almost did not recognize you” I said as my head began to analyze the possibility that my best friend had set this up.
“Oh that’s okay. I could hardly recognize you myself. You have lost some weight and you look so much like the most beautiful angel in heaven. ” he joked. Of course he had to be kidding and teasing me because I knew that I was a mess. Oh no, I was sure that I was a mess. But it still made me blush anyway.
I was still enchanted by his looks and my mouth could hardly form any words
“Are you here with Eunice? I think I caught a glimpse of her from afar” he said.
"Hmm hmm" I nodded.
Honestly, I would have nodded to whatever question he asked─ even if it was whether I was an accomplice to the murder of Michael Jackson.
He gave that charming smile again and led me toward the bar. I explained to him that I was having a drink before I decided to look around. His lips form an Oh, and he asked me what I was having. I blushed and answered truthfully that I had no idea, and then looked down in embarrassment. Well, he already knew I was not much of an alcoholic. And he definitely could spot the alcohol in my eyes if he looked closely enough.
"No worries. A decent girl shouldn't know too much about alcohol, anyway." he spoke, much to my delight. He still had his princely charm.
The guy behind the bar smiled and handed my bag over to me. He had kept it somewhere under the magnificently built counter. I just loved everything about the place. The inch perfect design of every single piece that made up the whole setting….ah! Awesome! The designs on the floor were beautiful... a mix of Mozart and conceptual flooring. The name of the establishment was written in graffiti behind where I sat. Everything was so organized and planned, from the lighting to the sounds, to-
"Scotch..." I heard him say, drawing me away from my mental admiration.
"Scotch…" he repeated.
"Huh?" I turn to him in shock.
"You are having scotch. The drink... It's scotch" he explained.
"Oh… Oh..." I croaked.
I realized my mind had drifted away into a stream of its own consciousness, and I had completely forgotten that I had this handsome American Adonis in front of me. He was still smiling, obviously sensing the distance of my mind. I felt a sudden coldness on my wrist. I abruptly looked down and found his fingers slightly placed on my hand. A sharp rush of hormones ran through my spine.
Chapter 6
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"Urrm... Yes. Yes. Fine," I muttered.
He was about to speak again when on the spur of the moment, someone stood up from one of the tables and started making a toast.
"Here's to the man of the evening, ladies and gentlemen. He has been a symbol of perfection and proof that there truly is a level higher than the skies. I and my friends, and all the rest of us celebrate you as one family today. Cheers!"
"Cheers!" boomed throughout the club in an uproar. They all look at and point their glasses towards a man at a table adjacent to Diana and Garrick's. He stood up and threw his hands in appreciation, then did a mock bow, which sent everyone into laughter of frenzy. That was Harry Portman─ the owner of the club, and our host for tonight's Christmas Eunice celebration.
Kyle and I spent the next thirty minutes talking about each other and exchanging laughs. He told me about alcohol, and the names of different popular brands. He requested that we try a few, so I could get myself acquainted with some peculiar flavors. We tried another brand of scotch, then Vodka, then some others that my mind twirled too much for me to remember their names. I knew I would pass out if I didn't stop. I told him... He understood. We kept on talking about more personal issues. I was more open now; maybe a little too open. I told him about Nate. I was sure he already knew, though.
"Why do you think he did that?" I asked. A little stupid on my part, but then, I had thrown my care to the wind.
"Because he is a douche who did not deserve you." he replied calmly.
"You know, he was so special at the time or at least I thought he was.” I was feeling freer and more open. “We never really…”
“What?” A blush appeared on my face when he looked me in my eyes, urging me to continue.
“Urrm. We never really had sex.”
He smiled. “That was not so hard now, was it?”
“I don’t even know why I am telling all this to you”
“Come on. We have been friends for as long as I can remember. You used to tell me almost everything you know?”
I chortled.
“Sometimes I begin to think that maybe if we had sex, he would not have cheated. Maybe I pushed him to cheat. But why didn’t he trust me enough to tell me that he had a son?”
“You don’t have to blame yourself for every bad thing that happen to you as a result of the actions of others, you know,”
“Maybe I was not as attractive to him. Maybe─”
“Shuush…” he held my hand. I felt a sudden rush of electricity through my veins.
Just then, the host for the night, Harry Portman, got up from his seat and hit his cup with a spoon to gain the attention of everyone. He had our attention.
“Before I proceed, I would first like to thank all of you for making this possible. Last year, before we closed, I said that I would love this year’s celebration to be grander and more spectacular… and here we are… living in the dream.” He paused a while as people began to cheer and whistle.
“Now, it is time for us to drop the alcohol and move into
the main event of the Night. It won’t be fair if we all celebrated Jesus, drunk and high, would it? Come on, I don’t think he would mind personally, I mean, he is Jesus─” that sent everybody into another frenzy.
“So now it is time to drop the alcohol. Desserts would be served now and the carol would begin immediately the guys at the back there are ready,” he pointed at the stage.
“By the way, let me be the first to wish all of you a merry Christmas!”
We clapped and cheered.
“Is it always like this every year?”
“Yes, actually it is. He enjoys a matured Christmas party with booze and enjoyment. But the moment the night starts drawing to its end, the holiness must come in sporadically. It’s a tradition.”
Just as he said, desserts were served. Small frosty fries, pastries, other small chops, Pepsi drinks, and every other tasty deliciousness were served. Then a small choir came on the stage as it lit up and kicked off the carol. Two well decorated Christmas trees stood at either side of the stage as the choir performed. The sand Silent Night in the most unbelievable way I had ever heard it. It was fascinating. Through all the songs, Kyle held my hand and I squeezed his even harder. I was overly comfortable around this man and I could not fathom why.
