by Sloan Storm
“It’s um, it’s my mom.” I began, wiping my index finger across my nose. “Well, technically, it’s my dad.”
Oblivious to my attempts to change the subject, Chloe frowned.
“What’s wrong with your dad?”
I spent the next few minutes explaining his health situation. Since Chloe was more than familiar with the history between my mother and me, it didn’t take long for her to figure out why I was on edge. I was fed up with them insulting me but at the same time begging for my help financially.
Unfortunately, I knew that wouldn’t go far with Chloe. Orphaned as a child, it wasn’t until she turned twelve her now-parents adopted her. Because of that, she had a strange perspective I should have been grateful for the ongoing conflict I had with my mom and dad. From her point of view, it was far better than having no parents at all. Early on, when Chloe and I first met, I really didn’t understand why she felt that way.
In fact, it used to piss me off. But, as I got to know her better, I realized why she felt that way and how growing up without parents made her feel the way she did. I didn’t expect much in the way of sympathy from her about this latest disagreement with my mom.
“So,” Chloe began, arching an eyebrow. “What are you going to do about your dad?”
I shook my head.
“Right now, nothing. There’s still some stuff that has to be worked out with his doctors. I need to cool off right now, more than anything.”
Chloe took a sip of her cocktail.
“Okay,” she said, placing her drink on the table and nodding at me. “What else?”
DANI
“What do you mean?”
Chloe scoffed. “Come on Dani, I know there’s more. Just tell me.”
I shook my head. “No, really, there’s nothing else to say.”
She nodded, leaning across the table at me using her elbows for leverage.
“Oh really, so like, why is it that you disappeared for an entire week without telling me anything about where you’re going or what you’re doing?”
When she finished speaking, Chloe leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms once again.
“It was just work, Chloe. That’s all.”
“Uh huh,” she deadpanned. “And my designs are going to be shown at Fashion Week. Cut the crap, Dani, where did you go? And more importantly, why didn't you tell me?”
I groaned and exhaled at the same time, emitting a breathy vibration of annoyance.
“See, again!” she exclaimed. “What is going on with you? Since when do you not tell me everything? That’s not like you and, ohhhh, ooohhh…”
Chloe snapped her arm straight at the elbow, pointing a finger across the table at me.
“What’s his name?” She paused, craning her neck around the restaurant. “Who is it? Do I know him? Oh shit! It’s Tyler isn’t it? That hot blond guy from my trunk show. It’s him isn’t it?”
If I didn’t say something, this tangent would get out of control and fast. But before I could interrupt her, Chloe stopped and touched her index finger to her chin.
“No, no… No wait a minute, that’s not right. You,” she began, pointing her finger at me again. “You weren’t in town, were you?”
“I really don’t want to talk about it.”
No sooner had I spoke those words than I regretted them. I should’ve said something, anything, except that I didn’t want to talk about it. I was tired, and not thinking straight.
Chloe pounced. “We’re not leaving this restaurant until you tell me what’s going on. You know that don't you?”
I lowered my head, shaking it and exhaling at the same time.
“Okay, okay,” I replied, deciding to just get it over with as soon as possible. “What do you want to know?”
“What kind of question is that, Dani? What do I want to know? What do I want to know? Seriously? Everything!”
Over the next few minutes I told her about the impromptu trip to Monte Carlo, the offer Bernard and Leopold made to me. In the most casual manner possible, I mentioned the client but left his name out, hoping she would drop it. Who was I kidding? I had no doubt where Chloe would focus her attention.
“A Formula One driver? What is that – like, race cars or something?”
I nodded at her. “Something like that.”
“So, if you get this guy to sign with you, then you make partner. Right?”
“Yep.”
She beamed a mouthful of white in my direction. “Oh my God, Dani, that’s totally amazing!”
“Yep,” I replied once more, my tone flat.
Chloe narrowed her eyes at me. She hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again.
“Dani, did you fuck him?”
My mouth dropped open.
“Uh! Chloe!”
Chloe shook her head. “What? Don’t ‘Chloe’ me, Dani. Did. You. Fuck. Him?”
Even at my young age I had no problem getting people worth millions of dollars to sign up as a client for the firm. But now, sitting across from my free-spirited former roommate, I felt my ironclad persona slip away.
Chloe’s hand flew towards her mouth, covering it with a slap. She held it there for several moments, her eyes wide.
“You did! You did, didn’t you?”
I shrugged, exhausted from trying to fight her off.
“So what. So what if I did? Is that so wrong?”
Chloe wasted no time, shaking her head back and forth while I spoke.
“No, of course not, no way. Anyone in the same circumstance would probably do the same thing. Hell, I would. Of course, at the same time…”
Her words lingered between us, a cryptic warning of sorts.
“At the same time… What?” I asked.
“Well I mean, it’s like, I guess I’m just surprised is all. It’s not like you to do something, you know, so casual.”
I wrinkled my brow at her.
“What? Are you saying I’m not spontaneous? That I shouldn’t have done it? I don’t see what the big deal is, Chloe. I’ve hooked up with guys before. It’s not like that’s never happened. And anyway, I'd think you’d be happy about me doing something ‘casual’.”
Chloe rolled her eyes and rocked her head back and forth.
“Yeah, I mean, I am. I mean, I would be, but I just worry that because you know, you…”
I leaned forward in my chair.
“No, Chloe, I don’t know. What are you trying to say?”
“Dani, you don’t see what’s happening, do you?”
“No, I don’t. Do you mind explaining what you’re talking about?”
“If I have to…”
I dropped my hands to the table, interlocking my fingers.
“Yeah, I think you have to.”
Chloe nodded and took a deep breath. That pause alone was more than enough to catch my attention. Clearly she saw something I didn’t. But what? Just then, Chloe reached for me, wrapped her fingers around my hands before she began to speak.
“Dani, honey…” she began, shaking her head just a bit. “What’s the one thing you’ve always told me you’ll never let happen? No matter what.”
I drew a blank. I’d been doing that a lot in recent days.
I shrugged, answering in a frustrated tone. “I don’t know. What did I say?”
“Oh gee, I don’t know,” she replied, sarcasm dripping from every word. “Just that under no circumstance would you ever let a man control your life. Duh! Jesus Dani, what’s going on with you?”
For a split second, I considered yelling at her and telling her how wrong she was. Was I really doing that? I had no idea but the fact that I didn’t respond to her accusation - it concerned me.
Chloe snapped her fingers in front of my face.
“Hello?” she chided. “Earth to Dani. Is anybody home?”
I shook my head, refocusing on my friend.
“What?”
“Oh my God, Dani, this is ridiculous. What’s his name?”
I cleared my throat.
“Marco. His name is Marco, Marco Rhys.”
Chloe leaned back in her chair, reclining and taking another sip of her drink. Her face held a look of disappointment. I don’t think I’d ever seen it from her, directed at me.
“And just for the record, he’s not in control of my life, Chloe. That’s totally ridiculous.”
“Well I mean… I hope I’m wrong. But you’re behaving strangely. Even if you can’t see it, I can.”
I averted my gaze, turning my attention to people walking by outside, just beyond the restaurant window.
“I’m going to the bathroom,” Chloe began, sliding out of her chair. “Be right back.”
I turned to look at her and nodded.
“Okay.”
I watched Chloe walk away from me until she vanished from sight. With each second that passed, I thought about what she said. In spite of her carefree personality, Chloe was perceptive and an excellent judge of character. As much as I might have wanted to sweep her accusations under the rug, I felt that I had to at least consider them.
Maybe this had nothing to do with Marco whatsoever. I bit the inside of my mouth, pinching it between my teeth and looked out the window once more. There was every chance I’d done this to myself. I’d let my ambition, my drive to be in control of my own future, cloud my judgment. What’s worse, I found myself missing him. I couldn’t explain it. For the short time we spent together, it made no sense for me to feel the way I did. I reached for my wineglass, grabbing it by the stem and pinching it between my fingers.
I’d never been this way around a man before.
Why him?
Why now?
MARCO
I stood there looking at it, shaking my head. Squatting down, I wrapped my arms around the strong box and lifted it off the floor.
“What the fuck…” I muttered, turning to carry it out from behind the bar.
I didn’t remember it being this heavy when I’d gotten it a few weeks earlier. Rounding the bar, I made my way towards my bedroom and placed it on top of my dresser. I’d slid the keys in the back pocket of my jeans before grabbing it. I reached around and pulled them out, holding the chunky brass set in my hand while I decided what to do next.
The truth was that its presence confused me.
My father never mentioned it, not once. On the other hand, it’s not like we’d spent enough time together for him to even have a chance to tell me about it. In the months since his death, I regretted it from time-to-time - the fact that we weren't closer. In the last years of his life, we didn’t talk whatsoever. And now, here I stood with what remained of his legacy - this fucking box.
Lifting the cluster of rings up to eye level, I rattled them in my grasp while I stared down at the locks covering the front of it. I bit my lip. I’d waited long enough.
“Here goes nothing,” I growled, snatching one of the keys and grabbing a lock at the same time. I slid it inside, and after a quick flick of my wrist I felt the mechanism inside give way.
“Huh, that was easy,” I muttered, surprised I’d guessed right on the first try. “Three more and I’m done.”
I picked another key and slipped it inside of the next lock. But no sooner had I done so than there was a knock at the front door.
Now what?
Frowning, I removed the key from the lock, tossed the entire set on top of the box and exited my bedroom. Just when I reached the door, a second series of knocks came. Not expecting any visitors, I paused and looked through the peephole.
Shit.
I reached down to grab the knob when all of a sudden, I heard the sound of a key sliding into the lock. The doorknob twisted on its own. I reached for it, yanking it open. A high-pitched female squeal followed, and in the very next instant the person who made it stumbled into my penthouse. I looked down at her, curling the fingers of my hand into a fist. She stood in the entryway to my home, one hand wrapped around her hip, the other hanging casually, with a bottle of wine in it.
“What are you doing here, Serena?”
She didn’t answer me. Instead, she flipped her hair to one side and began walking towards the kitchen.
“Hey!” I exclaimed, still holding the doorknob. “Come back here.”
Continuing to ignore me, she placed the wine bottle on the kitchen counter and then turned to face me.
“Give me my key and get out.” I said, opening my hand and unfolding my fingers. I couldn’t believe I’d forgotten to get it from her the last time she was here. There was no telling what she was up to, and I wasn’t in any mood to find out.
Serena looked at me, shifting her jaw.
“Marco, I’m not going anywhere. Not until we talk. You promised me.”
I looked away from her, exhaling and closing the door a moment later. Afterward, I turned in the direction of the kitchen and approached her.
“Here,” she said at last, extending the key in my direction.
I took it from her, drawing my eyebrows together in suspicion.
“I don’t have anything to say, Serena. We’ve already discussed everything.”
Exhausted from a day full of handling estate details, I reached to grab her. The last thing I wanted to do was rehash our situation again. She pulled away, snatching her arm out of my reach.
“No, Marco,” she began, taking a couple of steps away from me. “This has gone on long enough.”
I reached up and slid my fingers through my hair, glaring at her.
“Fine, all right,” I began, frustration filling my tone. “This is it. After tonight, we’re done talking about it. Do I make myself clear?”
Serena nodded but seemed distracted by her search for the bottle opener.
“Serena!” I snapped, slapping my palm on the kitchen counter for emphasis.
Startled, she whipped her head around.
“Yes! I heard you Marco! What is your problem?”
“Don’t test me, Serena. I’m in no mood. You have one hour. Not a minute longer.”
With that, I turned my back on her and headed down the hallway in the direction of the restroom. A few minutes later I exited and looked towards the kitchen.
“Serena?”
She replied a second or so later. “I’m in here.”
I shook my head. Turning the other way, I followed the sound of her voice into my bedroom. When I entered, I noticed her hovering near the strong box, holding two glasses of wine.
“What are you doing? I didn’t say you could come back here.”
Serena never looked at me. She continued to look at the box.
“You never said I couldn’t,” she muttered at last.
I’d had enough. I walked over towards her. She turned towards me, extending one of the half full glasses in my direction.
“No,” I began, shaking my head. “I’ve changed my mind. It's time for you to leave.”
Serena backed away.
“One glass, Marco. That’s all. You gave me one hour. The least you can do is keep your word.”
She’d never stop, ever, until she got her way. I was just too tired to deal with it. Taking the glass from her hand, I took a huge gulp right away, needing something to numb myself to her presence.
“Start talking,” I said, turning and walking towards my closet. “The clock is officially ticking.”
After entering my closet, I placed the wine glass on a shelf and began to get out of my suit. Serena remained quiet for a few moments before speaking.
“Are you still seeing her, Marco?”
Hanging up my tie, I frowned and turned my head in the direction of her voice.
“Seeing who? What are you talking about?”
“That woman,” she snapped. “The one you took to the gala?”
“I’m not going to discuss my personal life with you.”
I noticed her shadow appear in the entrance to my closet. She stood there without saying a word. By now, I’d changed into a pair of jeans and t-shirt. I turned and looked at
her. Her eyes held a glassy sheen.
“No. No. Don’t start, Serena,” I began, walking towards her and gesturing for her to get out of my way. “Now, let’s get this conversation over with.”
I blew past her, headed towards my bed when all of a sudden the booze hit me, hard. Maybe it was the stress I’d been under recently, or maybe I was just tired. Either way, within a few minutes of finishing my first glass of wine I felt buzzed, almost drunk.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, shaking my head. Serena noticed and looked towards me.
“Marco?” she began, sitting down next to me. “What’s wrong?”
I reached up and touched my forehead.
“Hmm?” I grumbled, pinching the bridge of my nose between my fingers. “What?”
The room spun. I began to lie back in the bed. Serena took the wine glass from my hand. A second later, I fell back into the mattress, covering my eyes with the palms of my hands. The next thing I remembered was Serena straddling me. She bent forward at the waist, dropping her face over mine.
“It’s okay, Marco,” she began, leaning in towards my cheek. “It's fine, You’re just tired, my love.”
Listless, I rocked my head back and forth on the mattress. Serena started to kiss me on the cheek. I felt stiff, almost like I couldn’t move. Her affection, soft at first, soon began to escalate. She slipped my ear into her mouth, swallowing it with wet heat. I grunted, trying to push her off of me. She stopped and dropped her mouth to the side of my head.
“Shhh, Marco, just relax.”
I shook my head.
“No,” I grunted. “I don’t…”
I began to lose larger chunks of time - seconds at first, then minutes.
All the while, Serena plied me with affection, licking and kissing my exposed skin wherever she could find it. And then, in one of my last lucid moments, I felt her fingers slip beneath my shirt. She dragged her fingers, scratching, clawing and digging the entire way. I groaned, wincing and trying to push her away. My strength left me. I reached up, using the last of my effort to wrap my fingers around her forearms. Through half-blurred vision, I looked up to see Serena staring down at me.
She shook her head.
