“I’m trying to tell you Roman isn't some crazy guy,” Rahina whispered exasperatedly. “I know what it looks like, but if you would have seen how understanding and kind, he was to me when I was devastated, then you wouldn't be so worried. He cooked for me, he held me as I cried, and he brought me breakfast in bed. Besides,” she leaned back with a confident smile. “I feel like it’s been a lot more than a week if you count our thousand lunches.”
Rubina gave her a dull look in response. “I don't count those.”
“Well I do, Miss Hater from the Equator,” Rahina stuck her tongue out at her and laughed.
“So, are you going to tell me?" Rubina’s question caused Rahina to give her a questioning smile. Rubina frowned at that. "Are you or are you not going to tell me what has you so happy” she gestured to her sister’s bright eyes and large smile. “Besides your “Joker” boyfriend and your new car, of course?"
Rahina could feel the bubbling energy inside her rise again at the thought of sharing the good news. Ever since she got the call this morning, she had been ecstatic. Running down the stairs from Roman’s bedroom, the first thing she spotted was Mosca standing on the other side of the large pool in the backyard tossing a ball with the playful dogs. Running outside in her pajama shorts and tank top, she ignored Mosca’s surprised face to her excited squealing. He endured her launching hug on his person as she excitedly explained the news. Mosca’s prosaic response to her excitement turned out not to be at all what she was looking for, and she was excited to tell someone else.
Leaning in so that no one else would hear she whispered to Rubina. "I have a meeting with Ephemeral Dance Company tomorrow."
Rubina’s eyes went wide with sudden intrigue. "Isn't that the one run by the guy who left the Boston Ballet Company when you first got there?"
"Yes," Rahina nodded, she almost too excited to keep in all her excitement, but she did. She wasn’t ready to share this news with anyone else. "He left because he kept butting heads with everyone in management, including Theodore."
"Yeah, I have heard that his shows are doing very well and people like them because they don’t last very long giving it a very exclusive once in a lifetime feeling."
"Yeah, which for a dancer is a Godsend, Jason wants to work with them very, very badly. I just hope the meeting goes well."
"It should,” Rubina frowned at the doubt in her sister’s tone. “You two were always on really good terms while he was there, right? Didn’t he initially invite you to walk with him when he left?"
"Well yeah,” Rahina could feel the pit of nervousness in her stomach form. “And that’s why I am so scared, I don’t know if he will hold that against me."
"I doubt it, especially since he is dropping everything and meeting with you so quickly,” Rubina assured her.
Seeing that their family was starting to sit at the large dinner table, she stood up from the couch, followed by Rubina. “Well, let’s hope so.”
Sitting at the long dinner table, Rahina couldn’t help but look at Dev Gorshal’s smile at her with a dubious frown. Sitting on her left, Dev turned in his chair towards her, answering her frown with an even deeper smile. On her left, Safina was chattering away to their aunt about school. Rahina had cast a suspicious look to her mother when Dev arrived just as they were sitting down, but Deeya Chopra merely pretended as if she did not see or feel the burning look of accusation from her daughter as she took her seat next to her husband and step-son Amit. Across from Rahina, Rubina sat between Amit and Riaz and shared a commiserating look with her.
“It’s so good to see you Dev,” Rahina said with an overly bright voice.
Dev’s eyes lit up with knowing amusement at her sarcasm. “Your mother invited me,” he explained. “But I cannot say I didn’t jump at the opportunity to come see you, since getting you to answer my calls is impossible.”
“I return all of your texts,” she defended. “You make it seem like you and I didn’t have a nearly twenty-four-hour long conversation last week on the merits and shortcoming of Game of Thrones books versus the series.”
“I would much rather have that conversation in real life Rahina, and you know that,” Leaning one arm on the table Dev leveled her with a cool stare. “Besides, that was an argument and not a conversation.”
She decidedly ignored his attempt to steer the conversation in a more serious direction. “It’s because you and the rest of the internet trolls are such snobs. Just watch the darn show and stop comparing, try to just sit there and enjoy it without the need for dissection.”
Dev laughed just as Amit spoke, silencing everyone at the long table immediately.
“So, I heard you didn’t get the principal position.” She could see the ghost of a smile on Amit’s lips as he stared back at her challengingly. She knew the asshole took pleasure at the sudden uncomfortable silence in the room.
Not daring to look at her mother or father to see their reaction, Rahina just gave Amit a cool smile. She could never remember when it was exactly when they started to hate one another. But at some point, growing up neither one of them could stay in the same room as the other without arguing. The worst part was that Amit had a perfectly acceptable relationship with Rubina, a little distant but acceptable. They recognized one another’s strengths, could speak cordially to one another, and passively cared for the other’s well-being. With Safina it was even worse, Rahina had watched Amit actually smile and laugh with his youngest sister and treat her like a princess; the same however could not be said for Rahina. Disdain was what they had for one another. Only with passing years, healthy distance, and lots of mutual silence on their parts were they even able to enter the same room together. Although today was beginning to look like it would not be one of those days, Rahina noted with an inward sigh.
“How did I know you would be the first one to find out that unfortunate event about me?” She replied with an overly sweet voice. “I can always rely on you, dear brother, to keep me humble. But don’t worry I have got some new deals in the works as we speak.”
“Is that how you got the new car Amit tells me about?” Her mom asked, wearing the same naturally stern face as Amit. It was amazing that the two were not technically related since Amit was from her father’s previous short marriage in his youth. Amit had adopted her mother’s ever constant disapproving facial expressions, which wasn’t surprising since Amit would happily walk over hot coals for their mother.
“No, the car was just a birthday gift.” She looked at her mother with a smile while avoiding the woman’s penetrating gaze.
“Gift?” Numerous curious whispers at the table spoke at once, and Rahina wanted to just scream. Catching Rubina’s look from across the table, she read the silent look of encouragement. Stay strong.
“Gift from whom?” Her mother leaned forward with stiffening determination in her posture, which only seemed to bring a fire of emboldened satisfaction to Amit’s eyes.
Looking to her father, Rahina had to will herself to ignore the stab of pain that went through her as he simply watched with interest at the interrogation of his middle daughter. What was she expecting, she wondered bitterly? He has been like this for years; he wasn’t going to abruptly change and have her back all of a sudden.
Taking a calming breath, she gave a bold smile and equally bold lie. “Myself, of course.”
“Bullshit,” Amit said, followed by a harsh reprimand from her mother on his language. “There is no way you can afford that car,” he accused.
Beyond annoyed now, she gave Amit a frosty smile. “Ah, but obviously I have since it's parked just outside and the keys are in my purse. Now, if you’re through with your questions can we resume our nice family dinner or would you like to discuss how I filed for taxes last year?”
Giving her a rude snort, Amit turned his attention to their cousin Shaan who across from him and began talking. Slowly the rest of her family at the table began to follow suit, Rahina could feel Dev’s eyes on the side of her face and could feel hi
m shift slightly in his chair trying subtly to obtain her attention. She refused to look his way. If he could sit quietly as her brother unnecessarily grilled her, then he could continue to sit quietly throughout the rest of the dinner. Turning to her sister Safina, she fell into a conversation about the latest gossip at her school.
She ignored Dev for the rest of the night, and she refused to look in the direction of Amit and her parents. She was angry at Amit, but she was disappointed in her parents. Once dinner was over, she didn’t wait to linger around with the rest of the family, and she turned away when she saw Dev’s approach from the other side of the room. Saying goodbye to Safina, she glanced up and saw Rubina standing and talking with one of their pregnant cousins. Sharing a nonverbal goodbye, Rahina pushed through the room’s double doors and made her way through the restaurant and out to the parking lot.
“You didn’t say goodbye,” the unexpected sound of Amit’s voice stilled her as she was halfway to her car.
Rahina contemplated turning around and giving him a piece of her mind, but she knew it would get her nowhere and honestly, she wasn’t in the mood. She didn’t want to be here any longer, she wanted to go back home.
Resuming her step toward her car, Amit spoke again. “Ok then, say bye to aunt Rahina, Nayani.”
Bastard.
Turning on her heel, she couldn’t stop the smile as she saw Amit holding a pudgy sleeping baby in his arms.
“My sweet baby,” holding her arms out, she quickly walked forward and gently clasped Nayani’s soft, warm weight from his arm. “Oh, my sweet dumpling, are you awake now? You slept all through dinner, and I wasn’t able to play with you.” she cooed and smiled at the little girl’s wide dark eyes staring up at her.
How something so sweet and precious came from Amit and his vapid wife was beyond Rahina. Gently clasping one of the child’s pudgy hands, she gently shook the tiny gold bangles on her chunky little arm. She was so beautiful, and Amit knew Rahina could not resist the chunky little angel. Ignoring him completely, she bounced and spoke to the staring little girl for a few minutes longer until she started to become restless. Reluctantly, Rahina kissed her round cheek goodbye and gave her back to her father, who only gave Rahina an unreadable look.
“Bye,” she grumbled and turned away to walk back to her car.
“Drive safely,” Amit threw the remark as one last dig, but Rahina ignored him and got in her car.
~*~
Nodding to the hostess who waved her over to where Dante Mercer sat in a large red leather booth, Rahina walked over. Two hours after the lunch rush, the hotel bar they chose to meet in was practically deserted. Sliding into the booth, Rahina could feel some of her nervous tension she held evaporate at Dante’s excited smile.
“Rahina, my God I am so happy to see you,” his knuckles thumped excitedly against the wood surface.
“I am just happy you still wanted to meet with me, considering I didn’t walk with you when you left years ago,” she admitted.
Dante waved his hand at that. “No, no. I knew what I was asking was a crazy leap of faith, and we had only ever worked together for two to three performances. Especially, once Theodore caught wind of me possibly leaving, he purposely kept you far away from me, he knows how talented you are.”
She gave Dante a mocking smile. “Yeah well obviously not,” she spread both hands out, indicating her current state.
“But that is great, don’t you see? You are here now, and together we are going to make waves in this world,” Dante could barely contain his satisfaction. Leaning onto the table, he gave her a fixed stare. “Let’s skip all the preliminaries and get down to business, shall we?”
She gave him a look that said by all means.
“I want you to come dance for Ephemeral.”
Her heart soared at the blatant offer. Maintaining a cool façade, she stated her only requirement. “I want principal.”
Dante leaned back in his seat. “Of course,” he began to explain. “I will have you come in as soloist now and after a few months...”
“No,” she interrupted, the elation in her heart freezing at his words. No waiting, no proving herself. She knew what she was worth dammit, and she was a principal dancer. “I want to be signed on and announced officially with all the grander usually afforded that I will be your new principal dancer.”
“Rahina,” he said, urging her to understand. “If I announce that you are principal on sign on, I will have a mutiny on my hands.”
Rahina didn’t move as she continued unyielding in her argument. “You and I both know if handled correctly you will not. I have danced with most of your dancers before. I know them, and they know me or at least know of me. They will know you are making bold moves just as you promised everyone that you would do with this company, and they will know I left The Boston Ballet Company because I was denied the position I deserved. The decision to make me principal on sign on would only be natural. And do not think I do not know you would be getting everything you want from this deal and more.”
“Yes, but I also know you want Davies too,” he countered, referring to Jason.
Rahina tilted her head to the side in bemusement. “Do you really want me to dance your major performances without Jason? Besides his contract is up just like mine, why would you not want Jason?”
“Fair enough. It’s not like I wasn’t going to go after him anyways,” Dante admitted with a grin. “Fine, I will contact Jason too, but I want you two to dance Carmen in two weeks and finish the run.”
“Isn’t Marcia is currently dancing that?” She asked, thinking of the narrow-faced dancer she met a year ago at a party of mutual friends.
“And she is about as dynamic as a tax office sign twirler at a street corner,” Dante replied.
Resisting the urge to smile, she held up one hand in a pausing gesture.
“Hold on, let me ask.” Pulling out her phone, Rahina quickly texted what Dante was proposing to Jason.
Jason, who she had told she would call the moment she was out of the meeting, texted back immediately with a “Hell yeah” and a bunch of emojis. Hiding her smile, she looked up to Dante.
“We have a deal.” It was a miracle she was able to maintain her composure, all she wanted to do was jump and scream for joy. “Send over the contract, and I will look at it and sign it if there are no issues.”
“You will have it in a couple of hours, I will need to call Jason after you leave to get his set up.” Standing up from the booth, Dante held out his arms, signaling for a hug. Laughing, she got up and hugged the tall ex-dancer. “Ah Rahina,” he groaned into the hug. “I cannot tell you how excited I am to have you, I have never seen anyone light the stage up the way you do. I have so many ideas that you will be perfect for, I cannot wait to work together.”
~*~
“Do you think he is going to really go over it like he said?” Rahina asked Mosca, who was opening the fridge and grabbing two beers.
She was turned around on the sofa staring at the lieutenant from over the back of the sofa with her chin resting on the top.
Picking up the pizza box from the counter with one hand, Mosca carried the two beers in the other hand as he walked around the couch. Setting the food and drinks on the quartz gray coffee table, he sat down.
“Alexei will do it,” he confirmed.
Earlier that evening, after her meeting with Dante, she had called Mosca in a frenzy. She needed a lawyer or someone who could look over her contract before she signed. The last time she signed a contract, she had her dad and uncles all look it over. Her joining the Company had turned into a family event, but this time she wanted to do this on her own. She wanted to show them and herself she could face and handle problems on her own and without their input. Mosca had told her to hold on, and he would call her back. After ten minutes of sitting in her car, still in the hotel parking lot, Mosca had called her back and told her where to meet him.
Alexei’s office downtown was located nearly at the top of a
large skyscraper. On the first few floors, the building was lively and full of eateries, shops, and people walking about, but as the elevator took them up, Rahina could feel the stark change in the atmosphere. Seemingly decorated with an austere palette, the office seemed to be encased in glass. To large glass doors with simple gray etched letterings to a glass receptionist desk with only a few stark white desk supplies decorating the surface, Rahina couldn’t help but feel cold when she walked through to Alexei’s office.
“He didn’t seem very willing,” she mumbled, placing a few slices of pizza on a plate and handing it to Mosca.
“He and Roman are just at odds right now, but it doesn’t mean he won’t do as he promised. He will have your contract back to you by morning with any notations.”
Rahina did feel a little better at the confidence Mosca had in Alexei, although she still couldn’t help but think of Alexei’s final words to her.
She and Mosca were just turning to leave the man’s office when she thought of something.
She turned back around to the man behind the desk. “And remember do not tell Roman about this."
“No,” Alexei responded flatly.
Shocked, she blinked for a moment before reacting. “Wait a minute I am serious, I want to be the one to tell him about my world stopping success, not you.”
“Then you should have told me before I agreed to help you so I could have told you no.” The man’s face held no trace of emotion, just rigid, uncompromising indifference.
“So, does that mean you are going to ruin my surprise?” she pressed.
Alexei gave her a long hard look before answering. "If the topic comes up, I will tell him about my involvement."
Reading through his purposely vague wording, she smiled brightly. “Ok good, the topic should not come up, but maybe try not to talk to him if you don’t have to,” she offered.
Alexei responded with a derisive snort.
"You know for someone so handsome you sure have a bad overall attitude and your super domineering," she knew she was pushing her limit with the man, and she could feel Mosca step closer behind her, no doubt to probably drag her away before she really pissed off the man.
His Smile: A Mafia Romance Page 17
