Between the Two [COMPLETE]

1~Angel or Devil (Rev.)

Part One-Reinhart

My mother has changed since the last time I saw her five years ago. Not only her appearance but her entire demeanor. Everything about her from her high-collared conservative dress to the diamond cross necklace on her chest, only second to the diamond ring on her finger, reflecting her recent marriage to Ezra Graham. The way she sauntered into the restaurant as though she were herself knew no wrong with a nose turned to the air and a graceful pose through the tables, making a beeline our way. Melissa Reinhart has never been an avowed religious woman. However, she always altered herself to be the perfect soulmate to whoever caught her eye and reminded her that love was possible.

But it wasn’t.

Despite her revived exterior, I knew her interior would be the same—bitter, ill-tempered, murderous—no matter what Nani said. People can change. Not Melissa. She’d never change and even if she did, I’d never forgive her for what she’d done in the past.

“Good evening, Nani,” she greeted with a warm smile. Her light brown eyes looked over Nani first, noticing her fragility from months of chemotherapy and being bedridden. She forced herself to come today, despite my refusals, so I wanted to make this luncheon quick.

There was a hint of sadness behind Melissa’s eyes before disappearing as she looked my way. “And happy birthday, sweetie.” With open arms, she hinted at an embrace. This must be for appearances; to grant the illusion of having changed. Nani patted me on the knee, ushering me to accept, to be nice, to embrace my estranged mother.

I will be living with her and her new family soon…hopefully not too soon though.

On bated breath, I embraced her, feeling her thin body attempt to wrap around my body, probably not used to the new hips and chest I’d grown since last seeing me as a teenager. She took a step back, looking me over with an impressed smirk. “Ooh, you have grown so much, honey. You look…so beautiful, Lilah. So beautiful.”

“Doesn’t she,” Nani agreed, her voice a bit weak when she spoke. To blanket her fragility, she gave a brilliant smile. “Told her just the other day how she’s looking like her grandmother, Ramona. Especially during her—”

“Of course, Nani,” Melissa intercepted, taking a seat across from us. “Spitting image. Oh, waiter!” She lifted a finger, signaling for the waiter to come, obviously avoiding the subject of her mother. I’d never met Ramona Reinhart, my grandmother, but I’d heard a few things about her that Nani could recollect. I always knew she was a sore spot for Melissa, watching her squirm at the mere mention of her. “Have you both ordered yet?”

“Just water.”

“Should we get a cake for the birthday girl?”

Nani shook her head before I could respond. “We have a cake waiting at the house for tonight.”

The last thing I wanted to do for my birthday was reuniting with my estranged mother, mainly to speak about my return home to Hawthorne Peaks. Nani was dying, that was inevitable, and the last thing she asked of my mother was to take me back and to reconcile with one another.

“Oh, of course,” Melissa murmured awkwardly. The waiter arrived and asked for our orders along with drinks. “Can I get a round of mimosas?” She placed a hand on mine along the table. “My daughter just turned twenty-one today. My treat.”

I wasn’t expecting to have my first drink right now; instead, I had plans to go out with Jazmine, Nani’s daughter-in-law who’s become like a sister over the years, at a club tonight. “No thanks. I’ll just have some lemonade.”

“Make that two,” Nani inserted.

Melissa cleared her throat, obviously thrown off by the refusal of drinks. “Then I guess I’ll just have a plain orange juice.”

The waiter nodded before taking our menus and heading to the kitchen to place our orders. An uncomfortable silence hung over our heads at the table, a part of me wanting to explain I didn’t want a drink until tonight and the other refusing to explain myself to her. Instead, Nani started the conversation.

“Mel, you look so charming today,” she complimented.

Melissa adjusted herself elegantly. “Why thank you. I am the first lady of a church now so I have to look the part wherever I go. By now, it’s become second nature.”

“And that husband of yours…what was his name?”

“Graham, pastor Ezra Graham.” At the mention of his name, Melissa flashed her extravagant diamond ring at us, acting as though she were just reaching for her glass. “Oh, he is so charming and sweet…”

Without realizing it, I zoned her out, scrolling through my phone and messaging Jazmine back about our plans for tonight. Which outfit should I wear? She sent a photo of a navy blue sweater with a mini skirt and a dark red cocktail dress. I chose the red cocktail, knowing she wanted to flaunt herself tonight instead of chasing 3 kids around for once. Good choice.

“And you’ll be there, right?” Melissa said, catching my attention. “Ezra insists on you coming to Louie’s annual memorial service this year. We’ve held one for three consecutive years.”

Louie’s memorial service. The last time I visited Louie’s grave was just before I moved in with Nani six years ago and I’d never been since, the thought of his little body six feet under still made my stomach churn. Before I knew it, I was glaring at her, a rush of old emotions and hatred seething from a forgotten place I hadn’t felt in so long.

As if by second nature, Nani placed a weak hand on my knee, patting away all the dread and anxiety, and pain at once. “We’ll all go, Mel. It’ll be good for all of us.”

*~*~*~*~*~*

“...it’ll be good for all of us,” I muttered under my breath, relishing this afternoon’s luncheon with Mommy dearest. If Nani hadn’t been there, I would have stormed out the moment she entered the restaurant. I hated this. I hated that I had to move back to Hawthorne Peaks and once again live with her and her new instant family. “For three years!” I shouted to Jazmine, the bass of the music vibrating throughout every corner of the room. “He’s been gone for six years and now she wants to play Mother Mary! Hell no!”

“Lilah, you sound drunk and you haven’t even had your first drink yet! Come on!”

The music swelled around us, Jazmine having to step closer as she grabbed my wrist, leading me to the bar. The anger from this afternoon seemed to bleed out through me the moment we entered the club, Jazmine telling me I needed to get it out of my system. I hated that my mother had returned, that she was throwing a memorial for the very son she took out of this world, and now she was known as the dotting wife and first lady of a church. I hated her!

“Two devils and angels, please!” she ordered. I gave her a curious look, wondering what she’d just ordered. “You are going to have a great birthday and it starts with these drinks…” She peered at the bartender getting the order, his back now turned to us as she boldly checked out his butt. “...and a very sexy bartender who’s been checking you out since we walked in.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing she was exaggerating. “No, he wasn’t.” I knew what she was doing. Trying to get my attention on something else other than my mother, Louie, her new family, and Nani’s inevitable demise. At the realization, I took a deep breath and gradually allowed her delusions to become my own. “Are you sure?”

That perked her up, watching the bartender swivel back to us, his forest green eyes meeting mine as he approached us with the drinks. “Angel daiquiri or the devil’s inferno?” the bartender asked. The entire club seemed to stand still for a moment as I gazed upon him, his words going through one ear and out the other, taking me by surprise for a moment. “One is spicy”—he pointed to the dark red shot—“and the other is sweet”—he pointed to the cloudy white shot.

Jazmine was already throwing back her drinks with a hiss. “Come on, try the devil’s inferno first, then savor the angel.” As a display, she threw back the angel drink and a sweet smile grew along her lips in enjoyment.

“This is my first drink, Jaz,” I reminded her, still debating between the two. One would be hot and strong, sending the blood in my veins into overdrive while the other would be cool and sweet and tender to my insides…at least, for a moment. “What do you recommend?” This time my words were directed at the bartender, whose boyish smile had my heart thumping since I’d entered the club.

Pursing his lips for a moment, he looked down at the drinks, letting my question sink in before looking back at me. “The devil has a kick to it that’s strong for even some old timers that come through,” he told me, his voice weaving into the music around us. He leaned closer, the scent of spearmint and aftershave enveloping all my senses. “But the angel takes the edge off after, making it more savory and sweet enough to tolerate. So, I’d say, accept the devil first; it makes the angel much more…impactful.” With a handsome smirk that echoed in my mind, he rapped his knuckles on the wooden counter before walking away to another customer.

Jazmine's eyes widened at the exchange, which had me fanning my raven hair over my shoulders to ignore the heat in my cheeks. “Look at someone catching themselves a little birthday flirt.”

I fanned away her accusation. “He’s just looking for a tip.”

For my birthday, Nani insisted that I enjoy every minute of it and take a day off from worrying and babying her. Yet, I didn’t want to return home drunk without a care in the world, or worse, feeling every fiber of my emotions and falling into a state of despair. This night was supposed to get my mind off my dread…

The handsome bartender returned, tucking a strand of loose dirty blond hair behind his ear. “Have you decided?” he asked, pointing to the filled glasses.

“Devil.” I pointed to the dark red shot. With a smile, the bartender handed it to me, the glass cool on my fingertips as Jazmine’s eyes stayed glued to my movements, excitement of the moment taking over. Slightly hesitant, I brought it to my lips before opening my mouth and tossing it in. It sizzled down my throat like a serpent, burning its way down my esophagus before rupturing in an open flame within my belly. I hissed at the feeling, placing the cup on the counter for the bartender in exhaustion.

“Whoo!” Jazmine cheered, grinning ear to ear in glee as pulsating music swam through the club. “Happy birthday, Lilah!” I smirked, still feeling as though my insides were about to combust from the heat. “You’re gonna have an amazing year, I know it!”

I scoffed at her words. Unless Nani was miraculously going to get better and I wouldn’t have to move back in with Melissa and transfer schools, this wasn’t going to be an amazing year in the slightest. Returning to my childhood home with so much trauma and pain, having to watch the only woman who loved me unconditionally lose her battle with cancer as she puts her affairs in order, and wish the family I’d come to know—Bobby, Jazmine, and their kids, Austin, Maggie, and Finley—goodbye as they would be returning to the other side of the country after Nani’s funeral. Yes, I could stay, and work my ass off as a receptionist to a dentist while finishing my degree in communications and literature while scraping by to make ends meet. However, as per Nani’s last request, she has asked that I reconcile with Melissa, in the hopes that she’s changed for the better over the years. “I doubt that.”

Without hesitancy, I drank the angel daiquiri, its sweet and cool undertones soothing the rush of heat still simmering from the devil’s inferno. The mild aftertaste of alcohol was insignificant to the strength of the first for a moment until the cooling effects seemed to erase the heat with a blanket of gentle ice on my stomach.

I looked at Jazmine who only grinned, knowing she was right about taking the devil first. “See? Listen to me. I know what I’m talking about!” She said the last part louder as the bass of the DJ’s song increased, more people getting up from their tables to dance.

I nodded in agreement. Grabbing my hand now that we had our drinks, she pulled me to the dancefloor, shaking her hips and tossing her curling red hair around to the music. Compared to her, I only wiggled like a worm to the music, not capable of fully surrendering myself as easily as her. Bodies upon bodies, hips, and waists enfolded into arms and between the legs of others within the crowd of dancers. It felt as though everyone would mold into one rhythmic ball on the dance floor.

Jazmine kept me close, dancing around me with a smile. I realized that she was making a circle around me, making sure no one tried to press up against me, which I silently thanked her for, the alcohol making me sway more. As my mind started to fog with incohesive thoughts, I slowly started to pour my body into the rhythm and rhyme of the beat, gyrating on the dancefloor to Jazmine’s amusement. “Yeah! That’s it! Shake that boo-tay!”

I laughed, now feeling around for the beats and steps as the heat of others started to envelop me along with their cheers and laughter. For the first time in a long time, I let myself get swept away in the movement. Hair tossing, waist swaying, and even across the room, I could feel his eyes on me. Just to make sure, I looked up, noticing the bartender's charming smile and glint in his eyes as he watched me dance. Shyly, I turned away, dancing with Jazmine to distract the heat soaring through my body. Was it the heat from the drink, his gaze, or both?

When I turned to check again at the bar, he was gone, a tattooed woman taking his place as she took a customer's order. The thumping of my heart halted for a moment before turning away. Honestly, I enjoy the attention for once; for a moment, I liked being flirted with by him and not thinking about the inevitable to come.

The passion in my movement dragged to the point where Jazminena noticed, slowing down her hip thrusts. “You good?” she asked. I knew she didn’t want the night to end. This was also her chance to not have to handle her kids and husband and mother-in-law and work and every other facet of her life. But I knew she’d walk out of here with me if I asked.

I leaned in closer to speak over the music. “Yeah, just not used to…you know, the alcohol.”

“Of course!” She stomped her foot in rhythm to the familiar song, still dancing. “If you want…”

I shook my head, knowing what she was going to ask. “No, I’m good.” I needed this night to go on forever. If it didn’t, I wouldn’t have to leave for Hawthorne, Nani would still be in our lives, and I wouldn't have as many worries on my mind with Jazmine by my side and good drinks in my system.

“May I cut in?” a voice asked behind me.

By the way Jazmine's smile grew as she stepped aside, I knew it was the bartender with the forest-green eyes before I even turned around. Looking up, I watch a boyish smile glimmer beneath the dim, flashing lights of the club, him offering a hand to me as Jazmine tapped my shoulder. “Gonna get another…” I nodded absentmindedly, half acknowledging her exit, and half in amazement that he didn’t leave (or looking for a tip).

Hesitantly, I place a hand in his palm, calloused but soft. “Sure.”

Before I knew it, he was dancing in time to my body, inching closer with every beat switch that seemed to diminish all reason in me. To tell the truth, he intrigued me from the first glimpse, as though I’d seen him before but couldn’t quite place where and when. His dirty blond hair was clipped behind his head in a messy bun, clean-shaven, with a healed scar just below his cheek, and only a foot above me. Where have I seen him before?

Despite moving our bodies, our eyes were locked on one another, and I wondered if he recognized me or if I just caught his eye at the right time. For a moment, he made me forget about all that ever was and ever will be, even if it was for just one moment in time. Either way, I had no plans on chickening out, embracing the night, embracing him as I stepped closer, his eyebrow arching seductively.

“I’m Lilah!” I told him over the music.

Suddenly, I felt his hand touch my waist, his body pressing closer to me as the breath in my lungs hitched at his touch. He looked down at me, his soft lips moving deliciously as he spoke his name. “Asher.”