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2012 Words
"How do you feel?" Dale's voice was the first thing I heard as I squinted my eyes to help them accommodate the foreign light that was seemingly unwelcoming. I definitely wasn't a morning person. Never been, never would be.
I groaned and sat up. Thoughts flooded my memory with mental images. Today would be over tasked in so many ways for me. First I had to go get myself a new phone and, I had to go check things right with the store. And then, I had to make sure that I got in contact with Job to make things right between us.
I got up to my feet and rolled my hair up in a messy bun. "Thank you for caring, I'm fine". I answered his awakening question. I headed straight to the bathroom so that I could begin with the day's activities.
Dale excused himself without any word and I stopped him in his tracks. " Where's Jones?"
"He's probably still in bed, why?" He seemed confused by my question.
I waved his question off by pulling my nightwears over my head. I really needed to speak to my brother. I hadn't exactly spoken with him properly after the text I got from him as regards Dale's asthma.
I rinsed the shampoo away from my hair while deep in thought about how I was going to speak with Job. I hated not being on good terms with him. Nothing really hurt me than that. I still had to go select the perfect wedding veil.
My day seemed to be entirely f****d up, and it hadn't even started yet. I stepped out of the bathroom to grab my towel from my closet. The perks of living alone. I grabbed also, two bras, a sweater, sweatpants, and a converse. Just for fun, today, I was adding a beanie.
All dressed and ready to leave, I decided to stop by Jones' room knowing that by now he would already be awake, I knocked softly on his door and pushed it open with a gentle twist of the door knob.
He was lying on his back and had his phone in his hands, his eyes glued to the screen.
My shirtless brother sat up to meet the eyes of the sudden intruder, me.
Just like the rest of my siblings, Jones was tall. Although, he was the tallest of all four of us. I was the only one unlucky to be a bit on the average side.
" Lana?" He scooted a bit to the left so there'd be space for me to sit on the bed. "What brings you here early this morning?"
"Actually," I sat on the free space he made for me, nodding a little to show my gratitude for the simple kind notion. "I wanted to talk to you."
"Talk to me?" His eyebrows were furrowed. " Why? Is anything the problem? He stood to sip a bit from the glass cup filled with water from a jug he always kept from a jug he always kept on the desk beside him.
"Tell me. I need to know", you've been acting strange ever since you texted me about Dale's asthma, why? Is anything wrong? Did you maybe have something to do with stimulating his asthma?"
With my last question, the glass cup in his hand fell to the floor and his eyes went incredibly wide. I shrieked a bit in fear because I had not expected such a move at all.
"Jones? Are you okay?" I called with a gulp.
"I-I am." He stuttered. His eyes and mine moved to the floor to scrutinize the broken glass pieces scattered around.
"Why did you drop that ? Jones, tell me if anything is wrong! " I was growing worried. Neither Dale nor Jones would answer any questions I asked if I ever related it to Dale's previous incident.
"It was unconsciously. Do you want something?" He redirected the conversation.
"No, I already said that. I was only here to talk, no external reasons attached whatsoever", I squinted my eyes, feeling a bit too confused.
"I'm smart enough to know that nothing is actually as okay as seems." I stood to my feet to properly scrutinize his facial expressions. "Jones what are you hiding from me?"
"Nothing okay?" He seemed as careful as not to raise his voice at me. He walked around for a bit and then his eyes settled on the broomstick in the corner of the room.
He walked there to retrieve it and began to clear things right.
"I'll take your word for it, again." I said, folded my arms across my chest and headed out of the room. I needed to plan my big day ahead anyways.
I took a bus to the store and all of my staff welcomed me with a gentle bow. I acknowledged them with a slight wave and exited their presence to meet my secretary, just in case there would be any new development.
"Morning miss William," She called, standing up from her desk. Without pause, she said, "Sir Cassidy called the store this morning. It seemed he wanted to talk to you."
"He called?" My eyes shot wide at her statement. Why on earth would Job call for my presence? I wished I hadn't missed it.
"What then did you tell him?" I was fast to ask.
"That you hadn't arrived yet?" She said truthfully.
Screw this. I had to get a new phone as fast as I could. " Alright, I will see you later. Make sure to take things right in my absence okay?" I said as if she didn't already.
I took my exit and made my way out of there.
*
Job's number which I already stored by heart was the first thing I dialed. Ignoring the fact that I had to charge the new phone before using it.
"Job Cassidy on the phone?" He called into the phone like it was some official business call.
"Job, it's me Lana." I introduced sharply. "I heard you called the store this morning, what's wrong?" I went straight to the point, like in a formal letter.
"Actually, I just wanted to talk to you. Listen, about yesterday, I'm so..." He began but I halted him.
"I'm coming over Job, let's not discuss this on the phone okay?"
He sighed and added a few seconds later, "sure I'm home."
The drive to his place lasted fifteen full minutes and a few seconds and to say that I was exhausted was an understatement. And yet, the day had barely begun.
I knocked on his door and it only took a knock before his door was swung open.
I pushed my way in and shut the door behind me. "Job, I know I screwed up yesterday and I'm really sorry." I pouted. I couldn't explain how happy I was to see his handsome face once again. Oh God, how I hated being separated.
"No Lana, I should have controlled myself. I was so angry and I wasn't thoughtful. No matter what, I shouldn't have pushed you out in the rain." He scratched the back of his neck as he spoke.
"You deserved to be angry, and I'm sorry too." I sighed, hating the fact that I was making him feel bad at all.
"Can we put this behind us already?" He teased and pulled me closer till my head rested on his chest. He fiddled with my brown hair and answered me sharply.
"Yes, let's." I chipped. "I still have to get my wedding veil though, should we make this a couple thing?"
"Yes please." He pulled away," I'll go get my car keys."
I nodded while he strolled to get a change of clothes and his car keys.
*
"You're here again?" The woman who owned the wedding shop frowned when she saw me. It seemed she had done this with an absent mind seeing as she cleared her throat and corrected, "I mean, you're here again." She forced a smile that read sarcasm.
"Yes I am and I have made my decision." I went straight to the point to avoid unnecessary drama. "I'd like that lace one we tried the other time, I think it really matched the lace tip of my wedding gown."
"Though your friend thought it looked like something from the year 'Romeo and Juliet'." She mocked as she led us to the requested veil.
"I am not my friend miss." I didn't remember her name still.
"Mrs," She corrected, "and I can see that."
"Would you just stop being rude and lead us to the veil in concern." Job spoke for the first time since we got here. It didn't take long for things like this to irritate him anyways.
"Yes sir." The woman's face dropped in remorse.
We waited by the mirror while she proceeded to check for the veil through the rack.
"You know, I can't wait for our honeymoon." I sighed in lust as I watched my image in the mirror.
"Yeah me too." Job said. He wrapped his arms around me from behind and leaned in to watch both our images rock from side to side, in gentle, slow motion.
"The sound of the beach," I said.
"The waves," He added.
-"The birds."
-"The sex."
With that, I squinted my eyes but then replaced it with a smile instead. "Yeah that too."
"I got the veil" The woman announced, causing us to unknowingly jerk away from each other in shock.
I smiled as I accepted it from her. I let Job have the honours of putting it on for me. "You look incredibly beautiful as a bride Lany."
"Lany?" I chuckled, that's a first from you."
"Well expect it more." He teased and slightly brushed his lips against my ear. The action sent shivers down my spine, I closed my eyes against my volition and a soft moan escaped my lips.
Grateful to his ringing phone that cut us apart one more time, I quickly adjusted my self free from the temptations he was willing to offer.
"Hello?" He frowned as he answered the phone. The poor citizen. "What?! Like right now?. . Fine, I'll be there." He added the latter with a sigh.
"What's wrong? I queried with concern as he hung up, still staring at the screen with full concentration.
"I'm needed at work. Some stuffs were reported stolen and my presence is required." He replied and then he kissed my forehead. "Baby I'm sorry but you can make it out on your own, right?"
Surely I was emotionally shattered. I had planned for us to spend the rest of our day making up for the lost day but it seemed to be clear that an ill-luck thief wasn't interested in us having our way.
"It's fine," I forced a smile that I really hoped looked as real as I intended it to be.
He leaned to give me a forehead kiss and then hurried out of the wedding shop.
*
I was only a few steps to the bus stop when a voice I wasn't excited to hear yelled an "hey!" Behind me.
I closed my eyes tight but kept on moving all the same. I didn't need to turn back for confirmation that it was Spikes. His called for me grew louder and I realized that he was indeed running to catch up with me.
Realization of that fact caused me to increase my walking steps.
"Lana wait!" He said, holding my shoulder from behind. He'd caught up with me.
I gasped and just as I was about to turn around and land a hard slap across his cheek, I instead lost my balance, leaning forward and almost falling. He caught me before I reached my fall though, by gripping my waist tight.
He helped me maintain balance on my feet but still did not let go of my waist. Staring directly into my eyes, he added with a low voice, "I would love to talk to you."
- Writer
