CHAPTER 3
1422 Words
(SOLANA’S POV)
I gasped and tears dropped my from eyes. But then I heard the sound of a toilet flushing in my apartment. I stopped and wiped my tears with the back of my hand soon realizing that I had failed to check the guest bathroom. I hurried still holding the sheets that were wrapped around my body with the letter in my other hand.
I came to a stop with disappointment as I sighted Phil coming out of the bathroom. He gasped dramatically when he saw me and then he sighed in relief.
“Oh! Well thank Goodness you’re awake.” He said to me taking his position on the couch with his legs crossed.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him.
Phil twisted around turning to see me. He was giving me a ‘what the f**k’ look.
“It’s me Phil, your assistant. I come every morning that we don’t meet at work except Sundays. It’s Saturday today.” He said
I sighed heavily. He probably thought I was still drunk from the night before. I went back to my room without a word going to put on a T-shirt and some shorts before going back to the kitchen for some coffee, Phil followed me then.
Phil is not just my assistant, he is my friend. The only friend that I have in New York City. He has grown with me thoroughout my work and he is a fashion icon so it helps having someone with such great fashion sense. Remember, I am not a pro in that aspect.
“You are pretty down for someone who spent the night with such a gorgeous man.” He said swiping on his IPad.
I froze with my mug to my lips. What did he just say?
“You are meeting with Charlotte for lunch by 1 to discuss some slight changes in Character references and not to forget that you were tipsy yesterday so you have to be apologetic, but before that you are…”
Everything was going too fast in my head and to be honest I was stuck on only the first sentence he had made since we entered the kitchen.
“What did you say?” I asked him once I was able to find my voice again.
Phil looked at me confused again.
“Girl you are slow this morning. I said that You are meeting with Charlotte for lunch by -“
I cut him short.
“No before that.” I said
He paused and was thinking.
“About my night.” I said to jog his memory
“Oh.” He said and then he giggled nervously. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to sound rude….”
“No. I want to hear what you said. So please say it again “ I said
“Okayyy, I said since you spent the night with a gorgeous man….”
I did not let him finish. “What gorgeous man?” I asked him.
Again Phil gave me a ‘what the f**k’ look.
“The man who left here in such a hurry this morning. Just some time before you woke up .” He said.
I dropped my mug of untouched coffee on the kitchen table.
“You saw him?” I asked in a whisper as the realization that Pete was here last night dawned on me again.
“Why yes I did.” Phil said dropping his iPad on the table and folding his arms. Phil loved to gossip.
“Even though he saw me first you know. He came in to the kitchen looking like a hunk and seeing me drinking coffee, he just walked back out. And then that next time he came out of the room, he was hurrying to leave.” Phil said
“Oh No! Could he have thought you were my boyfriend?” I said
“I would be his boyfriend.” Phil said with raised eyebrows.
I rolled my eyes. “Not now, Phil.” I said
Phil is gay and he totally adores attractive men.
“Why are you in such a tight fix about the guy?” He asked me and then he gasped in his usual dramatic way. “Are you interested in him? Is he the reason for the drinking last night? Oh My Gosh Finally, I mean I was almost thinking that you are sworn to celibacy or something.”
“Stop it.” I said curtly and he did.
“Sorry ma’am.” He said
I sighed and sat down on the stool with my face buried in my hands as I groaned. Phil sat down on a stool beside me too and then he said.
“Are you okay Sweetheart?” He asked me
“No I’m not.” I said. “That guy you saw That was Pete.” I told him
I looked at him and saw his eyes widen in surprise. This had to be the first time in the longest time that Phil had heard me outrightly mention that name. When I moved here and Phil became my friend, he knew all about my past. Not too much but he knew enough to know how significant Pete is to me.
“What?” He said
I nodded. “Yeah I left a voice Mail last night and he took a flight immediately. To come see me. And this morning maybe we would have been…..it’s too late anyway. I messed up again. Nothing new” I said.
Then I got up. “I have to go get ready for the day.” I said
Phil held on to my arm as if to stop me from leaving.
“You will mess up if you don’t do something about it now,” he said to me nodding.
“What can I do? He has gone. He left me this note saying that…”
“Oh! Lana forget all about the note.” He said to me. “Do you still love him?”
The question stayed in the air for some seconds. It did not matter what I said or what I felt or what I thought or what I wanted to say. The answer will always be simple. It will always be the same.
“Yes I do.” I sahd
“Then what are you doing giving up like that?” He said to me “talk to him and make things clear” he encouraged.
And that encouragement seemed to change things differently for me. Could I do something about it? Even after all these years?”
“I’m scared.” I admitted. “It’s been long Phil , and I kind of messed up”
“Lana, you have nothing to lose. But if you give up now then you have so much to lose. This is your chance to get him back.” He said to me
I thought briefly and then I nodded.
“You’re right. I have nothing to lose by trying.” I said and then I added. “I am going to call him.”
“Fabulous!” Phil agreed clapping his hands together happily.
I hurried to my cellphone but then I stoped.
“What?” Phil asked
A smile spread slowly on my face. “Or i could just go to him instead.” I said
Phil looked shocked. “You mean go to L.A?” He said
I nodded. “Why not? He came here, didn’t he? I can do the same.”
“You haven’t been home in years.” Phil reminded me
I swallowed. “Well I can’t run forever.” I said
“You have a job. Matter of fact you have lunch with Charlotte in a few hours.” He said looking panicked.
“Oh! Don’t mind that. I have been working for years without a break.” I said
“But that is only because you did not want to take a break. You never even took a holiday. You didn’t want to go home.” He said
“Good. So I can take one now and you will tell Charlotte that.” I said setting my chin
Phil stammered and then he sighed wearily. “I know that face. You have made up your mind haven’t you?” He said
“Yes I have Phil .” I said with a smile and a fast racing but excited heart “I’m going home.”
- Writer
