"Oh my word, Leona is that you... lost all the baby fat huh?" Addie came to give me a hug, I felt so awkward. She just loved teasing me but I had grown accustomed to it. In a way she was the older sister I never had. Her hair was back to blonde and she wore a nice... appropriate dress.
It was all a shocker.
She looked like a totally different person.
"Hi, Mrs Kurt Cobain." I teased her back.
"Oh please, don't make Jeremy here jealous." She said giving her fiancé a quick smile. It was cute. The man who stood beside her, had brown hair and a bit of beard. I never understood this trend of thinking men with beard were sexy. I just didn't find it appealing..
"I would literally walk you down the isle and give you to Kurt Cobain, freaking legend." He said in a deep Texas accent. I now understood why they understood each other. Addie had a huge obsession with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain even though he had passed away way back. She just loved him so much. On her eighteenth birthday Laura and I had to search far and beyond to get a copy of Kurt Cobain's published journal just so we could make her happy and truly she was. She always said no one would understand her except Kurt Cobain and he was dead and that meant she was all on her own. Most of the things she said never made sense.
Addie had invited us over to a cafe near by. Just to get the guys acquainted to each other. Eric had said there was something he needed to take care of but he would join me in a bit. I kind of trusted him, I guess.
"Where's your boyfriend?" She chuckled. "I honestly thought when Laura had said boyfriend she meant Robbie and I never like Robbie." She was one person who never had filter as well.
"Uhm he will be here in a bit. Yeah you were right, Robbie turned out to be an asshole." I groaned.
"I can still help you plan his murder and get away with it." She said playfully, it was weird seeing her without eye liner all over and black lipstick. She was actually a beautiful woman..
Not that she wasn't because she used to be scary.
"I have no idea what you're talking about but at my father's ranch we have a mince grinder so we're good." Jeremy added and I burst out laughing was this the most hilarious couple or what argh.
"You're very sweet, cowboy." Addie gave him a kiss and I looked away still feeling awkward.
"Do you need a room?" I groaned, they just chuckled pulling away.
"Hey, sorry we're late." Laura walked in with her boyfriend Sam. I hugged both of them before seating back on my seat. Sam had a blonde quiff and these deep dimples that were absolutely to die for.
"Leona good to see you back." Sam said in a deep voice. Ofcourse I hadn't seen him since I had left for New York. "This girl kept bothering me.." he said poking Laura who just let out a laugh. Both couples just seemed so happy and now that I felt like a third wheel, I couldn't help but wonder where he was?
He was just unpredictable, ever since that phone call he had been very jumpy. I wish he would open up to me so I could help him in whatever way I can.
We ordered and continued talking about the wedding. They ofcourse kept asking where was Eric and I was starting to get annoyed with everything and everyone.
Jeremy and Addie were talking about how they didn't wants cars for their wedding but horses because he was a proud cow boy. Sam argued that he couldn't ride a horse that's when the idea that all the groomsmen has to take a day out to go horse riding and the girls could be girls. I didn't know if Eric would be interested, i was paying him so he had to.
That was until a notification got in, it was from my bank.
ATM CASH withdrawal of $3500.00 from acc **7191. At 13:16 Ref: Cnr Albert str Eastwood valley LA, California USA
I had not withdrawn anything but-
Eric.
"Leona are you alright?" Addie asked clearly concerned I didn't realize that my face had soured up.
"Is it Eric?" Laura asked.
"No, it's my mom she was just asking where I was so I just had to remind her that I wasn't a child anymore." I faked a laugh but I knew Laura didn't buy it but everyone did. Why would he withdraw such an amount, I had to pay his agency $350 - $500 and it was no where near what he had just withdrawn. With my trust fund money it was clearly nothing but still it was a lot of money. He had no hotel to pay for or a car to rent.
That was when the cafe door dinged open. Eric walked in wearing a black leather jacket, his eyes were bloodshot red, his hair messy but he still managed to make it work.
"Babe.. I'm so sorry I'm late, Hi everyone.." He said giving me a kiss on the cheek. I didn't know if he still did these things to fake it or he really meant all these gestures. He reaked of alcohol and cigarettes even though when not close his cologne did the job for him.
"No problem, you didn't miss much." Jeremy said.
"Except we have to go learn how to horse ride with cowboy here.." Sam added making everyone laugh.
"I have no problem with horse riding, that was my kind of my thing back in the UK." Eric just got right into the conversation just like that. He was a man of many talents I guess or just a compulsive liar. The guys got acquainted then we made more plans till we had to leave, I couldn't wait to leave because I had so many questions. We said our goodbyes until we got to the parking-
"Eric, don't you think you have some explaining to do?" I showed him the message on my phone.
"Nope, I don't have time for this." He rolled his eyes putting his hands in his leather jacket pockets. It made me absolutely mad! He got in the drivers seat and I got in the passenger, I had used an Uber to get here anyways.
"Why are you being like this? I'm just asking you why and what you used that money for?" I said softly but I just got a whiplash.
"You are not my girlfriend so I don't need to explain anything to you. Do you ever even give me a break? Huh? I spend 24/7 with your goody goody family. Now I have to spend 24/7 being part of a stupid wedding on top of that I have to make sure you're satisfied by f*****g you."
I was taken aback.
"I will pay you back your stupid money." He added banging his head on the staring wheel. I didn't want to reply. It was clear that he wasn't attracted to me at all, he was well just doing his job and like a fool, I thought we could be something. He made it sound like he was obligated to f**k me.
"You don't have to be here for the rest of the remaining months." I said looking out the window. "You don't have to be part of the wedding if you don't want to and you really don't have to sleep with me if you don't want to." I said looking away from him in a calm soft voice.
"My contract doesn't allow that so I'm here till then." He said pulling out of the parking lot, his voice was gruff.
I didn't know how to feel but I didn't want to be here with him. It seemed even now I cared about his well being.
"Great." I said turning up the radio.
He wanted to say something but then closed his mouth. It was better that way, I was a very quiet person. Whenever I got angry, I preferred not to say anything that I might regret later. Something I learnt from my father.
Regrets.
I already regretted this tattoo.