C4 4

Rosa

“I had just finished work at SAR and was heading toward the door when Mr. Cross walked in. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at him,” I explain.

“He seems like the type to command that kind of attention,” says Marie.

“Yeah, he definitely has that big D energy,” Lola says, giggling.

“OMG!” I glance around to see if anyone heard that.

“I mean, he has huge hands and big shoes. It probably means only one thing, right?” I say, looking between the two of them.

“It’s not like you’ll ever find out; you can only imagine it,” Marie, the most reasonable one among us, says.

“We locked eyes earlier this morning before he got in the elevator.”

“What?!”

“Yeah, it was like he was looking into my soul, even if it was just for a few seconds,” I say dreamily. Marie sighs with me.

Lola laughs, looking between us. “Alright, moving on to better things. How’s your sister doing?” Lola asks.

This reminds me of the call I had with her earlier this morning when she told me how much better she feels with the new prescription.

“She’s doing well and seems to be responding positively to the treatment,” I say.

“Oh, that’s good to hear. After everything she’s been through, it’s about time something went right,” replies Lola.

“But keeping up with the treatment costs isn’t easy, especially with Cole needing his shots and other expenses.”

“You can always pick up extra shifts at the lounge and have someone watch Cole until midnight,” Lola suggests.

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah, you can count on us to support you,” Marie says, smiling.

“Alright,” I say, tears gathering in my eyes. “I’ll contact Mike about extra shifts. Thank you both for always having my back.”

“You know we’ve got you,” says Lola.

“Exactly,” Marie adds with a reassuring smile.

We order some snacks to dilute the alcohol in our drinks, discuss other topics, and all pitch in to pay the check. We gather our things and leave because I need to pick up Cole from school and they both have day jobs to keep them busy. Marie works as a clerk at a small bookstore, while Lola is a barista at a coffee shop.

As we head toward the exit, the door swings open and my eyes meet a pair of sea-blue eyes belonging to none other than Mr. Cross. He isn’t alone; his buddies Mr. Yong and Mr. González, whom Lola calls “The Casanova,” step in after him. We exchange looks like “Are you seeing this?”

Everyone else seems to notice their entrance too as the chatter in the restaurant dies down. The men, oblivious to the attention, head to the bar.

“Yup, they all have that big energy,” Lola whispers.

They seem to be celebrating, which likely means they secured that contract. Good for them. The room’s noise level rises again, and we continue our way out. Our group passes theirs, and I briefly glance at Mr. Cross. Surprisingly, he looks at me too. Seeing him twice in one day is a lot to take in. We exchange another glance and continue on our way.

Outside, we hail separate taxis and I hug the girls.

“Alright, see you at work.”

I get into my taxi and tell the driver to head to Livingston High, where Cole goes to school. Closing my eyes, I think back to the moment I saw Mr. Cross. I imagine a different scenario where we kiss upon seeing each other because duh, we’re in a relationship. He introduces me to his friends, with Cole, Pamela (who’s well), and my girls also being there celebrating and having a good time.

My phone rings, interrupting my thoughts. The caller ID shows Dr. Rebecca Thompson, my sister’s doctor.

“Hey Doc. I spoke to Pam earlier this morning, and she sounded alright,” I say after picking up the call.

“Yes, that’s what I’m calling about. We talked about trying a new drug and making payments later. These new medicines cost more than the previous ones, so there are additional expenses.”

I look out the taxi window, thinking the universe can’t let me catch a break when the day seems to be going well.

“Alright, do I have some time to make the payments?”

“Of course, dear. I can arrange an extension of at least two weeks to give you some time to get the money.”

“Thanks a lot, Doc.”

“Alright, talk later.”

She ends the call, and I immediately text my boss Mike asking if I can pick up extra shifts. He replies, saying there are always more shifts close to midnight. It looks like I’ll need many extra shifts to meet the extension deadline.

I spend the rest of the ride thinking about how to get more money as soon as possible.

SAM

The guys and I celebrate until late in the evening. Rafael manages to keep the booze at bay, which makes me proud of him. While we laugh and remember, I sense a feeling of companionship that has been lacking recently. Once I say farewell to them, I choose to buy Stella some flowers and chocolates. I plan to give her the gifts and then propose a talk so we can resolve our issues.

I visit a flower shop near my building and purchase a bunch of peach-colored roses, their soft petals reminding me of better times. I also get some chocolate sweets from her favorite bakery and a strawberry-flavored cake and ice cream for us to enjoy while we talk. I’ll probably need an extra gym session tomorrow.

Arriving at our building, I park my black Mustang in the garage. It’s not too crowded, so I guess most residents are out partying. I take the elevator to the penthouse floor, thinking about the things we need to discuss and organizing my thoughts. Stepping into the foyer, I head to the sitting room.

Stella told me she’d be busy today, but I hope she’s back now so I can surprise her. I’m about to call her name when I trip over something. When I glance downward, I notice a set of men's leather shoes, close to each other. The room is chaotic; cushions are out of place, a sock hangs on the couch arm, and empty champagne bottles cover the table. Stella's black strapless dress sits wrinkled on the ground. As I lean down to retrieve it, a sense of dread washes over me, followed by sounds emanating from the bedroom.

I walk towards the corridor that leads to the rooms, feeling my heart beating rapidly. Turning left toward the master bedroom, I see the door slightly open. Peeking through the gap, I’m hit with a scene I never expected.