The sky was a vast blank canvas, just like every other night. The vacant space would make you want to pour yourself out on it- but people usually got so lost in finding themselves that the part of pouring everything out never came.
Liliana wasn't looking to pour herself out, she was getting lost in Edison's memories. He was what completed her existence even without being with her. He was the source of her inspiration, her passion and her reason to live. Without the desire to be with him again, what else did she have?
Liliana got up from her chair and walked into the living room. She called Tara while crossing the living room to the fully equipped, white-steel themed kitchen.
She answered on the third ring, "Hey ya," she sounded low.
Liliana stopped with her hand on the fridge handle, "What happened to you?"
"Ah, nothing." she seemed totally not herself.
"What, the board meeting didn't go well?" Liliana opened the fridge door and peered inside. It had nothing but water, a bottle of juice and a TV remote.
She picked up the remote and thought, 'Did I put you here, dear?You probably needed some cooling.' she roamed her eyes around the insides of her refrigerator, 'Damn! It's grocery time.'
"Well...the meeting was cancelled. Boss had some personal matters to attend to so he couldn't come. Don't worry, I'll go talk to him tomorrow." this had been gnawing at her mind that she had to face him again.
"Oh, okay. Take your time and don't stress yourself out too much." Liliana said though she was disappointed that something that could be done in a day was taking so long. She didn't want to push Tara because she had noticed Ryland Donovan to be a touchy topic for her.
"Bye, Lilia."
"Bye."
Liliana hung up the phone and muttered under her breath, "Time to do some shopping."
The night air welcomed her like a gentle, cold whisper. She wrapped her arms around herself and walked down the almost-empty street of her condo complex.
It was a beautiful area, secluded even in this big, bustling city. She loved the park near the junction, the pine trees reminded her of the park where she used to play with Edison. The smell of pine in the air made her memories more vivid.
Lost in thought, she wasn't aware when her steps took her to that park. She chuckled wistfully, eyes up at the sky. 'It's such a wonderful day,' she thought to herself.
She took leisure steps on the pebbled path circling the flowerbeds in the middle of the park which was followed by a layer of trees, mostly pine.
There were some people walking and sitting on the wooden benches but she couldn't be recognised for she was wearing her hoodie over hat low and a mask covered half her face. She could do all she wanted without anyone disrupting her alone time.
"Thank you Mr. George for make time out of your busy schedule and give our project a chance." the man in a formal suit shook hands with Edison, his face plastered the polite smile that was a mastered skill of every businessman.
"Please Mr. Groove, I will do business where I see profit, that's what I do. Shall we begin?" They sat down together to start their discussion, the two associates were hoping for a great lot out of this meeting but they didn't notice the sour mood Edison was in and that every tiny mistake they made would reduce the chances of their collaboration drastically.
Edison was weary and tired. He took a last minute flight to New York yesterday night and had to come back today in a hurry, with no rest in between. From the airport, he came directly to the meeting spot. Now, all he could think about was shutting his brain down and not thinking at all.
The meeting continued and Edison listened through it without bashing their heads against the glass table. 'That would be bloody,' he thought in amusement. A mild throbbing was ceaselessly growing in his head. How could they bring something this erroneous before him, or did they think duping him was as easy as dealing with a kid.
They were going on and on about their assumptions, there was not even a fragment of facts and statistics. It was getting too much for him to handle with a headache ready to split his head.
"Okay, enough! Mr. Groove, I would recommend you put your facts right before bringing something forward as proposal," Edison got up from the chair and buttoned his suit, " I have already wasted too much of time on you, I can't waste any more." Edison left the restaurant with words that sealed the fate of the two executives of having no deal at all.
Edison had seen a park here while in the restaurant. It looked small but well kept. He walked in the park, hoping the peace and calm to help with his headache. The pine trees made him stand still- they looked so familiar, smelled so welcoming.
He took his phone out to call Jeremy to pick him up.
On his way to the exit, he bumped into a small figure wrapped in a oversized hoodie and a face mask. It made him almost drop his phone.
He was expecting the girl to admit her fault but she stood still, silent with her face lowered. "I'm sorry. That wasn't intentional," he said prompting her to say sorry as well, which she didn't.
'Wow! One truly can't know of the rudeness behind a mask,' he thought with forbearance.
Liliana said nothing when she bumped into a guy near the park entrance for she was afraid she might be recognised. She was leaving for a bit of grocery shopping when this guy came from behind and bam! She could bet that his apology was supercilious. He didn't mean a damn word he said. His silence made her guess that he wanted her to apologise as well. 'Not even in your sweetest dream,' she thought, 'You are too rude to be apologised to.' And so she gave him a small nod and left the rude stranger behind.
"Oh great! You turned out worse then I thought at first," Edison mumbled with his hands raised in a helpless gesture. His phone rang showing an incoming call from Jeremy, "Yeah, you're here? Okay stay there, I am coming," he left the park with that, shrugging off the encounter he just had.