Birthday Blues:
Happy Birthday! said Sonya in her always high-pitched voice, while giving Melissa a small, wrapped gift box, bringing her back to reality. The shining metallic rose paper had roses accents all around it, competed with a small rose gold bow.
"Oh, thank you" said Melissa surprised "but my birthday isn't today".
"I know but it will be a hassle giving you a present on your birthday. You know who will be there and he doesn't like cheap presents" Sonya said while looking down and stroking the cup of coffee around the edge.
"I don't care if he thinks that your presents are cheap" said Melissa "if they come directly from the heart that is what makes them invaluable". Sonya smiled and raised her face while looking at Melissa open her present.
"Oh, it's beautiful" said Melissa taking out the silver chain link finishing on a pendant shaped like a tear drop with a shiny silver stone also shaped like a drop. "You didn't have to get me anything". Melissa said while fidgeting with her present.
"Don't be silly. I wanted to get it for you" Sonya cut her off, her voice triumphant. "It reminded me of your eyes, so I got it for you".
"You didn't spend much on it right?" Asked Melissa with a wary look. Sonya didn't have the luxuries that Melissa had, her mom was a teacher, and her dad was a salesman. They lived in the outer part of the city near her mom's school. The friends met each other at the University and after graduation, Sonya was also a teacher and Melissa graduated with a master's in business and Economics, which she hated with all the fibers on her being.
"I went with Richard to the town's fair and saw it," said Sonya. "Richard bought it thinking it was for me." She finished looking away mischievously.
"And does he know it wasn't?" asked Melissa, with a puzzle look on her eyes. She knew how 'particular' Richard was with his money. It was a surprised that he had bought this trinket. Even if he was believing it was for Sonya.
"No. He doesn't have to know everything" said Sonya with trickery eyes. "So what time are you going to see him?" she finished changing the conversation.
"Well, his plane was supposed to be here at noon. Flavio will come for me..."
"Oh, there he is!" said Sonya cutting her friend off and pointing at the black car now parked outside the café. Melissa turned her head to look at the direction that Sonya was looking at.
"Argghhh," Melissa complained stroking her forehead in defeat, as she stood abruptly from her chair.
"I know" said Sonya giving Melissa a goodbye hug. "Just breathe" she told her friend.
As Melissa started walking outside the café, she glanced towards one side of the café, to find a stunning tall man looking directly at her. He was leaning against the café's wall. She kept walking but his honey hazel eyes were intently looking at her, making her feel uncomfortable. His jet-black hair and his strong jaw framed his facial features just too perfect, was she hallucinating? His gaze was just so intense, it was pulling her towards him, like the world strongest magnet.
She felt like she couldn't escape from his gaze as she tried to turn away from the forcefield surrounding them. The café door seemed too far away, as she was getting closer and closer to him. Like invisible reins on a horse were guiding her directly towards the mysterious man.
"Miss. Melissa" Flavio called, making her gaze with the mysterious man break. She turned her head to find Flavio waiting outside the door of the café, showing her out like she didn't know where to go.
"Yes, Flavio I'm coming". Replied Melissa with a sunken voice while walking through the door, but at the same time, turning back her head to see the intriguing man one more time, but he was nowhere to be found.
Approaching the car while typing on her cellphone "call me later" she texted Sonya.
"Ok" Sonya answered. Breaking her eyes from her cellphone she look up to where Flavio was waiting.
"A limo? Really?" she said out loud while shaking her head in disapproval and entering the car while Flavio closed the door behind her.
"Hello granddaughter," a somber voice greeted her.
"You are here early," she answered coldly while sitting right across from him. While the car was pulling away from the cafe. "Didn't we agreed to meet at the office at 1:00pm?" continued Melissa.
"Nonsense" the old man replied, "I got an early flight because I couldn't wait to see my granddaughter". He responded with sharp and mocking tone, "as you know your birthday is coming up soon and we need to make the preparations for your party".
"You mean, you need to make the preparations for your business party." Melissa snapped at him. Her grandfather always used her birthday as an excuse, to gain more and more investors for the family business. Rembrandt will present his granddaughter to all his friends as his orphan family member whose parents died much too soon. Most of them at the end will pity her and then the marriages offer will fly towards the old man, giving him the opportunity to exchange a marriage promise for stocks in the company. He used her all the time, and every year getting more and more tired of his games.
Rembrandt acted like he didn't hear her and continued "Remember that this old man has been always there for you, that's why I came personally to meet you. You also have to start going to the company more often from now on… the company can't run for itself you now."
"Ugh. Could you stop it already?" Melissa interrupted him, "you've been taking care of 'the company' since I remember. I already told you I don't want anything to do with it" said Melissa snapping again, fighting back her tears as fury started building up inside her.
"Well dear…" the mocking continued "…now you will be old enough to sign the papers and give me full control of everything, that is the only thing I can do to fulfill your parents last wishes". His eyes darkened with an evil aura.
"I thought my parents last wish was to protect me," said Melissa, her vision blurry by the coat of liquid building up in them. "But you are so self-centered that the only thing that matters to you is money and power". "Stop the car Flavio!" Melissa said in a loud voice while her defiant eyes were looking at the old man. "I'll take the train back to the house".
Flavio stopped the car, but before Melissa could move, the man grabbed her by the arm. "Remember Granddaughter, right now you are under a conservatorship, meaning that you belong to me," he smirked with malice shining on his eyes.
"That will be over once I turn 21, it's only a matter of days". Melissa managed to break the grasp of his hand and got out of the car.
She stood on the sidewalk following the black car with her eyes until it disappeared. "Soon, very soon". It will be matter of days and she will finally break free from her grandfather's grip. She has been always alone while he controlled every movement, every breath, everything in her life. "One more week" she said as she started wandering around, sitting on one of the park benches, while gazing at the pigeons, a feeling jealousy grew inside her looking of how free they were. "If only Sonya were here with me right now. I will vent to her, I need to..." Her phone rang, and she answered with a relief on her face.
"Melissa, are you ok?" the high-pitched voice asked at the other side of the phone.
'Good heavens' Melissa though. Sonya was always there whenever she needed her, always at the right moment. "Yeah, I'm ok. Are you home already?" Melissa asked
"No" Sonya replied "I'm at Richard's. Are you still with him.? Tell me what happened?".
"I'm at the park now. I got out of the car. He, as always was babbling around the same nonsense about my parents. I'm walking to the station now, said Melissa standing and starting to walk. "I can't wait to be finally free from him".
"What's next for you after that?" Sonya asked.
"Well, if he decided to stay at the house, I'll move out after signing those papers. I don't want anything to do with him after that. I will get in the train now. There's no reception inside, we'll talk later".
"Ok talked to you later" Sonya said as she hanged up the phone.
At that moment Melissa remembered why she had texted Sonya that she will call her later "Right, the gorgeous man" Melissa thought. "Thank you, Rembrandt, for ruining another day of my life." Melissa said loudly, regretting being born as his granddaughter. "I'll talk to Sonya later when she is not with Richard. I don't really want to take any time that she has with him. Not that I like him that much anyway, but it's better talked to Sonya when she is by herself." Melissa put her phone in her pocket while thinking about Sonya.
Talking to Sonya always left Melissa feeling at ease, better. But for some reason this wasn't the case today. Melissa's heart felt like a sinking ship, drowning on the middle of a vast dark ocean. "I should be happy that my birthday's soon, but I can't stop wondering what my life will be after that day". It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon and the rain covered the sky like a curtain of sorrows. "It turned out to be a gray day," feeling depressed and defeated Melissa boarded the train.
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Did you know that my story is competing for Webnovel Spirit Awards 2021. It will mean a world to me if you vote for my book. As always thank you for your support.
JAlmodovar