I run up to my room. The embarrassment of my aunt opening the door in her state is too much for me to bear.
I crawl into my bed and cry into my pillow. This has got to be the worst day I've had in a very long time. Usually when I felt this way, I would call Greyson. I cannot call Greyson today. I feel very miserable.
I fall asleep crying.
The following morning, I wake up in a daze. It takes me a moment to make sense of where I am. I slept the entire afternoon and right through the night. I roll onto my back to stare at the ceiling. I still feel dead tired. My eyes feel swollen. My cheekbones are sore. The events of the previous day come to me piece by piece. Tears start rolling down my face again.
I get up from my bed and stand a moment next to it. I try to listen if Aunt May is entertaining. I cannot hear anything and decide to leave the room. I walk to the kitchen to get something to drink. It was always strange to me how Aunt May chose this as a way to make a living.
Her house was set in a good area. The house is always very neat and clean. The kitchen is always fully stocked and I never needed to beg for anything I needed for school. The only thing I don't like about it, was the smell of smoke drifting through the house. Finding Aunt May drunk and in her robe here yesterday was out of the ordinary. She is usually dressed smartly and made up beautifully. It was odd to see her looking the way she did yesterday.
I make myself a cup of coffee and a piece of toast. I don't really feel like eating but I know I get low blood sugar if I don't eat at all. The last thing I need now is to feel physically sick on top of this terrible heartache.
I am halfway through my coffee when I hear a knock on the door. I set my cup down on the counter. Usually, Aunt May's clients will not knock. She would be waiting for them at the front door.
I peek through the window next to the door. A delivery company van is parked in the driveway. In front of the door the delivery guy is standing with a box big enough to hold in two hands. I open the door slowly.
"Good morning" I greet the delivery guy.
"Good morning, I am looking for Miss Ellie Glower" He states as I open the door fully.
"That is me." I tell him as I hold out my hands to take the package. He places the slip on the box I am holding and offers me a pen. I sign for the package and return his pen to him. He smiles, greets me and leaves.
I carry the package to my room. I sit crossed legged on the bed with the package in front of me. It is a plain brown box with no writing. It only has the sticker from the delivery company on it. The sender address and the receiver address are the same. I shake my head. It must be an admin error on their part.
I open the box carefully. Inside is a black cocktail dress and matching shiny black heels. The dress and the shoes are beautiful. There is a box of very expensive chocolate in the box as well as an envelope with a letter.
I pick up the envelope and turn it over in my hand. The envelope is not marked in any way. I tear the envelope open slowly.
Ellie
I apologise for the pain and confusion I caused you yesterday.
I realise we have a lot to talk about and we will not be able to do so if we join the others on the breakaway.
Please allow me to take you away for the weekend. You do not need to pack anything. I will have someone pick you up at 15h00.
P.S. How does dinner at the Eiffel Tower sound?
I love you
Greyson
My heart is drumming in my chest. Rachel was right. Greyson cannot live without me. He will explain everything as soon as we are together. Everything will be fine.
I get off the bed and look at myself in the mirror. I only have four hours to make this puffy cried out mess look like something that can have dinner at the Eiffel Tower.
I take a long hot shower and feel like all the worries in the world is washed off when I get out. I sit I my soft towel and blow out my hair. Greyson loves my hair when it is blown out. He says it looks like liquid fire.
I put on the black dress and heels. From the feel of the material, I know this is probably the most expensive dress I've ever worn. I put on the white pearl jewellery Greyson gave me on our last anniversary. I did my makeup in a grey smoky eye and painted my lips with a deep red lipstick.
At exactly three o'clock a black car pulls up in front of the house. I hang back to see if Aunt May is going to open the door, should she be expecting someone. Aunt May is not to be seen so I proceed to the door. I open the door to find an unknown man in a black suit at the front door.
"Miss Glower?" He asks in a stiff professional manner.
"That is me" I smile brightly at him.
He turns to usher me to the car. He opens the door for me and I get into the back seat. For a moment I thought Greyson would be in the back of the car waiting for me but it is empty.
He takes me to a small airfield where a small luxury plane is waiting for me. He stops the car close to the plane and gets out to open the door for me. I get out of the car and he ushers me to the steps leading into the plane.
My heart is pounding as I climb into the plane, expecting to see Greyson waiting inside.
The pilot of the plane welcomes me once I am inside.
"Please have a seat Miss Glower. We will be at your chosen destination within an hour." He says in a friendly manner and shows me to one of the six white leather clad seats on the plane.
The pilot disappears into the small cockpit and closes the sliding door behind him.
A young beautiful lady comes from the back of the plane in an airhostess uniform. Her blonde hair is neatly tucked into a tight bun at the back of her head.
"May I offer you something to drink?" She asks politely, holding a tray with a glass of champagne towards me. I take the champagne and smile at her.
"Thank you" I say softly.
"Do not worry, you will be at your destination shortly" She smiles brightly and it somehow assures me that everything is going according to plan.
I nod at her and take a sip of my champagne.
I quietly sip my champagne as the flight progresses. The liquid calms my nerves and I start thinking of how it will be to wrap my arms around Greyson's neck again. I will tell him how endlessly I love him and how unbearable the last twenty-four hours were.
The airhostess brings me another glass of champagne when I am done with the first. I take it smiling more easily this time. Excitement starts to fill me as I anticipate meeting up with Greyson in Paris. This is the most romantic man in the world. I finish the second glass of champagne far quicker than the first.
The plane comes to land on a small private airstrip. The air is cool and the sun is setting. I climb down the steps of the plane with great care as my head started turning when I came into contact with fresh air.
The black shiny car waiting for me has a different driver. He is a lot friendlier when he greets me and opens the door for me to get into the back seat.
I am once again a little disappointed when Greyson is not waiting for me in the back seat of this car.
The driver tells me that he will now take me to where the person who hired him instructed him to take me. As he pulls out of the small airfield my I can feel my excitement mix with nerves.
He stops in front of a beautifully lit restaurant. The entire place is decorated with small fairy lights. The driver opens the door for me and I get out and stand a moment to look at the beauty of the vast amount of fairy lights. The setting of the restaurant is very romantic. I smile and bid the driver goodbye.
I walk into the restaurant where the door clerk receives me and asks for my name. I tell him my name but also mentions that the reservations would probably be under Greyson Morton.
He tells me to take a seat at the bar until my table becomes available.
I feel more nervous now. Why would Greyson keep me hanging like this? Greyson loved surprises. He loved receiving them and he loved giving them. In the entire time they have been dating he has never taken this long to show up when planning a surprise for me.
I take a seat at the bar and place my small clutch in front of me. I am starting to feel miserable again.
A woman slides into the seat next to me and orders two martinis. When the barman places the drinks in front of me, she slides one right next to my clutch.
I look up to meet her eyes and gasp.
Marcella.