My mom helped me to my bed and got me my usual supplies. A heated cushion to help with the pain, my liquid Tylenol, some water, and a towel to lie under. After ensuring I was comfortable she started to stroke my hair. "Honey why did you still end up going? You know how painful your cycle is, I am sure you friends would understand."
"Mom its not that simple, they may be my friends but I never told them it gets this bad. Considering that she was one of the last one to get engaged it would have been more noticeable for me to not attend. Also, I thought I could manage it since it isn't day 1."
My mom sighed. This has been a constant struggle between us. My period has always been the most debilitating thing, but neither my mom nor grandmothers had experienced the same level of pain I do so while they understand... they also don't.
"Well at least Dean was kind enough to bring you back early." I nodded in agreement. It was lucky he was there. I sat up to remove my contact lenses and use my glasses instead. "Hmm that reminds me, mom, Felix was there and you wouldn't believe who he brought."
My mom instantly snapped her head to me with her eyes wide open. "Felix was there! No! Don't say he brought her." My mom had removed her hands from my head and slapped them over her mouth. She was always quite the dramatic one.
"Yes mom he brought her. That's why Dean brought me back. It was thanks to his quick thinking that I was saved from being in there with them." Just thinking back on it made me anxious again. So out of habit my hands began to rub each other. Self soothing me. "Oh my goodness, honey I am so sorry you had to see him. But tell me all about the new girl. You never allowed us to look into her. What was she like?"
That was a question I wasn't really expecting. I thought my mom would focus on Felix but she asked about the other woman instead. Truthfully, until this moment I never really processed what I thought about her.
What was she like? I thought about the few minutes I got to see her. She was tall, matching in height to Felix who was 5'10". Her hair was long and wavy, full of life, and was nice shade of blonde. She seemed fit, her dress complimented her well showcasing her hourglass shape. Her personality was bright, I am sure she is very friendly and makes friends easily. At a glance she was effectively everything I wasn't.
My eyes glanced over at the mirror, taking in the face I saw before me. Others wouldn't say I was the friendliest person. I get anxious very easily and always tried to hide it so emotionally sometimes I wasn't always there. Like a marble statue I had a single expression that was unchanging and unwavering. My hair was cropped short, I could never grow it to be very long, so it hung by my shoulders. I had no shape, nothing exciting to look at or desire. I was average in height. Not short in a cute way or tall in a sexy way.
An awkward in between. She was radiantly beautiful in an effortless way. Whereas for myself my whole person was just one big effort. Effort to maintain the mask I wear, effort to hide my body in clothes so no one could look and judge me. I wanted to hate her but how could I hate what I always wanted to be.
"She was ok." I answered, effectively closing off the conversation from continuing. My mom looked deep into my eyes, trying to see if I was lying or hurt. But I pushed those feelings even deeper into my heart so it can't be seen. She gave a tight lipped smile. "I see. So nothing special then. Well then, I am going to head down to your dads office to send him lunch. If you need anything call me ok." She kissed my forehead and ruffled my hair before leaving.
Slowly the small smile on my face relaxed and my eyes drooped a bit. 'I just need to sleep, I can have an emotional crisis tomorrow. Tonight I will just... rest.'
The next day however, was not an emotional crisis but a PR crisis. I woke up to the disaster I had unknowingly created. While in the moment the line Dean gave me to keep me from sinking was heaven it now has managed to wrap itself around my neck giving me hell. 'What have we done!"
'I forget Dean and I are not normal people, comments like that can't be said flippantly.' My phone has been pinging nonstop from my secretary looking for confirmation regarding investors requesting an appointment with me. 'They just want to see if they can get a piece of the non-existent pie.'
I needed to handle this before my parents caught word. My parents are very protective over me, always trying to make sure the bubble I lived in remained un-popped and comfortable. Though I am set to inherit my parents entire wealth and businesses, they wanted to let me grow into the role. To make sure I would be ok without them.
But that meant I was having my work be watched like a hawk. Every move I made would eventually make its way to my parents who would ensure I was doing the right thing.
What Dean and I did wasn't the right thing.
I scrolled through my contacts and eventually found Deans old number. 'Hopefully it is still the same.' After a few seconds he surprisingly answered. "Celeste, princess, to what do I owe the pleasure for you to grace me with a call. " His voice teasing me as it was the second time I have called him. Both times being when I was stressed and anxious.
"Dean, meet me at the cafe by the shore. Don't play dumb you know exactly what we need to discuss." On the other end I could hear Dean laugh heartily. His deep voice resonating. "I would never play dumb with you. Are you already on your way I have been sitting here at the cafe for about an hour now. I was so sure you would call me much earlier but it seems this time I woke up much earlier than you."
'WHAT.' I looked over at the time on my phone and it was already two hours past from when I needed to be up. 'I must have been more exhausted than I thought.' I rushed to get dressed putting on a soft long sleeve and a pair of loose trousers. 'He has been at the cafe? He couldn't bother to call me. Ugh! I don't understand what goes on in his head!' I brushed my teeth washed my face in a rush and grabbed my skincare and sunblock to put on in the car.
"Young Miss!" My driver said as he rushed out ahead of me to get the car. As soon as I was seated and buckled he started to pull out of my driveway. "Please take me to the cafe by Pearl Shore. I have a very important meeting I cannot miss."