(MILE CITY)
"I'm telling you, Josey. He really smelled like Christmas," Eileen said, her face contorted in a feigned frown as she tried to prove her point.
"How is that even possible, Eileen? How can a man smell like a season?" Josey's voice boomed from the phone beside Eileen on the bed.
Eileen giggled a bit, finding it funny too, but she was the one who experienced it. It was real. "Josey, you know Christmas has a smell, right? The season comes with a distinct scent when it's approaching, right?"
"Yeah, and that's what you say a man smells like?!" Josey yelled, her tone indirectly saying, 'Eileen, you have gone nuts!'
Eileen twirled on the bed and then back to the same position, lying on her back with her eyes on the ceiling, both legs up and resting against the wall on the right side of the bed.
"Okay, lemme put it this way… He smelled like he just came out of the cold under the snow, Josey. Like… like he had been standing under the snow for hours, and like Christmas pudding at the same time…"
"Hold it there, Eileen," Josey interrupted, this time sounding cautious. "He smelled like cold? Perhaps he's cold-blooded. A vampire or something?"
Eileen burst into laughter. "Really? A vampire in broad daylight? In summer time?"
"That's what I should be asking you, Eileen. How is it possible he smelled like he stood under snow for hours when it's summer time?"
"Haha, I said he smelled like it," Eileen said, chuckling. "Anyway, I'm in Mile City now. If he was also coming here, then I bet Frostie and I would meet soon," she chided, sounding so sure.
"Pfft! Frostie? You even gave him a name?" Josey's voice taunted, her tone indirectly saying, 'You are pathetic, Eileen.'
"Hahahaha," Eileen burst into a round of laughter, a genuine smile lingering afterward. "Well…"
Knock! Knock!
Her statement was interrupted by a knock, and she strained her neck to look at the door, awaiting the person who knocked. A young man walked in.
Eileen sat up properly, and her smile broadened. "Joshua," she called, her voice sounding softer and more enchanting than when she was on the call.
The young man, Joshua, smiled back. "Umm... I hope you don't have any issues here, Eileen?" he asked, calling her name with a bit of... caution.
Eileen smiled in response. "Actually, I'm more than happy here and I can't find any issue with you guys."
"Oh," Joshua nodded, turning to leave, but Eileen called him back. "Joshua, can I ask?"
"Yeah, sure," he said, turning back to face Eileen while standing close to the door.
"Um… is it possible for a man to smell like Christmas?" Eileen asked.
She didn't want to have this awkward conversation with Joshua or anyone aside from Josey, but she noticed that Joshua wasn't really comfortable around her. She both liked and disliked this.
After all, she was going to be living with him until his sister, Josey, came to join them, so she needed them to be at least friends.
She hoped the conversation would be funny for him and likely break the weird air between them, but instead...
Joshua's face contorted in confusion and deep thought. "Like, he gives you the feeling of Christmas?" he asked, his heart racing, careful not to tread on anything that would cause his disgrace.
"Oh, no. Not like that," Eileen said, waving her hand dismissively. "Come here," she called out to him.
Joshua eyed Eileen with caution, his heart racing. Did she just call him over? He wanted to impress her; he didn't want his crush to see him as unimpressive. "Okay," he answered, walking slowly to her and then taking a seat beside her.
Immediately he sat down, Eileen, as mischievous as ever, moved closer to him, her nose on his neck, sniffing him. In an instant, her lips broke into a mischievous smile. She figured it out. Joshua was having a crush on her.
"Err... Ei... emm..." Joshua stood up, feeling awkward, looking everywhere but at her face, which was staring right at his with mischief dancing in her eyes.
"Joshua, breathe. I was just trying to catch your scent," Eileen said, trying to resolve the awkward atmosphere. "You smell like coffee."
Joshua shot her a quick glance and then went back to looking everywhere but where she was. "Yeah... I... I heard girls like the smell, so I bought a perfume with a coffee scent."
Eileen chuckled lightly. "Well, I don't think all girls like it. It gives off the feeling that you always take coffee instead," she said, then added mischievously, "Me in particular, I love men having the smell of musk or cigar."
Joshua's eyes shone brightly. "Really?"
"Eileen!" the voice from the phone yelled. She had heard everything. "He's just a kid of 19, don't mention cigars in front of him!"
"Hahaha," Eileen burst into a peal of laughter again. Her tummy was going to burst soon if this continued. "But he looks 25 to me," she teased. It wasn't true. Anyone could look at Joshua and guess he was 20.
"Yeah, sister Josey, I'm 20, not 19. Plus, I think Eileen is right. You just haven't seen me recently," Joshua spoke, feeling more comfortable with his sister's voice.
"Whatever! Just get lost from there. I want to talk to Eileen alone!"
"Fine. Meanie," Joshua sighed, walking toward the door. He looked back at Eileen and waved at her shyly before leaving the room.
Eileen laid back, taking her former position. "Your younger brother is cute, Josey," she said, breaking into a wide smile, finding everything that had just occurred so funny.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyway, since you're back in Mile City, what's the plan?" Josey asked, curious.
Eileen's eyes moved everywhere, feeling like laughing but stifling it. "What plan?"
"What do you mean, what plan? Don't tell me you traveled all the way from Vienna City to Mile City all in the name of revenge and payback without a plan?"
"Well… if you put it that way."
The voice roared, causing Eileen to burst into sheer laughter. "Eileen!!!! How about you call Clive and tell him you're back in the city?"
"Pfft!" Eileen scoffed, turning serious all of a sudden. It was time to get serious, time to be the old overly serious Eileen again. "I can't. I mean, the last time I called him six months ago, I warned him to never talk to me or find me… I…"
"Still, Eileen. Clive was loyal to you, isn't that what you said? Even in times of danger, he stood by you, Eileen. What makes you think he wouldn't help you? He's the only one you have now, Eileen."
Silence fell. Eileen sighed. It was true; she had no one in Mile City other than Clive.
"Or, do you rather want to have a one-night stand with a billionaire, get pregnant, and then use him as your stepping stone?" Josey suggested, sounding as funny as ever.
"Haha, Josey!" Eileen laughed. "That's a lovely idea too."
"Or perhaps, crash into a billionaire's wedding tomorrow," Josey said, this time sounding devising and serious.
"Wait, do you mean it?" Eileen asked, wanting to confirm if this was really the Josey she knew. This one sounded so plotting.
"Yeah, of course, but I won't force you. Though, it's what people do to get money these days. All you have to do is first get yourself into the picture."
"Wait, Josey, you're serious, haha," Eileen laughed, finding the situation unbelievable yet funny.
"Tchh! Well, I gotta go now. Terrence Fletcher from Vienna City is getting married to a lady from Mile City tomorrow. Go for it if you're interested. Bye."
"Wait, Jo…"
Beep!
The call ended.
"Wait, is Josey really serious?" Eileen asked herself out loud. She then shrugged. "Well, serious or not, I'm taking this opportunity."