Pacing about my hotel room, I tried to recall what I had taken last night. I barely had a glass, being lightweight wasn't a chance.
The door opened, causing my heart to spike. Stella walked through the door holding her shoes and slammed the door behind her.
Then her eyes moved up to me, I could feel the bitterness emitting from them.
"You-" she was lost for words, her red eyes becoming redder as she raised a finger to me. "You piece of-" Being short of words she stumped her feet. "Ugh!"
Guilt began to weigh on me when I caught a glimpse of dread in her eyes. She'd been very scared. Walking closer to her, I extended my arms wide and wrapped them around her. "I'm here now, I'm sorry," I whispered, then placed a soft kiss on her neck.
"You scared me." She murmured, forcing my arms to tighten around her.
"I know, I'm sorry."
She lifted her head, and I gradually released her from my hold. "Where were you?"
A simple, yet problematic question. I'll always opt to tell her the truth, but that would generate a stain especially since it was a wedding night mishap.
Tugging her into a hug once more, I buried my face into her neck as I answered. "Woke up and saw myself lying in the garden, had no idea how I got there."
She chuckled, showing she was imagining it. "Yeah, you got me very worried." She softly wriggled her body off my arms. "I prepared the bags. The driver will be here in ten minutes."
Glancing across the room, I acknowledged the bags arrived on the side.
Nodding at her words, I skimmed around to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything.
"Before I forget," she said, causing me to turn to her. "My little sister will be staying with us for a while. Recently graduated."
Frowning a little, I mulled over it. "Can't she stay with your parents? Or go to college?"
Stella sighed. "She and my parents aren't really on good terms since she studied what they didn't approve of. And she recently graduated from college." She ambled towards me with a pace that indicated I was agreeing to her plea. Her arms wrapped around my shoulder from behind. "Please?" She begs.
"Okay fine." I blew out. "But-" her phone chirped, cutting off my words.
"The driver is here," Stella said quickly.
Her hands were wrapped around mine as we stepped out of the elevator. She'd given the key to her assistant to bring the bags to my house.
The ride home was silent. Her sister was coming during nightfall, Stella had explained.
Groping the familiar coziness of my home, I felt my nerves loosen up. Stella rushed upstairs, and I'm guessing to wash off her makeup.
I settled into the kitchen to prepare a snack. My hired chef had a week off due to an emergency. Readying a snack for Stella also, I heard her hurry downstairs. She was completely dressed.
"Going something?" I asked, biting off a cookie. Wiped my hand on the apron.
She threw a disgusted look at the cookie in my hand. "Told you to stop eating scrap food, you're too fat already."
Her words didn't cut deep, but I hated how she still felt about my body. I shrugged off her remark and asked again. "Off to somewhere?"
"Yeah," she bobbed, smoothing her dress with her palm. "Remember the commercials I told you about?"
"The 'day and night' theme, yes?"
She smiled as I recalled. "Yes, that one. Today happens to be the deadline, so I better hurry."
A frown settled on my forehead. "Why didn't you take a leave? A week at least?"
She stared at me like I was still intoxicated. "A week off you say? Well, the entertainment business doesn't work like that. A single backslide and I'm bottom of the chain. And we don't want that, do we?"
"You care about your work so much eh?"
"Yes yes," she smiled, completely missing the sarcasm. She looked down at her wristwatch. "Shit, I'm a minute late already." She spoke out, walking towards the door. "I might be home late, it completely depends on how quickly we wrap it up."
Watching the door shut behind her, I didn't see the need to return to cooking. Since I already took a week's leave for a honeymoon, I better work from home instead. I climbed up to my room with my laptop.
Times flowed, and when I opened my eyes it was completely dark outside. A yawn escaped my lips as I raised my head. My hand ran down my face, then I realized I'd fallen asleep on my laptop.
A noise had woken me.
Checking the time, seventeen minutes past twelve. I rose from my chair and walked out of the room, walking downstairs.
The footsteps get louder as I stride towards the kitchen. "Wasn't aware you'd be this late," I mumbled as I walked into the kitchen and collided with a body. The sound of objects crashing down caught me by surprise.
Silence reigned for a second, my eyes glued to the messed up food I prepared for Stella on the ground.
"Oh, Jesus- I'm sorry-"
My head shut up to the lady in front of me and my heart dropped to my stomach.
Redhead girl.
She didn't seem to recognize me as my hair wasn't slickly combed backward anymore.
"It- it's okay.." I watched as she bent down to pick up the messed-up food. "Hold on," I said, then strode to a corner and brought a broom. "You can use this and the parker over there." I pointed behind her.
"Thank you." She carefully got rid of the mess.
Waiting a few seconds after she was done, I asked what had been in my head. "How did you get inside?"
"The passcode," she stated. "Stella told me the passcode." Then she formally introduced herself. "I'm Maris, Stella's younger sister." She brought her hand forward with a little smile.
Holding up mine, I gave her a little handshake. "I'm Jordan."
She nodded her head sheepishly. "Sorry for the mess, I lost my wallet so I couldn't get something to eat outside, and I'm starving." She clarified.
I nodded carefully at her, I walked into the kitchen to prepare something for her. Making the food I knew was quicker, I stepped out of the kitchen in no time and placed the food on the table near her.
"Thanks so much,"
Yeah, I could see the acknowledgment in her eyes.
"Your room's the second door on your left," I told her. "Where's your luggage?"
She paused her food midway, I watched her keep her spoon down.
Concern cut through me. "Is there a problem?"
She shook her head, she answered. "Only one with my documents. The other got robbed."
"How come?"
She halted her food again, then turned her face to me. "It was really hard to fly a cab from where I was, and then I was offered a tempting free ride." I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it. "Yeah I know, that's completely irrational. But I had to choose between standing there for hours or a risky ride."
"You should have-"
The front door opened, revealing Stella. She was tipsy as hell, even a blind man could see this.
"Hey honey-boo…" she slurped then waved her hand, opening her arms before walking towards me and then tripping. Hurriedly, I caught her before her face became one with the floor. "I miss you." She had a big smile on her face. "Husband…" she giggled.
A breath broke through my lungs. "You didn't tell me you would get wasted before coming back," I mumbled at her. "Your sister is h- and it would matter when you're this wasted." I parked her into my arms, then turned to Maris and nodded a good night at her. Before climbing the stairs.
Dropping a drunk Stella on the mattress, I pulled off my shirt and acknowledged the fact that I hadn't bathed for the evening. I need one.
I stood above her, carefully I pulled off her clothes. It wasn't difficult considering how tiny she was. Next, I walked into the bathroom and brought a bowl with warm water and a small towel.
Carefully, I cleaned off her makeup and wiped the sweat off her body.
After a quick bath, I returned to the room drying my hair. A knock came on the door, and before I could react the door opened wide. Thankfully I wore my bathrobe.
"So sorry to bother you," Maris spoke up, her body halfway into the room. "Can I borrow Stella's shirt to change into?" Her eyes ran across the room before falling on me. "I really didn't- oh my God…" she exclaimed as I wiped my hair backward. "You're the hooker I carried that night!"
I tried not to glare at her choice of words.
Hooker? Seriously?