Almost Familiar
1321 Words
There i stood, by the doorway of Anya's bedroom.
She was fast asleep.
Raymond placed her gently on her bed then lay beside her, brushing her hair back before humming softly.
"Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling, do not cry.
And i will sing a lullaby."
He sang the words like muscle memory—a song from years ago, from when Anya could barely call me mummy.
Back when we took turns watching her while the other freshened up.
Back when his presence didn't feel borrowed.
I yearned for those days.
He's hardly around anymore.
After making sure she was truly asleep, he stood up.
His gaze found me, steady, intense, like he could read through me.
Hunching up in self-deception, I left for our room.
He followed, heading for the bathroom.
He stood for a while, almost like he was replaying all that happened minutes ago.
"I know things haven't been right," he said, his back turned against me. "But you shouldn't undermine me, pretending like nothing is happening........not anymore." He paused, then stepped into the bathroom, pushing the door closed.
What? He knows? He has to know. How could he not?
I panicked, tension crawled through my veins. Slow and unforgiving.
Is this it?
Is this how it goes for me?
Or can you really blame me?
Am I not just a victim of neglect?
I tried to talk myself through it, but my hands trembled all the same.
Ring
Ring
Ring
My phone rang, cutting through my panic attack.
It was Beth, my co-worker. We never really got along, but we tried to make it work, for our husband's sake.
My husband actually, she was involved with Raymond's older brother.
A little bird once told me he had no plans for marriage, for permanence, for her.
Well good for her, at least she isn't caged with responsibilities, responsibilities that aren't worth being responsible for.
What could she possibly want from me?
Ring
Ring
Drowning in my thoughts, i answered.
"Hi, hello." I greeted awkwardly.
"Where are you?" She asked like I'd been assigned somewhere.
"Home...... Is there a problem?"
"You are late. The address has been sent to you, we are waiting." She ignored my question and ended the call.
We?
I didn't know we had a conference at such an ungodly hour.
I sat on the edge of the mattress, replaying his last words over and over.
You shouldn't undermine me.
The words had become a default memory i couldn’t get rid of. No matter how hard i tried, i couldn't get my mind off it.
The home had gone quiet, no footsteps, no voices, no exchange of words since he last spoke.
A text popped in.
Beth's.
Stating the address.
I stared at the screen longer than necessary, my chest tightening, staying here suddenly felt impossible.
The room utterly still, tension pressing against my chest until it felt suffocating.
Doing nothing felt worse than leaving. Besides, it wasn't so late........or at least that's what i told myself.
I moved toward my wardrobe, my body acting before my mind fully caught up. Since it was a conference, then i would dress like it was one.
I reached for a knee-high fitted black skirt and paired it with a white button down blouse.
Something modest, something professional.
I slipped it on without much thought, unaware that while i dressed for formality, they were dressed for something else entirely.
Kissing Anya goodbye, I left the house.
No questions asked as to where I was headed.
Pathetic.
Forcing the thought out of me as I stepped into the night.
Tonight, work was all that mattered.
This was it. I stopped a few steps from the entrance. My car parked at the last resort, literally.
The night felt a little misty.
The air carrying that familiar scent of rain, quietly announcing its approach.
There were no available spaces, and the valets weren’t having It tonight.
How luxurious for such a place, I muttered.
It didn’t really look like a place where such a meeting would be held.
Careless laughter filled the street, clamorous music thudding behind the walls.The sharp clink of glasses piercing through the doorway.
My fingers curled at my side.
I hesitated.
A body nudged past mine, then another.
Pushing me closer to the heat and rising chant emerging from the room.
Before I could think better of it, the crowd carried me forward.
I found my way through the crowd, bodies brushing past me, sweat and perfumes filled the air.
The music enveloping me, distracting me from the reason I was here.
Faces blurred around me.
Chanting, laughing carelessly.
This wasn’t a meeting it was an escape.
Someone brushed past me, fingers trailing along my skin.
It was the only scent that lingered, standing alone among the others.
A dark enigmatic scent, almost like something familiar………yet impossible to place.
Ignoring it, I slowed near the bar, suddenly aware of how out of place I looked.
”Long day office drone?” The bartender asked. ”What can I get you?”
“Water please.”I said, ignoring the ridicule in his voice. He didn’t look surprised.
“Elara." Beth’s voice cutting through the noise from somewhere behind me. ”get over here."
I paid for the water I hadn’t touched and made my way towards her.
She wore the skimpiest leather dress, her slender body complemented it perfectly.
Long brown hair gracefully laid on her chest to balance her exposed cleavage.
She was sitting alone at the other side of the counter when I reached her.
That didn’t surprise me. She already lied about a conference.
“Well someone’s going to get laid tonight.” I teased, checking her out from head to toe.
She laughed, her eyes scanned my face, softly. ”I figured you’d look like this.”she said, raising her glass.
I forced a smile. ”You said conference.”
She scoffed. ”I said whatever would get you out of that house.” then quieter “I know things haven’t been well……I just wanted you to breath, you know….touch some grass.”
She smiled, pushing a drink towards me.
I didn’t take it immediately.
“I’m fine with water.” I said.
“For now.” She replied, unconvinced.
It was unlike Beth, it must be the drinks.
I thought.
Tension slowly crept in, there wasn’t much to say, there never really was.
I stayed long enough to pretend, long enough for the room to feel too warm, too tight.
“So?” killing the silence, I asked. “Are you here alone?”
“Um…….” But before she could speak, someone bumped into me hard enough that liquid sloshed down the collar of my blouse.
“A good day to wear white, am I right?”
Beth laughed, apologetic. ”Go get some air, there are balconies around.”
I did as she said.
Outside, the noise dulled into a distant echo.The night wrapped around me, cool and welcoming.
There was nobody here, it was peaceful.
I leaned against the railing, feeling the liquid trace down to my bust line.
“Damn it.” I muttered.
And then I smelt it again.
The familiar scent, smoky, carrying weight.
I turned.
He stood a few steps away, dressed in a full black tuxedo, cigarette between his fingers, city lights catching the sharp line on his face.
Raymond’s older brother.
So that was who Beth had come with.
He had come back.
He looked very similar to Raymond, but there was a weight he carried which Raymond didn’t.
Broader shoulders, taller, slicked-back black hair.
His presence felt darker, heavier, harder to ignore.
Watching me like he already knew I’d be there.
“Ella.” He said softly, a nickname I hadn’t permitted him to use.
My heart skipped.
So it wasn’t just the night.
- Writer
