Spilt Wine, Between The Lines

"Phoebe, your deadline is this week; I assume you are nearly done with your book?" Asked a concerned Mr Samwise over the phone, Phoebe's publicist.   Phoebe yawns over the receiver and indifferently responds, "Oh yeah yeah, almost finished."   "Did you pass out on your desk again, Phoebe?" Probed Mr Samwise, obviously growing impatient. "It is 4 in the afternoon, miss! I realise you are the best-selling author, but that does not mean you start slacking now!"   "Mr Samwise", utters Phoebe, stretching over the phone, "I passed out because I was up all night working on the darn book! Do not fret, my dear companion, I am nearly done composing it, and you will get it by the end of this week, or even BEFORE that".   "First of all, I am not your companion. Secondly, I hope that is true", replies Mr Samwise before cutting the call.   "What a nagging old geezer", Phoebe mumbles to herself. She checks the time on her phone and returns a few messages from her most dependable buddy Mina, fangirling over the latest comic she purchased. "Right", whispers Phoebe to herself, "back to my soul-sucking story."   She awakens her laptop from sleep mode by clicking on the mouse pad. "Yeah that's enough sleep for you buddy", Phoebe mutters to the laptop, before getting up from her seat. "I better grab some coffee first."   She catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She sees a petite woman with bed hair, oily patches on her light fawn-beige skin, wearing saggy ivory-hued, mauvelous pink striped pyjamas, and her thin-rimmed onyx black spectacles. She promptly bundles up her lush walnut brown locks into a high bun, then rushes downstairs to the kitchen and gets a swift peep at her mother in the living room, lounging on the sofa in her work attire.   Phoebe’s mother does not look a day over 30. Her coffee brown hair is neatly fastened into a high ponytail. She is resting her legs on the sofa’s armrest, with an arm shielding her eyes from the sun peeking through the drapes. She is clothed in an oxford blue pantsuit, with her charcoal pumps resting on the tan-coloured carpeted floor. The small streams of daylight enhance her warm, tawny brown skin; you could picture the sand on the beach.   "I thought you were at work", Phoebe said to her mother while turning on the coffee machine. Her mother arises, stretches out her limbs, and knits her temples while looking at Phoebe, who is behind the sofa she is laying upon. "Yeah, I was at work, but then I got a sharp headache, so I decided to come home and unwind for a while", her mother answered tiresomely. "How is your book coming along?"   "It is coming along; Mr Samwise keeps badgering me about it. The deadline is this week. He should not worry though, I am about done", Phoebe says while pouring some coffee into her mug. "Fancy some coffee?"   "Yes please, and also, are you sure you are almost done?" Phoebe’s mother questioned.   "Yes, well, I just have to decide how it concludes," Phoebe responded.   "So what is it about?" Phoebe’s mother queried.   "It is a romance fiction about a girl who loses her father a year ago and finds the billionaire of her dreams who helps her combat her father's loss, only to find out later that he was somehow associated with her father's demise", answers Phoebe while pouring some coffee into a mug for her mother.   "Ooh, a little enigma I see. I hope you figure out the conclusion. You know how your mother is creatively inept when it comes to these sorts of situations. I would give credit to your father for your artistic talent."   The two ladies chat for some time while supping their coffee.   "I better head to my bedroom and take this bad boy head on then. I will see you later," states Phoebe while getting up and taking the mugs to the washbasin.   "Yes and I better call my workplace and ask them if they are missing me too much," titters Phoebe's mother reaching for her cell phone, "See you around lady-bug."   Phoebe heads upstairs to her bedroom, descends into her chair, and gazes at her laptop screen. She meditates on what to write about the connection between the billionaire and the main character's father's passing when suddenly, her best friend rings up.   "Oh god, if she is calling to fangirl over her comic, I am going to lose my mind!" Phoebe sighs. She receives the call and catches some commotion on the other end.   "Sup Min?" Phoebe asked.   "Oh my God Phoebe this comic is SO GOOD! And it's a paperback original, so it cost me half my savings but it is SO worth it! The print is so elegant, and the pages are-" Phoebe interrupts her best friends enthusiastic narrative of the comic. "Slow down Min! I woke up a while ago and I'm super tensed about how to complete my book. My mind is going all haywire, sorry".   "Oh I am sorry; I did not intend to lay it all on you in one go. How is the book looking now?" Min queried while turning the pages of her comic very close to the phone's mic.   "It is all right, I just cannot for the life of me understand how to get the male lead connected to the female lead's father’s death! The deadline is this week and I am FREAKING out! Got any ideas by any chance?" Phoebe begs desperately.   "Why don't you come over to mine and we could decide together?" Mina proposes.   "That is an excellent plan Min! I could use a shift in scenery; maybe that would boost my creative juices!"   "All right Phoebes, see you when you get here!"   "See ya Min!"   With that, Phoebe hurries to pack up her laptop in her olive black backpack, washes her face, brushes her teeth, gets a change of garments, puts on her sneakers, and heads downstairs. She does not see her mother on the couch anymore. "I guess she headed out, better leave her a text when I get there".   Phoebe gets into her car and drives over to Mina's residence. Since people do not ring doorbells anymore, she texts Mina that she is outside. While waiting for Mina to show up, Phoebe texts her mother that she is at Mina’s place for the day to get inspiration. Soon after, Mina shows up.   "Hello there, part-time lover", Mina jokes while opening the door. Mina has an athletic build, which is evident through her close-fitting, cool grey coloured shirt. Her mahogany brown pixie hair was all tousled, but she pulled it off so well. Her skin was a tint of light bronze which radiated in the sunlight.   "Oh stop it you," smiles Phoebe. They head in together and run into Mina’s mother. Mina’s mother is the spitting image of Mina; some even confuse her for being Mina’s older sister. She was preparing food with her caramel brown waves gathered into a rumpled low ponytail. A Tyrian purple apron hugged her curvaceous physique. "Well hello there Phoebe! How is your mom? Tell her I want to get together sometime. She has been so busy with work, she is barely able to reply to my texts," Mina's mother beamed.   "I am well, thank you for asking Mrs Einar. How is Mr Einar? And certainly, I will relay your message to my mom! She had a headache today due to her workload and came home to even nap for a while. Her schedule can be so taxing. It is not easy being an attorney." Phoebe replies in a concerned manner.   "I understand sweetheart. I wish your mother could catch a break now and then. Mr Einar is doing swell; he is on a business trip currently for three days. He travelled to Chicago to settle a deal with Abraham's company." Mrs Einar responded while stirring something in her pot on the stove.   "That is lovely! I wish him all the success!" Phoebe answered. "All right," interrupted Mina, "If you two ladies are done catching up, I will steal Phoebe for the rest of the evening."   "Oh absolutely, and Phoebe, please do stay for supper; I am making my infamous chicken bread!" Mrs Einar requested.   "I cannot wait to have that!" Phoebe exclaims while Mina grabs her arm and starts hauling her up the stairs.   "Have fun girls!" Mrs Einar calls out.   The girls enter Mina’s room, and Mina hurries off and grabs a book from her immaculately organised desk. "Okay but before we get into your dilemma of a story; could you please look at my comic?" Mina asks with puppy dog eyes. "UGH, fine", replies Phoebe caving in, knowing Mina will not rest till Phoebe acknowledges her comic. Mina gets her comic book and shows it to Phoebe like an animated puppy. "Hey, this is pretty cool. I admire the art style, and the pages do feel elite!"   "Right!?" Asks Mina excitedly. "Thank you for looking at my premium comic book. Now over to your concern, milady".   Phoebe fires up her laptop and shows Mina where she had left off.   "Yeah, this does seem tricky to me. Here is an idea; what if the billionaire exterminated her father because the father knew a sinister secret related to his organisation? Or or, what if he killed the father out of pure resentment?" Mina starts giving ideas.   "Resentment? Why would the billionaire resent a poor father? Makes no sense", Phoebe asks out of curiosity.   "Well, what if the father was so skilled at what he did, he was ranking up the charts and was about to take the billionaire's spot in the workforce?" Mina proposes.   "Hmmm... that is appealing; however, it does seem a tad rushed. As if I did not know what to convey; so I just attempted to fit in a mismatched puzzle piece. It does not resonate with me," states Phoebe after analysing Mina's point carefully.   "All right you are a picky writer," Mina speaks while heading over to sit on a bean bag next to her bed. "Then I do not know what else to suggest. Want to see a film and have some snacks?"   "Mina," Phoebe eyeballs her, "You know my deadline is this week, and I cannot say no to a film with snacks; so okay let's do it!"   The girls put on the film Grown Ups starring Adam Sandler and Salma Hayek, make some popcorn, fetch soft drinks for themselves and laze away till the end of the day.