A Tear Drop

Chapter 06

CLARISSA’S POV

Sighing, I put my receiver down, taking deep breathes, I stood up and started to pace up and down; thinking of nothing in particular. I mean there are so much of things that I should be thinking about right now, but my mind is in one hell of chaos. It’s really hard to think straight when your mind is chaotic.

A knock on the door thankfully brought me back, “come in.”

“Clarissa, there has been a bit if problem from the health department.”

“What happened Shannon?”

“Well… Frank is in the hospital and he is the one who is supposed to write the article for the next issue.”

“Is Frank alright?”

“Apparently he slipped in the bathroom and knocked his head, and I was thinking of paying him a visit today.”

“Isn’t there anyone else to write the article? I mean we have so many writers and there is no one to write this one article?” I asked crossing my arms and leaning my back on the table.

“I did ask around but...” I stopped her with my raised hand.

“Give me the details for the article, I’ll write it.”

“Bu….bu... but…”

“Just give me the details I’ll write the article.”

“Ye….yes, I’ll email them to you as soon as possible.” Shannon turned on her heels to walk out;

“Shannon?” I called, “at what time are you going to visit Frank?”

She blinked several times, suddenly taken aback by my question, “ummmm I guess during the lunch break?”

“We’ll take my car. Meet us at the entrance.”

“Su… su... sure.” Saying so she scurried out of the office.

I made a grab for the telephone and called Michelle, “do you want to go pay a visit to Frank?”

She peeped at me from the side of her computer from her cabin and raised an eyebrow, “what’s up with him?”

“The health writer is in the hospital for knocking his head in the bathroom.”

“Oh the irony of it.” She said laughing. “Count me in.”

“Is Gabby on her way?” Michelle asked running around the apartment trying to find her stuff.

She is never the type to be the tidy one, always leaving her stuff all around the apartment while I clean her mess. “Did you see my green bag?” she shouted from her room.

“Which one?”

“The big one, the one which we bought from the market which was on sale.”

“Aaaaaa your non-branded bag. It’s in your closest.”

“I can’t find it!!”

“Then get something else.”

“But that is the only one which would go with my look.” She pouted.

“Then go find it.”

“Urgh! You are f*****g unbelievably unhelpful!” she whined while walking back to her room.

Chuckling I sat on the window couch and roamed my eyes around the city.

“Whatcha looking at”, Michelle asked.

“Nothing, just the city. I am going to miss this place.”

Michelle walked up to me and starred out, “Yeah, I guess we are deeply rooted to this place.”

“Mmmmmm” was all I could respond.

“You ever going to return?” I looked up at her questioningly, “you know like after the wedding and all that. Will you be coming back to Downtale and continue living here?”

“Yeah! Of course!” I replied without having to think twice. “Why wouldn’t I?”

Before Michelle could reply, my phone buzzed, “it’s Gabby. She is here. Let’s go.”

It was way past lunch when we were done with all the shopping. Tired to the bone, we sat outside a coffee shop sipping hot coffee. Gabby and Michelle were chatting merrily about the shopping spree and me? I was simply happy observing them.

“So are we done here?” Gabby asked breaking into my thoughts.

“I guess yeah, I bought everything that I want. What about you?” I asked Michelle.

“I am done for the day as well.”

“Then let’s go back and get ready for the event tonight.”

“What event?” I asked, I didn’t know anything about any event today. “I already made plans with Beak Hyun. He wanted to take me out tonight since I’ll be leaving this Monday.”

“Didn’t you get the message from your PA?”

“Obviously not!” I said to Michelle.

“Hey guys! Done with shopping?”

My eyes widened in surprise, “Daniel what the f**k are you doing here?” I asked while receiving kiss on the cheek.

Dragging a chair to sit, “I called Gabby to see if you guys were done and then found out that you guys were nearby, so thought of surprising you.”

I rolled my eyes at him and chuckled, count on him to do things like this.

“So, did you guys get everything you wanted?”

“Yup! Want to know what your girlfriend bought?” Michelle asked.

“God no! Spare me the horror.” He said with a mock horror face, “so what are your plans tonight?” he asked Gabby and Michelle.

“Well that’s what we were actually talking about,” Gabby said. “We have a fashion event tonight and apparently Clarissa’s PA has not given her the message; her attendance is compulsory but I hear that you two were planning to go out.”

“Yeah, I wanted to go out on a date with her before she leaves. At what time is this event?”

“No, I don’t have to go Daniel. Besides its being so long that we went on date and it’s all because of me so I don’t have to go for the event. Michelle can cover for me.”

“Who said we are going to cancel the date? So, at what time is this event?”

“It starts at 9.30,” Michelle answered.

Tugging at Daniel’s sleeve, “Babe, I really don’t want to go.”

“Relax baby, we can have an awesome date tonight and then attend the event together. What do you think?”

I raised an eyebrow at his competence in juggling two things at once. “But...”

“No buts. Let’s do it that way. Besides I get to crash at your place tonight.” He said winking at me.

“Are you sure about this?” I really didn’t want to go for the event, I mean I love fashion but I guess I could also have a limit in attending these events.

Taking my hand and giving it a squeeze, “yes my love I am very sure.”

I smiled at him, “guess I can make it the event then girls.”

“Awesomeness!!!  You are an angel, as always.” Gabby squealed like a sixteen-year-old at Daniel.

“I hate to admit it but you are awesome Dan,” Michelle grudgingly admitted.

“Come back again? I think my ears are blocked,” Daniel said pretending to clear his ear, “did you guys hear what she said just now? Because I am sure I didn’t hear it well.”

“Oh, for the love of God! Cut the drama you fucktard!” she said smacking his arm.

“Well girls I’ve got to go. I’ll pick you at 6 yeah?” he asked

“Well its 3 now, we’ll probably reach home by 3.30 which leaves me with two and a half hours to get dressed.” I was talking to myself more than to Daniel, “yeah, pick me at 6.”

“Awesome, see you soon.” Saying so he bent and pecked my lips and walked towards his vehicle. Half way through he turns, “oh and I almost forgot, I left something for you at the lobby of your apartment, make sure to pick it up.” Winking he turned and walked away with a backward wave.

I raised my eyebrow and looked at the two girls. They had a looked at me curiously and I simply shrugged my shoulders.

Since I promised Daniel that I would be done dressing by 6, I decided to cut short through the shopping. We reached my place by 3 and true to his words, there was a package for me at the reception. It was wrapped and had big bow on it and it was big.

“What the f**k is in that?” Michelle asked while raising an eyebrow at it.

“Beats me too, it is not that heavy either.”

“I bet it’s a dress,” Gabby said smiling.

“Why would he gift me a dress? I’ve got closets filled with dresses.”

“How would I know? Let’s hurry! I want to see.”

Dumping all our bags in a corner, the three of us sat in the living room starring at the big box trying to figure the gift out.

“I am just going to open this and see what this is, besides I have to be ready by 6.” Saying so I ripped up the package to reveal a black box. I slowly open the lid and in it sat a dress. It wasn’t just a dress; it was Chanel couture silk tulle dress created in 1937!!!! I all of a sudden stopped breathing, this was a vintage, this was the dress that I was dying to find, and this was my dream dress! And suddenly, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” an unnoticed scream erupted from me.

“Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!” I kept chanting it like a prayer. With utmost reverence I traced the lace with my shivering fingers. It felt like dream, holding this dress in my hands and being able to feel it. “Oh my God,” I whispered to myself for the nth time. I looked at the girls, “do you see this?”

They were too shocked to speak so they simply nodded their heads, their eyes looked as if they would pop out from the sockets, and what did I do? I laughed the f**k out! Why? Because all this looks so surreal. I mean me holding this dress in my hands and the fact that I would be wearing this.

I carefully placed it on the sofa and grabbed my phone to call Daniel.

“Are you f*****g kidding me!” that’s the first thing that I blurted when he answered the phone.

“Hahahahahahahahaha!” he laughed out loud. “I don’t think I am. So?”

“So what?”

“Do you like it?”

“Are you kidding? Do you even know what this is!? This is an original Chanel and a vintage! The one that I was dreaming of! I’ve got no words to express how I feel right now!”

“I thought so. So, will you wear that for our date tonight?”

“This is a 1937 dress that we are talking about Daniel!” I whined in frustration.

“So, you are not going to wear it?” his voiced dropped with disappointment.

“i***t!” Gabby called out to me, “say that you’ll wear it!”

“Of course, I am going to wear it love,” I said to Daniel.

“Awesome!” His voice literally lit up with excitement. “I’ll pick you at 6 as promised.”

“Sure!” I said.

“You are such an arsehole!” Gabby said whacking me.

“I am not!” I fumed

“Yes you are! I mean, that boy must have put all his effort into this and you were refusing to wear it.”

“Gabby!!!!” I whined, “you know what this is yeah? And you know how valuable this is.”

“Yes, I know but the value isn’t going to go down just because you wore it for a date.”

“What if I damage it?”

Gabby simply rolled her eyes at me, “b***h! What’s wrong with you!? Knowing you and your love for clothes, I am pretty sure you wouldn’t even let a thread fall off from this dress.”

“Gosh fine fine!” I said giving up. I don’t think they would let me be if I don’t wear it. Besides Daniel must have gone through a lot to find this, so I should at least respect the effort.