THE DON'S WEAKNESS

Party at theGrams'

I finally spotted a yellow taxi approaching from a distance, I raised my hand and the driver slowed to a stop beside me. Finally, after standing on the roadside for what seemed like forever I could get some shade.

Without saying a word I lifted my box into the truck, closed my small umbrella, and got into the car. Once I settled into the back seat,

I rested my head on the window watching as the rain kept pouring.

He drove off without asking me any questions, I gave him Tara's address and he glanced at it, nodded, and kept driving along the busy streets of Las Vegas.

I let out a shaky sigh of relief, Jude was behind me now.

I didn't have many friends so I don't know where exactly I was going but I had made up my mind along the way to go to Tara's since

I'd found the address in my diary and already handed it to the driver.

Tara lived with her boyfriend Tom and would love some privacy, but I just needed a place to stay for a time while I figured myself out.

The taxi finally came to a halt and I pulled up in front of Tara's street. It was a building complex but I managed to find my way around after asking some passersby.

The door to the apartment was locked and I took my time to look around, it was quite a peaceful neighborhood in the estate. Unlike my ex-boyfriend Jude, Tom had a job hence they could save up for a place as beautiful as this. It was nice and I felt sorry for myself for choosing a monster like Jude.

I haven't been here before, Tara just gave me her address on a random day at work which I happened to find in my diary so I showed up and wouldn't want to bother her with calls knowing she's still at work.

I sat on a cushion at the Varenda quietly waiting for her to return. Soon, thoughts clouded me, I reflected on everything, and I soon drifted into a long deep nap.

"Amelia! Amelia!" someone shook me slightly. I woke up from my deep nap and it was Tara, it was already getting dark at this point.

She looked completely stunned.

I rubbed off my sleepy eyes with the back of my palm as she stared at me in bewilderment still smiling. "Come let's go inside, the weather out here is not friendly."

I nodded and followed her in as she helped me with my box. The sitting room was cozy and I sat on the soft sofa. It was heavenly.

The apartment smelled like vanilla mixed with lavender, I envied the serenity. She made me a cup of coffee and asked if I wanted anything but I politely declined. What I felt was far more than hunger, she didn't argue, she just sat next to me and asked why I showed up without telling her.

I exhaled.

"Jude," I said, a heavy sigh escaped my lips again as exhaustion settled deep into my bones. "I found him cheating on me with our next-door neighbor Vanessa." The words tasted like poison as they left my mouth. Saying them aloud somehow made everything more real.

"What?" She gapsed.

I nodded slightly.

"That same next-door neighbor Vanessa, I told you about some time ago."

"Son of a b***h how could he? On your birthday? Gurrl?"

"He wasn't expecting me to be home that early. Plus she's already pregnant and he wants to start a family with her or something."

She gasped "He's a scum gurrrrl, look at you! I've always known something's off with that Jude."

Tears rolled down my face.

"Aww don't cry Mi Amor." She hugged me and I sobbed softly "What do men really want?" She asked no one in particular as she tried to comfort me.

"You gave him everything."

"Everything Tara." I choked on my tears and she held me for a while.

"Look Amelia, today's your birthday and we're celebrating it okay? I don't care what preparation you already had with Jude, but we're going to the Grams’ tonight, there's a huge party going on there and you're not missing it for nothing." She chuckled.

I let go of her hug and looked at her in so much bewilderment as a slight smile curled off the corner of my lips slightly.

"The grams? I asked."

"Uh huh." She laughed.

"No way that's an expensive place, Tara."

"Oh well let's see what Ava has to say." She quickly dialed a number on her phone. Ava picked up, and she placed the call on the loudspeaker. I chuckled seriously.

"Gurrl guess what?" Tara asked, almost screaming.

"What's up Tara?" Came Ava from the other side of the phone. She was our office buddy and did two jobs. Right now, from the sound of her background, I could tell she was already at her second job, and she worked at a club. Gram's Parlor.

"Amelia is with me right here and her dumb ass boyfriend Jude cheated on her with his red-haired next-door neighbor Vanessa."

"The slot?" Tara gasped

"Exactly."

"Oh no! I don't like that dude, not even a bit. How's she?" Ava asked, sounding so worried.

"She's okay and here with me, I was thinking since my boyfriend Tom is away, if we could come over to your workplace, the Grams.

Today's her birthday and I don't want her thinking about that Jude of a boy."

"Okay, my shift ends by nine and the party starts by 11pm, I'm sure I'll catch up with you girl. And uhmmm please we need to be very careful and fast." This time her voice went down "I heard some Mafia gang is coming here to celebrate a ranking or something, I don't know." She added.

"Whatever, that will even be fun."

"Safety precautionnnn."

"Go away, Ava."

Ava chuckled. "Alright then see you soon." She ended the call.

I felt a little bit relieved hearing from my friends. The party is by 11pm and I can't wait to work off my pain.