Chapter Two; Wedding bells of Deceit 2

Finally, my shift comes to an end and I wave Mr Riley goodbye as I clock out, looking down at my watch as I hurry to my next job. But as I navigated the busy streets of Seattle I couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling that washed over me. I felt like I was being watched, but each time I took a glance around me, I couldn’t spot anything or anyone suspicious lurking around me. It had been happening for the past few days now, and the feeling still lingered till now.

“Bri! Oh my gosh! I’ve missed you!” I’m tackled into a hug the moment I step foot in the department store, rolling my eyes playfully as I let out a light chuckle. My coworker Sally was such an energetic soul, and it’s one of the reasons I don’t particularly hate this gig.

“You saw me yesterday and the day before that.” I remind her, and Sally pulls back from the hug to give me a puppy-eyed look, her expressive brown eyes shining through the curtain of her dark fringe. “Well two hours a day is not enough time, and you’re never free to hang out after work,” she whines, her bottom lip jutting out in a small pout.

I brush her off with a slight shrug of my shoulders, not ready to explain how I don’t have any free time to spare, it was a luxury I had to forfeit to survive, one I couldn’t even think to have with eight different jobs weighing on my shoulders. I worked as a cashier at a cafe, a salesperson at a department store, a pizza delivery girl, a caretaker at an elderly home, a cleaner at a small firm, and finally, my highest-paying job as a waitress at a refined restaurant in the heart of the ever-bustling city.

The day passes rather slowly, and I subdue a yawn while walking through the glass doors of the hospital. I check my watch to be sure I haven’t passed visiting hours. It was a few minutes past seven so I had only a few minutes left.

The nurse at the reception acknowledges me with a curt nod, her gaze trained on the desktop screen.

I mirror the gesture and trudge down the pristine white halls, the pungent smell of antiseptic and drugs lingering heavy in the air. I pass a crying couple as I make my way to the ICU, bile rising in my throat as the nurses roll out a stretcher with a petite form shielded under a heavy blanket from head to toe. It was a child.

I averted my gaze from the scene and hastened my pace, shaking my head as if to clear my thoughts. I reach my destination, bracing myself with a deep breath before turning the knob of the door to the room. A sense of relief washed over me as I faced my only reason left to live.

My brother lay still on the hospital bed, an oxygen mask strapped to his face and an intravenous drip attached to his forearm. The beeping of the device monitoring his vitals echoes loudly in the silence, and as I go to sit next to him, my lips curving into a sad smile, I brush his ginger hair off his forehead. They had gotten longer over time and were in desperate need of a trim.

My eyes burned with tears that threatened to fall, but I held them back, not wanting to break down in front of him. I didn’t have that right. Everything I do is to make sure he wakes up, so I can see him smile at me again. I’ll sacrifice anything to hear him scold me again, but it would never come close to what he’d already sacrificed for me. I didn’t care if I worked myself to the bone, as long as I had him, I didn’t care what I had to do to keep him alive.

My phone buzzes in my pocket, pulling me out of my train of thought. I recognized the ringtone as my alarm, indicating that it was time for my last job of the day. I heave out a heavy sigh as I stand to my feet, but it does nothing to soothe the ache of longing clogging the chambers of my heart. I lean forward to drop a loving kiss on my brother’s forehead before straightening up, saying a silent prayer for his wellbeing before taking my leave.

On getting to the restaurant my boss informed me that I had received a special request from a VIP customer, and it came as a shock to me because there were more experienced waitresses assigned to cater for them. When I asked why I was chosen, my boss merely shrugged his shoulders as he was as clueless as I was, and with confused curiosity, I accepted the offer, not that I had more of a choice from the beginning. I only do as I’m told.

Moving up to the private area of the restaurant reserved for the highest paying clients, I nervously look around the exquisite dining hall, spotting the lone figure of a woman who sat next to the glass screen window. As I make my way toward her, carrying a complimentary bottle of fine wine, I’m careful with my steps to not trip and make a fool of myself in the end. This could be my one shot at a raise, and if she leaves with a satisfied review of me, it would raise the chances of me getting a promotion.

“Good evening ma’am.” I greet her, setting the tray of wine down. “How may I be of service to you at this fine hour?”

The woman turns to me at my indication, and my eyes widen at her ethereal beauty. She looked in her mid-thirties but possessed a striking youthful beauty that was both classic and contemporary. Her hair, a lustrous cascade of chestnut curls, framed a face of exquisite symmetry, with high cheekbones, a pert nose, and lips painted a bold shade of red.

She was dressed in a stunning gown, the deep navy fabric hugging her curves before cascading into a graceful train that pooled around her feet. A diamond necklace glittered at her throat, complementing the subtle sparkle of her earrings. Her eyes, a captivating shade of emerald green examined me from head to toe, and I gulped under the scrutiny of her intense stare.

“It’s good you asked.” she starts, her tone refined and purposeful. I blink in confusion when she gestures for me to sit. I do so reluctantly, sitting stiff as I watch her pour herself a glass of wine. Her presence wasn’t just alluring but intimidating as well, and my instincts screamed at me to run, but my curiosity was far beyond ignoring.

“I’ll cut to the chase,” she adds, her gaze sharpening as she leans back in her seat. “I want you to marry my brother.”