Chapter 6: My Birthday

When I wake up at the table with a killer headache the next morning, I begin to wonder if it wasn’t all a figment of my imagination.  Except a few minutes later, I feel my phone buzzing in my pocket and pull it out to focus on a message from Alexander.  “Don’t forget.” Are the only words on the screen as I stare in disbelief. 

“It was real?  I could have sworn that it was just a bad dream because of what I drank.” I murmur under my breath as I scratch the back of my neck and close my eyes just for a second.

Not wanting to confirm his words, I quickly put the little phone on the hardwood kitchen table and then slide the matching chair back as I stand.  Stretching slowly, I reach towards the ceiling and yawn at the same time.  When I finally look around, I scan the room before Emily perks her ears up and stares at me with her beautiful green feline eyes as she stands up and saunters towards me. 

Meowing softly, she looks as if she is smiling and is trying her best to say good morning to me in her soft-spoken little voice.  Ever since she was a little kitten, she has sounded like this.  When she grew, her voice stayed the same even though she became an oversized grey tabby, who tends to eat far more than she should.

If this overbearing man has his way, what will I do with her?  Surely, she wouldn’t be happy anywhere but here.  Clearly, he must have been joking and still is because we have just met.  After all, this is just not the way things are done in the twenty first century.

Shaking my head, I say softly to her as I lean down to pet her soft flowing coat, “Emily, what shall I do with you?”

Picking her up, I stand and then carry her over to the counter where I place both her and then a can of cat food from the cabinet just below her.  As I pull the tab on the lid Emily stares patiently at me, until she hears the familiar pop and then she smells the especially pungent odor of the tuna and goes wild.  Jumping up and down, she reminds me of the kitten she once was before I empty the contents into her food bowl and stand back to watch as she begins to feast on her meal hungrily.

Smiling, I let my thoughts wonder off to last night and the strange encounter with Mr. Defiant.  Had I fought him, would I have ended up on the side of the road dead for someone to find in the morning?  Is he really a monster, a werewolf, or a demon who is merely playing with me like a toy?

With all these things cluttering my thoughts, I don’t notice when Kelly walks up behind me.  Hearing footsteps finally, I quickly turn around with my fists raised, ready for a fight. 

“No!” Kelly exclaims as she dodges my punch just in time.

Almost falling to the floor, she recovers as I focus on her face and realize who she is.  “Oh no.  Are you alright?” I cry out in shock as I reach out to her. 

As soon as she shakes herself, she smiles softly and then states in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, “Boy, those boxing classes sure did pay off, didn’t they?” before giggling.

Stepping closer, I take her in my arms and then beg softly, “Please forgive me.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  I guess I wasn’t and that was the problem.”

Frowning, I feel bad enough as it is and then now this.  Why did she have to pop in just when I am rehashing last night’s events and feeling like I want to fight?  Is there any worse timing?

Sure, she may think it is funny, but I almost decked my best friend.  Turning to look at her, I ask regretfully, “How was last night with Jonathan?”

Freeing herself from my arms, she sits down and stares at me as I do the same, then she clears her throat before replying hesitantly, “It was interesting, especially when you left with that hot guy Alexander and never came back.  To be honest, I thought that guy was going to kidnap you and I would never see you again.”

She lowers her eyes to Emily who has jumped up on my lap and is now purring loudly before she continues while scooting to the front of her seat.  “So, what’s the deal with him?  Did you two fuck or what?  He seemed really into you and so intense.  Did you get a look at his golden eyes?  Wow, gorgeous.”  

Knowing that if I tell her everything, she will think I am insane, I calmly answer her questions one at a time.  “He is intense, yes and we did.  It was really hot, and he does have the most beautiful eyes of any man I have ever met.  However, now he is demanding to see me again and is so domineering that I don’t know if I can take much more of this.  I mean, there is a part of me who just wants to tell him to fuck off, but the other part wants him to scoop me up and tell me that he loves me.  Then there is the fact that he is demanding I move in with him in a few days.  I don’t much care for that or know what it is all about.  He didn’t go into much detail regarding it.”

“What?” She asks slowly as she draws out the word and I watch as her blue eyes become the size of saucers. 

“What the hell?” She asks in shock as she cocks her head and looks as if she is dreaming while wildly blinking to clear her eyes. 

Swallowing hard, she adds hesitantly, “Don’t tell me that my best friend is running off with a dream man?  I don’t know if I can handle that.”

Before I ever get to say another word, I feel her fingers wrap around my wrist as she asks worriedly, “But what about your birthday?  I know you told me you didn’t want me doing anything for your birthday, but you only turn 29 once.  Next year you will be 30 and we just won’t ever talk about that.”

Looking as if she has just said the unforgivable, she puckers and then sighs before frowning while she stares at me disapprovingly.  “We must do something tonight for your birthday.  Please.” She says before begging and giving me her best pouting face.

Cocking her head, she stares at me as I try to figure out what I should do.  I am damned if I do and damned if I don’t.  So, what the hell. 

Opening my mouth, I am just about to say, “Sure.” when I hear my phone ring and the screen lights up. 

“Ugh, of course.” I murmur under my breath as I look over and see Alexander’s contact info on the screen.

What I read next though irritates me beyond belief and raises my blood pressure through the roof.  “Ana, I am coming over.  Are you home?”

When Kelly glances at the message she looks up into my eyes and then asks hesitantly, “He acts as if he owns you already?  What is his problem?”

“He is about to find out that I am going to be the biggest pain in his ass if he doesn’t leave me alone for a few fucking hours!” I exclaim as I pick up my phone and get ready to chuck it across the room.

Grabbing ahold of it quickly, Kelly stops me before I do and changes the subject so I don’t do something I will regret later.  In the meantime, Emily jumps off my lap and runs to her bed in the corner. One eye on me constantly as she begins to lick her paw slowly. 

“So, did you call Mr. Connelly yet?” She asks quickly with a worried look in her eyes.

Glancing up at the clock, I yell, “Shit!” because I am supposed to call in two hours before work and it is now about an hour. 

I haven’t even showered or gotten ready for my doctor’s appointment, let alone called in work so they can find a temp to fill my position.  While rubbing my leg where Emily’s nails dug in, I remember when I started the secretarial job at Jefferson and Jefferson Law Offices 8 years ago.  I felt so lucky to be fortunate enough that I got an interview, let alone the position.  However, when I found out that Mr. Jefferson wanted me to do far more than what was stated on the job application, I quickly made sure that we were never alone.

When Mr. Connelly came to work for the company, I became his secretary and suddenly I felt much more comfortable because he had a wife and three little children.  He wouldn’t want to carry on with me in the background, or at least I hoped he wouldn’t, but I soon found out that I was wrong.

Taking the phone and dialing the office number, I hold my breath for a second before I hit the send button and hear the familiar ringing.  When Mr. Connelly picks up and I hear his voice stating, “It is too late to call in.” I know that I will be in trouble as soon as I tell him, even though I have been with the company for years on end.

Dreading the conversation, I finally speak up and clearly state, “Mr. Connelly, I won’t be in today.  I had forgot to tell you on Friday that I have a doctor’s appointment today that I can’t get out of.  I am sorry for the inconvenience, but I need to go.  I will be back in tomorrow.  Thank you.”

Not even giving him a moment to think about it, I end the call and then turn to Kelly who by now is staring at me within 5 inches of my face.  She has a peculiar little smile on her face as she begins to speak, “So, you never did tell me how good the hot sex was.  Spill.”

Shaking my head, I state hesitantly, “If you really want to know.   Let me catch a shower and then as soon as I get back from the doctor’s, I will tell you everything you want to know, right down to how big his gigantic dick is.  Alright?”

While standing up, I look around the room and then see that Emily’s water bowl is still full.  Feeling a bit better about this whole situation, I glance back to Kelly and then ask again, “Alright?” as if I was talking to a child.

Nodding, she stands up and then follows me to the front door before she finally says quickly, “By the way, while you are at the doctor’s office, think about where you want to go tonight.” 

“Fine.” I answer absentmindedly as I begin to think about everything I must do today.