Anna
“Are you done yet?”
“No! Hold still and stop asking me,” Dru scolds me from her sofa.
I’m currently sitting on a cushioned stool in the middle of Dru’s living room while she sketches me on a massive sheet of cream coloured paper. I’m topless with my back turned to her, looking off to the side so that just my bare shoulders and profile are visible. I’ve second guessed myself about a hundred times as to whether or not this is a good idea and I’m still not sure. But Sebastian’s birthday is tomorrow, and I want to give him something special. Something that is meant just for him.
“Are you sure this isn’t like…I don’t know, narcissistic?”
She doesn’t bother to look up as she replies, “No, for the ten thousandth time, I think this is a great idea. You’re his girlfriend. His beautiful girlfriend. Why the hell wouldn’t he want a tasteful sketch of you to admire?”
It’s been just over a week since his ex-girlfriend made her untimely visit, but things between us have been going great since he opened up to me. School officially let out for summer holidays last Friday which means I have more free time to spend at Linden House, and with Sebastian of course.
Stephanie and some of the surrounding businesses are hosting an old-fashioned block party tomorrow, so we’re planning on having dinner there and enjoying some live music. I’m going to give Sebastian his gift afterwards and tell him that I’ve fallen in love with him. It’s been a crazy three months, but I don’t want to waste another minute without him knowing exactly how I feel about him.
I look around at the stacks of boxes filling Dru’s living room and it all seems so surreal. Elle having a baby, Dru and Ethan moving into their first place together. Esme and Gus finally getting together. It feels like everything is as it should be.
“Okay, I think I’m done,” she says. “I’m just going to tweak it a bit.”
I hop off the stool and put my bra and shirt back on before I sink down on the sofa beside her and steal a glance at the almost finished project.
“Oh my God, it’s fantastic,” I say. “I’m allowed to say that right? Even though it’s me?”
“Yes,” she laughs. “Stop worrying so much and just look at yourself. Really look, Anna.”
“I look, I mean, it’s beautiful,” I smile.
“You bet your ass it is. Because you are beautiful. Sebastian is going to love this,” she swears. “I’ll find you something to take it home in,” she offers, setting the paper carefully onto the coffee table.
I pick her cat, Lucy, up off the floor and stroke her head as I follow Dru into the kitchen. She pulls out a large black folder with her initials embossed in the corner and places the sketch inside.
“Everything’s changing Dru,” I say quietly.
“Not everything,” she says, taking Lucy from me and setting her on the floor. She takes my hand in hers and squeezes it gently. “Sisters. No matter what.”
“No matter what,” I reply.
On my way home from Dru’s, I stop by the park. I haven’t seen Jack in almost two weeks and I’ve been worried sick. I’ve checked every shelter in the city and no one’s seen him. I’d mentioned his absence to Ethan last week and he promised he’d get one of his contacts down at the local precinct to look into it for me, but nothing has come of it so far. It’s as if Jack disappeared into thin air, a sad but expected trend among the city’s homeless. I feel sad regardless, and responsible. I should have pushed him in the months we visited and at least tried to figure out his story. Where he came from, if he had a family. Is anyone out there missing him?
I swallow my guilt and walk back to my car, hoping that Jack isn’t just another statistic. Hoping that maybe he went home, wherever that used to be.
When I get home, I place the folder containing Sebastian’s gift in the coat closet just inside my doorway. I glance at the clock as I head to the kitchen, he’ll be at the studio for at least another hour and he’s got Bruno with him, so I don’t have to worry about letting him out. I open the fridge and pull out the chicken I’ve been marinating all day, along with the fresh vegetables I picked up at the market yesterday. I’m about to dump everything into a pan when there’s a knock at the door and Sebastian walks through, Bruno at his heels.
“Honey, I’m home,” he says.
“Hey,” I say over my shoulder. “How was work, dear?”
He spins me around and places a firm kiss on my lips. “Great. But this is better,” he says.
“You’re dirty,” I say.
“Mmm, yes I am.”
“No, like you’re dirty. Go clean up,” I laugh, shoving him in the direction of the bathroom.
“You’re bad for my ego, freckles,” he says, shaking his head and emptying his pockets, placing his keys and phone on the counter.
“And I don’t even feel bad, imagine that?”
He swats my ass and leaves the kitchen, snickering. We don’t live together, but over the last couple weeks, we’ve started keeping more of each other’s things in each apartment. It’s just easier when we spend almost every night together anyways. He leaves the door open and the sound of the running water is tempting, but I manage to resist. I turn the heat down on the burner and stir the contents when Sebastian’s phone starts vibrating on the counter. I don’t even mean to, but I pick it up and see an unknown number calling. Sebastian has lots of clients and I’m sure he doesn’t enter every single one into his phone. I set it back down and grab a bottle of water from the fridge. I take a large sip while I stare at the phone. I will not be one of those insecure women who snoops. I repeat the mantra over and over as I pick up the phone and swipe to the call history. I only look as far as the last two weeks. The same number has called at least once a day, sometimes twice.
Every single day.
*
I pull into the lot behind Allessia’s and take one of the last parking spots. Sebastian ended up taking a quick meeting today with a potential client, but he should be here shortly. I’m still kicking myself for my lapse in judgement last night that led to me snooping on his phone. I know there’s a perfectly logical explanation for whomever has been calling him and I trust him. He said McKenna hasn’t been in contact and if we are going to have a healthy relationship, I need to either believe in him or voice my concerns like a big girl so we can discuss it. Case closed.
I sling my purse over my shoulder and lock my car, making my way around to the front of the building. Picnic tables are set up along the wide sidewalk, covering at least half the block, each adorned with a checkered cloth. Several barbeques are set up as well as a small outdoor cooking station where Stephanie is currently stirring a large pot.
“Hey,” I say, ducking under the awning. “Great turn out.”
“Hey you,” she smiles. “Yes, can you believe it? Thank God for this weather too.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No way,” she refuses. “Go on and have some fun, sweetie.”
I’m about to leave when a nice looking man enters the tent with a large box full of tomatoes.
“Hey Stephanie, where would you like these?” he asks.
I watch Stephanie as she blushes and wipes her hands on her apron. “Hi Marty,” she says. “Just right over there would be great.”
She catches my glance and I mouth, Marty? While arching my brow in question.
She waves me away and rolls her eyes, but I think Stephanie may have found her George Clooney after all.
I buy a cold iced tea from one of the vendors and make my way around the crowd. Not only is there food everywhere, but a couple of the local shops have outdoor market style tables set up. I browse a few items and keep my eye out for Sebastian.
“Anna?”
I turn around and see Jay, dressed casually with a beer in his hand.
“Jay! How are you? Is Darius with you?”
“Afraid not, he’s with his mother,” he says. “This is quite a spread,” he nods before sipping his beer.
“Yeah, they really went all out,” I say. “Did you come with anyone?”
“Oh, uh no, we or rather, the company I work for owns the building on the corner,” he explains. “I think the tenants felt obligated to extend an invitation to us boring suits.”
“Aw, well I’m glad I ran into you. Have you and Darius got any plans for the summer? He mentioned something about the lake. Actually, he mentioned a cabin at the lake in great detail and gave me a daily list of activities you would be doing,” I laugh.
“That doesn’t surprise me,” he chuckles. “My family has a cabin, but no one ever uses it. Darius has never seen it, so I promised him we’d spend some time there.”
“You’re a good dad Jay,” I say, placing my hand on his arm.
“I’m trying,” he sighs. “Hey, do you think you might want to come out and spend the day with us sometime? Darius would love that, he adores you.”
“Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I’m actually seeing someone, but thank you for the offer,” I say.
“Shit, I’m sorry Anna, I didn’t even think to ask. I’m a bit rusty at this whole thing,” he cringes.
“Don’t even worry about it,” I begin. “You don’t have to say so-.”
The words get stuck in my throat when I see Sebastian heading our way, his jaw clenched. He looks pissed off and he’s staring at Jay like he’s about to kill him.
“Sebastian? What’s wrong?” I ask when he gets closer.
Jay turns and before I can process what’s happening, Sebastian rams his fist into his jaw. The bottle in his hand smashes to the ground as he stumbles back into a picnic table, and all I can do is stare.
“You son of a bitch, you just can’t help yourself, can you?” Sebastian spits.
Jay rights himself and rubs a hand along the side of his face. “Nice to see you too, brother,” he says.
Brother?