Mari
After that traumatic afternoon, things went back to normal. I didn’t run into Cadu’s brother, which was great, but I also couldn’t bring myself to tell him or anyone about the horrible things I had to hear. We were in the final week of the old Hollywood’s glamour inspired collection project and today was the photo shoot for the next issue, which would be on sale in a couple of weeks.
I arrived early at work. Cadu had gone straight to the studio to watch the photo shoot, while I would work from the office, getting things ready.
I rarely run into my coworkers now, since we are getting busier and busier. We would get there way early, around seven o’clock, and would always be the last ones to leave, going straight to his apartment in Leblon. We were both exhausted, but he was so happy with the editorial that he promised to make it up to me when everything was set, running away to our refuge in the mountains, where we would lie down on lounge chairs the whole day, feeling the sun warm our bodies in the cold weather of Itaipava. But today, my usually silent path was interrupted by nasty Roberta, the personal assistant who hated me for “taking” her job.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Ms. Nobody arriving early at work!” she says, studying me. “There’s no point being a suck up, Free Willy,” she snaps referencing the whale movie, leaving me with my jaw hanging open. “Your hot boss would never be with someone like you.” She’s so full of poison and so wrong in her thoughts that I can’t help but laugh out loud. I laugh so hard that I get tears in my eyes. Roberta just stands there staring at me, probably because she didn’t see it coming.
When I can catch my breath again, I answer, “Oh, Roberta. Thank you for your compliment. Yes, darling, it is a compliment to me. I’d rather be a whale than a mermaid like you. And you know why?” She shakes her head no, still too scared with my laughter to answer. “Google them and see the difference.” I then proceed to my office, still laughing at her childish words.
When I leave the office it’s almost ten o’clock. I’m exhausted, my hair tied up in a messy bun. The white shirt and the dark pants I was wearing were pretty wrinkled. I wanted to take a shower and go to bed. And, of course, I wanted my boyfriend with me, who I knew was pretty tired himself.
I take my bag and a few documents he had asked me to take home and turn off the lights in my office, taking the key from my bag to lock the door. The floor is almost completely dark, and the only light comes from the emergency lamps. I’m about to lock the door when a voice nearly scares me to death.
“Oh, Mari, Mariana . . .” Miguel says quietly near me, and I shake.
“Oh, dear God! You almost scared me to death!” I lift a hand to my chest, keeping a firm hold on my bag and the documents with the other one.
“I’m sorry, peach, I didn’t mean to,” he says, getting closer. I step back while he slowly advances on me, and before I notice, he’s pressing me against the door. His arm is leaning on the door near my face, and I start feeling claustrophobic with his close proximity.
“Miguel, please, let me through,” I say, pushing him a bit. “I need to go home.”
I realize that I’m probably all alone with him, and that even if I screamed, there would be no one to help me. He smiles and my body shakes from fear.
“Easy there, peach. We could go out for dinner. What do you think?”
“No, thanks. I really need to go home.”
“Oh, Mari, Mariana . . . You make it so hard on me. I wanted to protect you . . . But you won’t let me, peach.” He’s babbling nonsense, his eyes seem a bit glassy like maybe he’s high. I take advantage of his distraction and push him harder, managing to pass under his arm.
“Well, thanks for the invitation. Good night,” I say, and nearly run out of the office, taking the time to call Cadu to inform him I’m leaving. “Hey, baby. I’m leaving the office, okay? Of course, I will . . . See you . . . Me too.” I turn off my cell phone after I answer his loving words, and quickly get into the elevator, before Miguel can follow me. Downstairs, the night doorman calls me a cab and I go to Leblon. And into the arms of the man I love.
I was really looking forward to her arrival. We had finally finished the work on Angèle’s new collection in partnership with Be. While we said it was inspired by classic Hollywood divas, in truth, my inspiration was a sweet girl, with expressive brown eyes and a seductive and soft body. We took the last photos, and after the photographer sent them to me and to Mari, I ran home with her gifts, as anxious as a kid on Christmas Eve.
After she called me to let me know she was coming, I turned the stereo on and put on an old CD by Leoni to play. She walks in looking tired but even more beautiful, leaving me breathless.
“Hey,” she says simply, and smiles.
“Hey, pretty,” I open my arms to hold her. She jumps on me, her perfume clouding all my senses and making me want to just drag her to bed at once. A deep sigh catches my attention. “What happened? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah . . .” she murmurs, still leaning against my chest. “I’m just tired.” I kiss the top of her head and step away.
“Come. Let’s take a bath.”
“Bath?” She looks at me and smiles. “Together?” I smile even more, just like her, and I can’t help but give in to my desires.
“Yeah, pretty. Together.”
We spent a long time in the tub, filled with bath oil and bubbles. She leaned on me while we talked about the day. I sensed she was tense and preoccupied, but she said it was just exhaustion. After I massaged her shoulders, the touching got even more sensual, until we couldn’t control our desire and gave in to the passion. When the water was almost cold, we wrapped ourselves in soft towels and went to the bedroom.
“I’ve got something for you.”
“For me? But it’s not my birthday,” she answers, and I smile.
“First, open this.” I hand her a big white box. She unties the knot on the top and when she opens it, I smile even more. “This dress is yours. It’s one of the main pieces of the collection and it’s named after you. In French,” I say laughing, and point at the embroidered tag in the dress where it reads Le Marianne. Her eyes bulge and there is an unmistakable hint of tears in them when she notices the tribute.
“Wow, Cadu! It’s so beautiful!” she says, taking the dress out of the box to see it better. It’s long with a deep neckline, halter style. The dress is a dark red color that contrasts with her pale skin and her dark eyes and hair, and it has a black stripe with a thin rhinestone belt just above the waistline. The straps, as black as the stripe, make the model even prettier. “I don’t even know where to wear it, baby. It’s . . . it’s too much.”
“You’re going to wear it at the party we’re going to have to celebrate the next issue. This one is exclusive. It’s only yours, pretty. And you’re coming to the party as my date.”
“Oh . . .” She looks at me, still shocked, and I’m glad to be able to spoil and surprise my girl.
“And that’s not all. I was waiting for this to arrive. I ordered it especially for you.”
I hand her the blue box. She looks at me suspiciously, but when she opens the box, her eyes shine even more as she sees what’s inside.
“It’s so beautiful.” she whispers, lifting up the beautiful hardcover copy of The Little Prince with its blue pages. Her fingers caress the book almost in reverence, and then she looks at me, tears finally streaming down her face, making us both a little emotional.
“I love you, pretty. All I want is to make you happy,” I say, wiping her tears.
“I don’t have anything to give you . . .” She lowers her eyes, sad for a moment.
“The greatest gift I could ever want, I already have, Mari. That’s you.” I kiss her passionately, showing her just how important that present is to me.