Winter Wonderland

by Cassandra Javier

  “I have to go, Montesa would kill me.” He said. Montesa is the receptionist and Terrence’s aunt.

  “Okay,” She nodded her head and whispered to him, “Dream of me.”

  He just laughed, “Don’t go near old guys.” He said.

  “Why not?” She said naughtily, “You’re there to protect me.”

  He shook his head, laughed again and got out of the room. She plopped down on bed. I made out with a random stranger, she thought and smiled.

 

  Boston

  Tim got out of the train that night not really knowing where to go. He just needed a break from his old, boring life and the people who knew nothing but ask him to do things he didn’t even wanna do. So he moved here, to Boston and that night he wanted to explore the city. As he alighted the train, he saw this really beautiful, striking woman who had her hair up in a ponytail. She was wearing a fur-rimmed black trenchcoat and some boots when he noticed she dropped down her purse. “Miss!” He called out as he ran and got the purse. The woman was already walking up the staircase to the road. It was already around 10pm but there were still a lot of people. The woman walked fast, he thought as he tried to keep up with her, not wanting her to get out of his sight. She seemed to be in a hurry. He finally kept up with her as she made her way to this bar, The Crème, it read. “Miss, you dropped your purse!” He called out but she didn’t even bother to look back. Soon enough, he was surrounded by so many people, apparently going inside the bar, as well. The woman so easily got inside. “Hey, wait, your purse!” Tim shouted.

  “You sure know how to fall in line, don’t you?” One of the bouncers asked him.

  “What?”

  “Fall in line if you wanna get in.”

  “No, but, I’m not…” He tried to reason out, “She dropped her purse—that woman, she dropped her purse…”

  “Fall in line.” The bouncer said with finality.

  Tim sighed, threw his hands up in the air and then fell in line. It seemed like an eternity before he was finally able to get in, after paying 20 bucks to the bouncers.

  What he thought was just the usual bar wasn’t actually the usual. It definitely reminded him of those old Hollywood bars that played jazz music and had these Palm trees as decors. It definitely had that cozy feel to it if you didn’t mind the smoke and the smell of perfume around. He struggled to look for the lady, tried to scan the room for her, but he couldn’t find her. A few minutes passed until someone went onstage. The lights blinded him for a few seconds until the woman on stage started singing the first few lines to Norah Jones’ Don’t know why. It was then that he recognized her—the girl from the train, the girl who dropped her purse. She looked radiant while wearing a black dress and those boots she was wearing earlier. Her hair was down, though. And her voice, boy, she sang like an angel, he thought. He stopped to watch her, enchanted by her talent. And then of course, her beauty. She was lovely, in a simple way. He actually finished her whole set. He ran towards her as she got off the stage.

  “Excuse me!” He called out, “Miss, wait.”

  Finally, she looked back and offered a smile, “Hey, Hi…” She said, “Anything I can do to help you?”

  “Oh, uhm,” He held up her purse, “You left this.” He said, “At the train station, you dropped it…I followed you here and uhm, well you were really good up there…” He smiled, “Anyway, I just came by to give you this.”

  He handed the purse to her and she opened it, finding her ID’s and money inside. “Oh my God,” She said, “This is mine…” She held his hands and smiled, “thank you.” She said.

  “Oh, no, it’s okay…” He smiled back.

  “I’m such a klutz…”

  “Accidents happen.”

  She smiled, “Hey, I think it’s the first time I’ve actually seen you here…Are you new?”

  “Uh, yeah…” He answered, “Just relocated 2 weeks ago.”

  “Oh…” She smiled, “Well, welcome to Boston…Where the bars have an old Hollywood feel.” She winked.

  He laughed, “Yeah, that’s what I thought…” He said.

  “Hey, why don’t you have a drink with me?” She offered, “My treat. You brought me back my purse, anyway.”

  “Oh, no, no, it’s okay, you don’t have to…”

  “I insist.” She smiled, “Please?”

  He smiled back, “Well then…”

  “Come on.” She took his hand and they went to the counter to buy some drinks.

  ***

 

  A couple of shots later, she has introduced herself to him. Candice was her name and he told her he was Tim. She laughed and he asked her why and she said she had always been fond of Tim-Tams, those chocolate wafers from Australia. And then they started talking.

  “So, what made you leave San Francisco?” Candice asked Tim after drinking some champagne.

  He just shrugged, “Tired of the weather, I guess…It’s too sunny sometimes…” He just gave her a sad smile and she thought she may have asked a too personal question.

  “Oh,” She said, “Well, good thing you chose Boston. Decembers are snowy.” She smiled.

  He laughed, “That I can see…” He said, “So, what about you? You lived here all your life?”

  “You could say that,” She answered, “I was born and raised here and I’d be a liar if I say I didn’t like it,” She then pursed her lips to point to a burly bearded guy arranging some stuff on stage, “See that guy? That’s Roger. He’s my godfather and he owns this bar.” She went on, “When I was in High school and I needed some extra cash, that’s when I started singing here. Besides, I needed some time to get away from home…It’s just…Messy.” She smiled. “Anyway, I loved it here so much that now, I can’t see the point in working someplace else.”

  “You mean, this is your full-time job?”

  “Most definitely, yes.”

  “Wow, that’s cool…” He said. He always thought singing was just like, a part-time thing.

  “So, what about you?” She asked, “What do you do for a living?’

  “Oh, nothing special…Believe me, it’s a boring thing to talk about…”

  “Why?” She pressed on, “What do you do?”

  “Well, uhm…” He paused and then, “I’m an accountant.”

  “Oh.”

  “See? Told you, nothing special…”

  “No, no, don’t say that…” She smiled, “I’m bad with numbers. I’ve always admired people who were good at it.”

  He laughed, “Well, actually, I’m jobless as of today. I mean, I just relocated…But that was my job back in San Fo…”

  She nodded her head, “Do you sing?” She asked.

  “What?”

  “Do you sing?” She repeated.

  “Well,” He said, “Yeah, actually, I was in a band back in High school…”

  He saw the glow in her eyes when he said that, “Really?” She smiled.

  “Yeah…”

  “What happened?”

  He smiled sadly, “Nothing,” He said, “We all just…grew up.”

  “Oh, that’s a silly answer…” She said, smiled, tapped his hand and then called Roger out. “Hey, Roger!” She shouted, “This guy here knows how to sing…Give him the stage…”

  “Come here, you…” Roger called out.

  “Go on…” Candice told Tim as she held his arm, asking him to stand up, “Just for fun…” She smiled.

  “But I…”

  “Come on, people are waiting…” Candice said as she pushed him on stage, “You can do it.” She smiled and winked. Some people clapped while some said, “Come on, sing now…”. Tim was flustered, he hasn’t really been singing for a crowd in years. He then took a deep breath, whispered to the pianist and a few seconds later, He started singing Augustana’s Boston. The crowd grew wild and soon enough, he found himself enjoying what he was doing, happy, for a few minutes forgetting his old, boring life
in San Francisco, forgetting his mom who still thought he was in High school and dictated his every move, his dad who wouldn’t even talk to him, and his girlfriend who’s filthy rich and always pushed him to do harder, as if all he did wasn’t enough. She didn’t even mind him breaking up with her, calling him a good for nothing loser. He smiled and thanked the people as he finished his song and there down the stage was Candice, smiling and clapping her hands as she waited for him. She hugged him as he got down.

  “That was good!” She exclaimed, “You were good.” She smiled.

  “Thanks,” He smiled, “I uhm…I enjoyed it. It’s been too long since I did something like that…”

  “You know, we’re in need of more singers, you could do that again if you want…” She smiled.

  “Oh, uhm…” He smiled back, “I’m not so sure…”

  She then laughed, “No pressure.” She said, “Oh, wait, it’s almost midnight, come on, we gotta catch the train…”

  “Going where?”

  “You’ll see.” She winked and they got out of there.

  ***

  Where she brought him was a night market like he had never seen before—it was beautiful with a lot of lights, little cottages that were covered with snow and really nice people. They walked and talked and by almost three am, they were ready to go home.

  “I wish you’d come back at the bar again,” She told him, “The crowd loves you.” She smiled.

  He laughed lightly, “We’ll see,” He said, “Come. I’ll bring you home.” He said and she smiled.

  City of Love

  Paris. The City of lights. The City of Love.

  Lea didn’t think she’d ever go back to Paris. Yes, she loved the place, but there were so many things about it that hurt. Actually, it wouldn’t have if she didn’t run away. But she was scared. That’s why she was surprised as she found herself standing in front of this beautiful mansion, a mansion she was supposed to be living in now. The mansion his husband gave her as a wedding gift.

  Five years ago, back when she was 18, she got married here—much to the dismay of her parents. She was young and smart—why get married? But this guy, this Half-French, half-English man wooed her and after a month, she knew she wanted to marry him. Five years and she can still remember everything.

  She didn’t come to Paris years ago just to get married; No, she needed a fresh start. She needed a new life away from her messy family in Boston. She met Jack (her husband) at a café by the Champs-Elysee. He caught her eye glancing towards him as he was reading Paulo Coelho’s The Zahir. He smiled at her, she smiled back, and they got married a month later. She wore a beautiful Vera Wang gown and she remembered him telling her passionately how much he loved her before they made love on their exquisite bed. She woke up hours later and tried not to cry loud so he wouldn’t wake up. She left him a note saying she was sorry, that she loved him but she had to go and figure things out first. She also said if in a week, she hasn’t come back, just send her an email and she’ll sign the divorce papers. She said he was a good man, that she thinks maybe, she’s not the one for him and that he deserves someone better. A week passed and she was in Venice. She cannot go back yet. She waited for an email, for anything. He was rich, he could look for her if he wanted to, but she thought that maybe, he didn’t do it because it might only be a waste of time. Months and years passed and since that night, she hasn’t seen or heard from him. Until today.

  Just thinking of everything that had happened in the past years was enough to bring tears to her eyes. She then heard a car stopping behind her. She wiped her tears away and when she looked back, she was so surprised to find that the guy who stepped out of the car, the guy standing in front of her and looked like he was visited by a ghost is the same guy whom she left years ago, the guy she once married, the guy she ran away from. They stared at each other for a little while until he spoke.

  “Lea?” He said.

  “Jack…” She muttered, the tears welling up again.

  Waking up in New York

  When Vivienne woke up the next morning, she found Vince in the kitchen, setting down some fruit pancakes in the dining table. He smiled as he saw her.

  “Hey, sleeping beauty’s awake…” Vince said, “Just in time for breakfast…” He winked.

  She smiled back, “Thanks for last night.”

  He laughed, “What’s new, Vivvy?” He said.

  She laughed lightly, “I hope you’re not too tired of being my go-to guy…”

  He just shook his head and laughed, “Sit and eat,” He said as he helped her sit down on a chair, “And then I’ll bring you home.”

  She smiled and while they were eating, she suddenly stopped, as if remembering something.

  “Vince,” She said, “Is today a Saturday?”

  “Yeah, why?”

  “Oh my God.” She said and drank some juice, “I almost forgot…Today’s our big rally.”

  “Rally?”

  “Yeah,” She answered, “Well, me and all these dolphin/ whale activists from all over the world. We’re rallying in our own areas and then we’ll simulcast in live, you get the picture…”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you think you can drive me to Central Park now?”

  “W-what?”

  “Come on,” She said as she stood up and grabbed him by the arm, “Let’s go, you can be a part of the crowd, too, please?”

  “Vivs, I…”

  “Let’s go…”

  He took a deep breath, “Fine,” He said, “Whatever you say…”

 

  No Apologies

  Margot was inside her room, watching TV when Terrence came in with her food. She ordered some Ceasar Salad for lunch.

  “Don’t have TV in your hometown?” Terrence joked.

  “Sssh…” Margot said, “One of those girls rallying for the dolphins is my friend…”

  “Oh,” He said, sitting down on bed beside her, “So, do you do that, too?”

  She laughed, “No,” She said, “That’s entirely her area of expertise…”

  He nodded her head, “And what’s yours?”

  She laughed as she looked at him, “Like you even have to ask…” She smiled as she pinned him down on bed and started kissing him, his hands all over her body. They made out for a little while until they got their hormones in control and both of them sat down on bed. He kissed her one last time before speaking, “Meet me outside your door by 10 tonight, I’ve a surprise for you.”

  She smiled, “Oh…Okay.” She said.

  He kissed her on the forehead before he stood up, “See you.”

  She just nodded her head.

  ***

  By 10 pm, Terrence found Margot waiting for him outside her cabin. She was wearing this blue thin prairie top and white short shorts. He smiled as he saw her.

  “Hey,”

  “Hey…” She greeted back, “Where’s my surprise?”

  “Easy, easy…” He said, “Come with me…” He then held her hand and they walked away from her cabin towards this Treehouse near some palm trees, a couple of paces away from her cabin.

  “A treehouse?” She said as they stopped in front of it.

  He laughed and squeezed her hand, “Come up.” He told him and she slowly made her way upstairs, closely followed by him. What surprised her was what she saw inside the treehouse as she got in—the treehouse was actually quite big inside, and it was made of hard wood, like a real house. Pictures also lined the walls and she thought the teenage boy in one of the photos was actually Terrence.

  “Is that…” She asked and she cut her in mid-sentence.

  “Yeah,” He smiled and sat down on bed, “This,” He said, “Is where I grew up.”

  “Wow…” She exclaimed, actually meaning it, “Really?”

  He nodded his head and she sat down beside him. “Funny how it seems like time just flew away like that, you know? Back then, life was just simple, this wa
s home…There was no resort, no complications, no anything…Just…home.” He said.

  She nodded her head and smiled, “This place sure feels like home,” She said, “Did you have a great time here? Great childhood?”

  He laughed, “Yeah,” He said, “You could say that. It was fun.”

  “So…” She asked, “Where’s everyone?”

  He gave her a sad smile, “Dad died when I was 16, mom ran away with my little sister before he keeled over and so I was left alone here…Until my aunt came, the receptionist, the owner of the resort and so, that’s what happened…” He told her, “I still sleep here though.”

  “Isn’t it harder that way?”

  He shook his head, “I like it here, why would it be hard?”

  She bit her lip and nodded her head.

  “I never brought any visitor here before, just so you know.”

  She smiled, “Thanks…” She said, “I appreciate it.”

  He smiled at her.

  “Actually,” She said, “I think I have to give you something in return…” She then started unbuttoning her blue prairie top, revealing a white bikini top inside. She smiled and Terrence smiled back, pinning her down on bed and started kissing her. She moaned as he kissed her between her breasts and down, while unzipping her white shorts, revealing her white bikini panties. He kissed her from the legs up and ran his fingers all over her, hearing her moan. She then started pulling down his board shorts and he removed his top, revealing his perfectly chiseled body. Then, slowly, he kissed her over and over while untying her bikini top. He saw her breasts and thought they were perfect, she was perfect. He kissed each one of her breasts and he heard her moan over and over as he kissed her all the way down, while removing her panties. And then slowly, he went inside her and she whimpered and buried her nails in his back and she felt like this was the first time she’d done it, like she was a virgin, like she never experienced something like this before. They made love for the rest of the evening and she slept in his arms. She woke up by 4 the next morning, looked at him, took a deep breath and whispered to herself, “You cannot fall for him. No.” and then put her clothes back on. She was almost fully dressed when he opened up his eyes.