by S. S. Sahoo
“Whether you wear it for the party or not is totally your wish. Cosmina told me to give it to you for the party. You can always wear whatever you want” I said when she looked up at me.
Please wear it...
I will be picking you up before seven or be ready by that time. And Cosmina has also arranged a beautician to help you get ready for the function. She will be arriving her before five. Turn on your phone. Call me if you need anything else,” I said and without even looking her way I made my way out of the room.
She can wear whatever she wants.
The whole day, I remained busy with my legal work of my real estate business. Today was certainly the day of my life as I was again nominated for the ‘Businessman of the year’ for the third time. People were enthusiastic to see my wife, as the paparazzo has already flaunted and left no stones unturned to spread the news about me getting married secretively. People want to see that woman whom they will know as my wife. I went to that showroom especially for Juliette because I wanted to make sure that she looks the best in the award function. Everyone hopes that!
By the time, it was evening when I Iooked at my watch to find it’s already six in the evening. I got up from my table and shut down my laptop. Cosmina must have already left for getting ready for the function.
Along with Juliette, I too have to look best in the function. We were the newlyweds after all! Everyone’s eyes will be over us today and I made sure to get ready in the most expensive and sophisticated suit for the function.
In the mansion, I hurried my way into the bedroom and looked around not able to find Juliette.
“Oh, my!” I heard a lady when I turned around towards the bathroom.
“Good evening Sir!” the middle-aged lady whom I recognized as the beautician that Cosmina had appointed for Juliette standing near the door of the bathroom holding her cosmetic bag.
“Where is Juliette?” I asked the lady and looked behind her towards the bathroom’s door thinking she must be inside.
“She is downstairs, in the kitchen,” she said as she held the strap of the cosmetic bag on between her finger.
“I was just about to leave.” she bowed and walked out of the bedroom door.
I sighed as I got rid of my jacket and went inside the bathroom for a quick shower and to shave. After I was done, I set my hair by combing it into a sleek backward hairstyle and wore my black Emporio Armani tuxedo for the function following with a Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Astrotourbillon watch and black Gordon Rush shoes. After I was done, I applied my favorite Straight to Heaven by Kilian cologne which has a woody and mixes up but most importantly has this rum fragrance. After I was done, I took my wallet and signed some cheques for the charity before putting it inside an envelope and picking up my phone, and walking downstairs.
I checked the time to find it’s already fifteen minutes left to seven in the evening. So, speeding up my pace I walked inside the Kitchen to find her drinking water from a glass.
She was wearing the dress that I heard brought for her. The dress fitted her as I had imagined and she matched it up with a studded beige stiletto. Her hair was left down as I had asked Cosmina to inform the beautician and with a minimal makeup as if her face was sans of any makeup but with thickened eyebrows and eyelashes. I couldn’t really see the front part as she was standing with her side facing me.
But then, she kept the empty glass on the kitchen counter and then everything happened like slow motion for me. She wiped those luscious pink lips and then turned towards me only to catch me off guard that I practically tripped on my own foot and I stumbled before I held the open doorframe to stop myself from making a fool out of myself before her. Damn!
The low neckline made me see her cleavage enough and ready to tease me the whole evening and I cursed for even bringing that dress for her because now not only me but many wolves like men will also see what was only meant for me...
She took my breath away. Her long slender toned legs didn’t help.
I held the back of my neck feeling it sweaty. Funny! I just took a shower and here I am feeling hot. I looked behind me and then back at her cursing under my breath thinking I have dug my own grave. What was I thinking when I chose that dress?
“Oh, you are here already?” I heard her voice.
She smiled at me.
Why do you need to smile at me?
And then she walked towards me tossing her hair to the side.
Why do you have to play with your hair before me?
“And you are ready! So, do I! Let’s go?” she asked stopping right before me. My nostrils flaring up to sniff that lavender fragrance of hers which immediately calmed my mood but then realising it I tensed up even further. Oh no!
“Zachary?” she snapped her fingers before me to snap me out of my thoughts.
“Let’s go?” she asked and then smiled batting her eyes signaling her attire. Perhaps, she wanted to know how she looked in that dress.
I cleared up my throat and nodded “Yes! Let’s go!” I said and turned up my back against her and although I knew that it would only make her feel hurt that I ignored but in truth, I was saving myself. How can I answer and compliment how she looks, when I myself doesn’t know that whether it’s the dress that compliments her or was it her body who complimented that dress.
As the chauffeur stood by the car and opened the door for me, I noticed how his eyes looked towards Juliette who was right behind me.
Perhaps someone had a wish to lose his jobs.
The chauffeur turned wide eyes with a pink cheek to look at me glaring at him which caught him off-guard. He adjusted his cap and lowered his head. I allowed Juliette to go past me and go inside the car first, before me. She said a quiet and polite ‘Thank you’ to the chauffeur who smiled in response with his cheeks growing even redder.
Shoot him right here.
Shooting daggers his way I went inside and he closed the door and hopped in the driver seat to drive.
“Zachary you didn’t tell me how I look?” she whispered to me when we drove off to the venue.
I looked at her when I felt my hands forming into a ball.
“You look just fine!” and then I looked out of the window.
“Wear whatever you want” I mocked myself thinking what I told her earlier when I handed over the dress to her in the morning.
She wore it! Be happy! Why are you sulking now?
“Oh” I heard her saddened and disappointed voice.
“Well done Zachary. Well done. Are you sure that award you are expecting is for the businessman of the year? or is that for best jerk of the year?” my inner self mocked me while I looked back at Juliette who sat quietly looking outside of the window. I put my fist in my mouth and hit my thigh hard continuously by the other thinking what I have done.
41
Juliette
The mirror reflected my conscious self as I looked into myself into the mirror dressed in a dress that Zachary or should I say Cosmina has chosen for me. I never really thought that Cosmina would ever choose a dress this short for me. Zachary could have taken me with him and I could have chosen a dress for myself but here I am wearing a dress which was too short for my liking. The dress barely covered my thigh, yet as I looked into the mirror to see a different me. I wonder what Kiara would have thought seeing me in this type of dress. She was the only one in this world who always complained about my dressing style. I bet sh would have been happy if she ever saw me in this dress.
That reminds me of what Zachary told me in the morning.
“Whether you wear it for the party or not is totally your wish. Cosmina told me to give it to you for the party. You can always wear whatever you want”.
Why does he always need to be so rude? I just told him that I had never worn a short dress like this. But, he had to be so rude. I don’t even understand what I did. But then, Cosmina brought this dress for me and they both chose this dress for me, and it’s an award function, so I guess I don’t have any other choice
. I don’t really want to upset him today. It’s a great day for him after all. I just hope he wins. Because, as long as I have been with him I have got to know that he never mixes up his legal life with illegal ones. He works day and night for his day business and I really think that he deserves the award.
As I looked back at myself I can’t help but feel conscious about myself. True, I did look different. Bold! But I wanted to know what Zachary thought about it. Will he like it? Will I get to hear my first ever compliment from him?
I smiled at myself and hit the side of my forehead with my knuckle lightly.
“You look absolutely gorgeous” Elena, the beautician whom Cosmina appointed for me told me as she set my hair.
“It all because of you Elena. Truly speaking, I really never thought that I could ever look like this,” I said as I turned around to look at myself in the mirror.
“Nah! Everything looks good on a beautiful person. It’s just you not my makeup nor the dress. The clothes just enhance your beauty nothing else.”
I smiled at what she said and gave her a tight hug. She laughed and patted on my back before letting me go.
“It’s already half past six, I think Sir will be here anytime soon! And as my work is done, I will like to take my leave now” she said and I nodded clasping both of my hands together as she collected her things in a bag and together we left the room. It was hard for me to walk wearing the heels but thanks to Elena, she taught me to proper manner to walk elegantly and even taught me what to do when my feet hurts wearing the heels.
Halfway in the middle of the staircase, Elena told me that, she left some of her things in the bathroom. I asked to bring it while I drink some water in the kitchen waiting for her.
I poured a glass of water and gulped it down wiping my mouth when I realized Zachary had already arrived.
“Oh, you are here already?” I asked looking his way. He was already ready. He looked amazing in that black tux. He looked really handsome as I looked up at him from head to toe. Dressed sophisticatedly and impressively. I even loved his cologne. I looked at him and smiled at him. What should I even do rather than that? Should I praise his look?
Why is he not speaking?
Am I not looking good?
I even waited for him to speak something but when he didn’t I chose to break the awkward silence.
“And you are ready! So, do I! Let’s go?” I said as I walked up to him and stood right before him.
But then as I waited for his reply he seemed to be lost in deep thoughts. I called his name two times and when he didn’t reply I snapped my finger before him calling his name loudly and thankfully he jerked out of his thinking state and looked at me.
“Let’s go?” I asked and then smiled batting my eyes signaling towards my attire thinking he might get the idea that I wanted to know how I looked in this dress, after all I wore the one that he brought me and that even wore something like this for the first time in my life but to my absolute disappointment he just nodded and said: ”Yes, Let’s go!" then he turned his back to me and walked out not even glancing my way even once. He didn’t even feel the need to check if I was coming or not. Disappointment marred my face and put the loose strands of my hair behind my ear before I stood straight and followed him.
In the car, I mustered up courage and thought to give it a try once again. I thought maybe he just didn’t get it.
“Zachary, you didn’t tell me how do I look?” I asked more like whispered all of a sudden feeling nervous that I asked the stupid question. But then he just broke my heart saying ’You look just fine!′
The only thing that formed in my mouth to his reply was a mere ‘oh’ I knew the disappointment was clearly audible from my voice but then it didn’t really matter any longer. I looked out of the moving car.
Why am I so stupid?
Are you relieved now after making fun of yourself before him?
I kept my mouth shut the whole way but managed to reply in ‘hmm’ or ‘okay’ whenever he told me something about the function. He rarely opened his mouth to speak and so, do I.
When we reached the venue, I was shocked to see a number of people present over there. The paparazzi were clicking pictures for their respective channel like a maniac. They made sure to click each and every second when a celebrity poses before them. So, ironically if you even blink your eyes they would get the picture and it would look weird if there is a picture with a closed eyes. So, just a simple mistake would cause a hindrance. It was my first ever time to be present in an event like this and that actually made me nervous. As soon as our car entered, our car was surrounded by the photographers clicking photos of us like maniacs. The flashlight made me blind for a moment. Thankfully, bouncers had to jump in to push them away. They weren’t even moving even after our driver honked like hundred times. The bouncers managed to get space for the car to enter as nearer we got; I felt my pounding heart beating wildly against my chest out of nervousness.
I felt a warm hand on my hand and I looked at Zachary who stared at me and he tugged my hand. First, I thought maybe he got a hint that I was nervous or something. I seriously thought that he wanted to assure me that everything will be fine or something but then all he did was nodding towards the door signaling me to get out.
I nodded and waited for to be out before I slipped towards the door and he held his hand out for me. I took his hands in mine and got out of the car. The only thing I heard was people calling out to us to pose for them, unusually throwing random questions about the function or about me. Zachary slipped his arm around my waist and with a gentle push; he guided me towards the entrance. We posed for the photographers and I smiled at them even though my eyes watered due to the rate of light flashing before me. Gradually, we walked towards the stairs and walked into the hall.
Everything was so beautiful and sophisticated. People gathered in small groups talking and gossiping to each other. Some were laughing while some were looking at others. Everyone looked so sophisticated and they wore expensive and elegant dresses. Even though I was wearing an equally expensive dress, I couldn’t help but feel conscious about myself while being surrounded by them. Zachary still had his arms around my waist while walked from between those people and towards our seat. The show had already begun. We sat on our seats with Zachary taking a seat right next to me and I looked towards the side where the cameraman was broadcasting the show live. We waited and watched the show with people laughing and clapping whenever the host says funny things to deprive the show from turning into a boring one. After waiting for almost thirty minutes, the award function nominations began.
The host invited the special jury members on the stage to announce the businessman of the year. While we waited for them to speak and even though I knew nothing about it, my heart pounded against my chest due to anxiety. I somehow hoped that the award must go to Zachary. Unknowingly, I had my fingers crossed expecting the award for Zachary, and then the lady on the stage announced the name.
Undoubtedly it was Zachary.
If I had Kiara with me at the moment, then we would have jumped up and down like a frog out of excitement and Kiara would have probably whistled screaming her lungs out in joy. But I was in a different situation and with different people. I managed to control my excited hormones and I acted as cool but happy I could by smiling and clapping for Zachary but then he had to do the unexpected. He always does the unexpected.
He stood up and leaned down and hugged me while like a stupid woman I sat there with wide eyes not understanding what just happen. He just caught me off guard. But then when I heard people cheering and clapping, it processed in my mind.
Acting...
He withdrew and walked towards the stage for the award. I was still processing what just happened but then got back into the real and watched the smile on his face. A genuine yet rare smile which I witness only when he is genuinely happy. Like the time when I fell into that fountain...