City Lights: A Short Story

by J. Nichole

  Play the Field

  With my second cup of coffee in hand, the stroll to my cubicle is painful. Staying up late and waking early makes for a long day, but I have to get my energy up before presenting my design to the marketing team.

  Before I can sit at my desk I hear the receptionist behind me say, “Danielle.” Her nasally whine makes me cringe. “Look what came in for you.”

  I turn towards her and my eyes grow wide. “For me?” I point at myself before taking the bouquet of long-stem, red roses. Susan lingers as I open the card, but before reading it, I look at her with my eyebrows arched.

  “Such a sweet gesture,” she whispers before walking away.

  Thinking of you today, and always. Love, Taylor

  Thank you via text won’t suffice, so instead I grab my phone and call Taylor. “Hey there,” he says in a deep, sultry voice.

  “These roses made my day. Thank you.”

  “Anytime. I’m glad I can still make your day.” Without giving him too many details, I ask him to save his Saturday night for me. “I can do that.”

  During my presentation, I’m all smiles when I’m usually apprehensive, anticipating negative feedback. Today I’m confident that this design is just what Millennial Magazine needs. When Jason and I wrap up, Briana gives us a subtle thumbs up.

  Briana and I walk out of the room together and she says, “Another one in the bag.”

  “The real test will be on Saturday.” Before we can present the design to Millennial Magazine, we have to attend the speed-dating event and ensure our design encompasses the collaboration. “And I’ve decided to drag Taylor along with me.”

  Briana stops walking and tilts her head to the side. “To help you observe the event?” I shake my head. We continue walking to my desk. She leans over the flowers, picking at one of the petals and says, “Then why would you be bringing him to this event.”

  “I think it would be a good idea for us to participate. To see what’s out there.”

  Briana crosses her arms over her chest and scowls. “For the record, I think this is a horrible idea. It could backfire on you.” She’s right. It could backfire on me. Taylor could find someone he’d be willing to date. But if a few minutes of talking to someone interests him enough to continue, then maybe we should call it quits.

  I shrug my shoulders. “I’m willing to take that risk.” She exhales. “In other news.” I point to her. “You have a date on Friday.”

  “Really?” She looks around the office. “I hope it’s with who I think it’s with.” I nod my head. I give her the details I shared with Jason and tell her that he doesn’t know he’s meeting her. “You’re just full of bad ideas this week.” She looks down at my designs. “Guess you used all the good ones on this design.”

  “Just wait till Monday to say all that. If these ideas backfire, you can rub it in my face.”

  “I surely hope I don’t have to.” She pulls a rose from the vase. “I hope we’ll both be basking in positive energy and love on Monday, not regret.” She walks away, rose in hand, and I secretly hope the same.

  Outside of The Ainsworth, I look up and down the street in search of Taylor. I want to catch him before he walks through the door, especially since he doesn’t know what I’m getting him into. I see him round the corner and I question my judgment. Why would I give anyone else a chance with him? He smiles when he notices me in front of the door and I contemplate changing my mind, sending him away, far away from all the ladies who will be eyeing his biceps poking out from his fresh, white linen shirt.

  “Damn, Danielle, this dress though.” He licks his lips as he scans my body. Now I certainly have other plans for us. He leans down and kisses my cheek. Yup, I could skip this event and take him home. “I heard this spot is hot.” I look up at him with my eyes gathered together. “The restaurant.” He laughs. “You alright?”

  I pat my chest and say, “Yeah,” clearing my throat I continue, “your sexiness caught me off guard.” His smile doesn’t hide his appreciation of my comment. “Before we go in, let me give you details about the night.” I tug on his shirt to move us away from the entrance. “The ad campaign I’m working on is for Millennial Magazine and they are hosting this speed dating event.”

  “Speed dating?” He points at me. “And you’re participating?”

  “We. We are participating.” I place my hand on his forearm. “I thought it would be a good idea to remind us of what we have together.”

  Taylor takes a long sigh. “Definitely not my idea of fun, but if you think this is going to help us, then I’m game.” I nod my head. “But you better not let any of these dudes get in your head.” With a wink, I lead him into the devil’s den.

  Inside, we go our separate ways with the host leading Taylor to another section of the restaurant where they’ll provide guidance for the night. Before joining the participating ladies, I search for my Millennial Magazine contact. Early insight into what they are expecting for the campaign would be beneficial.

  I turn around after a tap on my shoulder and see petite, curly-haired, well-dressed Ebony who is the founder of Millennial Magazine. “Looking for me?”

  With my arms stretched wide I embrace her, because after months of working with her a handshake doesn’t serve us justice. “I was looking for you. This event is amazing.” I wink at her and ask, “Are you participating?” Ebony has always been quiet about her personal life.

  She points her finger to her chin and says, “I’m sure inquiring minds would like to know. I know you aren’t participating, right?” After explaining, in brief detail, my plan for the night, she puts her hand on my arm and says, “Terrible idea girl.” She stretches her neck to look around the restaurant. “Doesn’t look like things are starting yet. You better go get your man.”

  Before leaving my side, she asks for an overview of the ad campaign. “I better go participate so I can ensure it will meet the needs of the collaboration.”

  “I have no doubt it will. You always deliver.” She sighs. “Have fun.”

  Because I missed the instructions, I grab the hostess and ask her where I should start. She directs me to a table and tells me to stay seated, be myself, and the guys will rotate through. My enthusiasm is diminished when the first guy sits across from me. Unlike Taylor, he has little style sense, could use a haircut, and bored me with his poorly delivered jokes.

  The next guy is much cuter than the last, and when he begins to speak his Spanish accent lures me in, but when he begins to tell me about his love for the great outdoors, I mentally dismiss him. A few more guys sit across from me before we break for drinks, and I’m convinced I have enough information to confirm my design concepts. Hopefully, Taylor has enough information to confirm his love for me.

  Walking through the crowd, I avoid the guys I met throughout the night. Thankfully, a couple of them have cornered other ladies. When I see Taylor’s white linen shirt, I make my way towards him until he moves to the side and I see the lady standing in front of him. Instead of interrupting their conversation, I beeline it to the bar to order a drink.

  After my first sip of Sangria, my first speed date appears beside me. “What are you drinking?”

  I raise my glass in the air and say, “Sangria, it’s pretty good.” Unfortunately, now I’ll have to guzzle it down to get myself away from him.

  “I’m going to have this Fall’n For You,” he says to the bartender then looks to me with his eyes lowered. I didn’t consider this outcome when planning the night. I gulp the last of my Sangria before politely excusing myself.

  Before leaving the restaurant, I send a text to Taylor, hoping he’ll stop chatting to check his phone. After I send the text, I watch him from my spot near the bar. When he reads it, he looks around the room before sliding his phone back into his pocket and continuing his conversation. And my plan has officially backfired.

  Chapter Six

  Now or Never

  Day two and I’m still waiting on my response text from Taylor. On
my way into the office, I make a pit stop into Starbucks to grab a cup of coffee. I don’t need it as my lifeline today because my Sunday was spent wrapped up in a blanket in front of the television. I was binging Netflix shows, wishing I could add in some chill.

  As always, the shop near our office has a forever long line. I usually scroll through my social accounts, but because I have vowed to stop the endless checking of my messages app, I have to keep my phone tucked away and wait patiently for my turn at the counter. When I order my Grande Caramel Macchiato, I spot Jason standing near the pickup sign. “Jason.” When he turns around his half-smile and dark eyes look as if he had too much chill on Sunday.

  “Are you okay?” I ask. Briana already called and filled me in on their date, which in her eyes was amazing. “Looks like you need a nap.”

  “I was doing the most this weekend.” Although we were both at the speed-dating event, we managed to miss each other. “You look refreshed. Did you not find a man from the speed dating event to spend your weekend with?” Jason laughs as I roll my eyes. I grab my cup of coffee and we walk out of Starbucks together.

  “No, no luck with finding a new boo.” I didn’t plan to find a Taylor replacement during speed dating, but it would have been nice to find a guy who could have had potential. That seems to be what Taylor managed to do. He found my fill-in.

  “Briana told me all about your,” he raises his hand throwing up an air quote, “grand plan.” He looks down at me as we walk into our building. “What were you thinking?”

  Obviously, I wasn’t thinking. Even with all the outside warnings from Ebony and Briana not to go forward with my plan, I did it anyway. I only have myself to blame if the lady Taylor met steals him away. “Don’t worry about it; I’m sure it will all work out.” Taylor pats my shoulder before leaving me in front of my cubicle.

  Fortunately for me, I have my ad campaign to dive into. Between work, meetings, and actively avoiding Briana, I manage to make it through my day. I even manage to keep my vow to myself and didn’t spend the day staring at my phone.

  My night of continued binge watching Netflix is interrupted by Amy’s visit. With a bottle of wine in her hand, she proclaims, “You left out this small detail when you told us about your master plan.”

  From the couch, I watch as she grabs two glasses from the cabinet and fills them to the brim. I can always count on Amy to get me liquored up and out of my feelings. She hands me a glass and squeezes herself next to me on the couch. “I didn’t know about the event till a couple of days ago.”

  “Until you and Taylor are back together, I think you should run all plans by me.” I take a long gulp of wine. “Still haven’t heard from him?”

  “No. He’s probably off somewhere with that chick.” Amy sits her drink down on the table and positions herself to face me. “I just want this to all be over. If I could go back to that night we could be planning my wedding instead of thinking about how I fucked up, again.”

  Amy agrees and grabs her glass of wine, and we both tune into the Netflix special on the TV until her yawns start to take over and we call it a night. My place on the couch is comfortable enough for me to stay where I am, not even moving to my bed for the night.

  My phone dings with a text notification and as I’ve been doing all week, I contemplate ignoring it. My anticipation of seeing Taylor’s name has disappeared and now I just get pissed when I realize it’s still not him. I haven’t tried to reach out to him again. I know for sure he saw my text at the restaurant. When I left, I was sure to send him a text to let him know, and nothing.

  Over the last few days, I’ve had visits from each of my girls to help keep my mind off of Taylor and this crappy situation. Now, going into another weekend, I have to find something to get myself out of the house. I won’t survive a weekend in the apartment, thinking about where Taylor could be and more importantly, whom he could be with. I’m pretty sure I’m one drink away from calling him to tell him he ain’t shit.

  Thinking about it gets me all worked up and I grab my phone. When I open my messages app, there it is; finally, a message from Taylor, and I panic. I close my phone and throw it on the couch beside me. I hold my breath and think of the worst thing he could say right now. We already aren’t together, but I do want to be with him again. What if he tells me the chick he found is less dramatic than me, that she is everything I am and everything I’m not.

  Fuck it. If it’s over, it’s over. I shake it off and grab my phone, ready to be moved to find his replacement.

  Taylor: Can I ask you a favor?

  Ask me a favor? I haven’t talked to this man in a week, and the first thing he asks for is a favor?

  Instead of texting him back I shut my app and mute notifications from Taylor. I should have muted all notifications. When I see Amy’s name flash on my screen I’m too pissed to even want to talk to her, but I answer anyway. “Hello.”

  “Hey, do you have plans this weekend?”

  Trying to hide my annoyance I say, “No, no plans. I’ll be sitting home twiddling my thumbs.” Now isn’t the time for me to share with Amy how Taylor just asked me for a favor. She’ll somehow persuade me I need to respond and find out what he needs. Nope, not today.

  “Good. Don’t make any plans. We are all going out Friday and Saturday. It’s time to get you out of this rut you’re in.” That’s a plan I can get with. Excited about the idea of getting Taylor off my mind, I agree. “Make sure you do your hair and pick out a few cute outfits.”

  “Do my hair? What’s that supposed to mean?” With my hands in my coils, I remember that I have fallen out of my hair routine.

  “Just do your hair. It was a mess the other night.” Motivated about the plans for the weekend, I bounce into the bathroom to get my hair in order.

  Friday has always been my favorite day of the week, and this Friday is no different. Beaming with a cup of tea in hand, I walk into our morning meeting where Jason matches my enthusiasm. “You look happy to be here.” He leans in closer to me and whispers, “You must have heard our campaign was approved.” My head snaps around to him and I cover my mouth to conceal my squeal. Before I ask where he heard it from, I remind myself that he has ‘connections.’

  “That’s the cherry on top. My Friday just got even better,” I whisper before our manager kicks off the meeting.

  Wrapping up our campaign approval process requires a ton of paperwork. Paperwork that I’m focused on when I hear Briana behind me say, “Alright, all that can wait till Monday. Let’s get out of here.”

  Shutting down my laptop, I say, “Where are we meeting tonight?” It’s been a while since I’ve partied with the ladies. Briana smiles before shrugging and telling me to hurry up. On our way out of the building, Briana stops on the curb. “Why are you stopping?”

  “I called a Moovn.” Briana avoids eye contact as I rattle off question after question that she ignores.

  When we get in the back seat of the car, she finally speaks. “Stop with all the questions. My goodness. Just ride chick.” The ride becomes longer than necessary in the opposite direction of any of our apartments. “In life,” she looks at me carefully, “sometimes we have no control and we just need to go with the flow.” Sitting back, I try to apply Briana’s wisdom, and instead of asking her about our destination, I ask her about Jason whom she is pleased to gush about.

  Our Moovn pulls in front of Newark International Airport. “The airport.” I look from Briana to the driver before Briana scoots me out of the car and shuffles me through the doors of the airport.

  She stops inside and looks up and down the corridor before I see Amy walking towards us with Kayla beside her. “What?” I shout. “Where are we going?” Amy only has a single bag in her hand. Kayla links her arm with mine and we all walk towards the check-in counter.

  Kayla releases my arm and Briana hugs me. “Remember what I said,” she whispers in my ear before letting me go. They all back away from me and I’m looking around trying to figure out what the hell is g
oing on, when I see Taylor, with a bag in his hand.

  He drops his bag beside us and says, “I followed you to New York because I loved you. We moved here and nothing has changed; I still love you.” My hand flies to my mouth and the noise around us goes silent. “I’ll always love you.”

  I wipe my face as the tears start streaming. “Taylor.” Before I can say anything else, he puts his finger in the air.

  “Let me finish before you say anything.” The laughter of my girls breaks through my self-created silence. “I know you want to get married, and after the past two weeks, if you still want me, let’s do this.”

  My eyes bulge and I stop breathing. A couple of weeks ago, I thought all chances of this moment were gone because of my inability to be patient. Just a couple of days ago I thought I had fucked up again and lost him to someone else. “And what about the chick from speed dating?” My girls moan and I roll my eyes at them before looking at Taylor, waiting for his response.

  He cocks his head. “She didn’t stand a chance.” His smile spreads. “If you wanted to get rid of me, you’d need to clone yourself.” I tap his arm and laugh at his attempt to flatter me.

  “I’m glad my plan failed.” He nods his head.

  “Do you want to guess what’s in my pocket now?” Taylor asks.

  With no words, I wrap my arms around Taylor’s neck. My girls clap for us, but Taylor steps back. “Except, I don’t want to wait. I want to get married now.” I look at Taylor with a slow blink, not understanding what he’s offering. I turn to my girls and they are all nodding their heads, and Briana is giving me a stern look.

  When I turn back to face Taylor he has a ring in his hand, outstretched. “If you want to do this we are headed to Las Vegas.”

  “To Vegas? To elope?” He nods his head. A million things run through my mind, mainly the thought of not having my dad walk me down the aisle or my mom missing out on helping me find a dress. Then I look back to him before my thoughts get the best of me, and I say something that will make me miss out on the chance to marry the man I love. “Let’s do this.”