~ Friday evening
The wipers in her car swung rhythmically to the slow 80s love song playing in her car. She longed for something she knew she would never have. A family of her own, a loving husband, children... and all of this, seemed like a distant dream now.
She had never truly loved anyone before, never felt the need to. Even when Jason was here, she felt like she was just going with the flow, never living in the moment. And these days, it felt as if she had never been married and he never even existed. She had always felt lonely and nothing would cure that.
Her gaze fell to Serena' s phone where it rested near the gearshift. She held it, brushing a finger along the cracked screen, wishing she had returned it to her when she came to her office. Guess, she just had to continue looking at more of her photos now.
She parked her car near the side of the road, a few metres away from the bar. She stepped out under the light drizzle, burying her hands in the warmth of her jeans pockets. She paused, looked up in the dark sky, closing her eyes as she felt the coolness of the night, heard the wind rustling through her hair, tiny droplets falling on her face. She smiled slowly. It felt so liberating.
She made her way to the bar, a little surprised as she realized she just made a mistake. Impossible. She knew the way by heart. This wasn' t her parents' bar! Or was it? What the heck happened here? It looked brand new. She stalled, calming herself as she dumbly ran her hand through her hair.
She took in the view. She couldn' t believe that her father had this whole façade repainted. She clearly told him that it was high time to close the bar. Not renovate! She pushed the door open, walked in, taken aback by the vibrant energetic colors.
She could smell the fresh paint mixed with alcohol and as she looked around, she could spot some of the regular faces but what the hell was wrong with everyone? They all wore suits and fancy dresses while she stood there like an idiot in her jeans and plain blouse.
She could pick out the usual drunkards and tough-looking guys who since always frequented this bar as she made her way through them. This was somehow…reassuring. "Darling!" She turned around, her jaw nearly dropping as she saw her mother adorned in a tight-fitting red dress, "Oh my God. What the hell are you wearing?"
The woman exaggeratedly kissed her cheeks, making sounds and distastefully looked at her, "What are you wearing? Where' s Jason?" She looked over her shoulder as if expecting to see him popping by and Kassandra hesitantly said, not ready to breach that subject with her, "He…he couldn' t make it."
Maria scowled, "He' s working at this hour?! This is outrageous!" "Forget about him. Can you tell me what happened here because I can' t quite understand? Is this a party?!" Her mother chuckled nervously, holding onto her arm as she led her around, "Just enjoy, love. Oh look! There' s your pop!"
She widened her eyes, "You got to be kidding me? You never wear a suit! I' m fucking dreaming." He threw his head back and roared with laughter, "This is the grand opening, girl! Isn' t it gorgeous?! Like what I did with the place?"
She had to admit that it looked chic, warm and welcoming. It felt so…alive somehow and yet, she felt uneasy. "How much did it cost? Why didn' t you tell me? Why the heck would you renovate this without letting me know?!"
Billy tsked, grimacing as he proudly said, "I can do whatever I want, sweetie." She crossed her arms, not finding it funny, "Pop, I told you that you shouldn' t put stress on yourself like that!" He grunted, brushing her words off, feeling insulted, "I' m not old, Kassandra! Just look at your daughter, Maria. She' s harassing me."
Kassandra exclaimed in frustration, "You are sixty-three!" He huffed, "That' s not old. Am I old, honey?" Maria laughed softly, drawing herself into his arms as she stroked his jaw, "You are the most dashing, most handsome, sexiest gentleman I know."
She leaned forward to kiss him and Kassandra rolled her eyes, "Hell, I' m gonna need a drink. Don' t think this conversation is over, pop. After you wrap up this…party, we are going to have a talk." He pouted, dismissing her, "Just shoo and enjoy, you little brat. Where' s my son-in-law?"
She didn' t bother answering him as she headed straight to the bar. She couldn' t believe the audacity her father had to pull something like that at his age. All these talks she had had with him in the past were literally ignored.
A hunky guy grinned at her from behind the counter and offered, "A margarita, sweetheart?" "Something stronger." He chuckled, "Mmh, I like what I hear." He laid down three shots before her, juggling a bottle of rum which he caught and tilted across the mini glasses, filling them before he winked at her and said, "There ya go, baby. Be right back for ya" , before he went to attend to someone else.
She scoffed. Where did her father even hire someone like that? She preferred not to think about it. She raised the first shot to her lips and before she could barely take a sip, someone held her wrist, stopping her from drinking it, "Eh!"
Serena made her tilt the glass towards her own lips and she drank it all. Kassandra watched the liquid trickling down the corner of her mouth and she groaned, slamming the empty glass down, averting her eyes, "What are you doing here?" "I missed you." "You' re drunk." She leaned forward, snatching the second glass and gulping it down, emphasizing even louder, "I missed you!" She pressed her mouth against the doctor' s cheek, lingering there as she murmured, "I know you did too."
"I didn' t." Kassandra instinctively grabbed her shoulder and pushed her away, creating an appropriate space between them. She reached for the last shot, downing it in one go, frowning at how ineffective it seemed to be. As she felt the slow burn in her throat and the sweet warmth on her cheek at the spot where the young woman had kissed her, she shook her head, "Serena, I can' t do—"
Serena hushed her, angrily looking into her eyes, "Don' t talk. Please. I just need you to be quiet, doctor." She stood beside her, giving her a full view of the short peach colour dress she was wearing. She extended her hand towards her, desperately waiting for her to hold her.
Kassandra gazed at her for a moment before looking back towards the bar. She reluctantly stood, slid two fingers in her front pocket and drew out a crumpled note which she placed under one of the glasses. She then looked back at Serena' s awaiting hand and sighed, "What do you want me to do?" "Take it."
Another mistake, Kassandra thought to herself as she reached out to hold her hand. Delighted, Serena squeezed it tightly as she tugged her along with her, dragging her to the middle of the dance floor.
She loosely laced her fingers through hers, placed her hand around her waist as she rested her head against her shoulder. She mumbled, as they started moving ever so slowly, "I can' t stop thinking about you and I' m so scared." How could they fit so perfectly against each other?
Kassandra closed her eyes as she took in her light perfume, running her fingers through the strands of her blonde hair as she pulled her even tighter against her. She was scared too. Of what all of this could mean.
"I want you." Serena added in a whisper and they both shuddered. She meant it. She raised her head slowly, looking at her now, tears in her eyes. She felt the tight knot in her throat as she tried to speak without letting her emotions get the best of her. "Do you…really hate me that much?"
She couldn' t read her, couldn' t understand what the doctor thought of her right now. There was this void in the depth of her eyes, a void she wanted to discover. When she said nothing, Serena pressed, wanting to hear her voice, "Hey doctor…" "Be quiet."
She felt a tremor, recalling their steamy session again as she said those words. She didn' t think she could resist her, not when she was so close. She had to know how it felt. Serena took a step forward, enclosing the distance between their chest. She stood on the tips of her feet, tilted her head, her lips brushing slowly against hers. When she felt no response from her part, she boldly applied more pressure, locking their mouth together.
She gasped when Kassandra held her jaw firmly, her cold eyes piercing through hers in clear displeasure. She lowered her gaze in embarrassment, stammering as she let go of her, "I' m sorry! I don' t know what took on—" "Look at me." She blushed hard, shaking her head, wanting to disappear now. She shouldn' t have done this.
Kassandra stroked her face pensively, tracing her bottom lips with her thumb and the young woman closed her eyes, leaning into her touch. "I can' t give you what you want." She nodded, a tear escaping the corner of her eye. Kassandra brushed it off with her knuckles, tilted her chin up to make her look at her. Such innocence. It easily tempted her. She lowered her face down, pressing her mouth slowly onto hers.
Serena flung her arms around her neck, holding her close as her mouth parted invitingly. She could see only her in this world of chaos. How could she ever let go of that? She groaned when the doctor deepened the kiss. Her lips were so soft, so hot. She held her face with trembling fingers, trying to keep up with the pace, answering her like she wanted. It was intoxicating. Her body ached to feel her touch. She dived her fingers in her hair, holding onto her as she took everything she was giving her.
Part of her knew that wasn' t enough. Part of her knew that it would only end up hurting more. She flinched when she felt her hand descending on her lower back, fixing her firmly against her. She gasped, resting her hand on her shoulder. Her legs wobbled. She breathlessly broke the contact of their lips and the doctor inclined to her, whispering hotly in her ear, "Sweet thing. You' ll drive me crazy."
She bit her earlobe hard and soothed the pain with a small kiss. Serena felt lost. She could barely hold herself. She turned her head aside and the doctor obliged, kissing her softly again, indulging in the taste. She licked her upper lips, then traced her tongue across her bottom lips before capturing her mouth in a brief ardent kiss.
Kassandra couldn' t get enough. Was it the sweet taste of the rum or simply her? Her tongue darted in the heat of her mouth as she mashed their lips together. She explored, tasted, bruised until she herself could no more. She could feel the young woman shaking in her embrace. The latter pressed herself into her in surrender, her eyes clouded with desire, "Mmh Kassandra…"
Her name never sounded that dangerously hot before. It took her by surprise. What on earth was she even doing? She pulled away, taking a moment to get her thoughts straight. She instinctively looked past her small shoulders, averting her gaze when she saw her parents looking right at her with wide eyes. How long had they been staring? Damn it.
She held her shoulders, gazing at her as she kept her at arm' s length, "Enough now. It isn' t right." Her tears rolled down her cheeks now, "I know…" She held her hand, bringing it to her mouth as she kissed her fingertips, "I won' t bother you again, doctor."
Kassandra dived her hand in her pocket, taking out her phone, "I' m sorry I took this. There' s nothing to be forgiven. I never held you at fault."
She trembled as she clasped it in her hands, knowing it was a definite goodbye. She watched as the doctor moved past her, making her way through the crowd towards her parents. She should probably go before making things worst for the doctor.
The moment his daughter reach him, Billy grabbed her arm as he aggressively shoved her back into their house, away from the crowd, followed closely by his wife. He lashed out at her as he released her, "What the hell is wrong with you, Kassandra?! How could you?"
She clenched her fists, wanting to tell them that her life was none of their business, "I' m sorry." Maria held Billy' s arm and reasoned, "Wait honey." "What' s there to wait?! Didn' t you see how she was all over that girl?!"
"Right. I' m sorry." Kassandra couldn' t look them in the eyes right now but she didn' t think she could hide the truth from them any longer. She sighed, not knowing how to break that to them. It would probably hurt them more than it ever affected her.
Maria and Billy shared an anxious look when she remained silent. It was clear that something was bothering her. They have never seen her look so uncertain before. "Love, you know you can tell us everything." She bravely met their eyes, "You might want to sit down."
Billy impatiently snapped, "Just tell us already." "There' s no easy way to say this. Jason cheated. I filed for divorce." She watched the expression of shock surging on her mother' s face while her father seemed lost for words.
She drew in a nearby stool, sat on it, wishing she had a brandy in her hand right now. She laced her fingers together, solemnly saying as she gazed at the pattern on the wooden parquet, near their shoes. "I know you' re disappointed but between us, pop…this marriage was never going to work."
Billy clenched his fist, swinging it at a nearby vase, sending it flying. Kassandra watched the shattered pieces splaying on the floor, making a mess. She then heard her mother sobbing, raising her head in time to see her going further indoor, leaving her alone to deal with her father.
Billy gritted, "It' s because you never even tried to make it work, Kassandra. If you had at least treated the man as a husband instead of making him beg for your attention like that, this—" She stood in annoyance, running her hand in her hair, walking up to him, "I figured you' d say something like that. All this time…and you still cling to the idea that I could be happy like you and mom are. That' s why I stopped staying here in the first place. I felt suffocated."
She saw Billy raise his hand high up in the air and she instinctively closed her eyes, awaiting the slap, guessing she needed it…but it never came. Instead her father caressed her face with a trembling hand, startling her even more. She sighed. She should know that he would never hurt her. How she wished he had slapped her instead. She didn't need his pity right now.
"Me and your mother could never be happy seeing you like that, sweetheart." "You should know by now… the only thing that keeps me going is the damn fucking job and nothing else. It' d be great if you could accept it." She gently pushed his hand away, averting her eyes as she headed back outside, ignoring the tightening in her chest.