"Katie kat, my beautiful, fantabulous big sister. I have graced Sea-Tac with my cantankerous presence and are awaiting my horse drawn Mercedes at entrance twenty-three. Are thou almost here?" Ana held the phone to her ear, clutching the handle of her suitcase as if it were her own lifeline. Her tone conveyed finely concealed happiness while her whole body screamed in protest.
"Shit Annie! I thought Elliott called you?" Kate said, sounding exasperated.
"Of course Elliott didn't call me. El is handsome and all, and pretty smart when it comes to that save the world sustainably eco-green crap, but he's still the same dude who forgot your name was Kate for all of sixth grade, and yet you still married him. So can you skip the part where I pretend to be flabbergasted that he would forget to call me, and just tell me that the king of forgetfulness in the land of forgettonia is already on his way?"
"Hey he also put my name on lots of different things for a whole year just to make it up to me. Remember the beaded lamp? And the stuffed pony? Oh and the football field? Quality groveling."
"Kate. This is not the time to get sidetracked by the weird twisted love story that is your happy ending. Might I please remind you of the current dilemma at hand? Is my whacked brother-in-law coming to pick me up or must I endure the always awkward ride that is uber?"
"Ana you're far too dramatic for your own good. Honestly."
"Katherine." I said in warning.
"Oh, pulling out the big guns are we? Anastasia." Kate said mockingly.
"For fucks sake Kate. It's not exactly the thrill of my life coming back to the God forsaken city that is Seattle, my wretched hometown, so you could take forever getting to the fucking point."
"Touchy, touchy. Such unyielding hostility in that tiny little body of yours Annie. Well as you so delicately framed it, I'll shall, get to the fucking point." Kate said, over exaggerating her words. "My handsome but forgetfully, forgetful Husband, happened to forget that his green eco-friendly presence hath been requested for a new quest." Kate paused. "In Milwaukee." Another pause. "Where my body's current location happens to be."
"Milwaukee?! What the fuck? You promised me Kate! You knew I was flying in this weekend. We were gonna do the share my pain thing. Veg out and watch soul crushing, ugly crying movies while Elliott poured us copious amounts of wine. Wake up the next day hung over with regret, then go judge apartments and the desperate people trying to sell me one."
"Yes, I know Annie, but as my king moves, so does his queen. We're a team, he and I. Where his wind goes, my bluebird follows. When his rainbow lands, so does my bluebird land. Where-."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah I get it you love your husband. You're disgustingly happy and I'll be spending my weekend, alone, waiting for you in your up-town condo, eating all of your food, while hiding tampons in various places around the house because I'm disgracefully unhappy."
"Well." Kate said. "About that." Ana could hear the hesitation in her voice, and felt it coming. The energy shift. The proverbial thunder, making way for a lighting strike in her already raging hurricane.
"What about what Kate?"
"Soooo, El thought this would be an opportune moment to have the uptown condo renovated. Since-" More hesitation. "We'll be gone for four weeks on this project."
"Fuck Kate! Four weeks? Like thirty whole days? One whole freaking month?!"
"I know, I know! I'm so sorry Annie. I know with everything that's been going on with you and James and the move back, and the job hunt, that this is so not cool, but Elliott really needed me for this project and I'll be back before you know it. "
"Now that I'm drowning in the black lake that is my heart, since my horrid sister is blowing me off for her well-adjusted marriage, we must now acknowledge a second dilemma. Which is now incidentally best friends with the first non-ride dilemma, unlike you and me. Where am I gonna stay during my thirty days in exile? I am so not going to dads. That's like taking 50 adulting steps backwards and my fragile ego cannot take that right now. I'll literally die Kate."
"So dramatic Anastasia. You can't snuff it from being a failure."
"I'm 25. Being a failureshould be listed on my business cards, right next makes bad decisions, and dates beautiful assholes for fun, but I will not list, goes back to daddy's house when said asshole wrecks you by the removal of your still beating heart from its happy home in your chest."
"Are you finished with your sad, dramatic life saga, oh dramatic one?" Ana could feel Kates smile and good natured eye roll.
"Yes oh ice queen." Ana bit back sarcastically.
"You'll be fine baby sister. Besides, Elliott took care of both dilemmas one and two. That's why he was supposed to call you. He arranged your pick up and where you'll be staying till we get back. "
"Do fascinate me by spinning a tale of how my sister hoarding brother-in-law has managed to save the day from across the country?"
"Ok, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to get mad and you can't be weird." First mistake.
"Getting mad and being weird is my whole esthetic. Since birth."
"I'm familiar with you." Kate chuckled. "But this is dif-" I cut her off.
"Then don't tell me what to do, big sister. Just tell me where I'm slumming it and who might be the white knight in shining armor, coming to rescue a helpless damsel in distress?"
"I believe that would be me." Said a soft, sensual voice.
OH. FUCK.
This is the part of my real lifetime movie, where the over used flash-back scene would occur, giving you a quick yet accurate rundown of all the reasons why the man standing behind me, is the last fucking person I want to see right now. However, the mind palace, that is the movie reel of my life will have to be put on hold, due to the unforeseen focus needed to prevent my trachea from projectile vomiting.
"Christian?" Ana whispered, turning around slowly. Ana mentally prepared for the physical reaction her traitor body would have once she looked into those intense, stormy grey eyes. His answering, half smile was like taking a bullet to the chest; breathtaking and beguiling all at once. He was just standing there, in all his extraordinary glory. His sharp grey suit, clung deliciously in all the right places, outlining the well-defined curves of his fit body. Ana's eyes naturally progressed up, meeting Christians gaze full on, mentally assessing the situation. Breath hitched, heart racing, flushed cheeks. Pull yourself together Steele. He must think you're a fucking moron, just standing here, staring at his ridiculously gorgeous face!
"Anastasia." Christian breathed. Her name had never sounded so alluring, like a caress embodied in speech.
"Wha-, what are you doing here?" Ana questioned.
Ana still clutched the phone to her ear. She tried very hard to concentrate on what Kate was trying to communicate, but all of a sudden her sisters questioning voice began to fade as Christian stepped forward to get closer. Time slowed as Christian bowed slightly, reaching for Ana's free hand. Christian's gentle fingers calmly engulfed Ana's, as he raised her trembling hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on her knuckles. Electricity surged through her body, and her knees nearly buckled.
Oh. FUCK.
"Coming to rescue a damsel, my fair maiden." Christian said with a heart breaking smile, releasing her hand.
I'm so fucked.