Drunk over Coffee IV
The evening breeze felt too cold for a summer dusk. Bubbles pulled her coat tighter against her body as she watched her sister stand in stillness like Lady Liberty. The younger Utonium had just arrived after Blossom's secretary informed her of the CEO's whereabouts.
The city bridge that spanned no longer than a football field experienced its daily traffic of ongoers and bypassers. At its narrow edge, a black Impala lay cold since its engine died nearly an hour ago. Even the vehicles, embodied its owners as Blossom's bright colored Acura hummed with life on this cold summer evening. Bubbles inhaled the salty air brought by the sea that crossed the city. The evening sky, like a canvass, was painted with streaks of marmalade orange and mauve. It was comforting yet somber.
The blonde Utonium's steps were muted by passing cars, still, Blossom turned at her approach. That similar knowing smile made Blossom glance back at the river before her forelimbs gained strength and began walking towards her car.
Bubbles gave the river a quick look before she, too, drove out off Citiesville. She took residence on a chic flat by the city but she had to make sure her sister arrived home safely.
Blossom could spell the worry in her sister's eyes. She had every right to be, even she was not certain with herself but she did not want to dwell on it. She engulfed her sister in a hug before murmuring she was fine.
Doubt clouded the younger woman's eyes before she gave in and returned to the city.
I'm tired, Bubbles. I'm tired of waking up with this sense of unfamiliarity. That had been Blossom's confession, one night on a drunken stupor, when she was on a frenzy. A slew of hurtful words and profanities provoked the youngest Utonium to slap her sister to reason. It was selfish of her to accuse them of lying to her when everything they did was care for Blossom.
An unfamiliar wave of nostalgia passed her before Blossom took hold of her senses and entered their parents' home. Blossom was secured from the cold air with the warmth and scent of pine trees from the fire of the hearth. The historic house under went renovations through the years with modern touches seen in the refurbishments of the kitchen. She skipped the notion of supper and climbed the stairs to her bedroom, the floorboards creaking at her ascent. Her normal dosage of sleeping pills were also left forgotten as fatigue took over her body.
Blossom could feel the constant gaze of her sister as she discussed the potential of their business venture with their client and it looked promising. By the end of their negotiation, they won themselves a new investor.
As they watched their investor leave, Blossom turned to her younger sister. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about it." Blossom stroked the younger woman's arm and turned to the cash desk to pay for their bill.
"Thank you for your patronage." The cashier smiled as she handed back Blossom's card.
Blossom returned the smile and turned to her heel but stopped from taking another step when she almost crashed into a man's chest. The smell of pine flooded her senses and it made her miss home. She caught her balance and took a step back as she murmured a quick sorry. She failed to leave her spot, once more, when she raised her head to meet the man's eyes. Dark forest eyes stared at her with deep longing. Her brows furrowed as she took in the man's face. The ivy-league hair she was used to encountering on both young and old men was black. Blossom was aware of the number of men fawned upon in the business world and she classified him among the category with a chiseled jaw, pointed nose, full lips, and a stubble that women die for. Despite his attractive features and confidence, he had an air about him that made the dominant CEO dominate him.
"Blossom." The duo turned at Bubbles' statement.
Bubbles recognized the man and, in a hurry, stepped between them.
"Hello, Hi!" She fumbled with her words. Her eyes jumped between her sister and the man.
"Bubbles, is everything okay? Do you know this man?", Blossom asked. She noticed the man's jaw clench at her inquiry.
Bubbles stared at the man with a look of uncertainty before she replied, "Yeah, I went to school with him."
The blonde looked at the man, surprised to even see him. "At the University.", she continued.
"His name is Butch. Butch, meet my sister, Blossom.", Bubbles introduced.
The younger Utonium could see the man's mind running a mile a minute. It gave her the chance to talk to her sister, "Since our next appointment is this afternoon, it wouldn't be a problem if I stayed and catch up with him for a while, would it?"
Blossom glanced at the man and at her sister. She shook head with uncertainty, "I'll head on first."
Butch's gaze followed the redhead as she took her leave.
"We should take a seat.", Bubbles suggested as they were left alone.
They took a vacant spot at the corner of the room, where it was private and out of earshot.
The idea of starting with casual talk and pleasantries crossed Bubbles' mind but decided against it after meeting Butch's gaze. She was always timid when they were younger and never truly interacted with the Jojo but the man always did fend off bullies around her so at least she felt comfort with that notion.
"When we moved to Japan, Blossom was caught in an accident. Well, we want to think it was an accident." Bubbles reigned in her emotions as the memory triggered her tears.
"The three of us went to school that day, we did. Blossom was even smiling when she dropped me off my class. So, I didn't want to believe it when just after lunch, our homeroom teacher called me by her office and said Blossom was in an accident. A car had fallen in the Japan Sea through the city's bridge. The worst came to mind and I couldn't bear the thought of losing her. They brought us to the hospital but when she came to it, she didn't know us, didn't know herself.", Bubbles sniffed and wiped a fallen tear.
"Bringing Blossom back to America was an immediate thought. It would help her regain her memories and it did. Dad did his best through pictures, sceneries, and senses. Gradually, she remembered but Dad never brought her back to Townsville. He said it carried too many painful memories." Her daughters were not the only people who moved. After a careful thought, their father placed their house for sale and left Townsville. Practicing one of his many profession, the professor became a food critic with his expertise in gastronomy. A cheap bottle of wine brought him to Citiesville and led him to Emma. The wine was not the only one to catch his fancy. The chance encounter turned to candle lit dinners. The professor felt fortunate to have her, Emma had been with him through his lows after Blossom's accident.
Butch flinched at her words. He did not want to admit it but those words were true, even for the Jojo's. After the Utoniums left, the brothers grew apart. Boomer secluded himself, the distance only growing farther when the youngest Jojo flew back to England after they finished high school. Brick lost purpose, he dropped out of school and barely finished the secondary education before he enlisted in the army. A bucket of cold water was thrown over Butch, the pain he went through sent him to the underworld. The place carried painful memories, it was why they left the town after their father's death.
Guilt and pain clouded the man's eyes, prompting Bubbles to speak, "It isn't your fault, Butch. Please don't blame yourself. After all, we're all victims."
A deafening silence surrounded them. The Jojo remained silent, as he did, their entire conversation. He made no attempt to ask any questions or make a statement. Bubbles took this as her cue and left to let him ponder upon the revelation.
"Don", one of Butch's bodyguards approached him. The suited men kept their distance after they noticed their boss stop in his tracks. Butch raised his hand in a gesture, they moved to an appropriate distance as they understood the command. Their eyes followed the domineering stature of the man as the mobster approached a redheaded woman by the desk. Their hands were fast on clasping the gun by their waist when a blonde woman came into their leader's proximity. Their hands remained on the grip until Butch followed Blossom into a table. The conversation had been one sided and they began to wonder why their boss would even entertain the woman. They were discreet on watching the woman leave through the lobby before they discarded their table and approached their boss.
His prior arrangement, that was left forgotten after Butch ran into of Blossom, dawned on him and he rose from his seat. A local gang lord caught wind of his arrival in the state and invited him for a drink but Butch knew it entailed business so he humored the man. He followed his men out of the hotel and entered the car that was waiting for him.
It was reflex when he pulled out the gun tucked into the holster under his lounge coat.
"Cazzo! You don't just get into someone's car.", Butch cursed and lowered his gun, prompting his bodyguards to do so.
Blossom remained unperturbed by the previous incident. "You know me, don't you?"
His men were waiting for his order and Butch gestured them to drive. "Vine Valley.", he stated the destination.
"I'm not leaving this vehicle until you answer my question.", Blossom insisted after noting that it was her company's address.
"As you wish, Bambina.", Butch states in his deep husky voice as his green eyes studies Blossom face.
Her fiery eyes were defiant as she fixed her gaze on him. Her orange locks flattered her like autumn. Donning a brown dress, she induced warmth in the cold days of fall and it made him want to embrace her. She was beautiful as ever and he missed her. His gaze dropped to her sultry lips and it was enticing, pulling him in to lock their lips and savor her with a thousand years of longing.
Blossom watched his lashes slowly flutter as he made a mental image of her. Green orbs darkening as his gaze lingered at her lips.
As their eyes meet, Butch shifted his shoulders and leaned into his seat. "Takes us to Townsville.", he stated, receiving a nod from the man behind the wheel.
"What? No! Stop the car! You're not taking me to Townsville!", Blossom protested but they ignored her.
Antagonized by their disregard, Blossom took out her phone. Before she could do anything, Butch snatched the device from her hand. He turned it off and slid it into the pocket of his jacket.
Blossom was about to burst in a fit of rage when Butch took hold of her wrists. He pulled her against his chest and confined her in his arms.
Butch, himself, was about to give her a piece of his mind when the proximity and the sensation of having her in his arms, doused the flames. The scent of cherry blossoms bewitched him with memories of the past. Her scent was imprinted on his mind, long before their bodies became one on that rainy afternoon. It was the fragrance of cherry blossoms that enveloped him on cold nights of spring. The strong scent of her when they shared hot chocolate on winter days. It has been too long since he has drowned into her sea of solace. The urge to bury himself into the bosom of his desire was ineffable.
Blossom resigned from freeing herself from his hold. It felt faultless to be in his arms, like she belonged in his embrace. Her hands pressed between their bodies, she could feel the contours of his body. A single caress could allow her to sculpt him. She straightened her fingers and explored his torso with gentle tenacity. Holding in her breath, a shaky gasp escaped her mouth when her lips parted for air.
They stared into each other eyes until Butch regained his self-control. He released Blossom and allowed her to settle down.
"Your father may not have told you but you grew up in Townsville. If you're searching for answers, you can find them there.", Butch stated as he brought his gaze outside the window.
Blossom said no reply. She remained silent for the remainder of the time till they reached Townsville. It was a four-hour drive and between the travel, the woman fell asleep. She was shaken awake by Butch as they stopped to eat lunch at a filling station diner.
Butch's bodyguards kept a respectable distance as they left their boss and Blossom to eat. Blossom began to wonder, who was Butch? Who was he to her? as the man took the initiative to order their food. The diner had a limited menu, it was still a surprise for Butch to order a flame grilled beef burger with extra barbecue sauce and no onions for her. He knew exactly her preference. The waiter even quipped at them when Butch emphasized that the vegetarian burger was intended for him and not the other way around. The waiter wrote down their order and entered the kitchen before returning, moments later, with their beverages and a plate of French fries. Not long after, their orders came and they began eating. Having had their fill, they were back on the road once more as it took them another two hours before they could reach Townsville.
Butch arranged them a room in his younger brother's hotel. Despite the availability of rooms, he did not take it upon himself to book them separate rooms. Heavens forbid he would leave the woman's side.
Before entering the city limit, they took a detour by the suburbs. Blossom poked her head out the window as the familiar structure caught her sight. The car slowed to a stop in front of the suburban home. Blossom unbuckled her seatbelt and exited the vehicle. Warm air greeted her, caressing her skin like a mother's touch. She closed her eyes at its comfort as the earthy scent of oak played under her nostrils and, vaguely, it reminded her of a memory long forgotten. Opening her eyes, she was stunned by gazing at the house, it was bigger than the pictures she was accustomed with and seeing it in person felt surreal. Her father's words played in her head as she reminisced childhood memories like a tale. Blossom connected with the place and it was like meeting a lost version of her. A wave of nostalgia hit her and never had she felt more herself in that moment.
Her musings were put to a halt as the red door opened and out came a little girl. She ran to her little pink tricycle left parked in the driveway with enthusiasm and began pedaling in circles. A young woman followed her out the door, calling her name. Unlike the unsuspecting child, the woman took notice of the parked car by her house.
"Can I help you?", she asked.
"We're just passing by.", Butch answered. He placed his hand on Blossom's waist, earning the redhead's attention. Butch tipped his head.
Blossom turned to the woman with a smile before she entered the car. The mother smiled with a nod and watched them drive off once Butch followed Blossom into the car.
Once they reached the 5-star hotel, the staffs tended them with utmost care. Butch and Blossom settled in and the man ordered his men to leave. Newly bought clothes were prepared for Blossom's essentials. Butch told her to wash up and took no response as he answered a call on his phone. He moved to the room's balcony for privacy, closing the glass door behind him.
Blossom obliged and opted for the flared khaki cotton pants and cream sweater from the selection of clothes prepared for her. She paused from picking a new pair of underwear as room service knocked at their door. Blossom told them to come in. A woman in uniform entered, pushing a trolley of food.
"Blossom!", Butch belted, catching the intruder's attention. The hitman pulled a gun under the covered push cart and aimed at Blossom but redirected the gun at Butch before pulling the trigger.
Blossom, who had her back at the scene, turned at Butch's call. She screamed in surprise as Butch was shot in the chest. The hitman turned to her next but before she could pull the trigger, Butch shot her three times with a strained focus but nonetheless fatally shot the markswoman, her body dropping to the carpeted floor.
Blossom fell to her knees with trembling hands. Her heart was beating fast and so were the shallow breaths she took. She was starting to feel lightheaded and her body was failing her.
"Bambina, hey, hey." Butch dropped to her form and lifted her head so she could focus on him.
Her lips trembled at the sight of him. Tears escaped Blossom's eyes and she began to cry.
"Shh, I'm here, Bambina. I'm here." The Mafia Don wrapped her in his arms as he rocked them back and forth.
Her sobs stopped at the sudden realization. Blossom pulled away from the embrace and began searching his body. "You were shot!", she stammered.
"Ahh!", Butch croaked in pain as Blossom's probing hands brushed his left chest.
Blossom moved his coat aside at his low moan. Her brows furrowed in confusion when she found nothing.
Butch dug his fingers in the inside of his jacket and pulled out Blossom's phone. The device was dented with the bullet prodding through the broken screen.
Blossom sighed in relief and when their eyes meet, she engulfed him in a hug.
Rate & Review