Into the Starry Night

Twenty-Seven - Part One

It seemed like every day this wedding was unlocking a new harder level of stress for me.

It was now officially two weeks to the traditional wedding and that meant that it was a flurry of activities for the entire wedding party.

I was awoken by 5:00 am sharp by a crick in my neck and Yemisi informing me of a fitting scheduled for 6. I thought the fashion designer was a demon from hell for setting such an early appointment but I kept my thoughts to myself and chirpily told her I'd be there.

After two hours of standing and being prodded by all sorts of sewing materials, I was finally done with the fitting for my dress. I barely had time to grab something to eat before I hopped on a seven-hour flight to London to pick up the invitations. I thought it would be smooth sailing after I landed but nope, everything was determined to test me on this cursed day.

I had mistakenly inputted the wrong address into the GPS and ended up in front of a building that looked like a cross between a strip club and a motel.

After determining that I had the streets mixed up I eventually found the place. I'd assumed the headache was over but then I was made to wait two more hours in the smallest, most nauseatingly colourful store I had ever seen in my life before I was handed the heaviest cardboard box known to man by a knobbly woman with a scowl so disapproving I wondered whether I offended her in a past life.

Thankfully that whole ordeal was over now and I was filing it under the things I will never think about again section of my memories.

I checked my phone as I entered the now-familiar opulence of Orphic's lobby. It was made almost impossible with the weight of the box but I managed.

The screen was open to the text chain I had with Daniel. The lucky son of a bitch had gotten the rings without a hitch four days ago when I had been swamped with work at TriCorp. Both my idiotic partners had somehow simultaneously caught a really bad stomach bug so in addition to doing my research and manning my lab I had the displeasure of supervising their labs and interns as well.

I knew they were punishing me for the time I left them high and dry but that didn't mean I had to like it.

I looked down at my phone again. The last thing on it was Daniel's text. Has anybody told you you can be a little whiny? Just come up to my office when you get to Orphic, I'm sure the both of us can figure out how to put it together, it can't be that hard, was the last thing he sent to me.

I scoffed. I don't whine, what the hell is he talking about?

Finally reaching the receptionist desk I dropped the box on the floor and stretched my aching hands.

"The universe is so cruel to me for no goddamn reason," I groaned as I rotated my shoulder.

"Good afternoon," a bright voice interrupted my monologue. "Welcome to Orphic, how may I help you today?"

Slightly spooked by the cheeriness of the receptionist with her maroon blazer and dazzling smile, I dropped my arm and cleared my throat.

"Hi," I started. "Could you point me in the direction of Daniel's office? He owns the place. I wasn't exactly given proper instructions on how to get there."

"Of course," she nodded pointing to the elevator. "It's on the fifteenth floor, the last door on your left."

"Thank you."

After a deep breath, I heaved the box I was carrying and resumed the torture.

"Do you need some help with that, ma'am?" I heard the receptionist ask as I pressed the button and waited.