The Hangout (formerly the Hanger)

Chapter 6: The Call

Something about this day was different. Sometime had passed since her last run in with Ethan but as Tiara sat at the front desk she could feel something in the air. The sun was shining and birds were chirping the desk was a little dead that morning but things were normal, maybe she had been working too hard?

Suddenly there was an eruption of applause coming from the direction of the restaurant before returning to its usual peaceful hum of this and that banter. Something was stirring as she watched her cousin dressed in her silky uniform come bouncing around the corner, not a care in the world.

"So cousin!" She smiled brightly her skin sparkled. "You look pretty today! I'm glad you gained some weight. You were looking kinda sickly there last week."

"Yeah my new room mate is pretty chill so I get to eat a lot of the food." She shrugged watching her cousin carefully expecting news of a vacation or a new car.

"You won't believe what happened to me!" she covered her mouth. The back of her hand sparkled brightly as her eye came to see the large 4.5 carat solitaire engagement ring.

It cast sparkling lights against her face and surroundings as she gaped. "What do you think?"

"Congrats Tiffany. I'm happy for you." She took her hand admiring the sparking, glistening, rock of huge proportion.

A pair of arms reached around her cousin pulling her into an embrace.

Sean was a very dark black man. Sexy. Tall. Just perfect in every way. His smile sparkled as he kissed Tiffany's cheeks over and over smiling affectionately after each tender kiss. "Come on wifey. Let's go tell your friends." He said playfully. Tiffany giggled voice full of joy and excitement.

Tiara couldn't help but smile but there was a small part of her that was sad.

Was her cousin going to leave now? Would she only be left with her aunt now?

Tiara's cousin meant so much to her their competitive nature towards one another has never changed that, but this might. Would she still be working for the hotel?

Everything was about to change again. That's what she was sensing in the air.

The inevitable.

Feeling tears pooling around her eyes she smiled and went around the counter to her cousin too.

"Not before I tell you that I love you and I'm so happy for you." She held on to Tiffany a little bit too long but Tiffany just hugged her back. They didn't bicker or say half assed insults and teases. They just held each other and wiped their tears it was a small moment yet full of bliss. It was something they shared before stepping away from each other to pull themselves together.

Tiffany cut the air with, "Oh, please. Girl, you are going to hate me pretty soon, Maid of honor. Who do you think is gonna be planning my wedding?" She kissed her cheek as they separated.

"Oh I'd lov-- " Tiara though about it diligently then. Oh. Hell. no. She didn't wanna have anything to do with the planning of her cousin's wedding, hell, she had her anxiety but her cousin was controlling and had a smudge of OCD on everything. Her face fell dead and grew a hot sweat.

She chuckled a little, small kind of weak laugh and that was that her cousin and Sean left quickly in their bliss. Tiara couldn't wait for her time when she too could walk in bliss. She returned to her place at the front desk just before she could get comfortable the phone rang.

"Thank you for choosing the Mark Winters Hotel how may I be of service!"

"So this bitch, says 'Don't say that yet you are gonna be planning my wedding! You're my maid of honor", Williams laugh erupted through their apartment as William sectioned off a piece of Tiara's hair.