Le Crepuscule occupied two floors, the bottom was a regular nightclub with a bar and a dance floor that was packed when we stepped inside. The line went on for miles, eager patrons all waiting their turn to enjoy a night of partying, regrets, and mistakes. We were ushered away from the crowd and led up a large spiral staircase. In contrast to the darkness and fluorescent lighting of the club, the lights in the hall were dimmed, and their orange hue reflected on the wood tile floor.
The second part of the club was a jazz lounge. Pushing past two swinging doors, I held my breath as I took in this new addition.
The bright red curtains on the well-lit stage added a dash of color to the otherwise dim room. Tables were arranged, filling the space between the stage and the bar. Bottles of liquor adorned the shelves and glasses hung upside down behind the baristas, one of which was a young man, mixing a drink for a patron. I gazed up at the ceiling, noticing the crystal chandeliers, turned off for the occasion. At the far end of the room, a projector cast its light on the stage, putting on dismay the black grand piano, and the other instruments being arranged on the podium.
"Kimberly, our table is over there," Patricia said, tugging me out of my daze toward one of the tables in the center of the room.
"Darryl does not fool around at all. Look at this place!" Sephora gestured around the room.
"It's amazing," I replied, nodding along, gazing around when my eyes landed on Alek walking our way.
Alek was introduced to us by Darryl. These two were as thick as thieves, the cutest bromance anyone could ask for. Standing at around six feet, Alek strode across the room with determined steps, his gaze fixed on a clueless Sephora. His biceps flexed against the fabric of his burgundy jacket as he ran a hand over his nicely cut hair. It was like his signature move, running his hands over the 360 waves of black, shortly cropped hair that now finally connected to his beard.
As if I was blind, Patricia nudged me as Alek got closer, her anticipation as clear as Sephora's confusion.
"What type of weird shit are y'all on now?" she whined, looking between us.
Our barely contained grins only grew wider when Alek crept up behind her and buried his head in the crook of her neck.
Sephora squealed loudly before her laugh exploded around the room. She recognized his head instantly and swatted him on the shoulder for nearly giving her a heart attack.
"No worries beautiful, I know other ways to make you reach heaven," he whispered not so subtly.
If Sephora could blush, she'd put a tomato to shame right now.
Offering her the bouquet, I only now noticed the box in his hand.
Without a word, thankful glances were exchanged as Sephora tore off the silver wrapping paper.
Upon opening it, she gasped and then squealed before standing up and throwing her arms around his neck.
Alek chuckled and let out a muffled, "Happy birthday, princess."
She pulled away from him and their lips came together in a loving kiss.
Patricia and I were swatting each other like two schoolgirls unable to contain our excitement. It was no secret that Alek and Sephora had been sleeping together. For one reason or another, Alek reciprocated her feelings but never seemed to want more. Being the very private man that he was, this display of affection was something we never saw even in a more intimate setting.
When they pulled away, Patricia promptly leaned over to see the content of the box.
Before she could, Sephora reached into it and pulled out a gold, emerald-encrusted princess tiara.
"Awww, Alek you didn't! Don't encourage her diva complex," I giggled.
Sephora flipped me the bird and in the same breath turned to Alek, all starry-eyed, and asked him to crown her.
I did not try to contain the smile that'd spread on my face and again they went for a kiss.
Patricia and I clapped and whistled, celebrating the beginning of something we always knew was bound to happen.
"At last he came around!" Patricia declared triumphantly.
They sat next to each other and I leaned toward Alek and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Took you long enough. Now please get married before Sam starts high school," I begged playfully.
He gave me a knowing smirk and gazed back at Sephora who was now posing for pictures.
"Don't worry. I don't plan to waste any more time," he said with a wink.
I didn't press the issue further.
Alek was a man of very few words. His demeanor said it all, Sephora would get her happily ever after.
For thirty minutes or so we chatted among ourselves, catching up with each other until we heard a quick mic check and the voice of the MC boomed through the room. After a short introduction speech, we welcomed Darryl on stage. He was led up the steps by his assistant.
When I met Darrel three years ago, his vision had just started deteriorating. Now fully blind, it still broke my heart to see his eyes unfocused when we talked. Darryl hid it well, but his breakup with his former pianist couldn't have come at a worst time. Diagnosed at ten with macular degeneration, over the years he followed many treatments and underwent procedures to push back the inevitable.
At thirty-six, there was nothing left to be done that his doctors hadn't. I believe for a very long time, he thought the outcome could've been altered. After all, he had the money and the resources to get better, but there was no cure and that's a reality he eventually had to accept. During that morning period, he went on hiatus, unreachable by family and friends alike. For three months he didn't want to be bothered and then, he was back.
That was two years ago, he's since adapted to his blindness, not allowing it to stop him from doing what he loved most.
He was dressed in a white, loose, dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing his tattooed forearms, paired with black slacks and leather boots of the same color. His dreadlocks had grown a lot since the last time we saw each other, now stopping well below his shoulders, styled in a half-up half-down style.
Guided up the small steps to the stage, I looked forward to seeing him familiarized with this new space. If it wasn't for that, I knew he wouldn't have even asked for help.
"Thank you all for coming. I am honored to be with you tonight. Most of you have known me for a very long time and, I hope that you consider this place your home. At least for the next few hours."
A few chuckles erupted from the crowd and he smiled promptly, fixing his dark glasses before focusing his attention on his saxophone.
"Anyway, please feel free to ask for anything you want, the wait staff is at your disposal for the night. Let's have a good time."
With that being said, he didn't let the applause stop him from getting in position.
The man at the piano was joined by the rest of the band on stage. I recognized Kennedy, a short white guy with striking green eyes and short brown hair, slipping his bass guitar strap over his head. Ricardo, an average-height, light skin Mexican guy with black curly hair held in a ponytail, sat at the drums. Three girls that I didn't recognize, one of which held in her hand a trombone, while the others, probably the soloists, grouped up around a mic.
Once everyone was in place, the pianist began to play a soft tune. Not too long after, Darrel joined in. A relaxed atmosphere automatically spread around the room. The soft melody was seductive, inviting us to forget our worries and lose ourselves in this soft rhythm.
While we got enthralled by the music, we were served drinks.
I was getting swept away by the melodious sound when my phone buzzed in my lap.
A mixture of nervousness and happiness overwhelmed my senses now that I knew Jarred was here. The invitation that he was given also indicated the table number so I wouldn't need to go get him.
"Everything alright?" Sephora questioned, noticing my sudden agitation.
"Yeah. Jarred's here."
Her eyes widened automatically and she smirked.
"Oh really?"
I was about to say something when I noticed him in the entryway.
Why did he have to look so fine in that outfit? Just a very simple brown dress shirt tucked into beige pants. The top buttons were left undone and from here I could see the thick gold chain around his neck.
He began to walk in my direction and he flashed me a bright smile when our eyes met.
"Whose man is this?" Patricia said, her tone low and seductive.
"Hands off. He's mine," I meant to say lightheartedly, but my voice was clipped, with an edge of jealousy.
Wow. That was new.
The second he sat down, I leaned into him to greet him with a kiss.
"I was afraid you wouldn't make it," I whispered against his lips.
"I'm sure you'd enjoy yourself even without me," he smiled before glancing at Darryl on stage.
For a moment he seemed captivated by the performance.
"This guy's good."
"I know right," I said, proud of my friend.
"Ahem."
We both turned towards the noise.
Sephora, Alek, and Patricia were all staring at us. Sephora was watching me like a mother eyed her children when they eat with their hands at the dinner table.
"Right. It's time for introductions."
I turned back to look at him, giving him a nervous smile and taking in a deep breath.
"Jarred, meet my best friend Sephora, her cousin Patricia, and my friend Alek."
Jarred waved at everyone, grinning kindly.
I could tell that Sephora was about to say something when the audience began to cheer. The music had stopped and Darryl was now making his way off the stage.
A few minutes went by and we were served hors d'oeurves while the rest of the band carried on with the show. The conversation had picked up at our table. Alek, Sephora, and Jarred spoke amongst each other like long-lost best friends. Half of what they were saying sounded like money talk to me, seeing as their field of work was somewhat similar. Stocks, investments, banking options, the economy, all that number talk made me glad I went into law, my attention to details was limited to words. Math stopped making sense to me when they decided to add letters in that shit.
"Where were you hiding this guy? I was shipping you with Ricardo," Patricia said and I nearly spit out my drink, flabbergasted by her pairing.
"Why? We talked like twice."
"And I swear I saw the sparks," she said and ate her canape in one bite.
I shook my head, "Sorry to disappoint you, but what you think you saw was probably stardust."
She pondered my words for a few seconds before shrugging, "Maybe it was."
"Maybe?"
She brushed off my question and turned towards our friends.
My eyes then wandered around the room until they fell on Darryl. He was talking to a few guests. Jumping on this opportunity, I excused myself to personally thank our host.
He was surrounded by a few people so for a few minutes, I wait until we were along to approach.
"How much do you charge for performances now? I need you to play at Dellana's housewarming party next month."
Darryl turned his head in my direction, for a few seconds, not saying anything as the polite smile he had for his previous guests turned warmer.
"Kimberly. You sound great," he said, standing up to hug me.
"So do you. You look amazing, this place is amazing," I praised, tapping him on the back before pulling away.
He shrugged, a cocky smirk curving up his lips.
"Glad I was still able to use that architecture major after all," he said, gazing around the room as if admiring his masterpiece.
I smiled sympathetically.
"How're you holding up?" I asked and he looked back at me.
"If you're wondering if I got blinder, the answer is yes."
I winced at that, unsure how to respond given this was a touchy subject.
He chuckled at my reaction, "Relax, Kim. I learned to live with it. The world is just a lot greyer than it used to be."
"Well with a few more places like this that's sure to turn the ambers up a bit."
He leaned in closer and whispered conspiratorially, "That's the plan."
I giggled at that, happy to see him in good spirits.
"How's Sam?" he asked, and I smiled, appreciating how concerned he always was about my son.
"He's good. He recently had to get surgery."
The words made him frown and he shifted in his sit.
"Why? What happened?"
"Just his tonsils that needed to be removed. He's doing much better now."
"That's good. I'll send him something. His birthday has already passed right?"
I began to nod before remembering he couldn't see me.
"Yeah it did, it was about four months back."
"Well I'll be damned," he chuckled under his breath.
A placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry. You had a lot going on and so did we."
He nodded in understanding, his mouth puckered pensively.
"I heard about Colton," he said after a while and I stiffened.
"Are you okay?"
Sighing as I replayed the past few months in my head, I hummed in uncertainty.
"When it comes to us, I'm okay with where we are. There are times when it seems he wants to claim back everything. I got that vibe more at the beginning. Lately, though, things have been pretty smooth, he's incredible with Sam."
"And with you?" Darryl asked, I cocked my head in question.
Interpreting my silence, he rephrased, "You said he's incredible with Sam. How is he with you?"
That was a seemingly so straightforward yet deep question.
Darryl was known for these.
Being the no-nonsense friend, he never held back from telling us the hard truth even when we weren't ready to hear it.
Thinking back on our rocky start, I thought of all the efforts Colton had made in the past few months. From sometimes picking up Sam from school to staying the night while he was sick so I could get some rest, to buying me ice cream and staying behind to help with dinner.
"He's good to me," I said on an exhale.
For a few seconds, I only heard Jarred's low baritone rumble before he tapped my knee.
"You know what to do if that ever changes," he said, leaving no room to argue what he was insinuating. I knew exactly what he meant.
"Don't worry. I'm nobody's fool anymore. Plus, he better be nice to me, my boyfriend doesn't take rudeness to his girlfriend lightly."
Darryl's eyebrows raised in a knowing smile.
"No kidding! May I ask who tied you down, Ms. Independent?" he teased and I laughed, swatting him on the shoulder.
"His name is Jarred, I brought him here tonight. He thinks you're very talented."
"That's good that he can state the obvious."
I laughed at that.
"You're not distracting me with flattery, Kim. Tell me, where did you meet him?"
"At a parent-teacher conference," I said shyly.
He smirked, "I like that. I don't even need to ask, it's clear he's good for you."
I raised an eyebrow, "And you can tell how?"
For a short instant, I could only hear the piano solo playing in the background.
"You sound happy," he eventually said.
I looked through the crowd, my gaze landing on Jarred who was looking in my direction.
A smile spread across my face.
He mouthed "Are you okay?" and I nodded.
With a quick thumbs up, he refocused his attention on the band on stage.
"I am," I said, feeling the truth in those words.
"That's what I like to hear. By the way, Sephora doesn't know about the surprise, right?" he queried.
I smiled to myself.
Sephora happened to be a big fan of this amazing singer that goes by the name, Marina. Thanks to Darryl's friends in the industry, he was able to convince her to come tonight and give a performance dedicated to her. She's going to flip when she finds out but it'll be all worth it.
"My lips remained sealed."
"Good because she's running late."
I chuckled and I tried to stay optimistic. Even if Marina didn't show up tonight, I knew that Sephora had a great time.
Just as I prepared to head back to my table, a man in full black attire approached us.
"Sir, Ms. Marina has arrived."
"At last," he groaned and stood up, his cane in hand.
"Last time working with a diva," he told me and I stepped aside to let him through.
I was making my way back to my table when I was yanked into a corner.
"What the hell is wrong with you I almost tore my..."
"Colton's here," Sephora blurred out.
"Huh," I blinked, confused while trying to fix my foot correctly in my heel.
"You heard me. He's at the same table as Marina. Marina! Why does he get to breathe the same air as her? I should be over there!"
"Hold on, hold on," I interrupted her, letting out a deep sigh before looking out from our dark corner.
She was right. Colton was indeed here along with Nickolai Pavelka and some other people.
Well shit.
Was this what he had to cancel early for?
I observed his behavior. It seemed he was here with Marina, and judging by the way her hand wandered up his thigh, I'd go out on a limb and say their relationship was far from platonic.
The anger that I usually felt in these situations never came. A part of me wanted to run a victory lap as this confirmed my progress. The thought of Colton with someone knew came to mind a few times, however, I never pondered too hard, telling myself it was irrelevant, although a part of me wondered if I'd feel the same if I was to witness something like this public display of affection.
Now I had my answer.
"Are you okay?"
She placed a hand on my shoulder, analyzing my profile.
I turned to her with a triumphant smile. I threw my arm around her, nodding affirmatively.
"I stopped letting him ruin things for me a long time ago."
Her shoulders slumped slightly, indicating the tension in her body dissipated from my response.
Hand in hand, we made our way back to the table.
I felt the precise moment when his eyes fell on me. The hairs on the back of my neck prickled as his gaze followed my every move.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage the gorgeous and talented, Marina. Land her your applause as she makes her way on stage to graze us with one of her amazing performances."
The room erupted in cheers. The tall brunette sauntered through the room, with the elegance and pazzazz of a 60s starlet. Her dazzling white gown left her shoulders bare while the sleeves served as turned into gloves. Loose voluminous curls bounced against her naked back as she got on stage, red lips spread into a bright smile.
"I was told coming here that it was someone special night," she said into the microphone, taking a beat before adding, "Sephora, would you please join me on stay."
I looked at my best friend and found her wide-mouthed.
"Is this happening?" she squealed to which I answered with a wink.
She turned back to Alek, "Were you in on this?" I heard her ask while he helped her up and guided her away.
From here I could see her shaking hands as she brought them to her face, her excitement and enthusiasm causing her body to shiver.
"Alright people, I'm going to need your help on this one. We're going to sing happy birthday to this gorgeous woman right here. I think you guys know the lyrics, if not..." she paused, looking around the room that'd erupted in small chuckles.
I leaned into Jarred's warm embrace, loving Sephora being the center of the attention. We sang happy birthday and then Marina dedicated the next performance to her. Already slipping into his boyfriend role, AlekAlek filmed the whole thing. Marina's rich, sultry voice plunged the room into a relaxed ambiance, the melody sweeping us away.
During that time, I reluctantly checked my phone for updates from Fiona.
My phone buzzed a few seconds later with a photo of him fast asleep.
Noticing the blanket on the floor, I chuckled and shook my head.
"That's your little guy?" Jarred asked and I nodded, moving the phone closer so he could see.
Pointing at the screen, he chuckled at the blanket piled on the ground.
"Alayah used to do that. Now she mummifies herself in it," he said, chuckling at the thought.
"Oh yeah? Sam could learn a thing or two from her then. I never could get him to sleep fully covered."
Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, he pulled me into his side and kissed the top of my head.
"Eventually he will."
I smiled at that, relaxing into him.
"Did I tell you how breathtaking you look tonight?" he purred into my ear.
I giggled, "Took you a while to notice."
"Don't you think that? I noticed you the moment I saw you."
"But you didn't say anything."
He shifted his head from side to side, weighing his answer, "I was a little preoccupied with your friends. Thye're..." he cocked his head as if deep in thought before settling on, "interesting."
I chuckled at that.
"Don't let Patricia hear you say that."
"Nah. I think she likes me."
I hummed and snaked an arm around his waist, snuggling against him.
"Thank you for inviting me tonight. I had a fantastic time," I heard him whisper.
My heart fluttered from his tone. So much gratitude in his deep voice.
I gazed up at him, smiling sheepishly.
Staring lazily into his eyes, he grinned down at me and grazed his nose with mine in that cute way couples do. I couldn't help but giggle.
"I missed you," he whispered.
"I missed you too," I replied before our lips collided in a gentle, slow kiss.
Because of Sam's recovery, we didn't get much time to ourselves. Tonight was the first time seeing each other in nearly two weeks. Tonight we were supposed to go back to my place after the show. Since Colton had canceled, this was the only time we had to ourselves this time. As disappointed as I'd been when the plans were altered, now it didn't seem to matter.
Being in his arms now allowed me enough resilience to face the new week and hold on until we were alone again.
"That guy's been staring at you all night," Jarred's voice broke my chain of thoughts.
He nodded towards Colton and again, he was shamelessly eyeing us.
Sighing, I sat up straighter to look at Jarred.
"That's my ex," I confessed, and instantly his face hardened.
His eyes glanced from Colton to me, silently putting the pieces together.
Finally, he focused on me, concern furrowing his brows, "Are you alright?"
I shrugged, "Yeah. It's just... a little uncomfortable. I wouldn't have cared for his presence, but he's been gawking at me all night."
Jarred smirked and motioned for me to come closer, "You're the most gorgeous woman here, and you're all mine. There's a lot to be envious of."
My core roiled with sudden need from his possessive tone. I leaned into him, crashing my mouth to his, accepting his claim. All the while, I felt his gaze laser-focused on the back of my head, his stare so intense it prickled against my skin.
"Let him look," I told myself.
After all, I was only living my best life.
~Thank you for reading this chapter.~
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