Adrian woke up, it was ten to one in the morning. He couldn't sleep. It wasn't any different to the past few months, it was almost like a clockwork when he woke up.
He groaned rolling in bed onto his stomach. The window was open, letting a semi lukewarm breeze into the room grazing against his bare back. It was too hot to sleep. Or maybe his mind was too occupied to get some sleep.
Adrian rose out of bed, walking towards his open window. His apartment was quite high up, which means he had a breathtaking view of the city. His eyes roamed from left to right, looking at the other high rise buildings that were scattered to the right. To the left was the Docklands pier, lit up by the lights on the bridges.
What are you doing right now? His mind wandered. Are you sleeping?
* * *
Rose placed the last glass on the counter. It was clean, her feet hurt and her head was throbbing from the loud music.
Normally she didn't have to do front service, it meant she didn't have to work in these two inch heels. Today was different, her feet were surely going to have blisters and she was going to embrace calf cramps or feet cramps for the three hours sleep she was going to get, before she started her shift in the morning again.
"See you John."
"Hey Rose, do you want a ride home?"
Rose was tempted, she could save money going home. Tonight she was beyond tired to walk but the past few days she already had a few encounters she didn't want.
"I've already ordered a cab sorry. Thank you, definitley next time we work back this late." which hopefully was never. She was meant to finish an hour ago, but at least she gets paid for it. Ringing the familiar number she let the cab company know the address. She had enough time to get her personal belongings from the locker, and as she stepped outside the cab was already there.
Settling into the warm interior, she tried not to settle against the window and fall asleep. Instead, she tried calling Ivory again. Where the hell was she? Was she ok?
Ivory was Rose's long time friend, and you could say only friend and best friend. They had met in the most unlikely of ways, and almost immediately Rose disliked her. Ivory had everything, her parents were in a happy marriage, she came from wealth and could buy whatever she wanted and she would turn heads in the room with her gracefully pretty features. You could say Rose had was jealous, coming from a fractured relationship with her parents, often had scratches on her face and body from high school brawls they were just from opposite worlds.
But as they got closer Rose realised they weren't that far apart from each other. Ivory wasn't in that perfect world and Rose wasn't the outlier and the only one with a fractured relationship with her parents. Sometimes Rose wished they could go back to their teenage days, when their only worry was their homework, boys and exams.
Now Rose had more problems, trying to make her monthly rent payments, keep her jobs without getting fired again and finding what made her happy in life. For some reason these simple things made her life feel like an endless chore.
A part of her wanted to share these with Ivory like they always did, but she knew Ivory would want to assist, she was charitable and Rose didn't want that. But then she had no one else to share these but herself and it was driving herself mad.
"We're here."
Rose gathered her belongings and gave the drive a crumpled note, "Keep the change" even though she wanted to stay back and wait for a measly fifty cents she hurried out to get into her secured apartment building.
It wasn't till she was behind her locked doors could she relax knowing that she was alone. Her blinds were shut tight letting no moonlight in, the windows all locked and couldn't be open without her keys. She dropped her belongings on the couch and made a beeline to her bed, knowing that every minute of sleep counted. She had to be up shortly for her day job.
* * *
"Why won't he pick up?"
London looked up, semi irritated at her boss. "Sir, you should stop calling him every five minutes."
"But why won't he pick up. If I call him on average every five minutes, in an hour that is twenty times. Isn't Darius bound to pick up one of those?"
"He is overseas which means he's probably sleeping right now,"
Adrian signed kicking the ground to make him office chair go round and round, "He is such a drain. Why am I even related to him?"
London cleared all of Adrian's files placing them back neatly in the filing cabinet. "Did you get no sleep again?" she asked. She didn't want to point out the big dark circles under his eyes, but she couldn't help but worry about him.
"Aren't you meant to pop soon? Go on leave already." Adrian rolled his eyes as he kicked a shelf of his desk shut.
London placed a hand on her stomach, "Four more months"
"Man this is like a buffering movie. You just won't pop and leave me alone." but Adrian was secretly glad his personal assistant was still around. While she was only a few years older than him she acted like his mum. Including slapping his arm as he reached for a chocolate bar, "You need to have some proper breakfast first."
"Chocolate is breakfast Lon,"
"No. It is not. Darren made some croissants this morning. Do you want some?"
"No I don't want your husband's amazing buttery croissants. Obviously I do. Go bring them in!" Adrian sat up grabbing a glass of water. "I wish I had a French pastry chef as a husband," he said and then passed "Wait no. I don't want a husband. Make it wife."
London ignored him grabbing the savoury and sweet croissants from her joined office and bringing them over. "Tomato cheese and ham and chocolate."
She carefully placed them on a plate, grabbed some cutlery from her draw and tissues.
"What about you?"
"I'm not hungry."
Adrian rolled his eyes as he grabbed the knife and cut them both.
"This one is for you and the baby, who you are obviously going to name after your wonderful boss that pays you way too much. And this if for my single soul." he said pushing the three quarter piece towards her.
"That's too much, give me the smaller bit,"
"Babe please you're eating for two and I'm eating for my alter ego. Go eat this and bring me the files."
London sighed knowing she couldn't argue with him and grabber her piece taking it back to her desk. She would eat and work. Adrian looks at the time, surely it wasn't that much later where they were.
He casts a look at London, seeing that she was busy with her head inside a draw he reached for the phone and dials Darius again, this time on his family phone number as he knew he would never miss a call from that one.
Just as he predicted, Darius answered on the third ring. He didn't sound sleepy, no, his older cousin sounded irritated and he could hear screaming in the background. There was no hello, instead he was greeted by a "Yes Adrian?"
"Why are you ignoring my calls."
"I am busy. What do you want?"
"What's all that screaming?"
"My mother," he grumbled and Adrian nodded, there was no need to ask more.
"Isn't visiting family fun?"
"Don't start. You were meant to be here. You know that right."
Adrian winced, "I would rather eat horse shit." there was a reason he purposefully planned all his business meetings around this week. "But not that I have you on the phone. Can I send you some emails I need you to review them and get back to me by tomorrow. It's important."
"Ivory won't like it."
Adrian groaned, his stupid sister in law and her rules about no work on family holidays. "What if I call and talk to her and tell her its an exception."
"Goodluck."
Adrian heard more yelling in the background, "What are they yelling about?"
"My mum is having a phone war with the woman in charge of the cake. Apparently this occasion needs a cake. I don't get why." Adrian nodded, he also doesn't know why a baby shower needs a cake. The baby can't eat the cake.
"I have to call you back later."
"I know you won't but I will send Ivory a message, please look at these they are a three million dollar deal." Whilst Darius didn't find three million dollars big. Adrian did.
"Fine. I'll see."
"Bye couz-," the phone was already hung up. Adrian rolled his eyes, trust his cousin not to be any more affectionate than he used to be.
Adrian swirled around in his chair a few more times, stopping before he got dizzy. He turned to his assistant who was now looking at the computer, "Hey Lon, let's get a coffee...maybe a hot chocolate for you."
"Now?"
"Yeah, I know just the cafe to visit."
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