Craving Rebecca

4. Complicated

I'm sorry sir we don't sell Pinot Noir in glass," The bartender tells me. I had only one mission. To come into St Barb bar, have a glass of wine, and leave because I'm mentally tired and in need of something. A toxic drink isn't my solution right now. Besides, I have to drive back to my place.

"A bottle then" I grit my teeth, and he nods before walking away. My fingers tap against the wooden table rapidly.

Michelle is getting married!... I've tried to live so long with the fact that she's perfect just her and her two sons, Eric and Jones. Since her husband left, Michelle has been alone, and Evey single guy she dated, always turned out to be an ass-hole just after her money. No one is right for her. Michelle isn't my ex, but my elder sister, and someone that has always been like a mom to me since our mom died.

She's watched out for me, I've watched out for her. And more than once, I've had to pull a riffle to scare some men away from her, because I love her and I don't want her hurt. She always gets annoyed when I do that, but I don't care. I'm trying to keep her safe, and also saving Eric and Jones from having another failure of a dad.

"Here's your bottle sir" The waiter comes back. I don't allow him to open it for me because I open it for myself immediately. He just sighs and walks away with a little attitude in his step. I'm not dropping a tip.

On my phone are more than thirty messages from Michelle telling me to meet her so she could explain everything, but I just don't want to listen to anything. The first time I saw the guy she wants to get married to, I knew he was going to stick around for long. Always carrying about the good guy face. But they're all like that, until they start hitting her, and taking all her money. The last one almost got her in prison.

Time after time, I've warned her to stay away from men, but she keeps asking me if I could stay away from women. Well yes, I can!. If I have to. It's not like I haven't stayed celibate for close to five years before. That was during my college days and I was madly in love with Rebecca Sanders. After we split, I refused to go out with any girl, I also didn't sleep with anyone for five years. It could've gone on like that till now, but I'm a freaking dude, and I guessed she'd probably not even want to see me anymore.

But that's not the point. The point is that I'm not letting Michelle get married to that guy. Even if it kills me.

"Your PA told me I'd find you here"

I stop with my fiddling on the wine bottle to stare at Claudia. My friend.

"Lucky guess on h𝒆𝒓 part" I grunt and she chuckles, taking a seat.

"Liar! Piper told me you come here every time you are depressed, and you piss the poor waiter off" she remarks.

I try not to let my head hang with worry because I don't want to let anything on. Michelle doesn't want anyone to know yet.

Claudia's ruby nails tap the table before she places them on my hand. "You can talk to me. What's wrong?"

I stare at her blue eyes that look warm and comforting. Claudia and I may not just be normal friends, but besides Michelle, she's someone else that I can talk to. She's a good listener and a good adviser.