Detested Desire

2 - Lady at the coffee shop

It took Don Caine 2 weeks to finally get back on his 2 feet. The rusty blade he was stabbed with almost killed him, but he was strong enough to survive.

It was the one night he wanted to be alone, without his bodyguards, without his right hand, and it proved to be almost fatal.

It was a mere coincidence that he walked past the subway. A dangerous place to travel at night. But he could use the time alone. He loved the silence and freedom even it was just for one second. But things never worked the way anyone wanted.

His close call with death made him realise just how short life was. But he was a Don. A businessman. He had his schedule. He had his busy life. He had no time to heal for his responsibilities were too great.

His wound barely healed and yet he had to stand a 5 hour meeting with a new construction company to build a new lavish duplex in Hell's Kitchen. He needed to secure this contract. The duplex could get in new investors that helped the city.

It was a promise all Jones made. To make the city a better place. It's what he promised his father and what his father promised his father. It was the responsibility of all the men in the Jones family. They were important men who sought hard to keep the city's peace and safety.

He popped some painkillers before he could sign the papers. It was worth it. Hours of sitting with an old racist jackass just to get the contract agreement drafted and signed.

It was the only time in 2 weeks that he really felt great. He accomplished something. He was tired of the hospital gowns and ridiculous stitching and meds that made him drowsy.

He was sitting in a coffee shop, drinking his usual. His right hand Tommy was with him.

'How you feeling Don,' Tommy asked.

Tommy was a good kid. He was Caine's cousin. Tommy was a year younger than him but they were the thickest friends. Tommy was his right hand, his partner in everything.

'I'll be fine. I survived Chicago, I can survive this,' Caine jests.

Tommy chuckled.

'Man, Chicago was something else,' he says, reminiscing the one incident where they bonded for life. Chicago was something unspeakable.

'We need to head to Miami for the weekend. The don there insists that-'

Whatever Tommy said, Caine heard nothing. Something caught his attention. A girl's hair. It was nothing significant. But he knew this girl. He knew her.

There were so many people there blocking his view. He couldn't take a good look at her. All he was seeing was bits and pieces. First it was her dark hair, then her earrings, then her eyes. And then finally, the crowd cleared for a moment and he could see who the woman was and his breath caught in his throat.

It was her.

The same girl from the subway. He didn't need anyone to tell him that. Even though it was dark that night and he didn't get to see her clearly, there was just something that connected them that night. He just knew it was her.

It must have been a few weeks since the subway incident. He only ever asked about that girl once, when he woke up after a minor surgery by the family doctor. He asked Tommy what happened to the girl. Tommy just told him she was dropped home safely and told to forget everything. Ever since then he had been engrossed in so much of work that he never asked about her.

He took a good look at her, studying her features.

She had dark curls, round eyes, button nose, sharp jaw and thick lips. She was tall and curvy but lean curvy if that made any sense. She was talking with a few girls and Caine only kept staring at her. She was young. Probably 25 or 26. Way younger than him.

'You listening to me Don?'

Caine jumped back to reality, realising Tommy had been talking for quite a while.

'No I lost you at Chicago. Can we talk about this later?' Caine said. Tommy turned behind to see the source of his attention and pursed his lips when he saw the girl.

'Caine, she's bad news. The first time you saw her you got stabbed with a rusty blade.'

'I know. But I never got to thank her.'

'She didn't do anything that helped you.'

But she did. She helped him. That night when he laid against the cold wall, he had lost all will to live. He was prepared to die. But when he saw her, when his head was buried on her lap while she caressed his face and uttered those words, he found hope. Suddenly he didn't want to die. He wanted to see her again. For no apparent reason. He wanted to see her again and again. Learn her name, where she lived, what she liked. Learn everything about her.

He didn't understand why. She was just a plain girl. A breathtaking girl yes, but there was just no logic in it. Why the need to be so drawn to her? What had gotten him so mesmerised from just a split second of seeing glimpses of her at that cafe.

'What's her name? Caine asked him. Tommy kept quiet, and Caine didn't like his hesitation.

'You sent her to her home and warned her never to reveal this to anyone. You obviously kept tabs on her and looked her up. What's her name?' Caine presses.

'Meela Matthews.' 

'Meela,' Caine repeated her name. It sounded so foreign yet unique. Somehow a smile escaped his lips at he mention of her name.

He turns back to look at her and finds her standing up, ready to exit the cafe.

Oh she was stunning. Her dress hugged her body. She was beautiful. So lovely. Compared to him she looked so much younger. He wasn't that old. But he was already 36 this year.

Why was Caine even thinking about this. She was just a random girl he crossed paths with. There was nothing else to do.

Except he watched her walk out of the cafe and he followed her, leaving Tommy behind.

Caine didn't know what he was doing. But he just wanted to make sure she was safe. Safe and sound, protected from all the horrors of this world.

He walked behind her until he saw her take a cab. Fortunately Tommy trailed behind them in his car and Caine got in. And they followed the cab until it finally stopped in front of her apartment.

Caine watched her thank the cab driver and enter the apartment.

This was a one time thing. He saw her at the cafe, and as gratitude for not abandoning him that night at the train station, he decided to follow her until she reached her house safely. That's all it was to this.

Well it wasn't.