Being Mrs. Kane

Chapter 7

From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate.
  -Socrates

Mondays in Landucci were always hectic. It seemed everybody in the city decided a night ago to host business meetings at the restaurant.

A few customers wanted to use the private room but none were for proposals. Thankfully, the incident of that day was slowly wearing off my system, but a certain someone hasn't.

It was thirty minutes to the end of my shift but there was no sign of Dorian yet. The last I heard of him was two days ago, when an early morning courier brought my bag and phone. Can you believe that?

I couldn’t help but sigh at how stupid I was becoming these days. Just because he showed an ounce of concern, I think he cares.

It has been three days since my house was burgled. Thankfully, my lock has been changed and I felt a little safe. I told Laura about the incident, obviously leaving details concerning Ratface and of course but still, she freaked out.

I received a long lecture on being more talkative. How would I explain to her that I couldn’t spend the night in her apartment, because she just got back with her boyfriend and the least I could do was not to be a burden to her.

I almost didn’t tell her about the whole thing because I knew she would flip but I didn’t know when the words left me– it was probably to spare my poor ears on the latest between she and her boyfriend.

Luckily, Laura didn’t press for details on the cops after I assured her for the umpteenth time that I was okay.

Sticking to the safer topic, I narrated my embarrassing experience with Dorian at the hospital's café. I couldn’t help but giggle as Laura sighed dreamily throughout my story.

After our shift ended, Laura suggested we grabbed pizza. Eventually, I was filled in on her relationship with Eddie and I was genuinely happy for her. She announced that she would be attending his sister’s wedding with him and I couldn’t help but wish that things would last this time. Eddie wasn’t a bad guy, he just made really bad jokes. They have been dating for a while although they were always breaking and making up.

“You know what I think? I think Dorian is into you,” Laura said all of a sudden with the serious look of a philosopher. I almost choked on my food. Laura laughed at my reaction.

What part of the story doesn’t she understand?

“I don’t think so, besides wasn’t he supposed get married?”

She shrugged. “He didn’t propose, so there will be no wedding.”

I refused to stress myself on the issue between he and Dana– again. It was none of my business.

“You don’t know that.”

“Kota, you can literarily find everything you want to know about this man on the internet, you know,” She said while rolling her eyes. Right. I just sighed and continued eating.

“I think there’s something else he wants,” I spoke quietly more to myself than to Laura.

“Something else eh?” Laura wiggled her eyebrows and I playfully tossed a pepperoni at her which she skillfully dodged.

I was honestly confused by Dorian’s attitude. Everything I have gone through has only taught me to expect the worst from people. Although, I enjoyed the attention I was getting from Dorian– I mean who wouldn’t? I still couldn’t understand how we came to be what we are.

Throughout lunch, my thoughts drifted from Dorian to Ratface to Pete to Dean and back to Dorian. I suddenly realized how complicated my life has grown to be these few weeks and it all started at Landucci.