Chapter 69: The Greatest Part 3
" I tried to convince her that it wouldn't be a good idea, but she called Miranda. " Tessa says shrugging.
"Don't tell me she...
" Yes, dear cousin, said "shopping" I already manifest myself just like Liza Minnelli when there is a lot of gay energy in a room. " Miranda paddles in with her huge belly.
"Does Rick know you're going to spend money on more clothes and shoes?
"I'm carrying a watermelon in my belly, do you think he has a right to complain about something?" With that we burst into laughter before we went to lunch.
Tessa chose a new Indian food restaurant that opened near the sale site, the place is neat, decorated with items from the typical culture of India, many colors and the unmistakable smell of masala in the air. We order several dishes and eat everything they bring to the table, the food is spicy but incredibly delicious. I'm sure John would love that food, so I make a reservation for us to go at dinnertime.
We are leaving the restaurant, when I notice something that catches my eye. Doug is standing in front of the restaurant, looking at us as we leave, he smiles, waves at me and continues to stand there until we get in the car and drive away. This is the sixth time I've seen Doug in two weeks, two were near my house, one outside the gym, two near the company building. I mentally record that I must talk to John about this.
Soon I get Doug out of my head and replace him with shoes, so we start talking about handbags and how much money we're going to spend.
$2,564, that was the exact amount I spent between bags, shoes and a gorgeous green scarf. As soon as we bought everything, we went back to the magazine, until Miranda decides to help with some things for a publication. I leave Debbie, Tessa and Miranda working as I go to my living room, where I stay until John shows up and says it's our time, I get up and run up to him, giving my love a big kiss, we go out together to enjoy our evening.
***
The days flew by, we are in the third week of January and with the February issue almost ready, as well as my Elle cover. The last week has been very busy, John and I have spent many days apart, seeing each other only at night when we indulge in pleasure. My fourth starts off pretty hectic, first thing in the morning I wake up to John super excited, he's already showered and putting on a navy blue suit with a red tie with gold and green accents.
"Good morning, my love, did you sleep well?" My love asks with a big smile, kissing me shortly after. "I need you to go shower or we'll be late.
"It's still early, my love, we have another hour before we think about being late.
" Baby, today is a different day, I have a surprise, I even bought a gift for you. " John speaks out of bed and into the closet, he comes back carrying a large red box with a golden bow. I open it quickly and see the most beautiful fabric I have ever seen in my life, it is in an intense shade of navy blue, with golden embroidery and red stones scattered over the beautiful work of golden threads.
"Wow, what a fantastic fabric, I loved it, I'm going to order a dress for Debbie with it.
"I'm not giving you the fabric, baby, this is a sari, I want you to wear it today in the magazine.
John looks at me and I return my gaze to him, take the fabric out of the box and see the rest of the clothes, everything matches his suit, even his shoes. I ask John why and even protest that my belly is on display, but soon I'm curling up in the sari with Alice's help, and it looks gorgeous. I take a picture together with John and post it on Instagram. We leave the house and go straight to the magazine, I'm not at all surprised when I see Tessa and Lizzie in sari too, they are beautiful. Lizzie is wearing a green while Tessa displays a red, the two of them smile when they look at me and John.
"Wow, the royal couple of the Kross empire, you look absurdly wonderful." Lizzie speaks, hugging me tightly, followed by Tessa.
" How did you know that today is a thematic day? " I ask smiling at my friends.
" John who sent us the saris, I think he sent it to the whole magazine. " I look at the smart guy who smiles at me before shrugging. "I think the smart guy is hiding something from us.
"Without pressure, soon everyone will know what it is, so relax and enjoy the day.
John smiles offering me his arm, I pick him up and together we travel to India. Madeleine Hills looks like a lost India branch in New York. The entrance hall is fully decorated like an Indian temple, full of colors and even the smell resembles that of a real Indian restaurant. This is repeated over several floors of the company, all the employees are dressed in character with bright Indian clothes. Thus, we start the workday, everyone is divided between doing their job and dancing to the infectious sound of the music. The day seems to fly, when I see, we are already at lunchtime, at that moment, the sound of the drums begins to fill the corridors, I hesitate to get up to see what is happening, but soon I decide to go. Indian dancers stand in the hallway as musicians play a lively tune.
"Ella! Ella! " I hear them call me and soon I see Lizzie in the middle of the people dancing. " John is summoning the whole company in the auditorium, he has an announcement to make, from what Leonard said.
" Just John himself, just at lunchtime. " I speak out of the room, close the door and stand by the sea of people who are dancing there.
Soon Lizzie and I find Tessa and Debbie, together, we dance until we reach the auditorium of the company, on the eleventh floor, it occupies almost the entire floor, in it is being served a traditional Indian lunch, waiters serve everyone with big smiles, I get in line and help myself to the delicious food, soon I am eating with my friends at one of the tables.
I miss John, but soon I see my love with two other men, they are visibly Indian. They walk to the front of the auditorium, where there is a microphone and a screen.
" Namaste. " John greets everyone with an Indian greeting, they're all smiling. "Marilyn, could you come here?" I look at my beloved and get up going to him, as soon as I get closer, he hugs me and gives me a brief kiss. "Rajh and Maduk, I would like to introduce my fiancée, Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn, these are Rajh and Maduk, they are entrepreneurs from India, together we are negotiating with them to bring our magazine to the Asian continent.
"Are you kidding me, papy? Why didn't you tell me about it?
"Because I still wasn't sure if it would be right, I hope I don't get mad, I'm presenting the project today to the whole company, but we will only close if the whole board authorizes it.
" Is the proposal good?
" It's great, baby, the magazine will make a lot of profit. " He smiles before formally introducing me to the man as a partner in the company, John begins to explain to me all about the negotiation. In less than 20 minutes I'm on top of the whole negotiation. Soon the announcement is made and everyone begins to comment on the expansion, the council of the presidency is summoned and we go to the meeting room where everyone is informed about the negotiation, apparently everyone is in favor, Arthur analyzes the contract and informs that it will be very advantageous.
We have decided that the contract will be closed only in early February.
We go back to the party that's going on, I dance with my friends and John. It turns out that the end of the day is forgotten as we splurge between dancing and eating, enjoying freely.
***
It's almost seven o'clock in the evening when we call it over, I'm totally tired and a little drunk when John warns him he's going to take the investors to their car in the parking lot, warning that I'm going to wait for him in front of the building. I get into the elevator alone, but before the door closes, a man rushes in, he pushes the parking button. I lean against the elevator wall and text my mom and Clint, inviting him to dinner tomorrow. I look into the mirror in front of me and get a strange glimpse, I swear Doug is the man in the elevator, but before I can say or do anything, the man steps up on me and puts a cloth with a sweet smell on my nose, then plunges into darkness.