Sarai
I found myself sitting in the office another late night. I spent all of my time here trying to be the best. I was good at what I did and everyone wanted a meeting with Sarai Grey. I worked in information technologies and cyber security. My firm was originally built to maintain internet protocol at the federal level. My father, Brigain, was paid to help some bad guys get away with a lot of cryptocurrency. It was said to be the biggest heist in history.
I had to rebrand and rebuild from scratch, but I didn’t mind. Everyone knew I was a far better thinker than he was. My mother, Selenne. She was your typical housewife. She made our house a home. She had my brothers, Taylor and Titus, four years before me. She had Hunter two years after them. She had my big sister, Deena, just nine months after Hunter, a surprise. Then her and daddy were going through a rough patch in their marriage when I was conceived.
Mom said I saved their marriage, but I’d like to think I just kept it going for a little longer. Deena despised me and was angry daddy had another daughter. She was your typical spoiled brat who spent daddy’s money. Hunter headed finance at daddy’s company. He loved that he had a younger sister who loved him and looked up to him. He got a promotion at a rival company and took it when he saw daddy was going down the wrong path. My brothers were my friends and always made sure I was okay.
Taylor and Titus are twins, identical. All the women love them and they loved some of them back. They continued on in daddy’s bad ways. It’s all they’d ever known. Mom doesn’t mind because it keeps her living a lavish lifestyle. They tried to recruit me, but I told them, I rather make my own path and I'm glad that I did.
I graduated number 3 out of 526 students. I was so angry I didn’t focus sooner and get on top of my grades quicker. Mom was happy and me being the only of her children who actually graduated from high school was enough for her. My brothers and Deena all decided early, school wasn’t for them and tested out with the GED course. I liked the social status going to high school gave me and it was what I wanted to do.
I went on to study at NYU as a computer science major. I took minor courses in law. I worked as a paralegal while I completed my studies. I was the best and many of the lawyers tried to get me to take criminal justice and the bar because I could’ve made millions as legal aide. It wasn’t what I wanted to do and I’m glad I didn’t listen.
I did however take online courses to complete the criminal justice program. I didn’t tell anyone, but when I left being a paralegal for information technologies, I missed the excitement of enforcing the law. It was a fall back plan if you must, for me.
I exited my office and went to the front entrance where Helo was waiting for me. He’s my driver and bodyguard daddy gave me. I was his youngest and he didn’t spare any expense when it came to me. It was just after 7pm and everyone had gone home for the day. I stopped at Moe’s and had dinner. Brian, my ex, was dining with his woman of the week. He stared and I felt his eyes on me, but I didn’t offer him so much as a glance.
As he and she were leaving, he made sure to “run” into me, so he could speak to me. I didn’t even look up from my kindle which had my latest reads on it. I was currently engulfed in Listen by @ashardru. His female acquaintaince scoffed as he continued to speak to me.
“Sarai, you look good. This is Myra my fiancee.”
“Nice to meet you Myra. I’m Sarai-”
“Yeah, the ex!”
“You guessed it! I hope you and Brian enjoyed dinner. I like the dress you’re wearing.”
“How do you know I’m wearing a dress? You haven’t even looked up.”
“I can see with more than just my eyes, Myra. You’re worth more than Brian is going to give you. You look like a really nice woman. From one business woman to another, leave now before he traps you. You have no obligations to him.”
“I love Brian and I think you’re jealous he’s with me.”
“Is that so? Why would I be jealous when I left him, honey?”
“H-he told me he broke off things, you’re lying!”
“What do I get from lying to you?”
“Sarai! I wronged you, but that’s no reason to tell Myra to leave me”
“Then tell Myra the truth! Did I leave you or you left me?”
“What difference does it make?”
“The truth, matters, Brian!”
“You left me-”
“And why did I leave you?”
“Sarai..”
“Why?”
“Because you caught your sister and I in our bed.”
“So, you see Myra, I have no reason to be jealous. He liked my sister more than me and even took her to bed, our bed. I was relieved because I hadn’t given myself to Brian and I had no obligations to him, so I walked away hurt only because my sister went to bed with a man I thought was mine.”
“W-wha”
“Myra, I can explain.”
“You have me standing here looking stupid! When the whole time you slept with her sister? You conveniently left that part out.”
“I told you he wasn’t worth you. I’m just trying to save another woman from his deceit. I don't want you to wait until it's too late. Brian get away from my table now, I want to finish my novel.”
“That’s why right there, I took your sister to bed. She was more than willing to please me! You rather read a book!”
“It turned me on more”
“You bitch!”
“Says the man who’s complaining about not being wanted. Throwing a tantrum because his falsetto is on full display. Maybe had you given me something to look forward to, I wouldn't find books more interesting!”
“You haven’t heard the last of me. Let’s go Myra!”
“I’m not going anywhere with you! We’re done!”
“Myra, you’re going to let her break us up?”
“Your lies did that! I trusted you like a fool!”
Myra stormed away and Brian chased after her. I went back to my kindle and finished another few chapters before paying for my meal and heading home. Helo opened the door for me and once I was inside he closed the door and drove. I was caught in my thoughts until my phone rang. It was Mom.
“Hey mom, you’re calling late tonight. Is something wrong?”
“Can’t I just call my daughter who hasn’t bothered to talk to me all day?”
“Mom, what is it?”
“Deena is pregnant and I don’t want you and her to fight about it.”
“Why would we fight about it mom?”
“Brian is the father.”
“Okay, Brian and I are no longer together because she slept with him in my bed mom, so again, why would I be mad enough to fight with her about it?”
“She’s 6 months pregnant, Sarai.”
“So, I was right, she’d been sleeping with Brian for awhile. So like her. Well tell her I said congrats!”
“Sarai, life happens sometimes and-”
“Mom! Not you making excuses for them. Mom did you know Brian asked me to marry him or you just didn't care? I spent four years with him. I planned a future with him. Just for Deena to ruin it! My sister! So, no I’m not happy my ex finace is fathering her child, but she’s my sister and the baby will be my niece or nephew in the end anyway. I’m not going to fight with her! Do you need anything else?”
“No, Sarai. I just wanted you to know.”
“Thanks mom for the heads up, rest well.”
I ended the call without waiting for her to start another conversation. I wiped the tears that had escaped my eyes. I felt Helo’s eyes on me in the rearview mirror, but I ignored him. We arrived minutes later at my apartment. I stayed in a home with Brian, but after coming home from work and catching he and Deena in our bed, I packed up my things and moved. This apartment was closer to my work and in the city. I liked city life. So I purchased this apartment as an impulse buy. I rarely splurged on myself or unnecessary things for myself.
I could come home and change and experience nightlife every night if I wanted to. When Brian and I first broke up, Gia, my best friend was the first to come over. She and Deena hate each other. She’s been my friend since high school and we even took a few college courses together. She entered the fashion world. She was a very big designer here in New York. I was so proud of her and supported her when she was first starting out and even now. Anytime I needed her, she always made time for me and I for her.
She married Rexoli Fyrr, a Russian businessman and convinced him to move his business here to New York. He was a digital mogal. I didn’t like him at first, but how he loved my best friend changed my mind about him. He was always trying to push his friends off on me and I told him if he wanted me to continue liking him, he’d stop. So he did.
I phoned Gia to tell her what mom said and she told me she would be right over. I had just gotten out of the shower when she arrived.
“Your mom is evil for rubbing that shit in your face. Your sister is a low down dirty bitch for sleeping with Brian, but he’s a bigger bitch for hurting you like this. Does he even know?”
“I don’t think he does or he would've told me so himself. He was with a woman named Myra tonight. I was having dinner at Moe’s and he wanted me to meet her.”
“I can kill him for you! It hasn’t even been an entire year yet and he’s already moved on!”
“I don’t care Gia. I know I should, but I don’t. I guess I had fallen out of love with Brian and knew he was up to something. I just hadn’t expected it to be my sister.”
“I’m sorry Sara.”
“You know you only call me Sara when you have something you want to say. So out with it.”
“Rex and I want to invite you to come and vacation with us in Italy. No, he doesn’t have any friends he’s trying to set you up with, but I think you could use the time away.”
“I have a deadline due soon, Gia I can’t just put it off to vacation. We have to be adults now and work. We're actual grown ups now”
“It isn’t for another two weeks surely my amazing best friend can get it done by then and come along with us?”
“I’ll try. Thank you for coming by last minute to sulk with me.”
“I’m staying! Rex is out of town for three days for work. I can stay and keep you company. So are we watching movies tonight or drinking until we can’t think straight?”
“Movies”
We watched several movies, elaborating on each as we did. Laughter always made me feel better and I was happy Gia was here to make me laugh. We always had a good time together. Being friends after high school hit different when you thought about it. The night got away quickly, but I was able to rest peacefully somehow.
I dreamed my life was different and I wasn't related to Deena at all. Oh, how I wished it to be true. I never knew why she hated me so much. I had never done anything to her like she had done to me. I was merely her younger sister, looking up to her older sister. She treated me like the red headed step child.
May karma kick her ass with no remorse!
