Scandalous Millionaires.

A/N: This is my unpopular opinion about love:

There is no such thing as love at first sight. You can’t associate something so beautifully built over time, commitment, laughs, common interests, uncommon interests (trust me, this sparks amazing debates), silly fights and compromises that strengthen the bond to just a second of laying eyes on a person. Rewards don’t come easily.

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“Tu madre estaba loca”, last words uttered by my grandmother. The literal translation states “Your mother was crazy.”

My grandmother was a sterling hot Latino woman.

(Thank you, Mary Poppins , for this word) Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is the only word capable enough to characterise her personality. Ash blonde hair altering to whitish grey, wrinkly yet phenomenal skin with teeth as perfect as a new denticles, a twinkle in her ice blue eyes with a grin plastered across her face twenty four seven, that was how my grandmother appeared until her last breath.

Grandma was a Latino, married to an Indian. As far as I’m enlightened about my mother, she was married to an American. So basically I’m an American with an Indian mother and a Spanish background. You’d be astonished to the amount of festivities I attend in a single year. But, we’re slipping off track here.

Her last words were frivolous, illogical. I’ve enquired about my mother for the last 25 years. She has been inarticulate about that subject for so long, why mystify an incoherent matter on your death bead. All inquisitive arteries in my body robustified, but before I could question her inconclusive and irrational statement, she passed away. Investigating about my parents, became the sole rationale of my life.

Then, I’ve been clinging on to her last sentence. I’ve been striving to grab any chance, person, opportunity to comprehend how my parents were.

The alarm clock buzzed at six in the morning, the sun rays hadn’t even broken out, yet my day started during the last, night light. I dragged myself out of my bed, groaning all the way as if someone will hear me and help me do stuff. Once, I was in the bathroom of my studio apartment, I rubbed my face twice or thrice to snap myself out of sleep. I inserted the aux cable to my laptop and the headphones on my ears. The affirmation mantra, is something I listen to everyday. Positivity, optimism and enthusiastic aura is nurtured within you during the early hours of morning. That’s what I believe.

“I am absolute. I am authority. I am better and best”, I repeat after the woman on YouTube between my gurgles and brushing. Well, you can say that I’m a morning person.

I rushed to the bathroom, and took a quick shower. Changed into some warm clothes, it’s January and it can get really glacial here in New York. Black skinny jeans, red hoodie and white sneakers was my choice of clothing for the day. I grab my car keys and lock the door on my way out.

The weather is pleasant and beautiful. The wind oozes out with a light noise and sends chills down your spine everytime it swooshes by you. I pull my coat closer as I thrust my hands in my pocket. Soon, I am in the parking lot reversing my car. It’s not much of a glamour but it works.

“Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on. You got the healing that I want. Just like they say it in the song. Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on”, humming my favourite songs on the ride to work is the best part of my day. The buzzing of my phone snaps me back from my singing trance, I check the caller ID and smile.

“Yes, Alexis?”

“Harper, we’re out of flour. I’ll open the cafe, could you maybe pick up some pounds of flour on your way here?“, Alexis worked for me. When I first met her, I never would’ve thought that we’d turn out to be such great friends. She’s like a breath of fresh air. Zeal and enthusiasm in her every nerve.

“Sure.” I answered.

“You remember those blueberry muffins we had a couple of days ago?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, that shop is right around the corner where you’re going. Could you please bring us some, I’m tired of having those dry and mealy waffles.”

“HEY! I make those” I chuckled at my failed attempt to scold her.

“Well, what can I say Harper, they’re not very good. Why don’t you concentrate on making coffee and normal meals and leave the bakery stuff up to me”, she laughed.

“Alright, alright! I’ll be there in twenty, set up the cafe before I reach.”

“Okay, bye!”

After hanging up, I geared up the car and sped off to the market. It being really early in the morning, there were negligible amount of people on the road.

My phone chimed again, a message from Alexis.

Lexi: Here’s a list of ingredients we don’t have. I just received a phone call, we’re assigned to make 300 cupcakes for a birthday party. There’s a PDF file attached including the list. Bring all of those. Also, don’t forget my muffins. XOXO

I sighed, my shoulders and palms are going to ache really bad. I should’ve brought her along with me. Putting the grandma body problems I have behind, I started rummaging through the list, selecting what to buy first.

I bought fruits, flour, sugar, whipping utensils and now I was on my way to buy blueberry muffins for Alexis. Juggling all those huge bags of fruits and utensils was laborious. I couldn’t view my front scenery, but having come here often I knew where the blueberry cake shop was. Walking really carefully, protecting the paper bags from squishing down I moved forward.

Suddenly a surge of force knocked my shoulder tossing the bags all over the floor and the flour bag to tear open. I was practically covered in flour with all my grocery on the floor. I was on the warpath with whomsoever had done this.

I had to buy all of it again and money doesn’t grow on trees for me. It was a big loss.

It was windy and the flour particles were hovering all around. I heard muffled coughing in amidst of the flying flour particles and I spotted a silhouette of a man. With all guns blazing, I was primed on giving him a piece of my mind. He was waving his hands rapidly around his nose, to clear up the flour smog. I brushed my hair promptly in attempts of dusting the flour off. His eyes were fixated on my every move, scrutinising me. He was dressed in jet black suit, looking all sophisticated, hair slicked back perfectly with face fresh as the sun.

He was a sexy looking man.

“Excuse me, are you blind or something? Didn’t you see me walking with those huge bags. Couldn’t you have walked around me”, I seethed through the coughing.

“You could’ve said the same thing politely. If you can’t be polite, why don’t you just shut the hell up”, he shot back giving me a murderous look.

Who the hell does he think he is?

“How can you be so blatant!“, I huffed indignantly and began assembling my stuff together.

“Can you take this aside? People actually want to walk on this road”, he gave me a pointy look.

“Excuse me? Firstly, YOU should APOLOGISE to ME. And secondly, all of this”,I stood up and pointed towards the mess on the ground, “Is your fault because you were blind enough to not see a 5′7 girl, NO, a 5′7 woman walking on this road”, I crossed my arms across my chest.

“You look 5′4 / 5′5. You can’t possibly be 5′7.” He smirked suppressing a laugh.

“Also, this is to be blamed on no one other than YOU.”

The nerve of this guy!

“Are you kidding me, right now? This was a front facing accident. I did not come from behind you and thrust you aside. You should’ve kept your bloody eyes open”, I started gathering the remaining useable stuff on the ground along with my purse.

He bent down to pick up something, my eyes caught a glimpse of it. Phone. So he was busy chattering on the phone with his eyes closed.

“So you were talking to your girlfriend? That’s why you couldn’t sense that other people actually have lives and a clock to follow. Asshole.”

“You’re being very personal right now. Because of you I lost my phone’s plastic case.” He challenged. He was being such a narcissist, concerned only about his problems.

“Aw, did I piss you off? Also, if your parents would’ve been more careful at keeping the plastic on, maybe just maybe they wouldn’t have had an accidental child”, Shit, I wish I could take that back. I think I crossed my limit.

He stopped, froze in his place. Eyes spot on fixated on me. I bent down to pick up the remaining things, I saw him clench his fists for a minute and then release it slowly.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, it was a business call”, he grabbed my arm and jerked me up on my feet. The pressure he was applying was intense, my muscles had started losing its connection to blood and my arm was turning wheatish.

I wasn’t going to let him know that though.

“How could you? With this attitude”, I gritted.

He hauled me closer, still grasping my hand. The smell of his cologne wafted through my nostrils- minty, sandalwood and a hint of vanilla. Our faces were inches apart, eyes blazing fire he said, “Get lost.” And let go of me. I stumbled a little before regaining my ground. His shoulder bumped mine before he walked out and disappeared into the crowd. The mini crowd formed around us, started dispersing immediately. I was humiliated, flushed.

I stomped my feet as I made my way back to all those grocery stores to buy the ingredients. AGAIN.

With one hand, I unlocked the car trunk and with other I loaded the supplies. My arms were an old stale vegetable by then. Giving them a quick massage I check the time. The cafe had already opened an hour ago. I was late because of an asshole.

By the time, I reached the cafe, there was a long queue of right up to the neighbouring store. This has never happened before. I mean my cafe has always been a busy spot, but not busy enough to have a queue.

“What’s wrong?“, I tapped the shoulder of one of the customers.

He turned around with a frustrated look, “The dumb blond barista screwed the coffee machine. Another muscly man is trying to fix it whilst she’s distributing her unimportant apology.”

My, my. This man had managed to piss me off in mere five seconds.

“Excuse me, she’s not dumb. She’s a MBA grad student who has no business helping me yet screwing her own life she’s supporting to build mine. And the “muscly” man is the only guy who can fix the machine so have some respect or you can bugger off to another cafe”, I finished.

“If she had a microphone, she would’ve dropped it. In your face”, I heard another customer talk to the grumpy guy. A small smirk crept its way to my face as I felt badass.

I hurried inside and was welcomed with a panicked Alexis and Ethan, who was covered in coffee beans.

“What in the name of Lucifer, did y’all do whilst I was away?“, I placed the bags on one of the tables.

Alexis strolled towards me with a guilty look, “I’m.. I.. I’m S.. sorry.” She managed to say between her sobs. I placed my hand on the shoulder and rubbed her back with another.

“At her speaking speed, I think we’ll get our coffees next year”, a high school jock snickered.

I spun my head to look at him straight in the eye, so did Ethan. Ethan took a step forward but I eyed him to stay where he was. This was my forte.

“You know KID. There’s two things I hate the most. Well you don’t need to hear the first, you’re not worth it but the second one is a high school jock. I’m sure you’re a quarterback, aren’t you?” He nodded along.

“Well, I suggest you run away now before you know you could never run again.” I smiled innocently as if I hadn’t just threatened a kid.

He did run away. I apologised to everyone standing in a queue and closed the cafe mandatorily. Alexis had calmed down and Ethan had managed to fix the coffee machine.

I was scrubbing the main counter and the walls stained with coffee.

“So, what happened Alexis?”

“I’ll tell you what happened”, Ethan intervened. Ethan has been our friend since six years. He was the first customer to visit when I had opened this cafe for the first time. It is such a gratifying, uncontaminated memory. Our first coffee was sugary and foamy. Neither Alexis, nor me knew how to operate a coffee machine. He helped our make our first coffee and has been a well wisher ever since.

“She was on the phone with Vivian, her brother, yelling and yammering about something, her hand intertwined with the old coffee machine wires and all the machines got trailed down. The machine making coffee out of the beans splattered resulting coffee on the wall. And she had already opened the cafe so there were people bickering about how incompetent she is, that panicked her and she called me”, he took a sip of the fresh coffee I had made him. Alexis nodded, giving me an apologetic look.

“Honestly”, Ethan continued. “It’s not her fault. How many times have I told you Harp, buy new coffee machines. These hand me downs aren’t going to work longer. I’ll lend you the money, if you need.”

He was right, I guess. If I would’ve been a little more thoughtful about arranging the coffee machines and separating the wires or buying new ones, Alexis wouldn’t have had this accident. I scrubbed harder, as the resentment riled up my body.

“Harper, you’re over cleaning again. The counter was perfectly cleaned fifteen minutes ago”, Alexis said.

I stopped, scrutinising the surroundings. Not clean enough. I started scrubbing again. Alexis sighed and Ethan chuckled.

“Maybe, we should take the day off”, I soaped the wall before splattering water. “Just open the take out window. I’ve had an outrageous day.” Alexis hummed in agreement.

It was noon and the rush was slow. I plopped down on one of the chairs chin in my hand and elbows rested on the table. I looked around the cafe, this is not what I want to do my entire life. I want a chain of cafes, I want to open several cost saving cafes. I can’t let my dreams clog Alexis and Ethan’s. They’re not going to be around forever, someday they might just get weary of me and leave me. Or I might push them away with this unacceptable temper of mine.

The baby pink walls of my cafe which always managed to soothe me down looked dead to me today. The coffee machines were still a mess and so were the walls. The paint was cracked in some corners, faded in some and plucked out in some. At the centre mint green wall of the barista area was a frame of me and my sister. The same sister who was given a chance at life, she was sent away to an orphanage and was later adopted by a wonderful family. I don’t know her name, nor do I know where she lives or how she looks like. The orphanage people provided me with bits of information. My grandmother denied of all possibilities of me having a twin sister. I found this photo at a mansion where my parents lived. I know, it’s hard to believe that my parents were rich.

At the top left was a picture of my mother father. He had scooped her up in his arms whilst they looked at each other lovingly.

At the top right was an image of Ethan, Alexis and I. This picture was clicked on the day of carnival. We all had a stick of corn dog in one hand and candy floss in another. We were sticking our tongues out with a wink. Such a happy picture. I smiled genuinely before Ethan’s words came back to me.

“How many times have I told you Harp, buy new coffee machines. These hand me downs aren’t going to work longer. I’ll lend you the money, if you need.”

Money was becoming a major setback now. I did not have the budget to repair the leaks and cracks of the building or install new coffee machines. Borrowing money from anyone would go against my pride and that’s one principle I never disobey.

Someone smacked me from behind and I think my brain cells experienced an earthquake. I stood up, frustrated to find out who did this.

“What the hell, Ethan? I can report you for domestic violence”, I said rubbing the back of my head.

“Alexis has been calling out your name for more than five times now”, he said nonchalantly.

Ethan was a 26 year old, Engineer who worked in Amazon. He had a pretty handsome salary, I don’t know why he still chose to stick around me. He had hazel eyes with a tinge of orange a perfectly chiseled jaw, Brunette brown hair and a well built body. Alexis was head over heels for him since the moment he entered our lives.

“Why?”

“We’ve closed the shop, and now we can go have lunch”, he said munching on a packet of doritos.

“I can’t. I have a job interview”, I stated the fact. A few days ago, one of my aunts offered me a job and I’d been thinking about taking it since quite a few days.

“What?“he diverted his undivided attention towards me.

“I’m thinking of closing this dump and handing out resumes, you know.. have a real job”, I said fidgeting with my fingers. And real money.

“But Harper, you love this dump, I mean this cafe. You’ve worked so hard for the past six years”, he pulled me into a warm hug. Steaming hot tears threatened to wheel down my eyes and for the first time I let them. I felt hopeless, incompetent. I couldn’t even keep a cafe going properly. My life was falling apart, money was becoming a major issue and because of me Alexis hadn’t started applying to jobs. Not a having a college degree really comes to bite you in your ass. If only, I would’ve attended college. My rent was due, the electricity bill, water bill, wifi bill and the list goes on. Tension riled up and the thoughts of being kicked out of my apartment soared in my head.

“I don’t know, Ethan. I’m trying. I’m trying so hard to collect every penny. I still have a debt to repay. If I sell this place, I could atleast cross one thing I owe someone, off my list.

“How much do you need Harp? You know, I could always lend you money.”

I broke away from the hug, tears rolling down, staining my shirt. “You don’t understand Ethan, I don’t want to drain money off you. I’m not your friend just because you have money. I can’t, I won’t.”

He pulled my hand into his, wiping my tears off with his thumb he said “I know, I’ve never met such an honest, hardworking and loyal woman in my entire life. Not only are you beautiful and stunning but you’re also warm-hearted with a tinge of temper.” He winked at the last part. He cupped my face with both his hands, “You can do this, Harper. I will always support you, no matter how crazy of a decision you take. I, Ethan Reynolds will always be with you” with that he gave me a quick peck on my cheek, returning the long lost smile back to my face.

We heard the scanter of utensils and saw Alexis run out of the cafe.

Ethan stood up but I made him sit back down, “I’ll go after her.” He nodded and there was a different unusual emotion in his eye. Concern.

I jabbed my purse on my shoulder and ran after Alexis, she was seated on a bench near a lake. Tears strolling down her eyes, I could hear her sobs and I swear my heart ached a little. I walked closer to her and sat next to her on the bench. She refused to face me.

“What’s wrong, Lexi?” I initiated.

She nodded her head in denial.

“Lexi, you can tell me. You know I’m always here for you.”

She turned around swiftly, her eyes bagged with tears.

“How could you? You knew, we’ve talked about this, yet how could you Harper. I thought you were my best friend. How could you stab me in the back?” Her voice was hoarse and face was turning into a tint of red.

“What did I do?“, I placed my hand on hers trying to sooth her down. Lexi and me rarely fight.

She jerked my hand away and stood up, “Are you and Ethan a thing now? I heard him say that he wants to be with you.”

Me and Ethan? That’s something I’ve never thought about...

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