Page 37 of His Smile
“So, what do we do now?” Walking down the stairs, shestopped in front of Mosca and looked at him expectantly.
“We?” He gave her a curious look as he turned back to theparked car near the small building terminal. “We are going back to the house,and then I am going to have a drink, and you can do whatever you like."
Walking along side of him, she glanced back at the sound ofthe jet taking off, staring at it climb into the air before turning back toMosca. “I’m pretty sure you heard Roman when he said I could stay at his placewhile he was gone and that if I needed anything…”
“Rahina, don’t…” Mosca turned and gave her a look ofwarning, a look she was quite familiar with throughout her life. Standing withhis back to the wind, some of Mosca’s light brown hair fell in front of hisface causing him to sweep a hand through it to comb it back. The classicundercut look and the almost blonde brown hair on the lean young man gave himan overall boyish, James Dean look. Rahina could easily picture Mosca holding acigarette in one hand and leaning against a motorcycle giving some young womana steamy stoic look, promising all sorts of dark adventures. But instead, hewas here—at her mercy.
“And he said,” she said pointedly, pretending she did nothear him. “If I needed anything to ask Mosca. Well, Mosca here I am…in need.”
“No,” turning, he shook his head as he walked to the SUV.His accent naturally clipping his words. “This will be like a small vacationfor me, I will not let you ruin it.”
“Mosca! How can you be so heartless? You know I am in needof comfort because of this morning’s devastation.”
“I’m sure Roman comforted you.”
"He tried until someone interrupted,” she saiddeliberately.
Mosca stopped, and she could see his grip on the car doorhandle tighten. "That wasn't my fault. I had no choice," she couldhear the tired anguish in his voice. "And Roman already made it clear howdispleased he was by the interruption."
"And now it's your turn to make it up to me…" Shereplied chipperly, patting him on the shoulder.
Her phone began to ring, cutting her off. Looking at her phone,she stifled a groan at the flash of her sister's contact screen.
“Saved by the bell, Mosca,” she wagged a finger at his morethan relieved face.
Climbing into the backseat of the SUV, she slouched in theseat, preparing herself for a long conversation before answering her sister'simpatient ring. It took the whole ride back to the house to assure Rubina thather world wasn't in flames due to not getting the principal position. Just likeprobably everyone else she knew, Rubina found out about the results just likeRoman. Her now two-day silence on social media compared to Nadia’s franticposting blitz said everything. No sooner did she finally disconnect with herstill worried sister, she was hounded by messages from Mario wanting to know ifshe was all right and asking to meet up so they could commiserate together.
But she didn’t want to, not yet. Right now, all they couldoffer was sadness and outrage at the company’s decision, but she was past thatpoint now. Or at least she desperately wanted to be. Maybe the first night shewould have wallowed in their anger and offered pity, but the strength Romangave her was what she needed. Now, she needed to incubate in quietdetermination. She had to pull herself out of this crater life put in her path.She needed to plan. First thing she needed to do was talk to Jason. In herdance career thus far the best thing that could have happened to her wasmeeting Jason Davies. Their personalities were like the moon and the sun, theycouldn't be more different nor any more dependent on the other. Where Jason wasserious and methodical in his approach to everything in life, Rahina wasimpulsive and carefree, but the differences only seemed to make the foundationof their friendship stronger. Immediately, they recognized the talent in oneanother and admired the shared work ethic. When they danced together, the worldaround them faded, boundaries disappeared, and the dance came alive. She neededto speak to him about her plans. Sending him a text, asking if they could meet;she smiled at his instant response happily confirming for tomorrow. Letting outa sigh, she looked up finally, noticing that they were stopping at a largemetal gate.
Pressing the button on the partition separating the frontseat from the backseat, her eyes widened as she watched through the frontwindow as they pulled past the now open gate and down the long white driveway.On both occasions, arriving and departing, her mind had been too preoccupied tonotice just what Roman’s house looked like. Located in what seemed to be theback of an older, established wealthy neighborhood Roman’s house sat at the endof a private street that backed into the woods. Past the solid metal gate, thedriveway wound up a gentle slope where the modern glass and white concretemodern structure sat. It wasn’t the largest nor was it the most lavish houseshe had ever seen, but with its large dark windows and strong straight modernlines of the house was utterly Roman. Imposing, but not flashy. Modern but notcold. His house was barren of any clutter, but it seemed real and lived in atthe same time.
Hopping out of the car, she followed Mosca to the garagedoor and paused when he paused near the interior kitchen door. They could bothhear the excited snuffles and clicking of dog nails on the other side of thedoor.
“I stay in the guest house,” Mosca pointed a thumb over hisshoulder. “I monitor all the cameras and security around the house. If you needanything—important," he emphasized, giving her a droll look."Just pick up any of the phones in the house, and I will answer."
Getting the hint, she rolled her eyes and nodded. Turningfrom him, she pushed open the kitchen door and greeted her companions for thenight.
~*~
Standing in the garage, Rahina stared at the yellow sportscar. Her car. She felt giddy just thinking of it as hers. Walking around it,she let her hand glide along its cool shiny surface, stopping at the driver'sside door. Opening the door, she spotted the keys sitting on the dashboardalong with a note. Sliding into the cream leather seat, she inhaled the new carscent as she plucked the note off the dash. It was from Mosca, simply tellingher he programmed the front gate and garage door frequency into the buttons inher car. Letting out a squeal of delight, Rahina pressed the button to open thegarage and pushed the button tentatively for the ignition. The car rumbledsilently to life beneath her, which only made her squeal even louder in pureelation.
Whoever said money couldn’t buy happiness was a dumbass, shethought as she zipped down the city streets to the café where she was meetingJason. Parking it further down the street she got out and walked to thedesignated meeting spot. She figured it wouldn’t be the best idea to park hernew expensive car in front of the café where Jason could see it. This meetingwas about her being devastated about what happened, and somehow, she didn’tthink he would quite believe her if he saw her new ride.
Pushing through the glass door, she walked through thejingling of bells at the top and looked around the dimly lit café. Jason wavedat her from the far side of the room near the back windows, she smiled andwalked over. Giving him a deep hug, she plopped her purse onto a nearby chairand slid into the wooden chair. The waitress came by and took her order for alarge French vanilla latté and left them alone.
“So," Jason began leaning back in his chair with anuneasy sigh. “Are you going to leave?”
Thanking the waitress that reappeared with her order, Rahinatook a tentative sip of the steaming liquid before answering. “I think I haveto. I don’t want to, but how can I stay?”
Jason didn’t say anything for a few moments, he just lookedout the window past the light street traffic towards the hotel across thestreet. There was a family unpacking their luggage from a large van, handingthem to the beleaguered looking bellhop.
“I take it they offered you principal?” she asked. Rahinacould feel the acid of jealousy in her stomach churn, and it made her feel evenworse for feeling this way.
“Yeah,” he laughed grimly, turning his head from the windowto look at her. He looked tired and disappointed, not at all like a man whofinally got the position he wanted from the company. “But you didn’t see theupcoming schedule they announced. They are going to treat me like a goddamnworkhorse if I sign the contract.”
Her insides froze at the implication. “Wait a minute “if”you sign? What do you mean? Principal was all we talked about why would you nottake it?”
“Yeah it’s something you and me talked about,” he gesturedbetween them. “I always imagined working with you, Rahina. I can’t stand Nadia,though Isabella and Sarah are ok, but they aren’t you. To be really honest, Iwas counting on you making principal, not just because you’re my best friendand partner but because I knew there was no way that you would accept an insanelineup for next year. Rahina you should see what they’re proposing, you shouldsee how many performances a month we would have to do. There is no way. I wouldbe injured by the end of the year, and I can't risk that.”
