38. SIENNA
SIENNA
The lobby is full of light.
Warm, the kind hotels spend real money on, the kind that falls at an angle and makes everything it touches glow. There are guests dressed in designer clothes, laughing and moving through it.
Last time I was here I was in work boots.
I stop just inside the door and take it all in. The area that I landscaped is out through the east corridor. The atrium is to the left. I know this place. And yet, I'm nervous.
I came alone.
The guys needed to be here hours before the opening. William and Carter wanted to make sure everything was ready to receive the guests. Adrian decided to catch a ride with them.
I was disappointed that they didn’t offer to bring me along with them.
But it 's fine.
I understand. They had things to do and I probably would get in the way. Besides, it gave me more time to get ready.
I touch my hair. Emma spent an hour on this updo and I keep checking it like it's about to come apart.
I think I chose a nice dress. I had them in mind when I bought it.
It has an open back, like William likes, so he can see and touch my tattoo.
The open slit is for Adrian. And the choice of silk is for Carter.
I was thinking about the way each of them looks at me and I wanted to give them something to look at tonight.
I sent a picture to the group chat when I finished getting ready.
Adrian sent the eyes-popping emoji. Just that.
Nothing from William. Nothing from Carter.
The guys have been strangely aloof this couple of days.
It 's fine.
They were busy. It’s fine.
I pick up a champagne flute from a passing tray, carefully not to unbalance the tray and I start to mingle with the crowd.
There's a jazz band playing and I stop for a while listening to them. It reminds me of Adrian. Jazz is officially his sound track. I feel him in the music and I want to find him.
I keep moving. There is a spot where people can take photos, very instagram style. I skip that.
I find the dining room where food is displayed on long tables. And at the far end of it, surveying everything, Elias. Arms crossed, bored look on his face.
Thank God, a familiar face, “Hi Elias.”
He turns when I say his name.
"Finally," he says, and pulls me in. "A familiar face."
I laugh at the coincidental thoughts. "Not a people person?"
"I much rather be in the kitchen." Then, theatrically, "But what can I say. People want to see the Elias Kassianis. I’m a rockstar"
I laugh. And looking around I ask, "Have you seen William or Carter?" And feeling a little self conscious I add, "I know they're probably with guests. I just wanted to say hi."
He looks at me, smiles and says, "Bar outside, I think."
I say goodbye and go in the direction of the exterior area.
Outside the night air is warm and the gardens are lit with small lights strung through the trees. This area has also been superbly decorated and the guests are happily exploring the gardens.
And then I see them and, like always, my heart speeds up.
The three of them are standing near the outdoor bar. They seem deep in conversation.
I take a moment to look at them from afar. They look like every woman’s fantasy. And they are mine.
I realize I found what I’ve been looking for. I don’t mean at this party. In life. I want them in my life.
I love them. Maybe it’s too soon to say it out loud to them. But, I do love them. I’ll keep it my secret for a while.
I make my way to them and say, "Fancy meeting you here." And I smile at them.
I don’t know what I was expecting in terms of their reaction, but it wasn’t this.
They look at me with a strange look and just stand there doing nothing. It’s not that I wanted a full on make out session. But we’ve been in public before altogether, and they weren’t shy about claiming me.
I start to get a bad feeling.
Adrian moves first.
He steps forward and pulls me into a hug. He holds it a beat past normal, and when he steps he keeps his hands in my arms.
"You look beautiful," he says. "That dress was made for you." The words are right. His voice is almost right. His eyes are watching my face with attention, like he is going to say something more.
Carter takes a step forward.
He puts his hand gently against my jaw and kisses my forehead.
He doesn't say anything.
William doesn’t move from where he is. He just asks: "Do you want something to drink?"
I hold up the flute. "I already have one."
"Right," he says.
Silence.
I’m starting to get really nervous about this situation so I break the silence, "The hotel looks amazing. Congratulations. It's a success."
Carter gives me half a smile that doesn't reach his eyes.
William looks around the garden like he's seeing it for the first time. Like he forgot why he's here.
And I think it’s enough. We need to talk about what is actually going on. I'm about to ask, when William goes still and his eyes move past my shoulder.
"What the fuck is she doing here?" He suddenly looks pale and his eyes are alert.
I turn around and see Paula, dragging a man by the hand through the crowd, making her way towards us.
When I turn back around, I see William looking furiously at Carter.
“Who the fuck invited her?” He demands.
Carter doesn’t match William's level of fury, but it’s close. “I didn’t vet every single person that it’s here. There are hundreds of people here. The PR company must have done it.”
"Wait." I look between them. "How do you know Paula?"
And more importantly why are they pissed that she is here?
I know Adrian knows her. He was her lawyer.
When I look at Adrian he looks nervous, with his eyes fixed on Paula. He then looks at me and starts “Sienna, that’s something that we need to tell you— there is something that you need to know—”
"Great party!" Paula is here. She lifts her flute mockingly. "Congratulations!"
The men remain silent.
Then she fake gasps in surprise, brings a hand to her chest and says “Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce my date for this evening. Everybody meet Judge Richard Holloway.”
I recognize that name.
I take a better look at the man and I see it now. Almost a decade has gone by. He looks much older now. But it’s him.
It’s the judge that determined that I would be committed. The one that looked at me, a 16 year old girl, with contempt and arrogance.
"Oh, but I forgot." Paula is watching my face while she says it. "You already know him. You know him very well."
I look between the men and the judge. They all seem very uncomfortable. Including the judge. I don’t think he knows what his part is in whatever game Paula is playing.
Paula's attention moves to Adrian. “I thought it was shady that you made such pressure to represent me only to bail out next.”
Then she looks at William “And you wanted me to persuade her” and she points a finger at me, “To sell the house. And when I found out that you three know each other” and she circles with her finger the three of them “I started to do some digging. And what did I find out? You have all been scheming together for a long time now.”
And she just nods her head like she is agreeing with her “You have been plotting something since you pressured Richard to give a harsher sentence to Sienna” and she looks at me when she says that.
"When I found out that you were all screwing her—" Paula pauses. She looks at me with something performing sympathy. "I know Sienna. There is no way she would get involved with you if she knew the truth. I don't know what the end goal is. But I know it's not a good one."
I can’t believe what she’s saying. I feel like my breathing completely stopped and I can’t make sense of anything that is happening right now.
I look at the men and plead, "She's lying."
I look at William. He's looking at me. His jaw is set. He doesn't speak.
I look at Carter. His eyes are on mine and his face is impassive, like he is waiting for the inevitable.
I look at Adrian. His eyes are wet.
None of them are denying it.
"We can explain—" William starts.
I take a step back.
"It's not—" Adrian says.
I take another step back.
And the thoughts just kept spiraling in my head. They wanted a severe sentence. William went behind my back and used Paula to try to get Cross Manor. They plotted together. For a long time.
The music is still playing.
I want to get out of this garden.
But there is one other thing I need to know. I look Carter directly in the eyes and ask,”The landscaping job?”
And Carter just hangs his head, breaking eye contact for the first time.
I want to run far away. Far away from this party. Far away from these lies.
But Paula grabs me by the upper arm and says close to my face.
“You can have the house” and then she looks at the men and then back at me “But I take everything else”