A DISTANT STRANGER THAT I WILL COMPLETE.
Death & Company; the sign was rustic, in a vintage, eclectic way and the “e” in Death burned short, making it look more like “Dath & Company”. Chocolate hues skimmed the outside building with an intent stare, all other surroundings becoming a collective blur. Her gaze shifted swiftly to her phone to make sure she had the right address -- Marshall Barnes, a man mostly known by a rather nefarious reputation through the underground of the city. Of course, it wasn’t actually him, no Hadley had only caught a glimpse of a figure, much like the Wizard in The Wizard of Oz before he gave her explicit instructions on what she was to do. “Why me?” She asked one of his men donning a 19,000 Gucci suit. “He said he knew your father. Was a good man. Unfair what happened.” But that’s all she got before she was shoved out the door and sent on her way. It was up until about an hour ago that she was pacing around her loft apartment settled in Staten Island, staring at the text message she had received the previous day. “He knew my father... unfair what happened?” She repeated the words, verbatim, Alpo glancing up from his chew toy. “Unfair?” Shaking her head, the officer went to her closet and inhaled a sharp breath. What did one even wear to a bar? She wasn’t a Luddite, she had been out before, but this was different. Shrugging on the red cocktail dress that was situated in between some old running shoes from high school and a poster of, The Who, she suddenly realized how long it had been since she had worn this. The night Christian proposed. He smiled eagerly, his body wobbling a bit as he bent down on one knee, “will you spend the rest of your life with me?” No no not, “will you marry me?”, a different kind of question that sent a shock through Hadley’s whole body. Inspecting her reflection in the mirror, Hadley gave herself a curt, silent nod before grabbing a tube of lipstick, her keys, and a leather jacket and started for Manhattan. “Are you going in?” A man’s voice beckoned her from her thoughts, Hadley’s head tilting as if he just spoke to her in a foreign language. “What? Oh yes, I am. I just--”
“Waiting for someone?” He inquired, arching a steady eyebrow. The stranger studied her attire and pieced together that she looked entirely too good to be going out alone. Perhaps a blind date? He had a handsome face with dark features and pointy canine teeth when he smiled -- could probably talk his way out of a speeding ticket.
“No,” she said, her lips parting as if to say something more. When nothing did, the man nodded and then let out a brief chuckle to ease the tension.
“Well, then can I buy you a drink?”
“Thanks but I... well when I said I wasn’t meeting anyone, I didn’t really mean that. I am, just later.” It was a lie and a bad one at that.
“Well, if they don’t show up. Come find me. We can have that drink.” Walking away, Hadley finally entered the bar, her eyes scanning the sea of people before she spotted her target. Sade Barnes.
Walking over to the opposite end of the bar, Hadley nestled herself between a couple and what seemed like a bachelor party doing shots. “What can I get you?” The bartender asked, cleaning out a couple wine glasses. He seemed as if his mind was being pulled in a hundred different directions. “Vodka tonic please.” One drink, that’s all she would have. She couldn’t afford her senses to become clouded. She listened to the smooth jazz that poured from the speakers overhead, but the atmosphere was so somber, she was unsure the origins of the sound. Listening to a few patron’s conversations, Hadley’s attention was mostly focused on Sade’s, her sight wandering over there every couple of minutes. Should she go with the old, “I accidentally spilled your drink, let me buy you another one,” or “I’m waiting for a friend, keep me company for awhile?” Both seemed friendly enough and of course, Hadley’s mind didn’t veer to any nefarious or sexual connotations.
“Hi, sorry, is this seat taken?” Her eyes grew wide, almost doe-like as she slipped into the seat next to Sade’s. A polite smile tugged the corner of her lips upwards, ever so slightly. “Excuse me, this drink is for you. From the guy over there, he said he’s glad you finally found your friend.” Biting her lower lip, Hadley’s eyelids screwed shut as a mental, fuck resounded in her head. Turning to the guy staring at her across the way, Hadley smiled in gratitude before turning back to Sade’s. “Sorry, he must’ve confused you with someone else.”
