A Couple Days Before the Banquet

Romania, Bucharest

Tandy stirred awake from the dream of infinite brightness that usually plagued her mind. Brightness was supposed to be beautiful but all brightness… all the time was not a pleasant experience to have.

Tandy felt like there was something innately disturbing about the brightness inside her dreams… brightness was supposed to be hopeful but her brightness seemed a bit too ‘hopeful’ for her liking.

It was like her brightness was just one side of the spectrum that tolerated nothing dark and that was a problem because Tandy knew that she lived in a world where not everything was black or white… sometimes grey areas were where people thrived.

Shaking her head to get rid of the thoughts, Tandy turned to the figure sleeping next to her… her lover… her man… and now her soon-to-be husband – Kevin Thompson.

“Ugh… Tandy?” Kevin murmured as he began to stir awake.

Tandy patted his head slowly to keep him from waking up “I’m going for my morning run… don’t worry I am not running away or anything.” She joked, earning a grunt from Kevin as he went back to sleep.

Tandy got out of the bed, replaced her negligee with sweat pants, running shoes, and an Underarmor shirt, and she was out the door, running the streets of Romania’s Capital just before the break of daylight.

Tandy ran and ran and ran and ran… but never to the point of exhaustion as much as she wanted to. She had developed a system of unique balance that kept her steady on her feet but never leaning towards actually remembering anything painful.

She ran to think about everything and sometimes even remember Tyrone but she didn’t feel the need to push herself too far to think about him anymore. His memory, still as important as it was, had faded to the back of her mind as she focused on what she currently had – a wonderful family, an awesome fiancé, and a business that was helping people around the world.

A Few Hours Later ----------

Tandy ran up the stairs and into the temporary apartment she shared with Kevin. A few months ago, Kevin had promised to take her touring around the world for her birthday and asked where she wanted to go.

Tandy subconsciously answered a strange place at that time but when it came down to it, the duo traveled all over the world, saving Bacau, Romania for last.

Entering the apartment, Tandy was greeted with the sight of pancakes, strawberries, and Kevin making scrambled eggs.

“Back already?” He asked confused, usually, Tandy’s runs would last longer.

Tandy shook her head “I am just… feeling something strange today you know? I feel like I am running out of time to do something, though I don’t know what it is.”

Kevin put out the oven fire, walked over to Tandy, and gave her a peck on the mouth that she happily accepted “Well… maybe I have some news that will make you a bit more excited today!”

Tandy shrugged, walking into the bathroom to take a much-needed bath “What is it?” she asked loudly from the bathroom.

“Ironically, we got an invitation from the Essex Corporation regarding our partnership. An Outreach Center of theirs is holding a banquet to garner funding and show appreciation for our charitable work. They have invited us to participate…”

“I am happy to hear that…” Tandy shouted, genuinely happy to be helping people “But why are you telling me about this? We get such invitations all the time… is there something unique about this one?”

“It’s from Bacau County!” Kevin shouted back “Didn’t you wanna visit there last? Well, a surprising coincidence considering we were heading there anyway… We can attend the banquet and see the fruits of our labor… maybe even give them larger funding…”

Tandy’s breath hitched as her muscles tightened for no reason at all. Honestly, she didn’t remember stating that she wanted to visit Bacau but every time she looked at a map, her eyes would naturally gravitate toward that location.

It was as if something was drawing her there and the timely invitation had cemented the fact that she would go there since she couldn’t deny wanting to witness the good her businesses were doing for communities all over the world.

“When do we leave?” Tandy asked as calmly as she could.

“In the morning!” came Kevin’s reply.

Tandy shook her head in the shower “Pack your things… we’re leaving now… the flight is only about an hour… call the private jet and I’ll be ready by the time it arrives.”

Kevin frowned “You’re skipping breakfast?”

“I am not that hungry!” came Tandy’s slightly aggressive reply.

Twenty minutes later, the couple was already on a private jet heading to Bacáu City, intent on attending a Banquet that would bring them no shortage of surprises.

Three Hours Later -------

Tandy and Kevin arrived in Bacáu City about two hours ago and were now being escorted to their hotel room by an overenthusiastic maid.

Luckily, Tandy and Kevin had figured out a method to deal with overenthusiastic people a long time ago.

“My fiancé is not feeling well… do you mind being quiet for just a bit?” Kevin asked politely, not forgetting to slip a couple of hundred dollar bills into the maid’s hands.

As if a switch had been flipped, the maid became more silent than a Buddhist Monk who took the vow of silence decades ago.

Kevin smirked at Tandy’s annoyed face “Money makes the world go round.”

Tandy sighed “I hate when you do things like that but I’ll let it pass since you brought me to such a reasonably priced place.”

Kevin laughed happily knowing that Tandy had returned to normal. The entire flight she had been so tense that he was even afraid of talking to her without getting a black eye in return.

Entering the hotel room, it didn’t take long for the duo to get all their luggage escorted into the room, tipping the bag-boys very handsomely.

It was then that Tandy got an itch for something tasty “I’m hungry...!”

“Maybe you should have eaten breakfast then…” Kevin mumbled unhappily but low enough to make sure that Tandy didn’t hear his complaining.

Tandy pulled out her phone, flicked a couple of pages, and finally selected a place nearby “This Bacchus Bistro Chic Restaurant looks like a nice place… we should go there after I am finished shopping for some clothes.”

Kevin pulled out his own phone to check it out and instantly guessed why Tandy liked the place so much, it had gardens filled with something she loved – Dahlias… specifically, Black Dahlias.

Kevin smiled happily “I guess we found the reason why you are drawn to this place… it has your favorite flowers growing naturally and in a restaurant to boot… you never did tell me why you like Black Dahlias while being such a bright person.”

Tandy clenched her first and calmed her mind, giving a perfunctory answer instead of her truth “I guess anyone who bathes in the light as much as me, craves a little darkness in their life.”

Kevin frowned, feeling that something was wrong with Tandy ever since arriving in Bacau “I’ll get us a car-”

Tandy shook her head strongly “We’ll walk…” then she paused and continued “I feel like we need to walk to truly appreciate the beauty of everything.”

An Hour Later-----

Kevin was desperately struggling to carry the twenty-plus shopping bags that Tandy had wrapped around his arms. Every store they passed would have something she liked and Kevin would be made to carry the load.

The shopping bags had grown so much that Kevin was forced to ask the secretive bodyguards for help, which just reminded Tandy that she had more people to fill with bags, leading to the comical view of ten bodyguards and a skinny teen walking around filled with shopping bags.

“Tandy maybe it’s time we head back.” Kevin struggled to get his words across the numerous shopping bags that blocked his vision.

“Last store,” Tandy promised, heading into a nearby jewelry store, finally allowing Kevin to swiftly give his load to a new bodyguard and walk into the store after her.

If there was something Kevin enjoyed the most, it was showering Tandy with gifts, especially jewelry.

“Please, Jacob! I have been saving forever and I won’t be able to afford it before you sell it!” A teenage girl argued with the Jeweller incessantly.

Tandy entered the store and glanced around a bit until her eyes were instantly glued to a necklace that held a dark gem that reminded her of ‘his’ eyes – dark like an abyss but somehow still shined brighter than her own.

Tandy instantly fell in love with the necklace “How much for this?” she shouted eagerly, Kevin joining her next to her, already retrieving his checkbook to purchase whatever Tandy liked.

The Jeweller walked over steadily, chased by the teenage girl who still continued their argument “That one is a unique piece we got just last week… it’s called the Abyssal Eye… found in a volcano in Hawaii…”

“Hey… I saw it first… I was going to buy it for my boyfriend!” An angry voice interrupted the Jeweller’s false story “And it was found right here… I found it and asked them to make it into a necklace for my boyfriend but they paid me off and kept it… I tried returning the money but they won’t let me!”

Tandy giggled, amused by the sixteen-year-old girl as if she was that much older. Tandy was seventeen years old but she had matured very fast due to what happened last year.

Kevin sighed tiredly, wanting to resolve the matter as quickly as possible “If you don’t have the money then you can’t buy it. I’ll give you ten thousand for this jewelry right now as a gift to my fiancé.”

Just before the teenage girl could lose her shit, Tandy punched Kevin on the arm and gave him a disappointed glance “So you really want this necklace huh?”

“What’s it to you?” the girl asked threateningly and mocked “Are you going to buy it for me?”

Tandy nodded honestly “If it means something to you more than it means to me, then I’ll buy it for you. So all you have to do is tell me about your boyfriend and why he deserves it.”

The girl thought for a moment, seeing no trickery in Tandy’s eyes, she acquiesced “He is not technically my boyfriend yet… but he will be as soon as I win his heart over… He works at the Outreach Center and takes care of the kids… He always gets into fights to protect the kids when the drug guys wanna bully them. Everything he does is amazing, even the way he talks… so tough like everyone in the world is gonna attack him.”

Tandy laughed, picturing someone who she used to know was the same “You’re close but you still haven’t convinced me… why do you want to give him such a dark necklace?”

The girl frowned in concentration like she was finding it hard to put into words, but eventually, she did “His eyes are black… like really darkness kind of black – abyssal black you would say. Still, whenever I look into his eyes, I can’t help but wonder how something so dark could be so-”

“Bright?” Tandy asked, smiling happily as if she had found a kindred spirit in a desert with no people “You’re really and truly in love huh? I remember my first love being the same once… here!”

Tandy directly grabbed the necklace from the jewelry box and tossed it over to the girl “don’t give it to him right away… wait, until you find the perfect moment… life is made of those perfect little moments, and…” Kevin walked over to Tandy and she took his hands and held them tightly “You never want to miss your moments so pick the right time and fucking ‘WOW’ him!”

The girl giggled at Tandy’s sudden vulgar word that made her seem street “You talked like him at the end… so ‘street’. Thanks though… the name is Jessica by the way!”

“Tandy Bowen!” Tandy yelled as Jessica darted through the door before Tandy could change her mind and take the necklace back.

“Young love is beautiful,” Kevin whispered, hugging Tandy from behind.

“I’m sorry Kevin… it’s just.”

Kevin gave Tandy a pec on the lips, silencing her momentarily “I know you still think about him sometimes. I am not jealous, I find it beautiful how you keep his memory alive by helping everyone you can… if anything, you’re making him proud as he looks down on you from Heaven above.”

“I am pretty sure he hates me,” Tandy whispered, spinning out of Kevin’s embrace and walking towards the door sadly.

Kevin sighed and walked through the door as well after paying the ten thousand dollars for the necklace Tandy gave away. He knew there was no comforting Tandy when she thought about ‘him’.

The Following Day (Day of Banquet) --------

“Hurry up!” Tandy yelled into the room “That girl said that her boyfriend works at the Outreach Center… I want to see her again to ask her how it went!”

Tandy was tossing clothes aside, hoping for Kevin to get ready as quickly as possible, it was a bit late into the evening and the banquet had started about an hour ago.

“Hey… you were the one that woke up late… I didn’t want to ruin your sleep… it was the first time you actually looked happy while sleeping!” Kevin complained.

Tandy felt a bit guilty for yelling at him because he was right, something about Jessica just made the highlight of Tandy’s day and that led to her sleeping like a rock – better than she had slept in months.

“I’m sorry.” Tandy sighed “There is just something about that girl yesterday that made me so calm. She smelled so nice and was so innocently in love… I just want to see her again.”

Kevin exited the room, trying his tie around his neck and grabbing Tandy’s arms as he rushed out the door “Marriage is about compromise and you’re gonna be my wife so… even if I didn’t have time to comb my hair or tuck in… I will happily look like a caveman to get you there on time.”

Tandy smiled sweetly at Kevin’s serious but also joking comment.

‘You’re more than I deserve Kev.’ Tandy thought, thankful for whatever mysterious force brought Kevin into her life.

Thirty Minutes Later------

Tandy and Kevin showed up at the banquet a bit late, garnering looks from everyone who had come before them.

The Executive of the Outreach Center was on the microphone, thanking everyone who came in and explaining a bit about the events the Center funds in the community. Many times, the Executive would brag about his greatest volunteer named ‘Ty’.

The name caught Tandy’s attention briefly but there were a lot of people named ‘Ty’ in the world.

Tandy noticed that the banquet was filled with rich people from all over the world causing her to frown since it was unusual for these people to be gathered for much of anything.

“What’s wrong with this place?” Tandy inquired “These types of people won’t gather for just an Essex Outreach Center… is something happening here?”

Kevin just shrugged unsurely “I got the invitation through your father… he said something about this being our debut night, so I just rolled with it since you wanted to come anyway… maybe they’re here to donate money.”

“I doubt that,” Tandy remarked and then started touring and talking with the other rich fellows at the banquet.

Soon, Tandy and Kevin found themselves talking to an obnoxious teenager and his beautiful Chinese aunt. Luckily, Kevin seemed to have some prior knowledge of the duo so Tandy didn’t have to feel pressure to talk as much.

“This is my fiancé… Tandy Bowen, daughter of Wilson Fisk and former model Melissa Bowen.” Kevin introduced, making sure to show Timmy that Tandy had bigger parents than his aunt.

“Hi! My name is Malisha Gao… or as most people call me – Madam Gao.” Malisha introduced, shaking Tandy’s hand with a glimmer in her eye “I worked with your father a couple of times in the past… he always said you had a bright smile but you’re even brighter than he described.”

Tandy smiled “I get that a lot but it's preferred to be bright in comparison to gloomy right?” she joked, Kevin and Malisha only laughing out of politeness while Timmy didn’t even make an effort.

“So why is everyone here?” Kevin asked curiously.

“Every year we pick the Outreach Center that has demonstrated exemplary attitude and offer them additional funding… this year, this outpost has won such an honor…” Malisha explained patiently, always keeping her nephew in the corner of her eye.

Tandy was about to continue the conversation when she noticed a familiar girl handing out snacks like a waiter and walked in that direction.

“Jessica… hey, Jessica!” Tandy called out causing Jessica to stop in her tracks and spin around cautiously.

“Uhmmmm…” Jessica thought for a while and finally got it “Tandy Bowen right?... if you came for the necklace, I have already given it to him so you can’t get it back ever….”

Tandy giggled, waving her hand dismissively “I don’t want it back. I want to know how it went… did he kiss you or did you kiss him… or did you guys ‘S-E-X’ around?” Tandy started spouting off questions like the teenager she was supposed to be.

Jessica glanced down sadly “Honestly, I haven’t given it to him yet. I plan to sneak into his room tonight and give it to him … hoping we can go steady… then maybe we can have sex … which is, I am not sure… does it really hurt?”

Tandy’s eyes glistened with excitement as she smirked “It’s amazing once you find the right guy. Of course, you want the first to be your last, so always try and make sure that the person you want to have sex with, will love you for who you are… always use protection and…” Tandy looked around sneakily and took something from her purse “I came prepared in case I met you… one of these pills and you won’t have to worry about anything… people are gonna tell you size matters but it doesn’t…. it mostly all feels the same unless you are in love then it feels like it’s never enough!”

As Tandy prattled on about everything sex and love-related, Jessica listened intently and took mental notes. Jessica felt as if she had hit a goldmine since nobody taught her about these things in school, and her parents were non-existent since they left her at this Center a couple of years ago.

“And you have to do something like this with your tongue!”

Just as Tandy was about to demonstrate the action, Jessica checked the time and realized that Tyrone was probably still asleep.

“I have to go wake him up… he is a night person so he sleeps during the day!” Jessica explained to Tandy, who similarly checked her purse for a dime bag since her withdrawal symptoms were starting to show in her unsteady hands.

“I’ll join you!” Tandy said, going with Jessica up the stairs but branching off towards the bathroom while Jessica went further down the hall.

Just before Tandy and Jessica split up, Tandy felt her trembling stop and her emotions steady out for the first time in almost a year. Tandy felt something spooky about the corner but couldn’t tell exactly what it was.

“Whose room is that?” Tandy asked, staring down the hall with a frown on her face. The entire section of the hall felt especially gloomy “It feels really gloomy.”

Jessica smiled brilliantly “My future boyfriend is the gloomy type but it usually reduces when he is awake… you’ll see; he is the most beautiful gloomy thing you will ever witness!”

“Maybe I should join you just in case…” Tandy suggested, knowing that a girl in love was usually blind to the type of guys they were attracted to.

As far as Tandy could tell, the guy Jessica liked was probably a good-for-nothing's bum.

Jessica rolled her eyes dismissively “It’s fine… I will see you downstairs in a few… I feel like you and him will get along well… maybe we can double date and your rich fiancé pays for it.” Jessica said shamelessly and went to wake Tyrone up.

Tandy shrugged and went back downstairs, ready to meet Jessica’s boyfriend and hope that at least Jessica’s teen love will turn out better than hers did.

Tandy didn’t even notice that her withdrawal symptoms were gone or at least, suppressed.