Sophia

It was around 02:00 am I was waiting for Don to come back. I was reading Gone with the wind. I started it few days back. I thought there are so many books in the study I could give classics a try. Though reading is not my hobby, or I could say I never had time to read anything. When I was a kid I used to think of becoming a writer but that ship has sailed a long time ago. I thought maybe I could try again. I saw it once on his desk. I guessed he read it too. So I chose to start with it.

Though it wasn't that easy to read. I guess when you didn't read anything for six year, a lot more concentration is required specially when my mind was diverting again and again. My eyes were drifting in the driveway I can see from my balcony where I was reading the book sitting on the black chair swing. Where are they? Again and again I was looking to see if Ric or Don anyone pulled up. Will he won't come whole night? Is he with Candy? All sorts of thoughts were coming to my mind. I checked time again it's 03:00am. Another hour has passed.

And then I hear tires screeching in the driveway. I got up to see and it's them . I saw Ric coming out of the car it's strange that Don is not driving. Generally Don always drive himself. Ric opened the passenger door and helped Don come out. Yeah helped Don. That's how much drunk he was. I ran out of the room and went downstairs. I saw them entering they were laughing they both were too drunk. Don was holding bourbon he was even drinking now. He was smoking too. They both were. His shirt was half open. He couldn't stand straight yet he kept on smoking and drinking simultaneously. It looks like he will pass out any second. God knows how much he had to drink to be in this condition? And why is he still drinking.?

"Come bro let me drop to your room or you will tremble down the stairs" Ric said laughing. Don was too out to respond. He took the last drag of his cigarette and smash it down on the wooden floor. I reached towards them "Look brother your Cinderella is here too." Ric said patting Don he just hummed in response and drank another sip. He must be too drunk to call me Cinderella I thought. "See waiting for you like a lovely wife " but the hate with which he said the word wife said otherwise.

I reached them and tried to support Don to walk. Gosh, he was reeking off Chanel No. 5, I know this scent because my mom use to wear it. It's not mine as he has stocked up my closet with Dior so I can guess I know whose this is. I felt so hurt that tear rolled down my eye. "Are you going to help or just look at him?" Ric asked me. I wiped my lone tear at Ric's voice and nodded. I reached towards them and tried to take the bottle from his hand but he didn't leave it instead he said to me a harshly "What are you doing Doll? Can't you see I am still drinking?" "I-I am sorry" I said and he took another sip. Its enough that he called me Doll and not Candy. I rolled my eyes to myself. I supported him as he staggered while walking. "C'mon help me out, your man is way too strong to be lifted alone". Ric said, yeah 'My Man' who is smelling of another woman right now I rolled my eyes at his words. I tried to support Don by taking his arm over my shoulder. He still kept gulping the remaining bourbon from the bottle. The bottle banged my head as he tried to take the sip by bringing his hand from around my shoulder to his mouth. I almost slipped with him but Ric supported him before we could fell.

As we entered the room he dropped the now empty bottle of bourbon on the floor. We laid him down and he passed out immediately. I tried to took off his shirt knowing he doesn't like wearing shirts while sleeping. Ric helped me to make him sit to take it off. "Thank you" I said but he didn't respond just laid casually on the couch in the room with a sigh. I gave him a glass of water he was looking so exhausted. He took it and drank without saying anything. After a long time I did not see him angry at me.

I took off Don's shoes, socks and removed his belt. I picked up his shoes and kept in the closet. I picked up that empty bottle and dropped it in the bin under the desk. I kept his shirt and belt at his desk chair. As I turned I saw a red smudge on the collar. I picked up the shirt again to look clearly. It was what I thought it was. A lipstick smudge. I felt a pang in my heart. It was like someone staked me. I was holding it too tightly that shirt crushed in my hand. Tears were brimming my eyes and anger was rising inside me. I want to fight with him so much. He always says I am his but what about his loyalty? We never spoke about that.

I looked at him in anger but instead I dropped the shirt on the chair ran towards him as I saw him getting all uneasy. "Don you ok?" I asked helping him up as he was trying and he vomited. Good thing he vomited on the floor and not on the bed, bad thing he vomited on me too a bit.

"Ewww that's gross" Ric said. "Let me call Alysia. She will ask someone to take care of it" he added. "It's ok it's already past 3. We shouldn't disturb her. I will clean it". I helped Don lay down again. I wiped the corner of his mouth with my palm and gave him some water. He was getting a bit uneasy. I stroked his hair a bit "Relax, just sleep Damon" I whispered lightly and pecked him on the lips. He seems to ease up a bit.

I went to bathroom and washed myself first. Then I took a wet towel and few tissues. I crouched and clean the floor with the wet towel and I threw it in bathroom's dustbin. I then dropped a little water and wiped the floor with tissues too. I took them to throw in the dustbin too. I then changed myself into another night dress.

I saw Ric almost sleeping on the couch as I left the closet. "Sir you can take the bed. You don't have to sleep on the couch. I can sleep here" I told him shaking him a bit to wake him up, he got up "No I will be leaving". He said getting up but he almost fell I supported him. "Sir really you don't have to go, you can sleep on the bed with Don". I said and asked him to move towards the bed. He came with me. But he didn't lie down. He just drank more water from the bottle kept at the bedside chest. He was stable enough to stand so I left him to drink water. "Well brother I guess you are in safe hands, so I should leave". he said addressing Don. "But are you sure you can walk? You can sleep here too." I said to him. "I am fine take care of your man, I need my girl too. Sayonara Cinderella" he said with a wink and flying kiss and left the room a bit staggering. Wow he is really drunk. I thought but it felt nice to hear Cinderella from him again. I smiled a bit and then I cover the blanket on Don.

Just as I turned he pulled me into him. "Ah" I kind of screamed because my head literally banged on his chest as I fall on him. He just hugged me too tightly and slept. I tried to straighten myself and loosen his hold a but I could only succeed in straightening myself a bit. He was holding me too tightly. I could feel his steady heartbeat. He was sleeping. He was so calm. I looked at his face he was looking so beautiful. I took my hand out of his grasp and touched his hair and I hugged him closer to me.

For that moment I forgot that lipstick smudge. All that mattered that he was here with me pulling me into his arms. I slept getting lost in his warmth.