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Twenty-Eight
Nana wins a date
Seth
I hold the door open to Porter’s, a chill sweeps through the air as my mom and dad step through and I follow close behind. Snowflakes litter my jacket. I take a moment to brush them off before looking up and my jaw drops. This place doesn’t look like the Porter’s I’m used to. All the high-top tables are moved to sit in front of the small stage. Candles sit in the middle as centerpieces. On the far wall, various items sit on top of tables as people stroll along the rows.
Several groups of people are gathered around various tables while waiters and waitresses walk around with trays of appetizers. Behind the bar Jake and a couple of other bartenders serve drinks to thirsty patrons. My parents walk off to greet some friends and I’m left all alone. I scan the room in hopes I’ll find Parisa.
“Here man, you look like you could use this.” Bennett comes up next to me with Charlie and hands me a beer.
“Thanks.” I take the beer from him and swallow a big gulp, shock still coursing through my body.
Olivia and Hollyn join us with drinks and cupcakes. “This Almond Joy cupcake is to die for.” Olivia takes another bite, her eyes closing as she savors the taste. “Seriously, Hollyn you outdid yourself with these.”
“Thanks, Hollyn for making all the cupcakes. It means a lot to me and my parents,” I say.
“I’m happy I could help. And the plus side, I’ve booked a couple parties with how much people have loved them. So, win-win.”
Parisa and Trey stroll up to us arguing about when they’ll start the date auction. Trey screeches to a halt. His gaze darts to Hollyn then to Parisa. “Wait, there are two of you? Why did no one tell me?”
“Trey, this is my sister Hollyn. Hollyn, Trey.” Parisa points between the two.
Trey steps into the middle of our small circle until he’s standing in front of Hollyn with his hand held out. “Hi Hollyn, I’m Trey. Whatever they told you about me is probably true, but you should really find out for yourself.” Before Hollyn can place her hand in his, Parisa is gripping the collar of his shirt and tugging him back.
“Oh no. No. No. No. Stay away from my sister, or I’ll cut off your nuts and duct tape them to your face.”
Trey holds up his hands like he’s surrendering. “I’ll stay away from her, but I can’t guarantee she’ll stay away from me.” He winks at Hollyn. Parisa jolts toward him and instantly his hands move to cover his nuts. “Violence is not the answer.”
“Ugh. Let’s just get this auction thing figured out.” Parisa grabs Trey’s wrist and drags him toward the stage.
Charlie rises to her tippy toes and presses a kiss onto Bennett’s cheek before she scampers off to talk to someone she knows, along with Hollyn and Olivia. Bennett’s eyes are fixated on Charlie’s every move the whole time, until she’s on the other side of the room, adoration flashes across his face. “So how did you know?”
“Know what?”
“How did you know Charlie was the one?”
“It had to be the moment when she invaded every waking, and every sleeping, moment of my time. She’s a little piece of me that makes me whole. A piece I never knew I was missing.”
I nod at his words. Everything he said is exactly how I feel about Parisa. She’s the little missing piece in my life that I need to make me whole, but fuck, I don’t know how to make her see that. From the first time our lips touched she set my soul on fire, burning bigger and brighter every time she’s near. But stolen kisses only last for so long.
Charlie motions Bennett to where she’s standing with a group of people. While he walks to her, I use that time to inspect all the silent auction items. There is everything from discounts on repairs services, vacation rentals, high end recreation coolers, and clubhouse seats to baseball games. I continue walking down the table when I see a picture of a trestle table donated by Bennett and Charlie. A wide grin covers my face knowing I have some of the best friends a guy could ask for. But the next item on the table makes my heart drop. There sits several black framed photographs of the sea smoke over Lake Superior. Another of the gazebo at Bristol Beach. And a third featuring a lighthouse sitting next to the rising sun. I look down to the place card that reads:
Donated by Parisa Anthony
I scribble down my bid and continue down the line to look at all the other items until a familiar voice pours through the speakers. Turning around, Parisa is standing in the middle of the stage, a spotlight shining down on her causing her light pink sequined dress to sparkle. Her auburn hair is curled and drapes over her right shoulder.
“Thank you everyone for joining us tonight. I’m so happy so many people could come out and support The Lilith House. We have a very special treat for you, but first, be sure to grab a drink from the bar. Porter’s has very graciously volunteered to donate half the drink proceeds to The Lilith House, so the more you drink the more we raise.” Chuckles float through the crowd. “Also, if you haven’t checked it out, we have rows of tables filled with silent auction items—” Parisa’s gaze drifts my way and the moment our eyes connect she freezes. A small smile plays on my lips, and she reciprocates before she continues. “So be sure to jot down your bid. We’ll announce the winners later this evening. You don’t need to be present to win. So without further ado, mostly because he’s antsy and won’t stop bouncing on his toes.” Laughs and chuckles come from the crowd. “Win a date with this handsome hunk.” Parisa does a Vanna White arm wave as Trey struts out to the middle of the stage. And for good measure, he does a twirl to show off all his angles.
“Alright ladies and perhaps even gents, all are welcome. It’s time to get those dollars out and start bidding. You can win a one-night date with Trey.” Parisa points in Trey’s direction and he does his best model strut as he makes his way from one side of the stage to the other. Catcalls and whistles sound from the crowd when Trey flashes them his boyish grin. “He’s funny, and charming, and will make you laugh.” That gets another round of hoots and hollers from the crowd. “He’s housebroken…maybe. I can’t make any guarantees—”
Trey grabs the mic from Parisa. “No need to worry about that, ladies.” Another eruption of claps and whistles come from the crowd.
“House broken is up for debate but he’s tall. I’m sure he’d be good at replacing a light bulb. Maybe carry some groceries.” Trey stands off to the side flexing his muscles under his button-down shirt.
“Alright ladies, do I need to say more? Let’s start the bidding at one hundred dollars!” Parisa rambles a bunch of words like an auctioneer, but no one can understand what she’s actually saying.
Someone in the crowd raises their hand. “We have one hundred. Who’s got one fifty.” Hands ping pong throughout the crowd. Two hundred. Then two fifty. More hands raise in the crowd. Three hundred. To three fifty then four. Bidding keeps increasing to four fifty and then five. Suddenly someone in the crowd shouts out one thousand. And the crowd goes silent.
