Hi there all, here's an excerpt from my book "My Pink Stilettos: Does life always give you what you desire?" (the first chapter)
Please feel free to read it and leave your comments
Chapter 1: Tomorrow
would be a great day…
The
phone started ringing as Cara and her sister Melissa made their way down the
busy streets of the shopping district. They had a bundle of shopping bags in
their hands as they shoved past a crowd huddling by the street.
She had just left the
bridal boutique, buying some nice white sandals for her friend Alisson, whose
wedding was scheduled for the following day.
“Huh!
Last minute shopping, always gets you on the run;” said Melissa.
“Yeah Right!” said Cara,
as she struggled to shift some bags on one hand while reaching for her purse to
grab her phone.
As soon as she answered the call, an
anxiety-filled Alisson started shouting at the other end of the line “Cara,
what happened? You’re late. You know I need the dress fixed as soon as
possible, because possibly without a dress I cannot be at the wedding and the
sandals, did you pick them up as well? What about the tiara? I want it small
and sparkly.”
Cara Replied, “Yes, Yes
Alisson, everything is in order. We are coming by your place with the dress,
the sandals and the tiara; everything has been taken care of.”
“Alright, What about the
guest list? ” said Alisson.
“Melissa will take care
of the guest list.” Finally Alisson calmed down at her reassurance.
“OK see you in an hour,”
said Cara, as she hung up and looked at her watch which showed exactly 8 pm.
“Pre-wedding jitters I
suppose,” Melissa smiled.
Cara smiled back “Yeah!
I guess.”
Tomorrow was a Friday, a
big day for Cara and Melissa, as their best friend Alisson was finally getting
married to the love of her life, Bradley. Alisson’s wedding dress had some
fitting problems that needed taking care of. And who were hired to do the last
moment job, none other than the heroic bridesmaids “Cara and Melissa”.
Well,
they were the closest Alisson had to sisters and they had grown up together. So
it was natural for them to be involved with the oncoming wedding tasks.
“Finally, we’ve managed
to get the dress done on time,” said Cara.
“Not to forget the
sandals,” exclaimed Melissa, as they reached Alisson’s house. Alisson’s mom
Sandra welcomed them and they headed towards her bedroom. When they entered the
room, it was an absolute mess and Alisson was the centre of that mess, or
rather the source of it. When she saw Cara and Mel she sprang up from her bed
where she was sitting, surrounded by thousands of accessories and the guest
list in one corner.
‘She was obviously going
through the list,’ thought Cara.
“Come on let us take
care of the guest list, you shouldn’t be worried with this stuff” said Melissa.
“I
don’t need to be, now that you are here,” smiled Alisson.
After an hour or so
everyone seemed happy, as Alisson had finally tried the dress and it fitted
perfectly, the sandals were a perfect match as well. Cara and Mel had also
managed to pick up a matching white tiara.
“Thank you my sweet
bridesmaids,” said Alisson.
“You are welcome Ali,”
said Cara and Mel. And they all started smiling.
“Well, we should be
heading back to home now; it’s already 10:00 pm and mom would start getting
worried if we are too late,” said Cara, as the responsible elder sister.
“Okay,” said Melissa,
“See you tomorrow then.”
“Goodnight,” said
Alisson. “And Cara, good luck for the interview.”
---------------------------------------
As
Cara and Melissa headed down the streets going back to their home
“Why don’t we grab some
ice cream from the shop nearby?” said Melissa, as they landed on a sidewalk,
crossing the road.
“I don’t know, it’s
already pretty late and you know that tomorrow I have an interview at The Bateson’s
Corp. I mean, it’s any girl’s dream to get a job interview and her best
friend’s wedding, falling on the same day,” said Cara mockingly.
Melissa smiled, “Well I
told you, you should’ve asked them to postpone the interview; because
postponing the wedding, umm…. I think that’s out of the question”.
Cara
smiled at Melissa’s remark.
“Well I would’ve, but
then they wouldn’t wait for me you know, there could be many other candidates
who do not have a, multiple event in a day kind of a problem!” she said
smiling. “Plus you know it is my dream to work at Bateson Management
Corporation, and I waited for months to get this opportunity”.
“Well then, all I can
give you is my best wishes and hope that you manage both the events well,” said
Melissa.
Sigh is all that Cara gave in.
“I know what!” exclaimed
Melissa. “You just stand right there, and I will go grab some ice cream for us
both.”
“You are not going to let
it go, are you? Alright, go ahead I will wait right here,” she said
stomping her foot, clearly annoyed.
As Melissa entered the
ice-cream parlour nearby, Cara just stood outside, distant in thoughts,
enjoying the beautiful street view.
And then, it
happened. Well, there could be many its that can happen. She already had
two its happening tomorrow, simultaneously. But this one, it really did
happen, and in the spur of a moment.
A
young boy, six to seven in age came running out of a car that had stopped on
the opposite side of the road. As he rushed to cross the road, a silver car
came speedily out of nowhere, and was going to collide into him. Cara observed
all this with intimidation. It was a ‘now or never’ kind of a decision she
needed to take. She knew she had to do something ‘stop him, warn him…. No even
better!’
Without thinking, she
ran towards the kid before the car could reach him, grabbed him and tossed them
both to the sidewalk on the other side of the road. She rolled over, with the
kid still grabbed in her arms. Fortunately they were both safe; with her
getting only some minor scratches due to her impact with the sidewalk.
The car stopped immediately
with a screeching sound; followed by another car stopping and honking behind
it. Apparently, the two cars had collided or rather it was three.
“Oh great!” exclaimed
Cara. “Good job kiddo!” she said as she raised the kid upright, straightening
him and then herself. A crowd of passers-by stood to observe what was going on.
The
speeding driver, who was driving at 60mph on a shopping street, when he
supposedly should’ve been driving at a lower speed, started shouting as he
exited the car. First, he saw that the kid was OK; then he turned back to the
driver behind him, who had bumped his car and started fighting with him.
‘Oh
great two mad drivers now!’ thought Cara as she turned her attention to a lady
in a formal business suit, who approached her and the kid. From her expressions,
she seemed to be the kid’s mother and was in her late 40’s or so.
“My baby Josh, are you
OK?” She said. “How many times have I told you not to run around like that?”
“Sorry mom,” said the
kid, whose name, Cara assumed, was Josh.
“I am really sorry,” the
woman turned towards Cara. “Are you alright?”
“Yes Ma’am I am fine”.
“Oh please! Call me Suzy
and thank you so much; you don’t know how grateful I am for what you’ve done,
saving my Josh, like that…”
“Oh no, it’s alright I
would’ve done that for anyone,” said Cara.
“No young lady you are
one brave one, not many people do such a thing these days,” said the Lady.
“Here have my business card and if you ever need any help, please don’t
hesitate to call”
“Oh no thank you Ma’am
Uh… I mean Suzy,” she said placing the card in her bag without looking.
“Josh, say thank you to
Miss….”
“Cara, Cara Anderson”
replied Cara.
“Say thank you to Miss
Anderson.”
“Thank you Miss Anderson,”
said the boy in an extremely sweet tone.
At the same time Melissa
came up running from behind to stand by Cara.
“What
happened? Are you alright?”
“Yes I am fine.”
“Oh thank God, I saw
what happened from the shop and came running as fast as I could,” said Melissa.
Suzy spoke “This young
Lady here, saved my boy’s life and for that I will forever be grateful. And you
are…?”
“I am her sister
Melissa,” said Melissa
“Nice to meet you both” said
Suzy smiling as she shook their hands “I will be leaving now as I have
something important to tend to.”
As Suzy and Josh sat in
their car, Josh waved at Cara and Melissa.
“Let’s
get going, we are already too late dear, ” said Suzy.
“Yes mother,” said, a
fine young man in his early 20’s who was in a tuxedo, sitting on the back seat
of the black, sleek and sparkling car, and hardly recognizable with the windows
closed.
“How many times have I
told you to be careful Josh?” he said, clearly upset.
“Sorry…”
said Josh.
“You should be, if it wasn’t for her out there; you know what could’ve
happened, right. Anyways, let’s go” he pointed to the driver.
As the car started to
move he glanced sideways out of the window to see Cara standing there. The girl,
who had risked her own life, to save his brother’s. Well, he didn’t believe
selfless people like those existed in the world of today but he was happy to
have met one, or seen one to be precise.
‘Hopefully
he won’t forget the simple looking, yet amazing girl in sports shoes, blue
jeans and a white T-shirt. Not quite flashy, but having a sparkle of her own;
with jet-black hair tied up and a curl hanging loose on her cheek’ He shrugged
his head ‘Oh what am I thinking…silly…’
“Yes Mother” he diverted
his attention at the sound of his mother calling him.
“Alex…?”
------------------------------------
After the event that had
just occurred; Cara and Melissa were too tired to say a thing; and just left
walking to their home, with ice cream cups in their hands.
When they reached home, their mother and
father welcomed them.
“Hey little angels, how
have you been?” said their mother.
“Aw! tired mom,” said
Melissa.
“Really tired…” said
Cara.
“I will just fix dinner,
anyone up for a little help?” Cara and Melissa both looked at each other. “I
will do it,” said Melissa
By the time Cara joined
the others at the dinner table- after freshening up- Melissa obviously had
shared the events of the entire day with their mom and dad. Whereas Cara was
still a bit stunned and speechless by what had occurred; and how lucky she had
been, to escape unharmed, except for the few scratches that she had gotten.
“Cara dear, how are you
feeling now?” said their mom picking up on Cara’s mood.
“Fine…”
“Did you decide what you
will wear for the interview tomorrow?” said her mom changing the topic.
“Not yet Mom.”
“Well you should, by
now.” Her mother gave her a questioning look.
“Okay Mom.” she replied.
“I was wondering that
since Ali’s wedding is tomorrow night around 10:00 pm and my interview is at
11:00 am. I will leave the house at 9:30 so I can reach business district
around 10:00am ‘the earlier the better!’ You guys just leave for Ali’s house
& I will meet you there directly. Obviously the wedding house can use an
extra pair of hands.”
“What about your stuff,
clothes and all” said Melissa. “Shall we take them, or…”
“Umm…I will take them
with me in the morning, so you don’t have to worry about those”.
“Cara, did you see the
pink stilettos I bought for you?” said her mom.
“No!”
“I placed them in your
room; they would go well with your pink dress, why don’t you wear them tomorrow
at the wedding”.
“Yeah
Mom, I’ll see,” said Cara feeling tired.
“Still, I don’t get it
why Ali’s going for a colour theme for the bridesmaids, why not all of us wear
a common colour”. said Melissa.
“Melissa…” both Cara and
their mom eyed Melissa.
“Sorry, just curious.”
“Well, it’s her wedding!
if she wants it that way, then I guess we should be okay with it,” said Cara.
“Alright…” as Melissa
continued to argue “but I will be wearing green with golden lining…”
“As you like Mel…” said Cara yawning. “I’ve got to get up early in the
morning so goodnight everyone” she said getting up and leaving her mom and sis
talking.”
As she lay on her bed,
Cara went through all that had happened, throughout the day, in her mind. How
she had gotten Alisson’s dress fixed; delivered it to her house, the accident…
how she had jumped up in front of the car to save that kid… Josh.
Then she thought ‘about the
interview and the wedding the following day feeling both, anticipation and
excitement as she yawned and closed her eyes knowing that “tomorrow would
indeed be a great day”
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Please do leave your comments below
Hana. P. B
