CARNAL

XXVIII

NEWS

Siraj's phone rang, interrupting the silence in the car. Mijako was staring out the window, her fingers tapping nervously on the glass. She had been distant lately, and Siraj couldn't quite put his finger on why.

"Yes?" Siraj answered the phone cautiously, warily glancing at Mijako.

"Mr. Siraj, this is Detective Ray calling," said the voice on the other end. "I have some news for you."

"Go on," Siraj urged, his heart pounding.

"The investigation into Governor Wills' death has been officially closed. Our team found no connection to your establishment." Detective Ray paused before adding, "Your strip club can reopen for business."

Siraj exhaled deeply, feeling as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He glanced at Mijako, who was now looking at him curiously.

"Thank you, Detective," Siraj replied with genuine gratitude. "This means a lot to me and my employees."

"You're welcome. Good luck with everything, Mr. Catori." With that, Detective Ray hung up.

"What was that about?" Mijako asked hesitantly.

Siraj smiled, exhilarated by the news he'd just received. "The investigation is over," he exclaimed. "The club is in the clear! We can reopen!"

A flicker of relief washed over Mijako's face, but it quickly vanished as she returned her gaze to the window.

"What's wrong?" Siraj inquired softly, concerned by her distant demeanor.

Mijako sighed before finally confessing, "I'm just ready to leave this life behind."

"Mijako," Siraj said sternly yet gently, "The re-opening will help us get there, I got you, Mama you know this, right? Because you're the most important thing to me above all.."

"I know," she conceded, tears welling up in her eyes. "But I just can't seem to shake this awful feeling, I simply can't forgive my father for the way he threatened you back at Dorian's and he's just... gone."

Siraj reached across the car, gently placing a hand on Mijako's shoulder. "We'll get through this together, Baby. Things will get better, I promise. Just a little more time."

Mijako finally looked Siraj in the eyes and, with a sad smile, nodded her agreement. They would face whatever challenges lay ahead as a team, rebuilding their lives one step at a time.

The neon lights flickered back to life as Siraj and Mijako stepped into the dimly lit club. It had been weeks since the temporary shutdown for the investigation, and they were both eager to get things up and running again.

As they entered the club, the faint smell of stale alcohol and cigarettes lingered in the air—a sure sign that the place needed a thorough cleaning before it could reopen. Siraj immediately pulled out his phone, dialed a professional cleaning service, and scheduled a deep clean for later that night.

Mijako, on the other hand, couldn't help but shudder from the memories of what had gone down just days before at the hand of her father. She found herself a seat at the bar and began to drink heavily in an attempt to cope with her racing thoughts.

Not long after, Francisco, Siraj's brother, walked in looking both flustered and relieved to see them. "Hey bro," he said as he took a seat next to Mijako. "Glad to see this place up and running again."

"I know," replied Siraj with excitement in his voice. "It's been too long." As he spoke, Siraj's best friend Javon, who had been working as a bartender for years, stepped behind the bar to join them.

"So, what's next?" asked Javon, already filling shot glasses for Mijako and Francisco.

Siraj grinned as he answered. "Tonight is just about getting everything ready for tomorrow's big reopening." He paused before continuing on: "I want everyone to spread the word—the best strip club in town is coming back stronger than ever!"

Mijako let out a soft giggle despite her earlier apprehension of returning to the club. She took another shot to chase away her worries as she watched Francisco take one as well.

In that moment, there was a sense of camaraderie among the four of them as they shared drinks and envisioned the future of the strip club. Together, they had weathered some challenging times and had come out on the other side stronger and more determined than ever before.

As the hours ticked by, anticipation and excitement filled the air as Siraj, Mijako, Javon, and Francisco moved furniture, replaced lightbulbs, and stocked the bar with a fresh supply of liquor. It felt like home again for them, and they couldn't wait to share it with those who would come to experience the club's unique allure once more.

After a long hours of fixing up the strip club, Siraj, Mijako, Francisco, and Javon gathered at the bar once more for some well-deserved drinks. The overhead lights were dimmed, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere. It was the perfect environment for casual banter and laughter to erupt.

Siraj took a sip of his whiskey and noticed Francisco smirking at him. He raised an eyebrow, feeling both curious and slightly irritated by Francisco's grin.

Francisco leaned in, purposely trying to make Siraj feel uncomfortable. "So, Siraj," he teased. "I hear that you and Mijako have been getting a little... friendly?" He placed heavy emphasis on the word 'friendly', chuckling as he did so.

Mijako blushed deeply and looked away from the group. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.

Siraj rolled his eyes before retorting with mock bravado, "Well, brother, I guess you could say we get along pretty well." His tone was clearly sarcastic and designed to put an end to Francisco's question.

Javon raised a hand in surrender but still couldn't resist joining in on the fun. "Hey now," he chimed in, "There's no need to get defensive! We're all friends here!" He playfully elbowed Francisco as they both shared a hearty laugh.

Mijako tried her best to hide her embarrassment but failed miserably. Meanwhile, Siraj shook his head at their teasing but couldn't help but smile at their antics. A sense of camaraderie filled the room.

Francisco saw an opportunity for more mischief and continued his playful assault on the couple.

"Is it true what they say? Opposites really do attract? After all," he quipped as he glanced between Mijako and Siraj, "You two are quite different."

Javon noticed Mijako's annoyance and quickly jumped in, hoping to diffuse the situation. "Now, now," he urged with a wink. "Let's not patronize our lovebirds here. After all, we've all had our fair share of romance!"

The playful teasing continued as the night wore on. Occasionally, Siraj or Mijako would attempt to steer the conversation in a different direction – but their efforts were fruitless. Whenever there seemed to be a lull in the teasing, Francisco or Javon would expertly guide the topic back to their intimate relationship.

By the end of the night, Mijako and Siraj had grown comfortable with the banter. They laughed along with their friends and even joined in on sharing anecdotes from their relationship.

As the lights dimmed further and last call was announced, Francisco placed his hand on Siraj's shoulder.

"Hey, brother," he spoke genuinely. "We're just messing with you two. We're really happy for you both."

Siraj smiled back, grateful for his brother's sincerity.

With that heartwarming exchange, the group made their way out of the bar – closer friends than ever before and ready to face another day of hard work together.