Husband For Hire

1. Happy Jail Birthday

1. Happy Jail Birthday
There are some things people never expect to happen.

* * * *

Jail?

On my twenty-first birthday?

"Let me out!" I screamed behind the bars. Tara put a hand on my shoulder and gestured for me to relax. Was she mad? Carter, Myra and Roshan gave me a small nod too. How could I calm down? "Do you even know who we are?" I yelled to the officer.

"Majhraut, Rao, Fox, and Chopra twins," the cop shouted from the outside hallway. "Can't wait to see your parents come to the station to take you out."

I kicked the door but realized I was wearing peep-toe pumps.

Groaning, I sat down next to Tara.

"Annie, we shouldn't have vandalized that waiter's car," Roshan said remorsefully. His sister, Myra, nodded in agreement.

I buried my face in my hands, not caring what Roshan had to say. It was a unanimous plan of revenge but failed since we got on camera. Six hours ago, I would've never thought I'd be sitting inside the jail on my birthday.

*Six hours earlier*

Holding my Prada purse in my right hand and wearing a Marc Jacobs black velvet minidress with suede peep-toe pumps, I entered the main lobby of my mom's hotel. It was exactly midnight, marking me twenty-one years old under the law.

Tara Rao, my half Indian half African-American model friend, greeted me with two air kisses to both cheeks which I returned.

"Happy birthday," she smiled. "Lovely dress."

"Thank you," I replied.

She took me to the rest of our friends. Everyone was seated around a large table. We had this floor reserved just for me and my company. I only wanted to spend time with my close four friends--Tara, Carter, Roshan and Myra--for now. The bigger party was tomorrow night.

After all the birthday wishes, hugs and kisses, we ordered our food.

"I heard you're getting a yacht this year from your mom," mentioned Carter Fox, my tall, blue-eyed, and mahogany-colored hair friend.

"I thought it was a jacuzzi," said Myra Chopra.

"I thought it was tickets to Venice," I said and held back a smile. Roshan, Myra's twin brother, grinned. He and I knew how I was rooting to go visit Italy this year. Last year, I cancelled the plans because of . . . Papa's death. "Whatever. I don't care what the gift is." It was obviously going to be something expensive--Mom's way of being there for me.

While we waited, the appetizers came. Carter ordered wine for everyone. I was the last in the group to turn twenty one. Today was the day to drink. It took the staff forever to bring us our order. We were intoxicated by the time a red-haired waitress brought the caviar, truffles, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall (Soup), lobster, and foie gras.

I was animatedly chatting, flinging my arms here and there when the stupid girl got in the way. The soup she was placing on the table fell, spilling over her hand and my shoes. My friends and I were immediately standing, checking the damage. My right shoe had a huge stain.

"These are brand new Jimmy Choo shoes!" I cried aloud, "Special edition!"

The girl clutched her forearm, blowing over it and dabbing napkins. I couldn't believe how careless she was!

She was so getting fired!

"These serfs can never do anything right," Tara said sympathetically.