UNEDITED
Between his semi-committed addiction to smoking and his role as CEO of Elemental Coffee, Cassian Russell has spent the majority of his life running one of the most popular coffee shops on the Island with his best friend, Jake Swift. After a...
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Penelope
Every time Cassian buys a bottle of whisky, I know it's been a rough day. After our long hours at Utterly Uncorked, Cassian and I stop at the liquor store. We also grab plant-based burgers, fries, and onion rings from A&W. Tonight, our goal is to get drunk and eat carcinogenic food. Fast food and alcohol, although they're far from healthy, can always remedy even the worst of moods.
"She's hopeless, Pen," he sighs, placing three perfect ice cubes in his glass. It's frosted along the sides, making his drink look sophisticated and expensive. I push my glass towards him. It's a stemless wine glass, so it doesn't compare to the beauty of Cassian's drink.
As he drops three ice cubes into my glass, chewing on a fry, I convince myself only the contents of the glass matter. While I'm not a fan of whisky, I know how efficient it is. After I finish my burger and help Cassian with onion rings, I've got one goal: to drink until I can no longer think. Today's events were stressful and disappointing. I wasn't expecting Ophelia's reaction to be positive. That would have been far-fetched. I was, however, expecting some respect. Not because we're cousins, but because we're two businesswomen fighting for our place in a male-dominated society. I've never understood why women beat each other up with words and useless, derogatory slurs as opposed to showing support and kindness.
She was also inconsiderate to Patrick, which caused me to grind my teeth. I'm still trying to find comfort in our DNA results. I'm still trying to get to know Patrick. But that doesn't mean he deserves disrespect. Although he sprung the news on me, he's been calm and understanding ever since.
I flash Cassian a weak smile. "I don't know what to say," I reply. "I'm sorry about Ophelia. That must've been disappointing." Daring to reach out, I take his hand in mine and squeeze it. His skin is soft and warm. "You did the right thing, Cassian. Omitting people from your life who don't know their morals is fine. It forces them to take a step back and assess what they're doing wrong. I also appreciate it. Thanks for supporting me."
He cocks his head to the side and stares at me. I can't decipher the mishmash of emotions on his face. His features are lax, but the left corner of his mouth is pinched to the side. "How're you holding up? Her words were terrible." He squeezes my hand with just as much force, and a rush of heat surges through my body. With my free hand, I bring the drink to my lips and take a long, burning sip. The whisky is so strong I want to cough.
"I'm okay," I reply, releasing his hand. From the greasy takeout container, I grab two onion rings and drench them in ketchup. I pop one in my mouth and chew for several seconds as I organize my thoughts. Ophelia's words hurt, but that's because I can't comprehend why she would be against Patrick finding his sister. My parents raised me to support family members like Gabriel and the rest of my cousins. When Gabriel said he wanted to become a chef and give up his business scholarship, I supported him. It's what you're supposed to do with family members.
After I've swallowed my food, I take another sip of my drink. "Ophelia hurt my feelings, but I won't allow her words to dictate how I go about my life. She's allowed to have her opinions—even if they're wrong."
