One would actually think that Tristan had quite forgotten or perhaps the allures of the pleasure he was getting from Janet was lifting his soul but no. Not even the sex felt real anymore. In fact, it was all simply exhausting. He had discovered that every corner from where he stood in his room looking at his bed reminded him of Claire and she still did not show up anymore. He obviously had lost her for good but somehow it was much better. She deserved better than someone like him to come make a mess of her life any further. He had gone openly to pickup Janet and instructed Alfredo that whatever news came out of what he had done, the old man was strictly not allowed to question the media. He knew there was no way she would miss it unless she did not watch television or perhaps her dyslexic extended to not understanding totally.
The news indeed as expected did spread as everyone was busy talking about the way she was the very first celebrity he had been seen with twice and she as hell did make a lot out of it. She would make videos of him while he was sleeping and even when they were eating. There was no more privacy and that was something he did not fancy at it. It was a total contrast to what Claire would have done. Claire had this inner peace she brought his way that was something of the sorts he would never have imagined in his entire life. She was everything he needed in his life but he would rather embrace chaos than her peace which he believed he did not deserve.
Janet had been doing absolutely nothing to contribute to his well being. She was always eager as always to strip naked and have sex but no matter the number of times, all he could see was Claire each time. Once in the middle of the night he had woken up and in a flash of conscience, he had seen Claire sleeping next to him but when he would reach his hand to stroke her face, he saw the dark raven hair. A contrast to Claire’s crown of gold. It felt bad he had been the one to strike out as her first but certainly sometime in future, she would definitely get over it. He was certain about all of that. It was a really good thing she had not returned to his place. That was for the best.
This fateful morning, Tristan had woken up and made immediately for his kitchen. Another fond memory he was never happy to relieve himself of as each time, all he could see was how she would stay there and make his meals. It was all about Claire and what power she seemed to hold over his very person. She was a princess that had kissed the wrong frog. Janet would rather lay on bed naked and have the maids bring her food up. So lazy she was that she made quite a mess with her numerous change of makeup, her multiple video calls with different clients she claims to be producers even though she had no idea that once Tristan had caught her flashing her boobs at someone on the camera. Well, he did not care as he did not care about her or whatever she does with herself. She was very much same as any other whore in the streets as she was practically doing the same thing whores do. Right from the onset of time, whores had been believed to be the elixir to which men forget all about their sorrows and woes. It was what their particular service was although many had at countless times believed it was just the pleasure of selling their body for money and cheap things that are materialistic. But no, just like Janet they made men forget but in this case, Janet was doing none of that as he could not get Claire Willows, a simpleton of a woman off his mind. She had successfully clung onto his thoughts and would not let go.
At this point, Tristan believed that Janet had begun overstaying her welcome and it was time for her to leave. He needed to start dishing her out and denying her of his presence. He no longer felt any form of enticement for her body nor did he crave her warmth. The previous night before this morning, Tristan had actually drunk himself to stupor to an extent he worried he just might die of alcohol poisoning yet all Janet seemed to want was for him to make drunken love to him as she continued tugging at his shorts. He demanded she stopped several times but she would not as she was a stubborn woman so he retorted to yelling at her and she laid down facing the other side of the bed whimpering melodramatic cries he knew were not real. She was an actress after all and he had seen her on set once and how easily she had drawn up those tears. She would be fine certainly he had told himself and let her be as he slipped into oblivion.
When he had woken this morning, she very well was still asleep and he went down asking the new cook that had been hired last minute when Janet had come to give way to him in the kitchen as he had his own things to do.
Tristan could only see Claire’s image and he recalled the meal she had made specially for him. He missed those excellent times but he went on to fix himself breakfast. He had just finished and was pouring it into his dish when she started coming downstairs.
“My my my, I knew something smelt yummy this morning Tristy bun.” she said.
Man had this woman no shame at all. Even in a house where Alfredo an older male resides with the new cook and a maid as the others had resigned and he was yet to get another trusted, she only wore a long light coat like stuff without even thinking to tie up the strings. She wore just her panties with her breasts that were nothing close to Claire’s fully exposed. For a moment he stared at her with disgust as he turned to put the pan in the sink. He grabbed his glass of milk and had turned around just as she picked out from his meal. That was something he did not tolerate.
“Off!!!” he said angrily as he picked up the plate and milk glass. He made for the stairs
“Where’s my food?” she asked
“Ask the cook to make you whatever you will.” he said and continued on his way
“But I want something you made.” she said
“Suite yourself.” he said and made up the stairs and straight for the piano room. Another beautiful moment with Claire back in the last days. He recalled trying to teach her the piano and felt sad. Tristan ate his meal in silence and sadness and one time he heard noise. It was Janet doing her anger display but he cared less. He had told himself that he would sue for damages if she ruins anything of serious importance to him.
Tristan finished his meal and got ready for the next phase of his day. He had decided to go to the restaurant and when he had been getting ready, Janet had made great fuss about it stating that she wanted to follow him. He refused her request as he called on Alfredo to pull up the car. The poor old man no longer spoke of Claire in Tristan’s ears as his job was at stake and he was not prepared to loose his good paying job over a little mistake. He missed the girl and it was clear and with the self pity look in his eyes whenever he looks at him, Tristan was sure that the old man knew how much he too missed Claire no matter how hard he tries to disguise his emotions. He now more than ever wished the old man would talk about her and find a reason to compel him to go seek for her but automatically since his last warning, Alfredo had switched fully onto the strictly employer-employee relationship between them both. He would say nothing unless he was asked or being spoken to and would head straight for their destination.
Each time they both passed the way where they usually dropped off Claire, both of them would have their heard beating loud with hopes that they would see her. None ever did. It would seem Claire had vanished totally. While Alfredo worried about her having hurt herself or be sick, Tristan wondered if she had forgotten him already. Usually Tristan would have women swarming around him even when he was wrong, they would be the one to reach out and apologize.
They got to the restaurant and ignoring every greeting, Tristan made for his office. No one knew what had happened between he and Claire obviously but all were wondering why he seemed grumpy and that day was a rather tensed one for them all. They went through hell as he was expecting everything to be perfectly done to his taste and today it was a little bit too much what he was asking of them. Before noon, he had fired the new dishwasher saying she did nothing well and he felt remorseful as he watched the middle-aged woman cry her way out. He demoted another to washing dishes because she was not doing well as a server. He knew still it was not their fault either but the fact that he was already upset from the beginning. Looking at why he fired the former and demoted the latter, he could tell it was no far from him missing Claire. He had gone back into his office and pulled up her file. There was nothing much said about her right there but he spent a lot of time staring at her passport. All his fault and his mistake for not going after her. He had absolutely no idea how long he stayed there or how he had gotten to a stage he had begun crying until he heard the ruckus outside his office and from that voice he heard, he felt so much anger burning within him. He quickly closed the folder and returned it to the shelf as he rose up angrily. He opened the door to his off and glared at the scantily dressed Janet busy signing autographs and taking pictures in his restaurant.
“What in the seven hells is going on here?” Tristan had thundered
“Sir I tried to…” the manager had begun but Tristan’s look made him go mute.
“I’m talking to you Janet.” he said and everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Most that were customers had returned to their seats and the rest that had come because of her exited his restaurant.
“Oh Tristy bun, don’t be so grumpy. You look weird when you frown.” she said
“What did I say about coming to my restaurant?” he asked her
“Oh come on, if we obey all rules the world would be boring right?” she said and approached him touching his cheek affectionately.
Tristan caught her hand and then pulled it away, pushing it back to her.
“Get out.” he said
“What. You seriously are not doing this to me in front of all this people.” she said
“I want to gone from my home before I return.” he said and turned away to his manager. “If she doesn’t leave by herself, call 911.” he said and entered his office.
“This way miss.” the manager said gesturing to the door.
Instantly she let off and wail and grabbed a plate.
“Son of a bitch!!!” she yelled as she threw it at the wall.
“Make sure she pays for that.” Tristan yelled from inside.
Janet must never had been so embarrassed in her entire life as she hastily brought out and dropped a couple of bills on a table. She cursed at him and grunted as she turned away screaming on how she hated him. She said a lot as she walked outside and when people tried to get close to her, she screamed at them. They resorted to taking clicks and pictures of her as she flagged down a cab. Her mascara had ruined her face with the way she had been crying as she entered the cab.
Tristan sat on his chair flopped with his back relaxing totally as he smiled. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was the fact that it was over between he and Janet. She would not be calling him again and the next day the news would carry on how him being the popular casanova had yet dumped another woman and this time in the most hurtful ways. He knew Janet, this would play a great clout chase for her and a time to redeem her bad acting through sympathy. She would host shows and play victim but he cared less. At the very least, he would somewhat be sure he had compensated her by adding a little more flame of flame to her now dwindling career.
Janet actually used to be a great actress until she had taken up a wrong role at a wrong time. It actually played bad on her career but she did not care. She prided herself as the most popular in the industry. Well, she should better get ready for her re-debut into stardom. She must have missed it a lot. Tristan called for Alfredo and the older man came to his office. He handed him his wallet and asked that he gives him the keys to the car as he wanted to drive around and clear his head. He was to take a cab home and supervise what the mad actress would be doing until she leaves. Tristan asked that he made sure that she leaves his home before he returns. Alfredo nodded and turned to leave only that he stopped briefly at the door to stare at Tristan.
“What?” Tristan had asked him
“Nothing sir.” Alfredo said.
Tristan eventually took the car and drove around to nowhere in particular, totally whiling away his time until evening when he had gone off to a bar for a drink. He had quite some quantity of Martini and then at a point when he noticed it was dark already decided it was high time he went home. He paid for his drink and made for his car.
It was back home this time. He had just gotten towards Claire’s area and thought that perhaps he should go into that street. Tristan drove there not being able to control himself and stopped far away from her place, got and stood somewhere in the dark where no one could actually see him. He wondered if she was home but just when he was about turning away, he saw Claire and someone approaching. It was him, the guy he had seen with her in front of his restaurant.
Tristan’s eyes darkened even more when he saw that they were holding hands. How could she better him thus. She sure had the nerve. His hands balled into fists as they stopped before her home facing each other. They were talking about things he suspected to be their sweet nothingness. She sure had moved on in a space of three weeks. That was so soon and he felt played by the scheming little woman.