CORINNA
"Cori, when last did you have an orgasm that wasn't your own doing?"
"Millie!"
Heat crawled up my neck, I nearly dropped the tray.
"I am very serious."
"You can't just...." I set the tray down and glanced toward the window. "Say things like that in here."
"Why not?"
"Because it's six-thirty in the morning."
She set her phone down and looked up.
"And?"
I sighed and turned back to stacking the cupcakes. Millie had a gift for walking into my bakery and immediately making me feel like I was losing a debate I hadn't agreed to have.
"When, Cori."
"I am not answering that."
I picked up a pain au chocolat and put it down in the exact same spot. "Did you want something to eat or did you come here specifically to interrogate me?"
"When was the last time someone touched you?"
"Millie…"
"Last year?"
"Stop."
"Two years?"
"Millie, this is a bakery."
"More than two?"
She was watching me from the stool at my counter, her chin was propped in one ringed hand, and she had that particular expression she wore when she had already decided she was right and was simply waiting for me to arrive at the same conclusion.
When I refused to give an answer to that she swung her legs off the seat.
"How long?"
"It doesn't matter."
"Corinna."
I exhaled and pressed my palms flat on the counter.
"Fine. Six years. Are you happy now?"
Her eyes widened and her jaw was hanging so wide it looked like it would detach and come loose any second.
Dramatic blonde, Millie.
"Six what?! Corinna how aren't you the bloody walking dead already?"
I snorted.
"Sex isn't as important as you make it sound. I'll have you know that I have a life—" She held up a hand before I could continue.
"I know what you're about to say, and I'll tell you the same thing I always tell you when you say it. Callum and this bakery are not a life. They are beautiful things, yes, but they are not your life, Cori. You are forty years old."
I shook my head and grabbed a napkin. The countertop was already clean, but wiping it a second time wouldn't hurt.
"I'm aware of my age, Millie. But you're wrong, Callum is my life. And he is coming home tomorrow. I want to finish up here so that I can go home and start preparing the house. I repainted the walls eggshell white—his favourite colour."
She rolled her eyes and leaned back against her seat.
"Ugh. For heaven's sake Corinna. Callum may be your son, but he also has a life of his own. It's high time you have one of yours, it's high time you do adventurous, electrifying things "
"No."
"Shush. Don't worry. I'm here to be your Messiah." Before I could refuse whatever she was offering in advance, she placed a card on the counter top.
I reluctantly looked over at the card, then I picked it up and peered at the writings. It was black and red, it looked like a regular gift card—but knowing Millie, I could tell it was anything but regular. Or sane.
"Obscura?" I looked back at her. "What does this mean?"
"It's an underground dungeon."
"Eh?"
She lifted a finger and shook her head.
"Let me finish. It is a private underground dungeon where anything is possible, with consent of course. It's the perfect place for you to go and get your spark back, Cori. You'll have a wonderful time," she pointed between her thighs. "And your coochie won't have to be miserable anymore."
I stared at the card. It seemed so casual, but I couldn't miss the faint outline of genitals at the corner.
"Yeah. No, thank you." I flipped the card back to her. She caught it mid-air with a scowl on her face.
"Corinna Wren Adler. Don't make me flip you over my knee and leave my handprint on your butt, because I will."
I snorted.
"I'll pass on that too. It's nearing seven, don't you have somewhere else to be?"
The scowl still remained on her face, she leaned over the counter and cupped my face with her palms. I'm sure she thought it was a sweet gesture, but with the way she was staring into my eyes… It was creepy.
"I'll be on my merry way, but not without asking you this."
"What?" She pushed my cheeks together till my lips formed a duck-pout.
"When did you last feel like yourself? Not like someone's mother or someone's ex-wife or the woman who owns this bakery. Don't you remember what you were like in highschool? Don't you miss her?"
I opened my mouth.
The bell above the door saved me.
I stepped back, smoothed my apron, and forced a smile on my lips. "Customers, it's time for me to start the morning. Take your card and get going."
"This isn't over."
She grabbed her phone, gracefully strutting to the exit.
I turned to the machine.
And tried very hard not to think about 'Obscura'.
••••[FIFTEEN HOURS LATER]••••
The apartment was quiet when I got home that evening. Not like I expected it to be loud. I didn't have any pets or emotional support animals. It was just me in this modest space.
It had two bedrooms, a small kitchen that I had painted yellow and a living room with my canvases stacked against the far wall and a little reading chair by the window that I loved unreasonably.
When I left Grant's estate I had taken two suitcases, a paint set and not much else. I had spent the years since filling this space with things that were only mine.
"What channel should I put on today…" I bit my lip and stared at the remote. "Maybe the news?" It was important to know what was happening around oneself. I pressed a few buttons and my mini-screen glided into channel 774.
I regretted it instantly.
"We bring you today the biggest news starring our own billionaire business tycoon. Grant Mercer. The CEO of Stylus Enterprises was spotted in Monaco with award winning supermodel—Sasha Vayne. The twenty two year old went further to confirm the nature of their relationship with the blog—"
I turned off the TV and plopped down on the edge of my bed.
Why did I even do that?
My phone rang and I turned my face to the screen.
"Speak of the devil..." Reluctantly, I picked it up.
He was grunting something, the sounds of he and whoever he was with became very prominent as I put it on speaker.
Does he know the phone is on?
I cleared my throat.
"Oh —" he snorted. "Corinna, darling."
"Grant. What do you want?"
"Is that any way to speak to the father of your son?"
I took a deep breath. In through the nose.
"What do you want, Grant?"
"Suit yourself. Cal's flight got moved. He is landing in the afternoon tomorrow, not in the morning. Just so you know."
I arched my brow.
"You're telling me this now?"
"Is there a problem?"
He can't be serious.
"I've already started the food preparations. You know this, I planned everything around the morning, I've been—"
"Corinna." He cut me off. "It's really not that complicated. Just adjust the timing. It's not like you have anywhere to be or anyone interesting in your life. Whatever, adjust the timing for your son, okay? Do it for Callum. I've got to go now, unlike… some people, I have a life."
He hung up.
The words kept ringing in my ear.
"It's not like you have anywhere to be or anyone interesting in your life."
After a while I got up and walked to the mirror by the front door.
I looked at myself for the first time in... I didn't know how long.
When did I last do my hair? When did I last put anything on my face? When did the woman in this mirror stop looking like she actually had a spark?
Millie's voice came back to me.
"Don't you want to feel like yourself again?"
I stood there staring at myself for what felt like an eternity. Without even realizing it, I was reaching for my phone, and then for Millie's contact.
It went straight to voicemail.
"You've reached Millie. Leave something interesting or don't bother at all."
I swallowed and closed my eyes.
"It's me." My voice came out quieter than I intended. "I've been thinking about what you said this morning." I paused. "About the place... Obscura. I... I've changed my mind. Can you take me there?"