Chapter 9: In Which She Faces the Ex

"Stay close to me," Theo's warm breath caressed her ear.

She turned sideways to him and nodded nervously. Do your thing, girl, Trish's voice rang in her head, and Aurora responded to it with a bright smile.

Flash!

"Mr. Barone, is that your new girlfriend?"

Theo glanced to his side and put an arm across Aurora's shoulders. Those dogs would portray him as an overprotective boyfriend, but he didn't care.

"Mr. Barone, smile for us please."

A string of flashes followed the question tightly, then there was incessant clicking of cameras.

"Is that your new squeeze?"

Aurora kept walking. These dogs would pounce on her if she paused even for a moment. Ignoring the sting in her ankles, she marched on to keep up with Theo’s long strides.

More flashes and clicking of cameras.

"Miss, may we have your name?"

"Lady, give us a smile, will ya? Over here!"

"Mr. Barone, over here!"

Theo's hand on her shoulder squeezed harder as they moved past the last few reporters and through the gates into a vast garden.

As they breezed down the slight slope, the bustling and shouting quickly faded and light orchestra music from a distant took over.

Aurora stepped out of Theo’s hold and let out a large sigh.

Theo noticed the large grin plastered on Aurora’s face and not a hint of distress in sight. Her cheeks were flushed again. He smiled proudly as she looked over her shoulder at the mess they had survived with bewilderment.

"That was really something! The next time I see someone going through a swarm of reporters like that, I'm going to salute them." She chuckled hard at him.

"You're such a sport, do you know that?" He stroked her cheeks and pressed his lips lightly on her forehead as if it was the most natural thing to do.

A soft gasp escaped her lips.

When he pulled away, she wondered how can a man be assuring and look dangerous at the same time. Light-headed, she motioned for him to come closer with a curl of her finger.

He did and she whispered in a dull tone, "I need a drink."

Theo laughed and led her down the slope to an enormous gazebo made entirely of glass, illuminating brilliantly from inside. From afar, it glistened like a giant crystal ball in the blackening atmosphere.

“It’s so beautiful.” Aurora marveled at the sight.

Theo was transfixed on her instead. “Yeah.”

“Trish would love to see this.” She whipped out her phone. Halfway through recording, she heard sniggers from the other guests and suddenly felt self-conscious. Reluctantly, she put her phone away.

"You're done so soon? Did you catch everything?” Theo took her hand and led her forward.

Aurora nodded with an embarrassed smile.

Once indoors, Theo took two glasses of wine from a waiter passing by and handed one over to Aurora. They cheered with a soft clink of their glasses and took a sip, and then an elderly couple sauntered up to them.

“So this is the woman, my dear boy,” the man bellowed through his potbelly while patting hardly on Theo's tough back. He stretched out his hand to Aurora, “Oscar Strong. And you are?”

“Call me Aurora.” Aurora shook his hand firmly and then said, “Something good must have happened recently, Mr. Strong.”

“Yes, indeed!” Mr. Strong beamed at his wife, a plump lady with kind eyes, who was as thrilled. He roared with laughter. “Our first grandchild arrived just this morning! A baby girl!”

“Congratulations!” Theo hugged the old man briefly. “You’ve waited quite long for this.”

“We really did!” Mr. Strong chuckled hard.

The old woman turned to Aurora with a puzzled look. “I’m curious. How did you know? We haven’t said anything and no one has asked us about it.”

“Aurora’s in the fortune-telling business.” Theo’s arm went naturally around Aurora’s shoulder. “She’s really good at it.”

Mrs. Strong pulled back with a loud gasp that attracted the eyes of a curious crowd near them. “Is she really? Can she tell mine then?”

Aurora glanced at Theo, who gave her an affirming nod, and then back at the nice old lady. “Let me take a look at your palm.”

A hand stretched out into her view and Aurora held it carefully. She tilted it slightly, left and right, and then pressed her fingers lightly around the edges. Then, she looked at Mrs. Strong with a dreaded expression.

The woman’s face fell. “Is there a problem?”

“You might be angry at me for saying this, but you have to listen to your child, Mrs. Stone. It’s a matter of life and death.”

“She’s referring to your check-up, old woman,” Mr. Stone hugged his wife’s shoulders. “Daisy’s been trying to get you to the doctor for weeks! See, even the signs are telling you to do it.”

“You’re right. I should.” Mrs. Stone exhaled heavily with reddening eyes and thanked Aurora profusely.

When they were alone again, Theo removed the empty glass from Aurora’s hand and gave her a new one. “How did you know about Mrs. Stone check-up? Palmistry is not medical science.”

“What a smart man, you are, Mr. Barone. But I do not tell how I know - I just know.” Aurora chuckled silently. She did sounded a bit like Madame Zoya.

“I’ll take it that it’s a lucky guess.”

“As you wish.” Aurora shrugged.

Another couple came forward and Theo quickly did the introductions.

“Aurora, this is Mr. and Mrs. Edwards. Jeff and Sophia, this is Ms. Aurora.”

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Edwards." Aurora smiled at the couple. The man was lanky with a trimmed beard and a pompadour, and the small woman was in a short black dress that seemed too tight for her and the highest yellow platform heels that Aurora has ever seen.

"Call me Jeff." The man went straight to the point. “I just heard from the Strongs that you're good with fortune-telling, Aurora. Can you give me some advice too?”

Aurora studied his palms briefly, then his face, and then muttered, “Every action or no action has its consequences.”

Jeff Edwards who dabbled in the stock market recently, looked appalled. “You’re right, you're so right,” he mumbled. “I should just sell it. It has been stagnant for quite a while.” He took a nervous gulp from his glass while the small woman beside him rolled her eyes wearily as she emptied the glass in a second.

When the couple left, Aurora was alone. Scanning the room for Theo, she spotted Audrey sashaying over, wearing her arrogant smirk that made Aurora want to step on her toes.

“Madame Zoya! I’m surprised to see you here!”

That was the fakest smile Aurora has ever seen. Wait till Trish hears about this. She would grab this b*tch’s hair and pull out some strands. Aurora grinned at the thought when an image of Audrey bowing in pain and squealing for mercy, popped up in her mind. Aurora sniggered helplessly.

“What are you laughing at?” She sneered.

“None of your concern.” Aurora wiped the tears of laughter at the corner of her eyes.

Audrey scowled down at her. “We didn’t hire a fortune-teller, Madame Zoya. This is a private event. You need to leave or I'll call the security.”

“I’m here with Theo.” Aurora battered her lashes innocently. Inside, she was fuming. Did she lose a perfectly good job because of this marshmallow candy? How unfair can the world get?

Audrey was annoyed, but then she gave a derisive laugh. “What a scheming little slut, you are. I'll make sure everyone knows about your little plots."

"I learned it from you."

"Ha! I was just weeding out tramps." Audrey gave a princess wave of her hand. "You'll never know who they'll be after next. For all we know, one of these men could be your next target - married or not."

Then, she stepped towards Aurora and lowered her voice in a snarl. "You may have fooled Theo, but I know you and your kind. You're just out to find a good catch. I knew it the moment we entered your shop. You couldn't take your eyes off him, boyfriend stealer.”

“I did not steal him.” Aurora sipped lazily on the cool wine. “You lost him on your way out of the shop. I just picked him up.”

Audrey burst out like a spoiled and pampered adult with a rich daddy. “We were supposed to be engaged, you whore!”

“I told you that it depends on him,” Aurora retorted calmly and then shrugged. “Apparently, he changed his mind.”

“Why you!” Audrey raised her hand high, preparing to strike Aurora’s cheek like a sore loser.

Aurora lifted her chin in defiance. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You'll upset Kate's wedding.”

Those cat-like eyes widened with shock. “How dare you say her name as if she means anything to you. You are a nobody!”

Aurora felt something cold splashed onto her face.