Arrival of the Prophecy (2 page)

“Would you mind if I bought you a drink?” he asked looking back to
what she was staring at.

A group of four rough looking young men were coming down the other
side of the street, fixing to enter the club. One was glaring back at Sky,
groping his crouch and nodding his head as if provoking her. Anthony’s teeth
slid together as he gave a glare of his own. The stringy haired youth dashed
through the door without another glance.

“I’m just not too sure I
wanna
go in that
place,” she replied as she shivered.

“We’ll go straight to my office,” he laughed. “I’ll call you a cab
from in there.”

“Oh…I didn’t mean to sound like a snob, I just...”

“Please, don’t apologize,” he interrupted her. “It belongs to my
brother. I just work here on the weekends.”

He took her arm and they made their way through the front door. The
first person they passed was a scary looking man with a
mohawk
. He sat imposingly at the front entrance
wearing jeans and black tank top, checking ID’s, and stopping the “wrong sort”
from getting in. When they approached he didn’t ask them for anything. He
simply stood up, then got down on one knee bowing his head as Anthony took Sky
by the arm more securely and walked by. Sky looked back as the man stood up, seeing
he was staring back at her. She spun back around in time to see every person in
the club, either stop what they were doing and stare in their direction, or
take a knee like the man had done. It was the strangest thing that she had ever
witnessed. The music blasted as Anthony took her through the crowd that stood
perfectly still on the dance floor. Once they were on the other side he held up
his hand and the whole room irrupted back into the same chaotic action.

They stepped into the hall next to the stage. He opened the first
door on their left and showed her inside. The noise of the club was muffled,
but still loud enough for the bass to judder in Sky’s stomach. Anthony reached
over a desk and hit a small button. It opened the wall that hid a two way
mirror that looked into the main room where everyone was dancing.
Most seemed to be in a drunken state.

“
Wow, that
was a neat trick.” She smiled
looking at the crowd with amazement on her face.

“It’s a lot better than walking around in that mess,” he smiled back
at her.

“So, can I use that phone?” she asked, unconsciously closing her
jacket.

 
“I’ll take care of that for
you. Why don’t you take off your coat, it’s very warm in here.” Anthony walked
around behind her touching her shoulders.

“No,” she jumped. “I’m fine, really. Could you call, please?”

“May I have your address?”

“Why do you want my address?”

“So, I may give it to the cab company for you,” he cunningly
replied, taking a pen and tablet from the desk.

Sky didn’t see anything wrong in giving him what he asked for. He
was doing her a
favor
after all, or so she thought. Anthony
had the cab pick her up at the back of the building so she wouldn’t have to
experience going through the club again. He asked for her phone number and she
turned him down, saying she knew where he worked if she wanted to chat. She
thanked him for all his help and gratefully got into the cab. She braved a
glance out the window and saw Anthony leaning back on the open door jam,
watching her drive away. Sky put her hand on her chest and laughed out loud,
spinning around in the seat in time to see him disappear through the door. “Yeah,
in your life time,” she whispered.
     

“Sorry, miss?” The driver spoke as he flipped the gage.

“Oh! Nothing, just talking to myself,” she blushed.

“Mind if
I ask you a question?”
     
“Guess not,” she replied, looking
into the review mirror.

“I’ve picked up a lot of young women from that place, but you just
don’t fit the bill. Why would someone like you be at a place like that?”

“My so called friends were supposed to go out with me tonight,” she
explained, lowering her head. “It’s my birthday, and well,
guess
they thought it was a good present to invite me out.”

“Happy birthday.
They
didn’t show did they?”

“Nope, but I guess I should’ve known better.”

“That seemed like a pretty nice young man back there,” he replied,
causing her to look up. “Maybe it wasn’t all bad.” Then he smiled at her in the
review mirror.

“He was just being helpful to a helpless idiot.” She snorted out a
laugh then rolled her eyes.

The driver turned his eyes back to the road, shaking his head
lightly at the young woman in the back seat. He smiled at her as she was
getting out, and then told her that things would be better in time, that she just
needed to pick better friends. Sky nodded then made her way back to her
apartment, where she made herself a cup of hot chocolate, then crawled in bed
with her two cats, Holiday and Doc.

***

The following Monday, Sky walked into work at the ladies clothing
store with the full intention of giving a few people a piece of her mind. What
she got was the shock of her life. She had worked in that store for four years
and not once had she ever had a male caller. But, there he stood, a tall hunk
of,
‘I can’t figure out what he wants
with a girl like me,’
she thought. Sky had her hair up in a clip like she
did every day for work, glasses on the edge of her nose, a horrid crop-top blue
dress on, and not to mention the ugliest blue flats known to man.

Anthony was holding a vase full of red roses in his hands, with an
ear to ear smile on his face. He was wearing a nicely fitted pin striped black
suit, with a black silk shirt and no tie. His hair was slicked back giving it
the appearance that he had cut it. He set the flowers down on the counter and
walked to where she stood frozen and kissed her on the cheek. Every female that
she worked with, especially the two that had treated her so badly the night
before, stared with utter amazement at the actions of the tall dark stranger.

“How did you find out where I worked?” she asked, pushing her
glasses up on her nose, avoiding his gaze all together.

“I have my ways,” he replied, taking an oblong box from the inner
pocket of his jacket. “I wanted to wish you a happy birthday.” Then he handed
the box to her.

“I can’t take this, Anthony.”

“You can and you will. I want you to have lunch with me today,” he
said, lifting her chin with one of his fingers, getting ‘awes’ out of more than
one of the girls that were watching.

“I can’t go with you looking like that. I mean, me looking like
this, are you crazy? Besides, I don’t even know your last name,” she whispered,
blushing at the
very
thought.

“Trust me, it won’t matter what we’re wearing, and it’s Michelle.”

“I don’t get off for another hour, but I’d love to,” she said,
looking more at the glowing eyes around them, than at the man who was asking.

“Are we putting on a show here?” he asked, bending close to her.

“I’m sorry. It’s just that those two over there are the ones that
tricked me into going out last night. They make my skin crawl. Just look at how
they’re staring at us,” she whispered in a low tone.

Anthony turned and started walking over to Mallory and Becky, where
they were now pretending to sort out dresses on the display racks in front of
them. “Anthony,” Sky called after him, but he kept walking until he stood in
front of the two women.

“I would like to thank the two of you for bringing myself and my new
friend, Sky, together. If you had not done such a cruel thing, our paths would
never have crossed and I would not have the pleasure of getting to know her. I
give you both my sincerest thanks and deepest gratitude.” Then he turned and
walked away, leaving both women melting just from the sound of his voice.

“Well, are you going to open your gift?” he smiled, raising one brow
as she looked around at his broad physique to see the girl’s drool.

“Anthony…” she squeezed the box.

“Please, it’s a birthday gift,” he interrupted, tilting his head.

Sky looked up at him then over to the many eyes watching, waiting to
see what the handsome man had given her. She looked down smoothing her fingers
over the black velvet box then slowly opened it. Her mouth dropped open as her
eyes grew wide,
then
she closed it and tried handing
it back.
“Nope!
Way too much for a
birthday gift.”
He took the box and opened it, taking out the three
diamond star pendant that hung on a white gold rope chain. He gracefully
stepped behind her placing one hand on her shoulder to prevent her from moving,
then
draped it around her neck.

“It reminds me of the sparkle in your eyes,” he whispered next to
her ear, bringing a rapid flow of chills up her spine as the warm air from his
breath caressed the small hairs on her cheek.

“How did you know it was my birthday?” she asked, touching the star
shaped gift.

“I told you…I have my ways,” he reminded her, lifting her chin, and
kissing her right on the mouth.
“One hour, no more.”
Then
he walked out.

Sky stood a few inches higher after Anthony left that morning. His
soft kiss lingered on her cheek giving her a new poise, and she very much
enjoyed watching the girls whisper amongst themselves every time she walked by.
She was going to buy a pair of dress slacks and decided on jeans and a t-shirt
instead. She changed out of her dress before Anthony came back to pick her up. She
took her hair down and wished she could do something with the glasses. When he
walked in they both started laughing, getting the attention of the other girls,
because he too, had changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He asked if she
could take the rest of the day off, and she smiled.

“Mallory,” she said, walking up to her. “I won’t be back in for the
rest of the day, make sure you lock up before you leave.”

“But, I needed tonight off,” she whined.

“Jamison left me in charge, but…you can always quit,” Sky
sarcastically replied, playing with her new necklace.

“You knew I had plans, Sky,” Mallory cried. “It’s mine and Bobby’s
anniversary.”

“And yesterday was my birthday, life’s a bitch isn’t it?” Sky
reminded Mallory and walked away without another word.

Anthony had his driver take them up the mountain road that led away
from the city. Sky and Anthony talked all the way to the top of the mountain,
where Anthony’s family owned a large estate. By the time the driver pulled into
the long drive that led up to the castle style home, Anthony knew a great deal
more about the shy woman at his side, but it was not the same for her. Sky knew
very little about his world. He knew her full name was, Sky
Lashay
Delaney, and that she was the only child of a deceased mother, and the daughter
of a rich father that married a woman who only wanted his money, well, in the
eyes of Sky that is. He learned that Sky had never had a steady boyfriend, and had
only been on three dates including this one, making him more drawn to her
innocence every time she spoke.

The driver stepped out and opened Anthony’s door, and that’s when
Sky actually realized where she was. At first she thought he had brought her to
a fine restaurant, but then noticed there weren’t any other cars. “We can’t go
in there dressed like this,” she said, grabbing hold of his arm as he started
to step out.

“I don’t see why not, it’s been in my family as long as anyone can
remember.”

“You live here?” she asked, leaning over to look out.

“All my life.”

“Who are you, really?” she asked, as he stepped out of the car.

“I’m hungry, come on,” he replied, holding out his hand. “I’m just
the son of a rich man too.”

Three maids met them at the door, each one taking a knee,
then
standing right back up. Anthony walked by like they
didn’t even exist, while Sky smiled politely at each of them as they passed. An
older man walked up and took a knee in front of Anthony, only this time Anthony
reached out and smoothed his hand over the older man’s head. The man looked up
lovingly or maybe with adoration,
then
stood back up
with the help of Anthony.

“Grandfather this is Sky Delaney, Sky this is my grandfather, known
to our friends as Poppy. Anthony Michelle the
first,
and my mentor.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” Sky replied, taking the hand
that the older man extended.

“Grandfather, would you make sure that our lunch is served on the
back balcony?”

“Of course,” he replied with a bow of his head,
then
he headed back out of the enormous foyer.

Sky’s
demeanor
had changed and Anthony had
taken notice when he tried to take her arm.