A cold hearth

 Click! Jess lit her Maralboro and took a deep puff from it. Some remains couldn't be allowed,  to vent out. They had to gnaw at your heart for all the offending, you did with them. She smirked with this thought, and chugged the carbon smoke into her lungs. Ahaaa... It gave her the warmth, the fireplace refused to proffer. 

*  *  *  *  *  *

"Anne, I will not be home today for dinner. There is this new company we are trying to rope in for the overseas project. The meeting will be followed by drinks and dinner." Jess detailed her roommate while giving final touches to her long eyelashes with the masscara. She walked down the spiral staircase of their rented apartment in New Jersey. Her sharp, pointed  stilettoes made a tapping sound on the wooden staircase, announcing the entry of the Cleopatra in the hallway. 

"I will talk to you later." Anne hung up the hour long call as she heard the thumping sound but had failed to hear Jess's commandments. Jess's crisp linen shirt peeping through the bold, black blazer, commanded an air of authority. Straightening her sloopy posture, Anne inquired, "Hey Honey, you said something about drinks? Are you calllllll....iiing over someone tonight? Shall I cook the chicccc....kennnin garlic sauce or are we going for a barbeque?" The stammering inherited, Anne couldn't complete a sentence straight. 

"Gosh!! You broken spine! I have no time to go about with it again. I will text you in the day." Jess picked up the convertible's keys and the packet of Maralboro, escaping to the garage to stave off a boring conversation with Anne. Yet she could hear her hollering, 

"I have called the mechanic, the fireplace is giving some trouble. Come earrlll....yyy... "

The voice trailed off as Jess hit the road playing some MJ songs on her loud radio. The city air was infectious. She loved every bit of her fast, galloping city life. Her career, the money and the power that came with the first two was intoxicating. Power and control were like weeds and marijuana to her youth, pumping and boosting her to the right height. 

The phone vibrated. Ashley's angular face with high cheekbones flashed on the screen. Her only weakness-the rugged,designer stuble on his deliberately unkempt masculine face, attempted her to pick up the call. But not now, she knew how he would lure her into meeting in the evening at the Pacifiers bar. She let the call go on voicemail and reached the office headquarters, where the big deal was to happen. 

Clients, meeting, reports and more reports, with puffs of Maralboro was adrenaline to her early thirties. The first half of her day, rolled into another and the voicemail went unanswered. The deal was fixed and the group headed to Royal Albert Hall disco for shots of celebration. Beginning with wine, Jess had settled for jugs of frothy whiskey indulgence. The stilettoes went flying off in air and she danced to loud, ding-donging music with alcohol surging her blood. The able client dropped the merry making lady, to the portico of her abode. 

As usual, Anne helped her get to bed without a hassle. 

"Jess, I gueeeee...sss it was something speeee. ... cial between you and Ashley yesterday. " Anne struggled to speak while pouring black coffee as Jess rubbed her droopy eyes. Suddenly she sat up and blurted, "Heavens!!! It was our tenth dating anniversary!" With this she darted to grab the phone and the voicebox. "Dammit!!" she exclaimed, "The battery is dead!"

Ashley and Jess, where college sweethearts, both having graduated from the prestigious Stanford School of Management. Jess the sucker she was for success, climbed up the ladder way too quickly than Ashley. He found it difficult to match up with the shrewd industry standards and instead found solace in a band that played for a night club in New Jersey. Jess found it filthy and below standards for a Stanford graduate to squander his talent to music. Yet, she loved him more than her Maralboro and kept bearing his expenses when the band would be out of work. She sometimes pitied his condition and many times overpowered his shortcomings. 

The phone came to life and Jess breathing a sigh of relief, called Ashley to apologize. The caller tune kept ringing incessantly, Ashley seemed to be in no mood to oblige her. 

'Where would he go?' She wondered, but at back of her clouded mind she knew the crow couldn't stay away from his pot of gold. As the pebbles would get over, he would definitely hobble to her for sips of relief. With the yesterday's deal cracked, they coukd now celebrate a grand anniversary, may be in the Alps. So what if it would be delayed? 

Again the Alps remained a distant reality as Jess had to travel to Japan for a new consignment. Leaving cash with Anne for replacing the fireplace and some more if Ashley needed, Jess hopped to the convertible, driving to the airport with rooftop open, this time. The cool breeze played with her hazelnut coloured tresses, lifting them up as if performing a salsa in air. She gleamed from ear to ear, for this time she was going to go on her knees and propose marriage to Ashley. After having turned down his previous five proposals, this time she was going to prop the question. 

Love was always in the air, this time she had family on her mind. 

*  *  *  *  *  *

The crack in the fire disturbed the cacophony of her thoughts. Gulping down gin and tonic, with a bruised eye and bleeding lip she remembered how abusive she had become on seeing the two making love, near the fireplace.. How could they do this to her? Stab her in the back with a cold heart and lay to steam up near this hearth. This hearth where she snuggled up cosily under the duvet, melting in Ashley's sturdy arms. He kissing her apple lips and proclaiming how stunning her blue oceanic eyes where. In his arms, she lost all the power and control, just could passionately make love. Each hair of her body, paying standing ovations to his brisque fondling skills. 

Crassshhhh... She hurled the glass at the fireplace which failed to thaw her frozen emotions. The amber flames rose in pride, like some day she had toppled over Ashley's love and Anne's friendship. She deserved this betrayal as she had heard Anne saying, "I love you, Ashley." without a stop or stammer. She was the stamper of their happiness and now by throwing them out of her territory, Jess had added to the cruelty. 

The fireplace was replaced and she had paid for it. Yet, it was no more her property and hence, couldn't give her the relief she desired. Anne doused off the fire, as she opened the invitation card to Anne and Ashley's wedding. This time Anne had left a voicemail, 

"Jess, forgive me if you caaa....nnn.... Be my bridsmaid if you caaa... nnn... "

Jess opened her wardrobe, she searched for the perfect bridsmaid outfit. After all, she had to cure the stammering, once and for all. Then may be some fireplace would be able to ignite a spark of true, enduring,  human relations, without crackling in the middle.