Chapter 4
Millie could not stop the ringing in her head. She dreamed she was Trinity in the Matrix and trying to get back to the Nebuchadrezzar, the ship in the movie. She could hear the phone ringing that would bring her back, but could not find it. She was being chased by Agent Smith, he had caught up with her and she was going to have to fight her way out. Neo, who looked like Paul, was on the ship desperately trying to bring her back out of her dream state. Finally, she woke up enough to become conscious that her cell phone was ringing and vibrating on the nightstand next to her bed.
Feeling like she had just gone to bed, she looked at the clock, and realized that she did just go to bed. It was eight in the morning, but after watching both the Matrix and Matrix Reloaded with Paul in chat, she finally crawled into bed at six thirty.
Looking at the caller ID, she groaned. She could either turn over and ignore the phone call and go back to sleep. But, knowing her sister, she would keep calling until Millie finally answered. Or she could just go on and get the call over with and then go back to sleep.
“Hello.” Millie snapped, letting her tiredness and frustration show. Before she could tell her sister to never call so early again, that she was not a morning person like her sister, and reminding her that this was twice in two weeks that she had woken her up, Alexis began singing.
“Happy Birthday to you!” Alexis was singing off key, way off key, “Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Millie! Happy Birthday to yoooooouuuuuuu!”
Alexis, Millie’s older sister by two years was perfect. She was the perfect daughter, she was the perfect sister, she was cute and had the perfect petite figure with blonde curly hair and sparkling blue eyes. She had the perfect job and lived in the perfect house. And she even had the perfect boyfriend. Millie also knew very well that her sister had the perfect voice, which made her singing off key even funnier.
“Gee Thanks!” Millie said sarcastically.
“So, whatcha got planned for today?” Alexis letting her southern accent show, was always chipper and up beat even at eight o’clock in the morning. Millie looked at the clock again and groaned.
“Sleep. I had a late night and just went to bed, so first things first, sleep!” Millie groaned.
“Oh well, I thought I would give you a heads up on what Mama has planned. You go on and get your sleep and I will let it be a surprise. I know how much you like those!” Alexis said giggling knowing Millie took the bait.
“Lexi, please, just go on and tell me, you already woke me up.”
“Well, I talked to Mama last night and she said she was going to drag you to dinner at the club tonight to celebrate. That you hole up too often and she is not going to let you say no this year.”
Grunting her displeasure, Millie responded with a, “Thanks! I really do appreciate the warning.”
“So, should Charlie and I show up at the club as planned or will you find a way to blow her off again? You know she really hates that!”
“You can do what you want. But, I won’t be there. I can’t be there, that place has too many bad memories for me. Doesn’t she know that?”
“I know, and you know, but Mama and Daddy live at that place, so I am sure they have no idea. Daddy probably forgot by the next morning and Mama, the dutiful wife, stands by her man. But Charlie and I will make our excuses too, so all the blame isn’t on you. Call it my birthday present.”
Millie could hear the disappointment in her sister’s voice. They lived in the same town, miles apart, but they never saw each other, and Millie knew that was her fault. “Hey, one day next week, why don’t you bring Charlie over and I will cook a great dinner and give him the evil eye if he hasn’t popped the question yet!”
Alexis laughed, “Evil eye? You? Remember I grew up with you! You could not be mean to anyone! You would duck and cover if anyone gave YOU the evil eye!”
“Well, at least I know what it looks like!” Millie was a shy child, and Alexis was the perfect outgoing child, complete opposites! Even now Millie was a self proclaimed nerd who worked and lived on the Internet and Alexis a news reporter who worked the morning news desk at one of the major local networks. “But, let’s say you and Charlie come over next Thursday night. I will make my famous seafood linguine and dazzle him. He will have to ask you then!”
“What time? Remember, some of us have to work in the mornings! Speaking of which, I am on the air again in a minute so I gotta run!”
“How’s six?”
“Perfect. Thursday, six. I will call you before then.”
“OK. Love ya.”
“Love you too little sister and Happy Birthday.”
“Thanks.”
Rolling back over in her bed, Millie could not get past what her sister said and find the sleep she wanted so badly. She was going to have to think of something to stop her mother from dragging her out by her hair tonight to celebrate a day she hated. Hated with a passion. And the thought of returning to a place that held so many bad memories. Millie shuddered when she thought of it all.
As a child, she was forced to endure hours of entertaining her father’s clients and friends. Alexis, who was the consummate entertainer and hostess, thrived. Millie, who shied away from people, did her daughterly duties, but could not wait for the evening to be over.
One night, after returning home from college, her father was hosting his annual party for his clients. After several hours Millie needed to get alone, think, clear her mind and personal space, plan for her interview she would have the next day at a multimillion dollar graphics design company. Suddenly she realized she was no longer alone.
She had been sitting at a wing back chair in the darkened clubhouse room, looking out at the eighteenth hole. The only light was coming from the adjacent room where the party was held and the walkway lights from outside. Feeling the presence of a man in the room, Millie stood to leave, but he stepped in her way.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he held up both hands as if to surrender and show her he was harmless, “I didn’t mean to scare you darlin’.”
Taking a breath of air, she suddenly realized that she had been holding her breath, and her lungs burned when she inhaled. Millie started walking towards the door. “It’s OK, I was just leaving.” She nodded towards the gentleman she had seen talking to her father a few hours earlier.
“Please don’t leave on my account darlin’. I would love to get to know such a beautiful lady a little more.” He smiled at her. Millie had often heard men say that she was beautiful, but hearing it and believing it are two different things. Besides, she would rather people admire her for her design work and business abilities rather than her looks.
“I really must get back to the party, my father will think I am not doing my duties.”
“And what duties are those?” The stranger asked in a low, deep voice?
“Seeing to the other guests, if you will excuse me.”
As Millie went to walk around him, his arm reached out and caressed her waist pulling her closer to him. She let out a gasp of shock, “Sir!”
“Shhh, darlin’ I’m not going to hurt you.” From the closeness of his body, Millie could tell that he had enjoyed, maybe a little too much, the open bar her father provided. He pulled her close and nuzzled his nose into her long, blonde hair that laid softly across her shoulders and back. Taking a deep inhale, he tightened his grip on her waist, caressing the silk texture of her dress. “Darlin’ you look like an angel, and you smell like you have been rolling around in rose petals.” He pulled away enough for Millie to see the grin on his face, “now that is a vision, you laying on a bed of rose petals.”
Trying again to pull away, “Sir! I insist that you release me, NOW!”
Lowering his mouth to her ear, he whispered, “Or what? What will you do darlin’?” Then his hot breath began running from Millie’s ear, down the vein in her neck, tracing her jaw. She fought, she tried to pull away and when she inhaled to scream for help, he covered her mouth with his. Almost intoxicated by the alcohol on his lips, Millie tried to pull away, to fight or scream, but he was too strong.
She felt the hot tears pour down her face as she tried to stop him, tried to fight him. She closed her eyes when she felt his hand drift under her silk blouse and touch the lace of her bra. She pleaded in her mind and prayed for help as he forced her lips apart with his tongue and thrust it into her mouth. She tried to push him off her as his hand grabbed for the bottom of her skirt trying to pull it up...
Suddenly, the room filled with light, and Alexis was standing there. Thankful for the sight of her sister, Millie pushed the man away. Her father said that, “He must have just had too much to drink,” that, “He won’t remember it by morning,” and “Might do you some good to loosen up a bit!” Millie left the club that night and had not stepped foot in there since.
Acting like nothing had ever happened the following day, her father signed a very lucrative contract with the man. As far as Millie knew, they were still in business together.
The following morning Millie moved out of her parents home and into her studio apartment. She never went to the job interview and decided to begin her own business. She never looked back again.
She cringed at the thought and the realization of what could have happened had Alexis not saved her, Millie came back to the present and breathed a sigh of relief. Throwing off her covers, she agreed with Alexis. No, she would not be going to the club tonight, or any night for that matter. Then she did something she hated to do, she called her mother! She needed a preemptive strike here. No birthday surprises for her.
Millie could tell the shock of her call in her mother’s voice. Mary, a true southern belle, a blue blood, a Daughter of the Confederate that had been trained from birth to please a husband and to hide her true feelings. Her daughter could tell, even when others could not, the small catch of surprise as her mother answered the phone.
“Millie? Darlin’ I was gonna call you in a little while. I guess it is good that you called me instead.”
“Yes, Mother. I guess it is.”
“Well, happy birthday! I can’t believe I brought my baby into this world twenty-eight years ago!”
“Yes Mother, time flies!”
“Your father and I have asked Alexis and Charles to meet us at the club for dinner to celebrate. What time can we pick you up?”
“About that Mother. I have a business call that will last most of the night,” God forgive me for lying! Well, maybe I can call someone overseas, then it won’t be a lie, “I am sure Daddy will understand, it being business and all.”
“Yes, I am sure he will. But, what about later?”
“Oh, I am sorry, I already made plans with a friend. We are going to watch a movie.”
“A movie? On your birthday? You should be with family, celebrating!” Millie could see the guilt trip coming a mile away.
“But, Mother, these plans have already been made and you wouldn’t want me to cancel them,” Millie lowered her voice in that southern whisper that meant that it was a secret, that everyone already knew, “It wouldn’t be proper, Mother. You taught me that.” Just for effect and even though her mother could not see her do it, she batted her eyelashes and the look on her face would have shown that even though she was turning down the invitation, she appeared as if she regretted it. Even though she did not regret it in the slightest.
“When? When can we see our youngest daughter? You live five minutes away and I have not seen you in over six months. And that was when I stopped in to drop off your Christmas presents!”
“I don’t know Mother, business is booming and I have a lot of deadlines to fill.”
“Work, work, work. It is all you and your father ever think about.”
“Well, it keeps us in the lifestyle we are accustomed to. Speaking of which, I just got an important email I need to return. Thanks Mother for the birthday wishes.”
“This is not over! I want to see you soon.”
“Yes Mother, I look forward to checking our calendars!” Millie knew her mother would forget about this call by the afternoon. She had garden club and DOC meetings, she had church committees and she had her bridge club. No, Mary Anderson would forget about her youngest daughter as soon as she could and go back to her busy life, leaving Millie in peace!
And she did not lie to get off the phone, she did have an important email to answer! Paul had asked her what time she wanted to watch Gone with the Wind tonight? Last night, as they were talking about movie classics, she could not believe that he was born and raised in Georgia and had never watched the classic movie.
Hey Paul,
It’s a long movie and you have an early morning, didn’t you once say you have a meeting every Tuesday? If so, how about ten or eleven, you pick. Just let me know and I will clear my busy calendar! You make the popcorn, I will make the brownies!
Millie
Pulling a pan of hot brownies out of the oven, Millie sat them on the counter to rest and cool before cutting them. She heard an all too familiar ping on her computer.
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
hey gorgeous!
MilliVanilli:
got the wrong girl here
it’s millie
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
i know who i’m talkin 2
MilliVanilli:
u have no idea what i look like
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
not my fault
so my imagination can run wild!
MilliVanilli:
lol - not too wild PASTOR
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
never!
but since u won’t tell me what u look like
I get to guess
MilliVanilli:
hope ur not disappointed
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
never
not w/u
MilliVanilli:
i got the brownies
u got the popcorn
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
brownies?
w/ice cream?
yum
MilliVanilli:
ooooo that does sound good
brb
As Millie made her brownie sundae, she sang, “Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to me!”
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
no fair
where’s mine
i can almost smell them
seriously? u are going to do this to me?
i am a confessed chocoholic this is not fair
MilliVanilli:
LOL
u know, u can make some urself
they won’t be as good as my gooey,
homemade, triple chocolate brownies
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
torture!!!
MilliVanilli:
ease up :-)
hard day :-(
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
why?
MilliVanilli:
never mind
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
Mil I want to help you
MilliVanilli:
really not a big deal
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
please, I won’t laugh
I will just listen
and I am sorry
MilliVanilli:
sorry? y?
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
to add to ur bad day
MilliVanilli:
it’s my birthday
guilt trip from mom
then lied 2 her
told her i had 2 work tonight
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
I am sorry about mom
wish I could make you feel better
MilliVanilli:
thanks
u r
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
u up 4 movie?
MilliVanilli:
yeah
brownie sundae good idea
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
i come up with them occasionally
:-)
Again, they timed the movie to click play at the same moment so they were as close to watching it together as possible.
MilliVanilli:
Did u know Gary Cooper turned down Rhett’s part?
saying it was going to be a huge flop
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
i guess he feels stupid
MilliVanilli:
Gone With the Wind was the 1st color movie to win best pic
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
u r a wealth of knowledge 2 night
MilliVanilli:
raised by a southern belle
seen it a few times
:-) sorry
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
y?
it’s cute
MilliVanilli:
cute?
again you have me confused
with someone else
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
beautiful in my mind
inside & out
MilliVanilli:
get over urself
and stop the flirting
it will get you no where
:-)
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
lol
not 1st time i was called a flirt
and not 1st time turned down
:-)
MilliVanilli:
y does THAT not surprise me?
flirt part
turned down I can’t imagine
HeDied4Me-ILive4Him:
lol
They fell into their nightly routine of watching movies and chatting. Occasionally over the next few weeks, they would surf the net and chat about something on a site they were visiting, or read a story on Wattpad and discuss it in depth. They just enjoyed each others company and getting to know one another.
Finding himself on Wattpad, Paul read Millie’s new poem. He knew she was trying to talk to him through her words, and he wanted more than anything to be the person to help her overcome her fears.
The Me You Want to See
You may think you know me,
But you only see the me I want you to see.
I have nothing to hide, no remorse or shame,
The me you see and the real me are not the same.
Funny, sarcastic, loving, kind,
Are all a front that help me hide.
What I want you to see is not the real me,
Living a lie makes me feel free.
Yes, he would do anything to see the real Millie and help her overcome her fears.
YOU ARE READING
Spiritual Networking
SpiritualMillie lives on the Internet. Her world is made up of binary numbers and Internet tabs. Paul is a Social Networking Pastor who helps bring those, that prefer the virtual world, to know Jesus Christ. What happens when they meet on Wattpad and begin a...
