As Conor finished up his shift on Tuesday at Jackson's furniture, he stopped in to see Mr. Matthews.
"Sir, do you have a minute?"
"Of course, Conor. Come on in. Are you in a tight spot again? Need another advance?"
Conor chucked, "No, but I want to thank you for doing that for me. Actually, several of my long-term plans are starting to pan out. So, if it is alright with you, I will likely stay with just part-time work in the mornings. Hopefully soon, I may be moving on."
"Moving on? Hmm, you are not going to another furniture store, are you? Mathison's isn't poaching you, are they?"
"No, no. Nothing like that. I am going to be busy with a new non-profit in the area, Celia's Blessing, which is just getting started. It will be a full community center soon."
"Non-profit eh? Well, I don't know much about working for no profit, but I can't fault a man for doing the gods' work. Celia does bless those who help the less fortunate," he paused to consider, "Well, Conor you have been a good staff member and I am glad you are not leaving me entirely. Serve Celia well and perhaps her blessing will rub off on us here."
"Thank you, Mr. Matthews."
"How is life otherwise? Is that cute wife of yours treating your well? Eh?" he ribbed with a big grin.
Conor's face fell. "That is a sour subject."
"Oh, sorry to hear the bed has gone cold. Well, my boy, it's up to you to reignite it."
"I am afraid she has already signed the divorce papers. It cleared yesterday."
Mr. Matthews sat back hard. "Ah, that's a shame. I am sorry."
Conor stood straight, "Well, I am not about to let that dim my light. It's a new day and new adventures await. I have to be somewhere so I will let you get back to it." Conor headed for the door.
"That's the spirit! Plenty of fish in the sea! See you tomorrow, Conor."
Conor strode out into the parking lot as a red car sped up to him. As the window rolled down, Anna's cute grin appeared. "I think I have something for you. Might be a good location for Celia's Blessing."
"So quick? Ok, let's go!" Conor slid into the passenger seat, the familiar scent of orange blossom greeting him. A few minutes later they arrived at an older three-story building near the center of town.
"Well, it has potential for sure," Conor said.
"There are a few others looking at it today so if it fits what you need, we will need to move fast."
They went inside and looked around at the various rooms. A small group of men came out of a conference room to the left.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Conor Brantley. Finally, emerging from your stupor? Signed your wife over to me yet?" sneered Nyman Banks.
"What are you doing here Nyman?" Conor asked coolly.
"Oh, don't you know? This building is promised to people like Mr. Callan here, who can actually get a loan and have money. What do you need it for anyway?"
"The charity I work with is looking for a new headquarters, but clearly this one is taken." Conor turned to leave.
"Charity? I knew you were hurting but didn't think you were so desperate you would turn to scamming people for charity... let me guess... Celia's... something or other?"
"Blessing. Celia's Blessing." Conor sighed and started walking out the door.
Nyman hollered after him, "Don't worry, I will be sure to keep an eye out for those loans for you!"
***
ANNA
Anna watched as Conor walked to the car as if in a daze. Her heart broke as she saw the dejection on his face as he slid into the passenger seat and slumped against the door frame. She closed the door gently and climbed into the driver seat, "I am sorry, Mr. Brantley. I don't know he would be here."
"It's not your fault Nyman is a dick." Conor rested his head against the window. "Can we go somewhere to find a drink? I want to forget ever meeting that ass, and perhaps Jessica too while I am at it."
"Sure."
Anna drove them to a small tavern at the end of High Street. When they came over to the bar, the barkeep smiled at Conor, "Aye lad, I see you solved your problem. Seems you found yourself a new lassie then, and a good-looking one at that!"
Anna blushed but didn't refute the barkeeper. "Two of the island rums."
"Aye, lass, coming right up."
Anna picked up the glasses and led them over to a small alcove. She let Conor slide in and then nestled in next to him. She watched Conor nurse his drink, but she only sipped hers, sticking mainly to water. For now, she would sit patiently and wait for him to make the first move.
"I just can't believe she left." He began.
"Who? Jessica?"
"Yes! Four years. I mean the first year was decent, we were going places. I know I fell off the wagon for a bit, but here at the end, I was just about to make things happen for us again and she doesn't just serve me a divorce, but if that jackwagon is to be believed, they have been sleeping together for over a month now, maybe longer."
Anna hesitated, not sure how much to say, "You deserve better. You deserve more. Maybe this will be a blessing in disguise and there is someone better, someone your equal out there. In the meantime, until you find that someone, there are plenty of us around who are here to help fill in the gap."
Conor's head rose for a moment looking at her. She felt her heart speed up as he looked into her eyes, before he knocked back the remainder of his glass, "Another!" he called to the barkeep.
"Sir, I..."-
"It's Conor. We are clearly off the clock, just call me Conor. And besides, the documents are signed so it's not like I have anyone else to worry about anymore."
"Fine, Conor. Are you sure this is the best way to deal with things?"
"Nope... likely not. But I haven't figured out how to do the two things I need to do at once yet."
"And what is that?"
"Build a better city, while making sure Jess and Nyman can wallow in knowing they could have risen on dragon wings with me. Instead, they can sink in each other's arms knowing they will never get off the ground"
"Conor, how about you focus on yourself for now. What do you need? I know you can be the better man. You showed us already that we can burn brightest by bringing others along, not by putting out other people's light."
Glazed and unfocused eyes looked over at her. Conor shook his head clearing whatever thought had crossed it, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"I think you may be right about the drink not being the right call right now. Maybe I should just sleep it off."
"Oh." Anna frowned a bit at his disregard.
"Take me back to Volkrizin?" he asked her hesitantly.
She looked at him again and wondered if she saw something else in that gaze.
Anna got Conor to his office suite, where he collapsed onto the bed. She barely could manage to lift him enough to get all his limbs onto the mattress, and drape a blanket over him. She sighed. If only he hadn't gotten so drunk. Being alone with him in this private room tempted her in ways she had not felt in some time. But she was a professional. Conor was her boss. Besides, she knew full well that while they might enjoy some time together, she could never be his equal. He was Celia's chosen after all.
Anna slipped out and drove to a nearby store, picking up several cans of soup. It was nothing fancy but it would be easy on his stomach when he awoke, and if she was honest with herself, it was safer than her trying to cook anything. She was likely to burn even the soup.
When she got back, Conor had crawled his way up to a pillow and was sprawled across the bed. She sat and watched him sleep for a while, slowly eating a bowl of soup she heated in the staff kitchen. He seemed so peaceful for once. Always before, he carried such a weight on him. Now, in his sleep, it seemed that weight had finally been lifted. She wondered if it was just unconsciousness or if the finality of the divorce had finally broken some chain on his heart.
As she watched him, she longed to join him in that peaceful bliss. When she looked at the clock, she realized it was already past midnight. Her own home was on the far side of town. She hesitated, looking around the room, and spotting a blanket. She eyes the large bed and prayed Conor wouldn't mind if she shared the far side. After all, he was sprawled out and still left a good section for her to cuddle up on. she decided he wouldn't mind too much. The divorce was signed, right?
As dawn broke, Conor awoke, groggy and disoriented. He stumbled for the bathroom, hoping a hot shower would clear his head. He let the hot water pour over his face. He still wasn't used to living at Vokrizin and was not sure he ever would be, but at least the team had worked hard to make this a full apartment for him. Anna had said she would be back with food in a bit. He really should have eaten before drinking that much. His stomach growled and he glanced at his watch. The hour made no sense until he remembered the morning light coming in the window.
'Listen to her. Burn bright,' came Celia's guttural voice in his mind.
"And what is that supposed to mean? My wife slept with Nyman. She fucking cheated on me and now is gone." He thought as he reached for a bar of soap. A spicy scent of cinnamon began to awaken him and the steam mixed with the soap.
'Prove to the world what it means to be Dovari.'
"Dovari? Celia, what do you know of the world? It's cold and dark and fuck her!" he screamed at the wall. It was likely a good thing the engineers had designed this wing to be soundproof.
'Burn bright, not by putting out other's candles, but by lighting those around you. Lift others up, shine farther.'
"So what? Make Vokrizin some demigod of the business world? I can't even get a loan for a charity thanks to Nyman."
'Prove the value of love'
"What the hell is that even supposed to mean?"
"Conor?" came Anna's voice from the hall. "Are you ok?"
"Great now she is going to think I am nuts."
"Should I come back or..." the way she said it made Conor pause.
"Or?" he called hesitantly, steam fogging the glass in front of him.
There was a pause before the door nudged open, "Or were you waiting for company?"
Conor perked up, "Umm"
"Umm? If you would rather I come back, I can wait in the conference room with breakfast... it's just cereal I am afraid" Anna turned to leave.
"No, well... I mean..."
Anna caught a whiff of spicy scent. clove, cinnamon, pine, and citrus blended for an intoxicating aroma. "You know... that shower was built large enough to share, and these walls are supposed to be soundproof..."
Conor gulped. "It's just been a while..."
"Ha, you don't say. So, is that a 'yes, please stay' or a 'the ink isn't dry enough on the divorce' just so I am clear?" Anna asked, almost plaintively.
Conor stared through the steamed-up glass unsure what to say. The only thought in his head was, "Shine brighter?"
Anna just laughed, "I'm not sure what Jess was thinking, passing you up will be her biggest mistake because I am sure I am not the only one who will want some of that." he felt her eyes rove his abs through the steaming shower as she closed the door behind her. She slowly undressed, and he gulped. It had been a while indeed. His eyes roved over the curves of her body, his body responding. He wasn't sure if it was the heat from the shower that was steaming the glass walls or his own body heat.
Anna slowly slinked her way to the shower, and slid in next to Conor, letting the warm water wash over her. She gentle leaned back against him, looking up at him with the beautiful brown eyes of hers. She grinned as her gaze was met with lustful hunger from Conor as he looked down the length of her body, her breasts arching.
"Let's see just how much of an idiot Jessica was for passing you up." Anna turned slowly to face Conor and was apparently very pleased to see that he was ready to burn bright indeed. "What an idiot Jessica must be to give THAT up!"
"She was an idiot indeed," Conor said, wrapping his arms around her as steam filled the room.