Clover

Clover: Third Leaf

Elijah came home around noon and went into the kitchen where Dom and the bartender were. Dom made a late breakfast while she sat and watched him.
He flipped a pancake from the pan into the air. “Hey Elijah. You remember Natalia, right?”
“Hello again.” She said smiling at him.
She wore Dom’s bathrobe and her hair was not yet brushed.
“Hey Natalia.”
Dom came toward the table with a plate and set it in front of Natalia. “So? Did you go talk to him?”
Elijah sighed heavily. “She was there, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
Natalia looked at them in confusion. “Huh?”
Dom went back to the stove.
“Elijah is in loooove!” He sang shaking his hips.
“Aww, with whom?”
Elijah looked away, embarrassed.
“With Rileeeey!” Dom sang again.
“Shut up Dom!”
Natalia’s eyes grew wide with surprise.
“What? Riley?” She began to laugh.
“What’s so damn funny?!” Elijah demanded, tired of getting laughed at by now.
“Oh nothing.” She said. “Look at how she was compared to as she is. You’ll see why she won’t love you Elli.”
Elijah looked at Natalia trying to figure out what she was saying. When it hit him he took off into his room and tore apart his baggage looking for something.
Dom listened to the commotion that was Elijah from the stove. “Poor Elli, he needs a girl.”
Natalia sipped from her coffee cup. “Mm hmm…”

@-}--

Elijah found what he was looking for; a CD case that read Endless Blue and had rippled water on the front. He sat where he was and opened it, pulling out the booklet. Opening it there were many images of Riley in obscure photos, some completely tinted blue except for her dark eyes or some with her lying in water or in the rain. He looked through every picture carefully. She was so poignant in all of them, like her heart was breaking or something was deeply troubling her. He ran his fingers over the sad image of his beloved idol. She had been so happy this morning, her smile made everything better.
He could’ve used that smile about now, maybe as she was under him while they shared each others company. He envied Billy for the entire world at the moment. He felt a great warmth grow up from inside him, he looked toward the door: closed. Elijah climbed up onto his bed, kicking his shoes off and climbed under the covers.
‘At least I can think of her.’ He thought as he loosened his belt.
In his mind, Elijah was back in America in his own bed. The house was his for the weekend. The covers shift a little and Riley emerged from underneath them, he kissed her and let their tastes join together. He rolled over, carrying her with him and positioned them so that he’s on top. The sheets cling to them as they work into a sweat and cry out their pleasure.
Dom walked by Elijah’s room and stopped hearing heavy breathing.
He knocks at the door. “Elijah, are you alright in there?”
Elijah was plunged back into reality and his hand flew from his trousers. “Y-yeah, I’m alright Dom. Just, uh, just doing yoga. Yeah, trying to work off some stress.”
Dom rolled his eyes and walked away.
“Yoga, huh? Yeah you’re working off stress alright…” He said under his breath as he walked away.
Elijah listened to his footsteps until he is gone to the other end of the hotel room. He fell back onto the covers and back into his fantasy right where he had left off. He could almost hear her cries grew hoarser and feel her nails digging into his shoulders as he picked up speed. Reaching their peaks he slid off of her, letting them regain composure.
He lied in bed staring at the ceiling to his hotel room breathing heavy.
He zipped his fly up. ‘Why? Why couldn’t we have met sooner?’

@-}--

Billy and Riley arrived at the hotel to see Dom and Elijah.
“Hello Dom!” Billy said cheerfully.
“Hey there Billy!” Dom said giving him a friendly hug, he stopped and looked at Riley and held his arms out to her. “Riley…!”
She hugged him. “Hello Dominic. How are you today?”
Natalia appeared behind him. “Oh he’s great…really great…”
“Natty? You’re still here? Did you get drunk and stay the night?” Riley asked as she freed herself from Dominic.
“You could say that…” Natalia said smiling at Dom.
Billy looked around. “Where’s Elijah?”
Dom and Natalia exchanged smirks.
“He’s taking a shower. He was, um, relieving some stress.” Dom explained.
Billy frowned and Riley looked lost.
“Was he exercising?” She inquired.
Billy and Dom hold back their laughter.
“Something like that…” Billy said, patting her on the head.
Elijah came into the room as he finished buttoning up his shirt.
“Hey Dom, who’s here? …Oh, hey guys.”
“Hello ‘Lijah.” Billy said with a friendly smile.
“Hello.” Riley said with a little smile.
She smiled at him and it took all of his will power not have a reaction to it.
“So what are we doing today?” Elijah said, trying to keep her out of his mind at the moment.
“The Black Rose will be closed today, Riley and I are on vacation and my other help is out of the country.” Explained Natalia.
“Other help?” Dom asked.
“Yeah I forgot about that. Nell, she’s in America right now, her aunt just got married.” Riley answered.
“She’ll be back soon. What else is there to do?” Natalia pondered.
“Want to play some pool and have some drinks?” Elijah inquired.
Billy looks down at Riley, who is hugging around his arm.
“Pool and ale?”
She wrinkled her nose a little. “Pool, but no more ale… still sick after last night…”
The room filled with laughter as Dominic, Elijah, and Natalia got ready to go.
“I’ll go get my car and pull around front. It’s kind of rainy outside.” Billy says leaving.
Natalia and Dom go to retrieved their shoes from Dom’s room. Riley went to follow Billy out when Elijah stopped her. “Riley…”
“Elijah, let’s be friends. You know I love Billy, please don’t make it hard to get along.”
“I can’t just be friends Riley. It’d never be enough, I’d always want more than that.”
She sighed. “Then we’ll be good friends, like you Billy and Dom are. You guys are more than friends, but know the boundaries. You said you wanted to know me, here’s your chance to do that much.”
“…Alright. We’ll be friends then, good friends. And if you and Billy were to ever part?”
She looked hurt a moment. “Let’s live in the present Elijah. For now, we are good friends.”
“Okay! Let’s go!” Dom said appearing from the room.
“Come on you guys, let’s not leave Billy down there all day!” Natalia said.

@-}--

They went to a billiard hall with a nice bar and not too many people.
“So what’s it like being a celebrity’s girlfriend?” Dom asked breaking.
“Nice and quiet.” Riley said. “Billy? What do you think of us?”
“Great company, fabulous food, and excellent love life... I love it!” He teased her.
Natalia pocketed a ball. “I like it, and I think I’ll agree with Billy on the reasons.”
They laugh, Elijah sat at the bar drinking a large mug of beer. The others finish their game and join him. The hour grew late and soon they’ve all had a bit too much to drink.

@-}--

Morning arrived and Riley woke up with a massive headache. “Damn you Elijah… offering me all those ales…”
“Talking about me?” Someone said from behind her, across the room.
She shakily turned, realizing she wasn’t at Billy’s house.
“Elijah? What… oh my…” She looked under the covers realizing she was wearing something different than she was the night before. “What happened?!” She asked, her voice cracked and her eyes swelled up with tears.
Elijah stared at her distantly. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Oh God!” She cried out, “I have to go…!”
She grabbed her jacket and ran to the door.
“Riley…!” Elijah called after her, but it was too late, she was gone out the door.