Chapter Text
Your engagement ring is gone.
All that remains is a little white band from its imprint. You never remove it. You’ve been showing it off as much as you could. To your family, friends, coworkers. You even blabbed to a grocery cashier who commented on the diamond.
The ring itself was small, but the diamonds were arranged to resemble a dahlia, your favorite.
You showed it last to the bartender.
Now you lie in a bed that’s not your own in a strange room. It’s so plush and massive that you feel as if you’re sinking into it. Fluffed, silk pillows surround you. A netted canopy hangs above you, tied back with a pink ribbon. It’s the same pink as the luxury comforter. The rose-tinted room is giving you a headache. You feel a bump on the back of your scalp. Your head throbs when you touch it.
You want to sink back into the pillows and sleep until you awake in your apartment, but you force yourself up. Your toes delve into pink, shag carpet and you look down to see your jeans and blazer have been replaced with a long, cream nightgown—nothing like your usual sweats and oversized shirts you crash in after work.
Swallowing a lump in your throat, you shove the thoughts to the back of your mind as you explore the room.
What catches your eye first is the enormous wardrobe. Its doors are cracked open, revealing an array of dresses and shoes that wouldn’t look out of place on Barbara Billingsley in an episode of Leave it to Beaver. One touch of the material and you know it’s finer than anything you’ve ever worn, silks, satins, and even a cashmere sweater.
You wander to one of the two doors in the area. It leads to a bathroom resembling a Hollywood starlet’s dressing space. The lights around the mirror shine upon lipsticks, eyeshadows, and creams laid out in order of size.
Abandoning the bathroom, you head for the second door. This one is locked. It refuses to budge no matter how hard you shake. A chain jingles from the other side through your futile struggle.
Shuddering, you step back. You look around the room again and realize there are no windows.
Your stomach drops. The room seems to spin as you fall back on the bed. The pillows beckon you to sleep but you fight the urge.
Your headache is getting worse.
You close your eyes and think back.
You went to your favorite bar after a particularly long work day. A few coworkers were supposed to meet you, but you had arrived early. You ordered your usual from the bartender after showing him your new ring.
You were early. You had a drink. You don’t know what came next. You wake up in a strange room.
The throbbing in your head is almost unbearable. You nearly give up and go back to sleep before you hear heavy footsteps from the other side of the door. You hold your breath as the chain clangs.
The doorknob turns and reveals a tall, well-dressed gentleman. His dark hair is slicked back in a style no one wears anymore. His dress shirt and slacks are perfectly tailored, but you can still spot a bulky form beneath them. He takes long, purposeful strides towards your bed with a tray filled with breakfast food.
“Good morning, darling!” The gentleman’s voice is smooth, almost melodic. “Did you enjoy your beauty sleep?”
You’ve never seen this man in your life, but he looks upon you with fondness as he places the tray on the bedside table.
“I wasn’t sure what you preferred, so I made you a little bit of everything! What would you like? Pancakes? Eggs? Toast?”
“Pancakes,” you answer with a mindlessness that only comes from hunger. You shouldn’t be this hungry, but your mouth waters as the gentleman prepares a plate for you, humming a tune.
“Here you are!” he beams when handing you the plate.
You mutter a thanks and eat ravenously. These are the best damn pancakes you’ve ever had. So good that you can almost ignore the gentleman’s eyes fixed on you. At least the meal helps you think clearer, and when the gentleman takes your plate, you blurt out, “Where am I?”
He chuckles like you told a good joke. “Why, you’re home!”
Your eyes narrow. “Then why don’t I know you?”
“Oh, how rude of me!” He gasps as his hand comes to his chest. He lowers his head. “You must forgive me. I can’t believe I haven’t introduced myself!” He raises his gaze so you can meet his piercing, blue eyes. “My name is Eddie.”
“Eddie…” Your brow furrows as you try to recall any Eddies in your life, but he carries on before you can come to an answer.
“I do hope everything is to your liking.” He steps away to admire what you assume is his handiwork in the decoration. “I understand this all may seem over-the-top, but I only wanted the best for you.”
“Can’t you just tell me what you want?”
He seems to take no notice of the bite in your tone as he meanders to the wardrobe. He takes the hem of one of the skirts between his large fingers. “You’ll have to let me know how these dresses fit. I had to guess your size, but if you need I can easily alter them for you.”
“Why am I here?”
He lets go of the hem. His now-free hand clenches into an enormous fist. He takes a deep breath before speaking again, his voice lower. “You must be tired.” When he turns back to you, he smiles as if nothing is amiss. You shudder but he doesn’t skip a beat. “Please rest, darling.” He comes to your bedside and fluffs the largest of the pillows. “You’ve had a trying night and it was thoughtless of me to pester you so soon.”
“But—”
“Sleep.” He places a finger to your lips before taking the breakfast plates.
Your head is throbbing again. Your thoughts jumble as you search for the right questions to get through to him, but he’s at the door before you think of any.
“Wait!”
But he’s already shut the door behind him. The lock clicks and the chain jingles again.
You mutter a curse as you fall back onto the pillow. The throbbing fades as you drift into a long slumber.