The Shards of Serenity Read Online Free Page B

starting on the wrong foot. My name’s Markus - it’s nice to meet you Serenity.”
    Before I could respond, I felt a light bulb go off in my head. “Markus…you’re not Markus Glenn are you? The local poet?”
    “That would be me.”
    “Oh my God! I’m not a groupie, so don’t get too excited. But, I’ve read Pieces of My Soul about six times in the last year. You helped get me through a really rough patch in my life.”
    “Thank you, and I didn’t walk over here so I could marginalize you to a groupie. But, I do have a question. What’s a beautiful woman like you doing going through a ‘rough patch’ in life? I thought those were reserved for writers, musicians, and sociopaths.”
    For the next two hours, drinks poured and perfect conversation was exchanged. The chemistry was flawless, the attraction was magnetic, and for a moment, it felt like everything was okay. I opened up about my ex-husband, the abuse I endured, and my fears about starting a new life with virtually no outside support. Markus opened up about his past drug addiction, his seemingly cushy career as a writer, and the endless drama that he faced in the pursuit of love. As I listened, I dreamed of washing his dilemmas away like laundry, and creating a life together that was seamless. I nearly forgot about my unchecked baggage, and the fact that I still carried a criminal’s last name. As the bar announced “closing time in ten minutes,” Markus turned his stool and faced me directly.
    “Serenity, listen. Everything about this conversation was perfect, and meeting you was a blessing from whatever God actually exists. I know if either of us wanted to, we could use this experience as a segue into either of our apartments for hot, steamy, fifty-position sex. But, I can’t do that. I understand you’re going through a lot; but I love what I’m hearing, and I’d like to get to know you better, if you’ll allow me to.”
    “Continue to make a mark on this,” I said, as I placed Markus’ hand over my fast-beating heart. “And, one day, you can get all of this,” I concluded, as I glided his hand over my soaking wet crotch.
    “Hey, you two get a room!” barked the closing manager, wearing a wrinkled white shirt, department store tie, and a gut that hung over his waistline.
    “No harm, no foul,” I uttered, as I got up and felt the effects of several drinks settle in. “Serenity Davis is my full name. Look me up on that website all the hipsters use, and send me a message. I had a great time, too.”
    Before the word “goodbye” could be exchanged, I sashayed out of the bar and flagged down a taxi. If there were two things in life I hated at that moment; they were being hit in the face, and seeing good things end. This was a new beginning, and I couldn’t be more excited.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    MARKUS GLENN
     
    I woke up the next morning to shrieking feminine cries, and the sound of a glass Smartphone screen being smashed against my kitchen counter. I haphazardly jumped out of bed, wearing nothing but boxer briefs, and ran out to my living room.
    “This shit always happens!” howled Simone, as tears jetted from her eyes, running expensive eyeliner down her cheeks dramatically. “I can’t do this anymore!”
    “Simone, what’s going on?” I rasped, as I overcame a tickle in my dehydrated throat, and a soreness pulsate through my dreary muscles.
    “You know that modeling contract that I’ve been celebrating all week?” she asked, in a tone that combined defeat with depression. “It’s off the table. It was supposed to be signed and finalized in less than an hour, and just now they called to say it was cancelled.”
    “Why would a top agency back out of a $25,000 contract last minute like that? Weren’t they the ones that scouted you?”
    “Yeah, they did. And then, upon further research, someone in their office found out I was transgender. I went from being ‘the perfect candidate for their brand’ to ‘not a good fit’