MY DAD went back home a few days after I was released from the hospital. But my mom decided to stay indefinitely. My apartment was turning into a replication of my childhood home.
I'd given her one of my credit cards, since she was dealing with groceries. And also for her to buy whatever she needed to make herself comfortable.
I was feeling a lot better. But the police still hadn't found Meggie. My parents were worried about the situation, probably more than I was. I was stressing about work all day. I was supposed to be preparing to move back to Chicago, but I couldn't deal with it.
I wouldn't see Mrs. Aquilla until the second week of the new year. But I was thinking about pushing back my relocation by a few months. I was in no place to start work at the office in Chicago. I had too much going on in my head.
But I knew once I wrapped my head around everything, and the Christmas season was over, I'd be ready to tackle anything thrown at me. I always had a brave face. Even when my organs wanted to fail me, I'd get up, and do what needed to be done.
"Oh, honey," Markian slid into bed next to me, "why didn't you call me sooner?"
"I'm sorry. I kinda forgot," his jaw dropped, and he smacked my arm playfully.
"And imagine I'm your best friend," it was really sad. The only person that I considered my friend was him. He had such a spontaneous life, filled with a lot of people who were far better friends than me. But he still considered me best.
We would go months without speaking to each other, but we both knew the place we held in each other's lives. It was really nice. He would piss me off at times, but he was always genuine, "I know, I know. But there's something important that I need."
"Okay, what is it?"
"I want to cash in that favor you owe me," I said.
"I THINK I've done worse things in my life," Markian was in the driver's seat, with his seat reclined, as he snacked on a bag of chips.
"There's nothing wrong with what we're doing."
"Stalking your girlfriend isn't the most sane thing to do, Alyssa," I'd filled Markian in on everything already. I crossed my arms over my chest, as I continued to look at her office building. It was a four story building by itself. I never realized how big her makeup brand was. Or how rich she was. My law firm was one of the best in the country, and we couldn't afford an entire building like that.
Someone knocked on Markian's side of the car, and I turned my head to notice that it was a guard. Markian whined down his window, "you've been parked here for the past twenty minutes, what's going on?"
"We're just taking a rest from a long drive," Markian swiped the palm of his hand across his forehead.
"You two look suspicious," I pulled my hair out of the funky bun that it was in, and opened the car door to get out.
"I'm actually here for an appointment," I said. The guard walked beside me with narrowed eyes.
"Sure, I'll escort you."
Markian rushed out of the car, and followed behind us. When we walked inside, high fragrance perfume, and cold air smacked me in the face immediately, "gosh, this place is so fancy. Your woman's rich," Markian nudged my shoulder.
"She's not my woman," I grumbled. The guard led us to the reception desk.
"You sure you have an appointment, right?" The guard grimaced.
"Yes. It's Alyssa Masters for Delia Wilks," I told the woman behind the counter. The guard crossed his arms, and shook his head, while he looked at me.
I felt undermined, "how do you know that she's even here?" Markian mumbled.
"I saw her car parked in front."
"Oh, right. Smart."
"She's in a meeting right now. She'll be ready for you in a moment. Please take a seat," the woman said. I noticed that she gestured for the guard to ease it. He eventually walked away, probably heading back to where he was supposed to be.
"I can't believe you're dating a millionaire. Gosh, she's probably even richer than that," he looked around the luxurious ground floor, and even I felt intimidated by it.
Usually, I'd be thinking about why someone like her wanted someone like me. But that was far from thought. Even if she rejected me, I could have at least said that I tried.
My mind began to swing in all sorts of places. I'd always been so put together, and no one would ever question my presence. But after the accident, was I really that broken up?
I probably should have combed my hair, before I left the house, and not worn sweats and an ordinary t-shirt. Delia had always seen me composed, and looking at my best. I began to panic.
"Maybe we should go," I said. Markian held onto my wrist, and shook his head.
"There's no backing out of this now."
"But I look like crap."
"No, you don't," he sighed, "so insecure. You might not be wearing any makeup or stilettos. But that doesn't matter. No one looks perfect and put together all the time. I bet she'd love to see this side of youâthe relaxed side."
"Really?" I had to work on my confidence. It was easy for me to enter any room with my head held higher than a giraffe. But anything that involved relationships, I had no neck.
"I'm so sick of your bullshit, Alyssa. Sit your fine ass down, and wait for that woman!"
"The woman's here," Delia announced, as she walked towards us. My heart felt as though it leapt out of my chest, because of both surprise and happiness. Damn, I really missed her.
"You must be Delia," Markian introduced himself, while I stood there with no words. She looked at me briefly, before acknowledging him.
"Yes, and you'reâ"
"Markian. I was the project organizer for the charity auction. You know the event where you and my bestie met."
Delia looked at me, "right. Hello, Alyssa," I waved shyly at her, as though I was a freshman with braces in high schoolâthat's how it felt.
"Iâuh wanted to see you," I pressed my lips together and sighed.
She didn't seem distant or cold. She just looked like her normal self. But I knew that she had a bunch of emotions running through her head, "can we take this to my office then?" She asked. I nodded and she led us into an elevator. Markian stood between us, and all that I could think about was what she could be thinking about.
When we walked out of the elevator, and headed towards her office, I felt my heart rate pick up. Looking at her walk with so much confidence intensified a hunger inside of me. Is this how men feel when they stare at a beautiful woman?
"She's so hot," Markian whispered when he nudged me. Yes, she is. She really is. Her office looked like a duplicate from a luxury magazine. Everything shouted moneyâlots of money, "damn, girl," Markian exclaimed, while admiring the pictures lined off on the walls. I found myself in front of the largest one, which seemed to be her family.
Delia walked beside me, and placed her index finger over the young girl in the picture, "that's me."
Her hair was extremely long when she was younger. And there were freckles on her face, "your dad?" I looked at her, and she nodded.
"Yes. And those are my sisters," I wanted to ask why her mother wasn't in the picture. But decided not to.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I know you're busy, and Iâ"
"It's okay, Alyssa. I pushed back an appointment, but it can wait."
"Are you sure? It's just that you aren't answering my calls or messages, and I really missed you," I realized that I was panting, "and I want to explain everything to you."
Her blue eyes were soft and alive, just the way I liked them. Seeing her sad had been a part of my recurring nightmareâwhere at one moment I was looking into her eyes, while her hand gently embraced my stomach, then I looked up, and saw Meggie, as that truck slammed into me. And that's when I'd wake up panting.
"I just needed some space. I guess we're even now. You ghosted me and I ghosted you."
"Yeah," I bit down on my bottom lip, "Markian, can you give us a moment," I shot him a glare. He was still admiring the expanse of the room.
"Okay, okay, I'll just look around, if you don't mind," he looked at Delia, waiting for permission. She nodded and he beamed, "you two have your chat, give me a call if you need me," he rushed out, and down the hallway. You'd think that he'd never seen anything fancy in his life.
"Don't mind him."
"You should sit down," she tilted her chin towards the long couch beside the wall.
"Will you sit with me?" I walked over, and sat down, hoping she'd come too.
"Sure," she came and sat beside me, but a good distance away, "are you feeling better?"
"Yeah, still a little shaken up, but at least I didn't break any bones," I smiled at her.
"I rushed to the hospital as soon as I heard. They haven't found that girl yet, have they?"
"How did you know though? I mean you contacted my parents and everything," she was the first person at the hospital. No one from my office showed up, even though the accident happened closeby. It made me realize how much everyone really cared.
"I have my ways. All that matters is that you're okay," she looked down, "and the baby."
"Yeah, about thatâ"
"I'm not sure if I want to hear what you have to say, Alyssa. I already have an assumption in my head. And I don't need you to say it."
Her red, curly hair was pulled back in a ponytail. I pulled on her hair tie, and released her waves of curls onto her shoulders. She looked at me amusingly, but there was that hurt in her eyes again.
"I didn't cheat on you. That's important for you to know," I placed the palm of my hand on the nape of her neck, and shifted closer to her, "it was a couple months before we met. I met this guy on Tinder, and you know, we slept together."
"How far along are you?"
"Almost four months," she closed her eyes, as my thumb caressed her gently. I knew that she wouldn't want to continue our relationship. And it was understandable. It wasn't her kid. And our relationship was way too young to bring a baby into the mix, "I know that keeping the baby means that I'll lose you, but I don't think I have another choice."
"I'd never encourage you to choose me over your child, Alyssa. But I'm not sure if I can do it," she placed her hand in mine, as my heart fell to the floor. Her confirming it really took a toll on me. I felt as though I was going to burst into tears, but I settled for streams instead.
"I understand, I really do. I wish things could have been different," I said.
"Me too," she embraced my cheek with her warm palm. I enjoyed the feeling of her comforting me. But it also made me sad, knowing that it might have been the last time that we'd be that intimate.
"Maybe we can still be friends?"
She inhaled deeply and sighed, "I'd like that," I leaned in, my lips meeting hers, wanting to give her a kiss goodbye. She welcomed it, as her hand moved onto my shoulder blade.
Delia was the first to pull away, tears filling her eyes. She turned and wiped them away, before looking back at me, "you'll be a great mother, Alyssa."
"You think so?"
She smiled widely at me, the makeup around her eyes smudging from even more tears, "I know so."