AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Desmond glanced around the room, but didn't comment on her cleaning. Instead, he asked, "Are you packed? We're leaving."
"Now? In the middle of the night?"
For an answer, he just stared at her. His eyes, always so bright and glittering with emotion, were the flat green of antique bottle glass. She pulled her suitcase from the closet and started emptying the drawers into it.
She heard him making phone calls to the front desk, bell captain and valet parking. Apparently their guests did not usually check out at this hour, since he had to repeatedly assure them that he was not dissatisfied with their service. Rebecca finished packing her bag, and turned to where his suitcase sat on the folding luggage stand. The only thing he'd taken out had been the tuxedo, and she repacked that while he was arguing with the parking attendant.
He hung up the phone. After a long moment of silence, he turned to face her.
"The bellman will be up in a few minutes. They should have our car ready by the time we get down to the lobby."
"Good." She twisted her wedding ring around her finger, and added, "I packed your suitcase, too."
"Thank you."
She stood by the suitcases, waiting for him to say something about what had happened. He didn't. Finally, she couldn't take the waiting any longer.
"About what happened earlier— "
"I don't think anything more needs to be said." His face had the rigid determination Rebecca remembered from when he'd first described Gillian's disease. "We made a mistake, and we won't make it again."
She loved him more in that instant that she ever had before. Instead of reviling her for what she'd done, he was willing to take a share of the blame. He couldn't have any idea why she'd acted the way she did, yet he didn't accuse her. He didn't want to get rid of her. He was sticking by her, just as he'd promised to do in his wedding vows, for better or for worse. A horrible new interpretation of his words occurred to her.
"By a mistake, did you mean...?" Unable to finish the sentence, she held out her left hand so that the light reflected off of her wedding ring.
"No! I will not forsake my vow." He started to take a step towards her, then checked himself.
She turned away so that he wouldn't see the relief in her face. Relief and shame. She shouldn't have doubted him.
A knock at the door spared her from having to answer him. "I'll get it," she said, and opened the door for the bellman and his cart.
"Just these two bags, ma'am?" he asked.
"Yes. No, wait." She searched the room for the cooler, but didn't see it. Reluctantly, she turned to Desmond. "Where's the cooler?"
"I put it out of the way." He retrieved the small plastic case from where he'd stowed it under the desk, and handed it to the bellman.
The elevator ride down to the lobby was accomplished in awkward silence. Rebecca couldn't help contrasting it to their earlier trip in the elevator, when they'd been unable to keep their hands off of each other. Now, they stood in opposite corners, like boxers before the starting bell.
They reached the car, and Desmond tipped the valet and bellman. He spoke to each of them. But he didn't say anything to her.
He opened her door and held it for her, but he didn't extend a hand to help her in, or draw down the seat belt for her. She'd started to expect his chivalrous signs of affection, but they were gone now. He couldn't be chivalrous when he was afraid to touch her. A dull ache started to pound in her temples, and at the base of her neck. Discovering she'd clenched her teeth together, she forced her jaw muscles to relax.
He wheeled onto the Strip, and she shut her eyes against the garish intrusion of light. She didn't want to be reminded that she was surrounded by happy, laughing people. She especially didn't want to be reminded that only a few short hours ago, she'd been one of those happy people.
She felt the car turn and bump over a slight curb. Opening her eyes, she saw a small gas station, dwarfed by the huge casino complexes surrounding it. Desmond pulled up to the pumps, and got out of the car.
"This won't take long," he assured her. At least he was still speaking to her.
"Take your time." She put the seat back and closed her eyes. It was very late, almost three o'clock, and the events of the day had tired her out. Since it had taken them five hours to get to Las Vegas, they should get back to the Institute around eight in the morning. She wasn't going to wait until then to go to sleep, especially since she and Desmond weren't likely to say anything to each other the whole ride back.
The car shook as he climbed back in, lightly scented with gasoline fumes, and slammed his door closed. He revved the engine, and accelerated into traffic. Rebecca kept her eyes closed, feigning sleep, until a sudden swerve tossed her against the door frame.
Desmond glanced over at her, his eyes unreadable in the highway darkness. "Did I wake you?"
"I wasn't really asleep," she admitted. "Just resting."
She glanced outside, but wasn't able to see anything. At first she thought it was too dark, but then she realized the scenery was moving by too quickly to focus on. She sneaked a peak at the speedometer.
