AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hey Lilly, another great performance. I wanted to see if you were okay.” Louise says.
She’s talking but she sounds far away. I try to make out what she’s saying but answer accordingly but what I know I have to do is leave.
“I’m fine,” I say. “I’m gonna go.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You sure you’re okay, you look pale.”
I think if all I look is pale then that’s good because I can’t believe what I just saw. Who I just saw. Miguel.
Fuck.
“I’m fine,” I repeat as if on autopilot. Then I rush away. I get downstairs and I don’t even bother to change I just grab my bag and leave.
When I get to my car I don’t check anything I just drive. Drive home to Christian but he’s not there.
And, he’s not answering his phone either.
I don’t sleep at all until well into the early hours of the morning and I fall into a nightmare. A memory of Miguel pushing me down the stairs. The fear and panic from the memory wakes me with a start and I notice I have cold sweat running down my face and my back.
Pushing me down the stairs was one of Miguel’s favorite things to do for the simple reason that he knew I was terrified of breaking my neck and dying.
The worse time he did it was just before I gave birth to Rosie.
That time the fear of God gripped me as I thought I was going to lose my baby. I reached out for one of the rails along the banister. That was what stopped me falling but the impact jerked my body enough to trigger labor. My water broke and I don’t know how I made it through the night giving birth by myself. Miguel called the ambulance to collect me. He didn’t even want to pretend to be a husband that night. All because there was a new waitress in the bar he wanted to fuck before anyone else got the chance. I heard him talking with his friend.
That is who my husband was.
He’s not dead.
Oh my God I don’t what kind of nightmare this is I just walked into but I have to find out what happened and how he found me. Mom and I were living in LA when Miguel and I met. It was easier for me to take care of her while I worked with the show.
He doesn’t know about Chicago or that I was ever here. I never mentioned it but I guess it probably wouldn’t have been that hard to figure out if he checked me out which he clearly did.
It’s the longest place I stayed at as a child. I never started moving around until Julliard.
I get dressed and rush out to the kitchen where Vera is making breakfast for Rosie. Christian isn’t here.
“Morning, are you okay?” Vera asks.
“Yeah,” I answer with a little smile not wanting to cause any alarm. “Is Christian here?”
“No, I haven’t seen him. he didn’t come home last night.” she answers and my heart squeezes.
If he didn’t come home there’s a number of places he could be including some woman’s bed.
I’ve been trying not to cry. Shock has taken me in more ways than one since seeing Miguel, but thinking of Christian spending the night with some woman crushes me to my core.
“I’m sure he’ll be home soon, yes.” Vera says tapping my shoulder with reassurance.
“Yeah,” I say. I can’t let this break me. I can’t. My heart is already broken now I truly have to figure out the next steps. Which means I have to abandon everything and get the hell out of Chicago.
I have to do one thing first.
“Vera would you mind taking Rosie to the playgroup? I have to go to town for something. I shouldn’t be too long.”
“Not at all, you take your time. I’ll get her to the playgroup we’ll meet back here and I’ll make lasagna. Rosie loves that. So does Christian. I’m sure he’ll be back for dinner.”
I’m grateful for her attempts to cheer me up.
