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Prison.
Prison.
What if it was for life? How would he handle it? When would I see him? How could I live without him?
Would he be hurt? He was strong, could take care of himself, but what if conditions in there were more than even he could handle? Oh God, what if these people he was associated with sent someone in to—I swallowed thickly, unable to finish the thought. This time apart had nearly killed me. How would we survive years of separation?
I rarely let anything knock me out. I was like one of those blow-up things you could punch—it would almost hit the ground and then bounce right back up. But for the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like getting back up. I wanted to rot in this stairwell—no, that wasn’t true. I wanted to crawl back upstairs into my bed and rot there.
Muriella found me.
The second I saw her, I came unglued. She sat beside me, holding me. It was an ugly cry, but she stayed there throughout, crying with me.
Unconditional support. Unconditional love. That’s what she gave me when I needed it most.
The last few weeks had finally caught up to me. I’d sputtered and finally run out of gas.
* * *
Wakingup with someone was unusual. And though I loved the one with me, it wasn’t who I wanted. It took a moment to get my eyes to open—they were fused shut from endless hours of crying—but when I did, Muriella’s kind face greeted me.
“Hey,” I said, my voice hoarse.
“Hey.” She kissed my forehead and stroked my hair.
“I don’t remember going to sleep here, and I know you didn’t carry me.”
M’s face was pained. “Stone carried you.”
“He’s stronger than I thought,” I joked, but it came out pathetic. “Please don’t look at me like that,” I pleaded softly.
“I don’t know what to do, V.”
“Well, we’re going to get you ready for that big date.” I hadn’t had the heart to tell her what Daniel was facing, and I certainly wasn’t going to do anything to interfere with her plans with Stone.
“Stone postponed, and you’re not going anywhere.” M would make the best mom. I’d never told her that because I didn’t want to upset her, but she would. There was no way I was letting her put off this date. They’d waited long enough.
“You’re going.”
“We will. Just not today. I need to be with you. It was his suggestion anyway. Not that he needed to make it,” she clarified.
“Where is he?” I demanded, and she looked at me warily.
“Back at his hotel.”
I sighed. “Give me your phone.”
“Vivian, please…”
“I don’t know where mine is. Now give me the phone, Muriella.”
She reached behind her to the nightstand, producing her iPhone. I unlocked the screen and fired off a text to Stone.
Get your ass over here to pick up my girl.
Three dots blinked at me for less than a minute.
Not today, Vivian.
