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Blowing out a frustrated breath, I grab the remote from the nightstand and turn the TV on. I flip aimlessly through the channels, finally deciding to put on a movie that I’ve seen many times. I get up and change into my pajamas, then lay on the bed, hugging Max’s sweatshirt against me.
It’s been a long, emotionally exhausting day. While I’m glad William and I are putting the broken pieces of our past behind us, guilt makes my chest tighten. Replaying the scene of me sitting on the shower floor, wracked with guilt and sobbing over Max, depression and sadness floats over me, and my heart aches inside my chest.
Rolling to my side, I stare out the window into the inky blackness outside, wondering if Max is out there somewhere, missing me.
My eyes grow heavy. Turning, I glance over my shoulder at the clock on the nightstand.9:30 isn’t too early to go to sleep.
I grab the stuffed bear from my nightstand and wrap my arms around it, along with Max’s sweatshirt.
Curling into a ball, I stare outside, faintly seeing the outline of the thick forest surrounding the house I’m in. Something nags at me, a familiarity that nags at the corners of my mind. I’ve never been here before and yet, a feeling sits heavy in the pit of my stomach.
Emotional exhaustion is taking a toll, and as I let out a couple of yawns, my eyelids grow too heavy for me to fight it. Closing my eyes, I succumb to it.
I’m sitting in this room, my back against the pillows, a book open on my legs, covered by the blanket that is on the bed.
The thunder rumbles in the distance, drawing my attention to the window. I close the book, setting it on my nightstand.
Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stand. There is something drawing me to the window, a magnetic pull that guides me. My bare feet sink into the carpet as I stop, staring out at the swirling clouds in the sky.
Movement causes me to drop my gaze to the ground and I see the outline of a figure. As he steps beneath the pocket of light that streams through my window, I clearly see his face.
Max!
I press my hands against the window, stepping closer until the cool glass prevents me from going any further. I’m drinking in the look of love on his face and in his shining eyes, like I’ve been traveling for miles through the hot, dry desert.
“Hi, beautiful,” he mouths to me.
I can’t stop the tears that fill my eyes, flowing down my cheeks as I simply mouth his name back to him, too overcome to say anything else.
Pure joy and happiness spread through my body like a wildfire. I’ve never been so damned happy to see anyone in my entire life.
The tears come harder, faster, as I press my hand over my heart. I watch as he imitates my movements.
And then he mouths the words I’ve been dying to hear. “I love you.”
“I love you,” tumbles from my mouth. I can’t hold those words in any longer, nor do I want to.
He winks at me, his smile and face full of conviction and determination. “I’m coming to get you,” he mouths.
Elation and terror war within my heart. I desperately want him to rescue me, but I don’t want anything to happen. It occurs to me that William likely has cameras inside this house, so how will Max get in?
I cock my head toward William’s bedroom, which is down the hall to the right of this room. I slowly mouth, “William is in his bedroom,” then point to indicate the direction. He nods to indicate he understands.
Discreetly pressing the button, I call Emma to the bedroom. She enters and I talk to her quickly, explaining what is going on.
“I’ll go down and unlock the door, turning off the alarm to that door only. Give me a couple of minutes, okay?”
“Emma, please, don’t lock the door behind you.”
She hands me her key. “Signal for him to wait a couple of minutes. Once I turn the alarm off and unlock the door, I’m going to go to my room and pretend to sleep. I’ll press my alarm with my name and yours will beep. That is your signal. You took the key from me without me knowing.” She winks and then whispers, “Good luck. I’ll miss you.”
I give her a quick hug, then she leaves. I press against the glass, slowly mouthing to Max to wait until I signal. He nods, stepping back into the shadows, his gaze burning into my face, drinking me in. Even though it’s dark and he’s mostly hidden in the shadows, my eyes have adjusted to see his faint outline in the dark. My heart thumps hard inside my chest, and I’m overcome by the desperate urge to fling myself at him. If only I could get this damn window open, I’d freaking crawl out and jump. I’m certain he’d catch me.
Emma presses the button on the remote, indicating to proceed. I gesture to him, and once he moves to the door, I creep to mine, my pulse and heart beating so fast I feel as though I could pass out. I curl the opposite hand into a fist, my nails biting into the palm of my hand, then I proceed to quietly sneak out, closing the door softly behind me. As I creep down the hallway, trying to stay in the shadows, my eyes are glued to William’s door, afraid he’s going to open the door and come rushing out.
But there’s nothing.
Breathing a small sigh of relief, I quietly tiptoe down the steps. I’ve only been down to the part of the house that should lead to that door once and I’m really hoping my memory isn’t failing me as I creep closer. In the distance, the door hangs open and I say a silent thank you in my head to Emma for leaving it open, steering me on the right course.
