Celestial Love (Anthony Rizzo)

.37. Out Of The Cage

Anthony

It had been a few days since I have heard from Celeste. I contact her mother to see if she knew anything but last she heard Celeste had just met my parents. So I ask around for any word about her and it's like she dropped off the face of the earth. Nothing on social media or any sightings.

And for her that's not all that unusual. She often times wasn't allowed to leave or use her phone so this isn't the first time I couldn't get ahold of her. But last I heard she and James had gotten in a bad fight and I was worried for her. If something happened there was a good chance we would never find out about it. I know he would never do anything that would allow him to get in legal trouble. He was in the middle of his season and for the most part he has been playing pretty well. I doubt he would ruin everything just to spite her, but at the same time I wouldn't put it past him.

I know Celeste is doing everything she can to get out of there, and if she does it will have to be her doing. Not me or her mom or James. Her freedom could only come from within herself in order for her to find that self empowerment I know she is capable of. But I also don't want her to have to go through it alone. She said she is handling it but there is a lot here to handle. More than any two hands can carry on their own. And I want to believe someone on the inside would help her whether it be from the Bears organization or one of James assistants or something. Anything. But it's been years and until I came along she didn't believe anyone would have her best interests in mind.

So I do something pretty stupid and I show up at her place. To be honest I was more than desperate than anything and just seeing her would give me a sense of happiness. I ring the buzzer a few times to see if anyone would answer. Finally I see James show up in the window trying to see who was bothering him and he furrows his eyebrows when he realizes it's me. He closes the blinds back up before rushing down to the doors. They fly open in front of me and I don't budge. I wasn't afraid of this man, not in the slightest.

"You can't take a hint, can you" he accuses.

"Guess I'm a little thick headed" I assure him.

"Why are you even here" he wonders.

"I think you know why, but if you need to hear me say it I'm here for Celeste" I tell him knowing that her name coming out of my mouth would just piss him off.

"Well she's not here" he tries.

"Oh? You let her out of the cage" I ask making him grow more angry. 

"She's out" he mumbles.

"I don't believe you. Do you know why I don't believe you" I ask him but he doesn't answer. "That's alright, I'll tell you.

You are living in such a lie you don't even know the truth anymore. Trying to keep up with the shit you feed everyone not even realizing that you're lost in it. You are losing the one person who put up with your crap and you don't know what to do. And the worst part is you sit there and you have to bring Celeste down just so she will be on your level and it kills you. It kills you that she finally realized that she is so much better without you and there's nothing to do about it. You made it so she had to rely on you for everything and it still wasn't enough to keep her around" I accuse.

"You need to leave, now" he demands.

"Not until I see Celeste" I tell him.

"And this is where you're wrong because she isn't going anywhere. She will stay up there until I decide she can go. And when she does it certainly won't be with you" he claims.

"I don't think that's true. Because when I leave here today I know I will find her again. One way or another I will see her again and when I do she will be happy to see me. Which is more than you can say for yourself" I smirk.

He just walks back inside and slams the door in my face. I watch as he returns to the apartment complex and let out a long sigh. I was really hoping I could at least see her.

I turn to walk away but I look back one more time. I see Celeste in the window and I let out a sigh of relief that was was okay. She smiles when her eyes meet mine and it makes my heart skip a beat. She waves a little and I wave back. I don't know what she's going through or what's going through her head. All I know is that I was willing to do anything to help her get out of there.

I walk home and decide to call Hannah to tell her I saw her daughter and that she's okay. She's worried about her, as she should be, but she's also too far away to help.

"Hello dear" she answers my call and I smile.

"Hey Hannah, how are you" I wonder.

"That depends on why you called" she teases and I laugh.

"I just saw Celeste and I wanted to tell you. I couldn't talk to her but I saw her and she's fine" I assure her.

"Oh thank god" she sighs. "You are a life saver seriously. I don't know how to thank you" she claims.

"No thanks needed. I'm just trying my best to make sure she's going to be okay. And I can't promise anything really, this is all in her hands. But I do know that she's still here and she's still fighting. She's stronger than she knows" I insist.

"I sure hope so. I feel awful for not being there for her but she doesn't tell me everything. She trusts you with her life and I'm happy she has someone like you looking after. You're so good for her" she claims.

"I'm trying" I admit. Though I feel pretty useless right now.

We talk for a little while longer before I let her go. I know she's busy with her job and a lot of kids are counting on her. I finally make it home and try and relax but it was hard. Seeing her today did help but not being able to hear from her made it difficult to believe that she is okay. I want to think she is so that's what I'm telling myself. But that doesn't mean she is okay.

All I can do now is hope. Something that I have a lot of but not always in this situation.