Beautifully Damned

thirty-two: someone like you

the beach by the nbhd

Maxime.

"I love you. I should've said it bef—" The line cut off

I sighed and out my phone down, telling Vic to turn around. She was gone, and I may never see her again. She came into my life and made me better. I couldn't fathom not seeing her again.

"On second thought Vic, I wanna go home" I spoke

"Of course sir" He said

My phone dinged, Camille texted letting me know that she cleared my schedule for the day. I put my phone back in my pocket as I arrived at my mothers house. I walked in and went met her cooking in the kitchen. She danced to 'Voulez-Vous' by ABBA, until she turned around and saw me. She gasped, grabbing her chest before she continued to dance.

She walked to me, pinching my cheeks, "Hi darling" She said

"Mama" I hugged her

She smiled wide and motioned for me to join her, "No thank you, I'm fine" I spoke not in the dancing mood

"La question c'est voulez-vous" She sang, furring her brows

I sighed, taking her hand. I laughed as she took the lead in a fast paced tango, I spun her around. We danced in the kitchen, until my Louise came from upstairs. She laughed at my moves and tried to take a picture.

I stopped dancing at her arrival, "No keep going, it was getting good"

"Lou, shut up" I said

"Come on, I have to show you something" She spoke

"Go on, food will be ready soon" Mama said

I walked with my sister to the living room on the other side of the house. The twins sat cozily watching TV, they jumped to come hug me as they saw me. I sighed, sitting down on the couch with them.

"Hey where's the missus? Is she doing better?" Melanie asked

"It ended" I said

"Maxi....What happened?" Louise asked

"I was stupid and she was gonna leave anyways" I shrugged

"Go on" Melanie said

"She told me she loved me and I didn't say it back. After her incident I blew up in her face" I said

My sisters hit my arm in unison, "What the fuck?" I winced

"You asshole, well do you love her?" Georgette asked

"I do. But it's over and I have to get back to what's important" I rebutted

"And what's that?" They asked

"The company, and the launch of our new network" I said

"You're such an idiot. Imogen was perfect for you, you probably wouldn't even be here talking to us if it wasn't for her"  Louise said

"I know. I keep feeling this thing it's like heart burn but different" I laid my head back, closing my eyes

"Shit, when did you become such a sap" Georgette said

"Georgie shut up" I spoke

They quietly laughed and I peeked one eye open, "Hey you guys wanna play Pétanque while we wait for Mama?" Louise said

"You'll have to catch us first" the twins pushed us and ran

"Max come on" Lou got up

Knowing I wouldn't win the argument about us not being kids, I got up and chased them with Lou.
————

I sat in the garden with Mama, helping her harvest her fresh tomatoes. I'd just gotten off work early so I swung by. The week had gone by fast and it was getting harder and harder to adjust to Imogen being gone. No call, no text, nothing. It was like she threw her phone away because of the noise it made everytime I called.

"I still talk to him you know"  She nudged me

"Who? Papa?" I looked at her

"Mmmhmm" She looked up to the sun, closing her eyes, "When you have a love like that, nothing can drive the two of you apart. Not even death" She spoke

"Some days I catch myself laughing when I think of what he'd say when I did things around the house. It took me a long time and a lot of therapy to realize, he never left me. It's like he's right here with me" She held my hand

"Mama" I said, "I don't know, I really messed up"

"Show her how you feel. Do whatever you have to do to make her hear you, even if that means going to her" She spoke

"How do you know it'll work" I asked

"I've seen the way you kids act, you two have something special"  She placed her palm on my cheek

"Thank you Mama" I spoke
—————

I chose to write a letter to Imogen, seeing as it was all I could think of. I couldn't bring myself to actually go to New York. God knows she deserves more than this letter, but it's what I had to do. I sat at my desk and began to write.

Mon chérie,

I hope this letter finds you well.
You deserve more than this letter but
I'm an idiot, especially when it comes to you.
Forgive me for everything, I was wrong and
I didn't realize what you were going through
was bigger than me. It wasn't fair
You are the only woman who can make
me experience feelings that I thought I was too
destructive or too grand to have. And I wasn't completely
honest with you. The truth is that I don't want to
live without you. I love you Imogen Louis, so much that it scares me. I have loved you forever and I have
wanted to say it since the day we went sat at the
top of the Eiffel Tower and you ordered the entire
menu. There's so much more I want to tell you but I can
only hope that one day, we'll meet again. With all my love and adoration,

Yours,

                                                              Sex on Legs

I signed off the letter, leaving it in an envelope with a wax seal, before sending it down to Danielle.
*******

Whew I shed a few tears, buckle up bc this next will not be a happy one

I love Estelle, I wanna dance with her