A Touch of Passion

Chapter 25

The following morning Nina was awakened with a startle. A sound coming from outside the room. drifted up under the bottom of the door. she could hear the faint rumble of voices. She walked tentatively over to the door and slowly cracked it and peered out, there wasn't anyone in the hallway but the sounds seemed to be coming from the half opened door of a room further down the hallway.

She tiptoed quietly down to the room, hid behind the door and peeped through the opening in the corner of the door. Mike was standing at one side of his bed, wearing only a sweat bottom. He was talking to a young woman. Nina wasn't able to identify either her voice or physical appearance, due to the fact that she was hidden behind the door. And speaking softly.

Their discussion has suddenly gone extremely low, she could only make out a few sentences of what they were saying. The young woman said "It's the truth." Mike responded. "I honestly don't know what the truth is." She stood there and listened to them for several minutes, knowing they were unaware of her presence.

A few minutes later, Mike's phone rang and he turned around to pick it up from off a night table, and Nina was speechless. Her hand flew immediately to her mouth in a bid to mask the horrified gasp that escaped her mouth. Instantly Mike turned and looked in the direction the sound came from and their eyes met. For a brief moment their gazes held through the opening.

Nina moved away from behind the door, breathing as if air was being forced from her lungs. She placed her hands over her face as she stood there speechless in the hallway. She was unable to think clearly, unable to walk. Every part of her body went on pause, she was unable to speak, totally stunned.

Mike walked out of the room hastily towards her. She found some energy and slowly backed away as he approached her. Nina's eyes bulged frighteningly, as she stared at him in horror.

"Nina, please."

Michael began as he stretched out his hand in her direction, while walking towards her.

"A lot has happened. I don't know where to begin to explain-"She cut him off instantly.

"Don't come near me!" she shouted as he attempted to hold onto her arm.

"I swear to God, if you touch me as much, I'll scream the roof off."

She sniffed quietly, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes and she walked away. Few minutes later she entered a taxi and was on her way home.

That night, after she got home, she was finding it difficult to sleep. Tormented and in total confusion. She tossed and turned constantly, unable to stay still.

"This can't be real," she thought.

"How could Michael have done such a cruel act to me? There has to be an explanation, but what could that possibly be? Couldn't he have trusted me enough to share with me, whatever the situation was? instead of doing what he did. I would have thought, the right thing to do would be to confide in me, and together we could have come to some amicable agreement, now it's too late?"

In the morning she tried desperately to pack her bag. Her fingers kept jumping rhythmically as if in spasm. She was still terrified from her recent discovery. When she finally did accomplish her task. She hurriedly placed the suitcase in her car, went back, grabbed her handbag, and raced out the door. She knew there was something about Mike but she had not in a thousand years expected this.

And as she was going through the door, just then, Michael, showed up on her doorstep.

"What's the hell are you doing here?"

She uttered angrily. Her eyes bulged. He stepped towards her but she backed away from his touch. Her jaw tense and lips tightened.

"Nina please, we need to talk."