Broken

Chapter 6: Hollow promises

Lizzy found herself bathed in sweat on her bed in Mrs. Caira's house. Her mind was inundated with images from her nightmare, which looked all too real.

She startled awake, her heart racing, realizing that what she'd seen of Akim in the photos wasn't a fiction of her imagination or a dream, but a horrible truth.

While Lizzy was gathering her thoughts, she spotted a hot water bottle on her head.

She realized she had collapsed and been taken back to Mrs. Caira's house at that point. Mrs. Caira's words burst through the fog of her uncertainty.

Mrs. Caira's voice quivered with concern as she asked, "What happened, dear? I was returning in a taxi when I noticed a crowd gathered near a cappuccino shop, and that's when I saw you lying lifeless on the ground; a lady told me you collapsed instantly."

Mrs. Caira was taken aback as Lizzy's rage pierced the air. "Why are you crying? You had no idea why I collapsed, so why are you worrying yourself over me? Please, save the tears."

Mrs. Caira's eyes welled up with tears as her concern grew. Lizzy's remarks weighted them that she couldn't ignore them.

There was something more to it, something she was afraid Lizzy would discover.

Mrs. Caira ran to Lizzy's side, ready to offer support as she fought to stand, pain shooting through her legs.

Lizzy's phone began to ring as Mrs. Caira approached her.

It was an unfamiliar number, raising the possibility that it was Akim or Mike, calling from an unknown number to assuage Lizzy's concerns about the images.

Lizzy answered the phone with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"Elizabeth!"

Lizzy's heart skipped a beat when she recognized the voice. When she realized it was Akim on the other end of the line, she leaped up and down.

"My love, my sweetheart, my baby... how are you? How have you been?"

Lizzy's voice sounded excited and full of questions, but the line remained silent.

Mrs. Caira remained motionless, silently weeping and shivering from behind, her knowledge of the truth weighing hard on her.

She was worried about the outcome of this conversation and the anguish it would cause Lizzy.

"Baby, speak up, please," Lizzy begged, her voice shaking with panic. "You're terrifying me; I've been calling you, baby..."

Akim's harsh voice broke through the hope that had begun to bloom in Lizzy's heart, interrupting her remarks.

"That title no longer belongs to you, it belongs to someone else now. Don't call me "baby" again. I'll send you an invitation letter to my upcoming wedding to Nancy."

Lizzy burst out laughing, her voice tinged with astonishment.

"You're lying, babe. I swear you're lying. I will never believe all this gibberish. You're only playing pranks on me, please stop. I don't like it. You know Nancy is my roommate in Sweden. She was on the plane with me. Though we weren't so close, we were kind of cool. She sees me as a friend. Come on, babe, you're joking."

Lizzy hoped it was all a misunderstanding, that Akim was just playing a joke on her. But she could feel the truth creeping in on her broken heart deep down.

The words slammed into Lizzy's already damaged heart like waves.

She couldn't believe her ears when she heard what she was hearing. Akim, the man she loved and trusted, was suddenly defending his conduct with a callousness that ripped at her heart.