I Still Believe (Criss Angel Sequel from very 1st book *Believe*)

*7*

The next day was very quiet in the Serenity household, Criss was once again was gone, Angela was kidnapped by her Uncle Stoney again from the note that was attached to the fridge, because now Abby and Klayton finally had their own house and Klay wanted to have his partner in mayhem help him with the landscaping, plus he just couldn't get enough of his niece's company, now that Abby was very pregnant at 7 months into her pregnancy and quite useless to help with any work until after their babies were born. I was in such a depressed state that I didn't really feel like going on that shopping spree with my girlfriends, but knock on wood just as soon as I finished taking care of the critters, the doorbell went off.

I gave a slight sigh and went to the door and opened it, and welcomed them in. Rachel and the other girls noticed very quickly that something was wrong. I tried to work around the questionings but I couldn't so I poured out my feelings to all my friends and Mama D and told them that I just didn't know anymore.  Criss has been so cold and distant from me now for 3 months, and I just was tired of the suspense and the cold shoulder treatment, and if he was tired of me, and has, in fact, fallen out of love with me, I wished he would just tell me and I would leave. Mama D put her arms around me and scolded me and told me that I would do no such thing! That I was the best thing that ever happened to her Crisstopher, and she wasn't about to let him ruin what he had or to spoil his family by breaking it apart. Then she said she didn't want to hear another word on the subject, that she would have a motherly discussion with Crisstopher during her lunch with him this afternoon. Then she told all of us to have fun on our shopping spree today then she kissed me and headed back to her house to relax until it was lunchtime.

Rachel, Kim, Siera, Karalea and her two friends Cynthia and Stacey put me in between them as we headed off for the Malls to do some major shopping. But I just wasn't into it, I did buy Angie some new clothes, and a few toys that I knew she would like. Then I found myself looking thru the new men's fashions, and bought a few things for Criss. But still couldn't decide what would be the perfect anniversary gift for him, even if my life with him was dwindling on the razor's edge and cutting into me with every slight movement I made trying to get away from the thought of losing him. 

Criss just finished his first show of the three shows he did during the day and was cleaning up for his lunch date with his mom, JD, and Costa. He put his clean shirt on and rushed out the doors because he was already 10 minutes late. When he finally made it to the Bistro where they were having lunch they already ordered for everyone and was patiently waiting for him to come join them. Criss gave his mom a hug and kiss, then gave both his brothers a hug and sat down on the other side of them facing his mom from across the table. Criss slowly and quietly began to munch on his sandwich when mom asked him what was going on between him and me...because the deep sadness she was getting from me was really starting to worry her. Criss never looked up from his sandwich but said there was nothing wrong that he was aware of.

Dimitra was now a little irritated with her son's reply and told him to look at her when she was talking to him, and to tell her the truth...because I was at home a depressed and nervous wreck thinking that he has fallen out of love with her, and didn't want anything more to do with her because of all his distance and total ignoring of her for the last 3 months...then she added that she and the entire family has noticed it a lot lately. Criss was now mindlessly playing with his straw in his glass of lemonade and told them he had no reason for his actions, and to be honest with them, he didn't realize that he was acting that way. JD jumped in and asked him if he was going to give me a huge apology and make it up to me for their anniversary this weekend. 

Criss looked up at all of them with a blank expression on his face then he slammed his head into his sandwich on the table then jumped up and began cussing to himself and raising all kinds of hell telling himself he couldn't believe he did it a fucking again!! He forgot our 8 year Anniversary was in a couple days!! And he didn't have any plans made or a romantic trip getaway, then he spun in an angry circle and said he wouldn't have time to set a vacation up for it! Dimitra went over to him and told him to calm down, that he would think of something, and for the way I was feeling, just letting me know that he still loved me would be enough. Criss looked at his mom and said it wasn't good enough for him. Then he gave her a quick kiss, and rushed down the sidewalk, leaving his mom and brothers standing around the table looking at each other in wonderment on what Criss was going to do about his behavior and their anniversary.

I finally got back with my girlfriends from shopping I thanked them for a wonderful time, then I placed my daughters new gifts on her bed so when Klayton brought her home she would find them, then I gently put Criss's new things I got him on his side of the bed, then instead of laying down in the master bedroom, I walked down the hall to where the little room was that I first stayed in when Criss invited me to stay with him at his house...and I went in and laid down on the bed, hoping that if I went to sleep and woke up things would go back to the way they were when Criss loved me and he let me know it with extreme gusto.