a chained heart

16 | chaos

11:42 PM
Larry, what just happened. The show got cut. Adam murdered? You're dating a killer?

11:44 PM
Lawrence I'm worried about you. Please call me.

11:45 PM
Pick up the phone Larry.

11:45 PM
Please.

"Shit," Lawrence grumbled. With shaky hands, he called his ex wife.

The phone only rang once until Alison quickly picked up. "Larry? What the hell is going on?"

"Ali, I can explain."

"You better!" she shot. "What—have you been gay the whole time? Was what we had all an act?"

"No, Ali. I promise, I really loved you. I still do, just in a different way." Lawrence tried to stay calm.

There was silence on the line until Lawrence heard Alison sniffle. "Do you love him?"

"I do." Lawrence answered immediately.

He could hear her trying to silence her crying through the line. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to speak. She eventually did. "He's killed, Lawrence. We have a daughter—a daughter that we'll have to introduce to him if it's as serious as you say it is—and he's killed. Does that not bother you?"

"It was self defense, Ali. Adam is the sweetest man I've ever met. I promise he is of no threat to Diana, or anyone for that matter."

Alison took a deep breath, and instead of her voice booming through the speaker like Lawrence was expecting, she sounded tired and as if she was choking down a sob.

"When are you coming home, Larry?" she breathed out.

"I—I don't know. We had a flight a few hours ago but—we missed it."

"How on earth did you do that?" Alison was sounding annoyed again.

Lawrence debated on whether to tell her the truth or not. Letting her know Adam's mental state wasn't stable would not help his case that he was safe for Diana, but he knew lying would just make things worse. "Adam's in the hospital."

"Oh," her voice rang with sympathy. She regretted snapping at Larry. "Why? Is he alright?"

"No," Lawrence sighed truthfully, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's stuck in shock. He had a bad PTSD episode."

"Lawrence, I'm so sorry." She really sounded it.

"Yeah. We'll have to buy more plane tickets whenever he wakes up and I don't even know what to—"

"Call me when he wakes up," she interrupted. "And I'll pay for the tickets. I'll wire you money right now."

"Ali, you don't have to—"

"Yes, Lawrence. I do." She snapped. "I've been unfair to you—and Adam. And I'm sorry."

Her apology sounded stiff and angry, but he'd take it. "Well thank you, Ali. I'm sure Adam will be glad to hear that. I'll tell him when he wakes up." He looked over at Adam's bed sadly on the last words.

"Thanks," she replied sadly. "Goodbye Larry."

"Bye Ali."

Lawrence hung up.

"Everything good?" Ron asked Lawrence cautiously. He'd always been afraid of Alison.