not edited...
Wait for me. Louis' voice has been echoing in my head as the hours pass. Kelsey wakes up a few times to ask where her father is and I just have to lie every time. I fall asleep for a while.
At one in the morning I thought I heard a noise, but it was the next door neighbor with their porn. Kelsey wakes up right after and we both decide to drink hot chocolate and watch Lou's black and white films. She snuggles on my lap and I rub her back, feeling like a mommy again.
Next time I wake up it's at three in the morning. Louis wakes me up as he stumbles into the living room. I startle as he bumps with the television which shows the rolling credits of the movie. "Are you drunk?"
"A tidy bit, love but I'm fine."
I slowly put Kelsey on the couch, "I thought you stopped drinking." I cross my arms against my chest. It's so hard to pretend I'm not his wife when I actually am. This is his apartment not mine, so I don't have a word to say here. "I mean like... one drop of alcohol will bring back your addiction."
"I'm fine, woman." He grabs my face, pressing his lips on my chin as he misses my lips. I giggle and guide him to my lips. His hands firmly grab at my hips as he slowly pulls me to his bedroom.
"Kelsey needs to sleep... Louis... she needs to sleep in her room." I say against his lips. His hands fumbling with the hem of my shirt. He breaks our kiss to pull my shirt over my head. I let him.
"Tonight we celebrate." He whispers, his alcohol breath strong.
"What are we celebrating?"
He pushes me against the wall and covers a part of my neck with his sloppy kisses. I untie his tie and remove his blazer. My thigh swiftly moving against his bulge.
"I'm going to France, baby." He grabs my cheeks with his hand and kisses my lips. Before he can continue, I slowly move away from him.
"You?"
"Yes, me." He simply says, his breathing rhythm matching mine. "Aren't you happy for me?"
I pick up my shirt. I hate the idea of him being so far away from me again. It's never good. He gives me a look of confusion when I pull my shirt over my head and push my arms through the holes.
"Where were you?" I finally ask. "I waited for you all night."
"I told you I was going to be with Montalvo."
"Where?"
He gives me a humorous look as if I'm joking around. As he notices I'm not, his face falls and he rubs his face. "I met up with Montalvo in his office and we talked about his plans with me. We talked about my art works and he said my talent needs to be... appreciated. The... the man is everything I want to be. He's an idol and we... get along well." He sounds sleepy and he sits on the edge of the bed. "He said he had a get together with other amazing artists and he invited me..."
"Oh?" I sound sarcastic. "What happened in that 'get together'?"
"Wine, happened. Wine." He slurs. "I met these Brazilian artists. They are humble and talented and... I'm going to be working with one of them. Especially in France. Her name is Marissa."
I don't know what kind of look I gave Louis that he started laughing at me. I look down and step my foot over my other foot.
"Don't worry babe, it's a couple of months."
"Without Kelsey? Or me?" I shake my head. "I support everything you do Louis, but the way you're acting tonight isn't very responsible. How am I going to believe you'll-"
"This is about my dream; you know how hard was for me to get where I am. I had to scrub floors and clean toilets – deal with horrible people that you and I both know who they are – babe, you can't let me down now. You're my only support."
"Why can't... Kelsey go with you?" More like why can't we go with you?
"Montalvo said he could only buy my ticket and hotel room. I don't have that much money and I don't want to push it with him" He lies down. "Gosh how I wish I could bring you both. You two are my everything."
"Us two?" I smile softly.
"Yes, everything."
"I'm going to go put Kelsey to bed."
"Wait, uh..."
"What?"
"Nothing." He says.
***
"How is Louis doing?" Ian drinks from his coffee.
"He's living the good life." I roll my eyes.
"Ouch, you sounded a bit envious."
"No, no," I look around the coffee shop and rub my forehead, "Not at all. It's just... his life seems to be going great while I'm stuck being Mia forever and dealing with Harry."
"What does he say about Harry?"
"Nothing. He's too focused on his life. I'm not even part of his plans."
"Oh come on."
"It's as if... if I don't tell him that I'm his wife I might lose him, and, if I do tell him I might lose him either way."
Ian reaches for my hand over the table and I can see his cheeks turning slightly pink. I smile sadly and squeeze his hand.
"You just have to go for it, Laneece." He moves his hand away from me and looks out of the window and into the busy streets. I know how hard is for him to accept that his lover is gone yet he's looking at her. I can tell he really loved her despite how an ass he is sometimes. "Harry didn't come to work this morning. There are rumors going around that he was drunk at a bar."
"He's insane." I shudder.
"I'm pretty sure he wants you back."
I grab my head. "He doesn't know that I'm back in New York, does he?"
"I have no idea." He sighs. My face falls to my hands. He grabs my wrists. "Babe, I'll do anything for you, okay? I won't let that asshole get away with it. I still need proof that he's robbing money from the company and I will find it... and he's going to jail and he's never ever going to be able to hurt you again."
Something twists in my stomach. I wish Louis was the one saying those words to me, making me feel protected. Ian's light blue eyes meet mine and he intertwines our fingers.
"This is so weird, Laneece." He whispers.
"I feel it in her heart that she really loved you."
"Don't say that," he brings my hands to his lips. "No, don't. That's your body now. Not hers." He blinks rapidly and clears his throat.
"Do you think Mia and me would've been friends?"
"I don't think so. She was a real bitch," he laughs quietly, "but when she loved, she loved with everything she had. She loved Harry but as you know now, he's a fucktard. She loved me. I know she did."
"Do you have videos of her?"
"On my computer."
"I want to see them sometime. I want to see how she was like."
Ian bites his bottom lip before letting it go, "Come, I'll take you back to the apartment."
I kiss him on the cheek as he drops me off. Louis must be back from his reunion with Montalvo, maybe this time he's not drunk like he was last night. Walking out of the elevator, searching for the room I notice Harry in the hallway, talking to a woman – possibly asking if she's seen me.
I turn around to get back in the elevator but it closes.
"Mia!"
I look over my shoulder to see Harry trudging towards me.
"Stay away from me!" I scream before taking the stairs, the lights keep flicking on and off until it's completely dark. Great.
"Stop running!"
"How do you know I was here?" I keep running, tripping a few times.
"You think you can hide from me? Mia, you know me."
"I'm not your Mia!" I yell.
I'm pushed against the wall. I feel his nose bump with mine, his hands grabbing hard on my shoulders. I gasp and try to take his hands off me, but he's too strong.
"Calm down," he whispers. "Shh, shh."
"What do you want from me?" I begin to slide down the wall and he kneels in front of me. He locks my wrists in his fist as his other hand softly touch my cheek.
"I hurt you and you didn't deserve it."
The fact that Louis could be right above us without knowing what's going on makes me desperate.
"Just go." I shut my eyes. "Please... just go."
"I did you so wrong. I didn't treat you like the woman you are." His hand traces softly from my cheek to my neck. "Oh if you could just love me again."
"Why are you here, Harry?"
"I brought the divorce papers."
I open my eyes and he lets my wrists go.
"They're in the car. Come with me."
next chapter is ready ; refresh.