"Come on Claire,answer already." I spoke as I heard for the seventeenth time this morning her voicemail. "Where are you?" I hung up.
Claire didn't come home,yesterday. I called the hospital to see in she decided to head directly to it but they said that they hadn't heard from her since Sunday morning when she called in to assure them that she's returning to work on Monday but today's Monday and she hasn't gone to work. I've been trying to call her since yesterday but she isn't picking up. I've already left her like ten voicemails.
I sighed as I rubbed my face. Adam has been asking about his mother since the morning,I kept on telling him that she's going to come back once she's feeling better and thinking clearer and that she's alright. I could sense that he didn't believe me,entirely I don't blame him,I don't believe myself. I left Adam with Kathy and went to the company.
I dialed Claire's number again, I know that she's not going to pick up anytime soon but I still had some hope that she may answer this time. Another voicemail.
"Claire,please call me as soon as you get this. I'm really worried and so is Adam." I spoke and then hung up.
I sighed again. I hope she's okay,I honestly don't want anything bad to happen to her. I have no idea what will I do if something happens. Claire please be okay.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in." I let out a breath.
The door opened and Dylan,dressed as Mr Hunter came in.
"Hey." he gave me a sympathatic smile.
"Hey." I greeted tiredly.
"Any news from Claire?"
"No,she isn't picking her phone and she hadn't come home yesterday."
"And how's Adam?"
"He's acting like he's doing okay,but he's not. I can feel it."
"Claire will return,just give her time."
"I'm worried Dylan."
"I'm sure she's alright."
"But what if she's not?" my voice broke as I held my tears. Just the mere thought of losing her is breaking me down.
"No don't cry." he came to me and hugged me.
I closed my eyes as I burried my head in his chest trying hard not to cry.
"Listen,Claire is okay. Don't worry about her. If you want we can leave work and go search for her,she's probably in some hotel or something. You just say what you want me to do and I'll do it,I'll do anything to stop you from cry angel. Anything."
"Thank you." I sniffed and hugged him,a few tears escaping.
He held my face in his hands and looked at me.
"As long as I'm around I won't let anything make you cry or hurt you. I love you,angel." he spoke and wiped my tears away.
"Thank you,Dylan." I repeated and smiled sadly at him. He kissed my forehead and after making sure I was okay he left.
Claire please be okay.
***
Claire's POV:
I started the engines to my car and drove away from the mansion. My hands started to shake and tears were building up in my eyes everytime I hear Adam's words in my head.
Why can't he understand that I'm doing all of this because I love him? Tears began to roll down my cheeks as I drove even farther. I was so mad at him at myself at everything. Nothing was going the right way and everything is falling down.
I hit the steering wheel in anger and cried harder. My vision was getting blurry from all the tears that I almost hit a couple of cars as I drove. I don't know where I was driving and where I'm going to end but all I was thinking now is that I need to get away and clear my head. After what seems to be hours I stopped at a gaz station to fill up the empty tank. When I was done,I hopped inside and started the engine again.
Another hour had passed and I was still driving aimlessly,I'm not in the city anymore. I stopped the car on a road side and just breathed. Everything was coming back to me again and soon my head began to spin,I closed my eyes and took in a shaky breath. And when I opened them again I was surrounded by darkness.
"No,no please,leave me alone,please!" I heard someone say. I turned my head but I was in the middle of no where.
"Shut up!" a voice,clearly belonged to a man,shouted. My skin crawled as I heard the voice.
I turned my head once more this time to see a man holding down a girl as she struggled underneath him. My heart dropped as I saw the girl. That girl was my eighteen year old self.
Anger filled inside of me and soon I was running towards the bastard infront of me. I wanted to choke him with my bare hands,I wanted to torture him I wanted to make him beg for ever crossing me. I was running but I stayed perfectly still in my place.
"LEAVE HER ALONE YOU FUCKED UP BASTARD! LEAVE HER ALONE!" I screamed but it didn't change anything,he continued on with his twisted action.
The stranger grabbed the hands of my younger self and threw them above my head kissing me roughly on the neck.
"No please,please! HELP! PLEASE STOP!" the younger me begged. "PLEASE! PLEASE JUST STOP!"
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I screamed again this time my whole body was shaking wild.
He suddenly stopped and turned to me. I came face to face with his sick face.
"We shall meet again." he smiled creeply.
"Fuck you!" I shouted trying not to cry. He laughed deeply and my skin crawled.
"Bitch," a whisper said. "Bitch,bitch,bitch." the whispers got louder and louder.
"Bitch,bitch,bitch,BITCH,BITCH,BITCH,BITCH!..."
My rapist lauged louder and then above that I started hearing the screams of my eighteen year old self.
I covered my ears to try to block the disturbing sound as I struggled with my shaking body.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep! I suddenly heard.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeep! I lifted my head quickly from the steering wheel and breathed.
My eyes were wide opened and my heart was hammering in my chest,I took a few moments to understand what had happened. It was just a nightmare. Just a nightmare. I swallowed and quickly took deep breaths in. There was sweat running on my neck. I looked around,I was still in the car. It seems that I had fallen asleep last night and now it's Monday morning. I rested my head a bit back in my seat and then started the car and began driving again.
After driving around for about an hour,I reached a specific building and looked at it. I had sworn not to enter these places as long as I live and if I did I won't be on my own or order anything. I looked at it one more time. Fuck it. I don't care anymore.
I grabbed my purse,exited the car,and went inside the pub after locking my car.
There were only two people inside and the bartender.
"Hello beautiful,what can I get you?" the bartender asked as I sat on the stool.
"Give me a glass of whiskey." I answered tiredly.
"Coming right up."
I don't remember the last time I've sat in a pub and had a drink. After I got raped made a promise to myself that I would never ever go to a pub or a club as long as I live,but I don't care anymore. How ironic it is that we always break the promises that we tend to keep the most,but I guess promises are meant to be broke.
The glass was put infront of me. I grabbed it and drank the golden alcohol quickly feeling the burning sensation in my throat as I placed the glass on the bar.
"Pour me another glass." I ordered.
The bartender brought the bottle and poured the whiskey in my glass. I drank it again the same way as the first.
"More." I ordered again closing my eyes tight because of the way I'm drinking.
I don't know how much I've drank but it wasn't enough to knock me out.
"Bartender!" I called. "Give me another glass."
He came and opened the bottle. "Too much alcohol is bad for you health." he mentioned.
"I'm a doctor I know exactly what's good for ones health and right now I see that it won't be good for you if you don't give me my drink." I spatted.
The bartender shrugged and shook his head slightly as he poured me the drink.
"Just trying to help."
"Please you don't want to help. People like me who have problems are your best customers. They keep drinking and drinking while you watch them pleased to add every drink they order to the bill. You don't want to help,you just want money." I was able to talk even after having an almost half whiskey bottle.
The bartender left me alone again. I assume that my eyes are now bloodshot from crying and they sting from lack of good sleep. My stomach is hurting me like hell because of drinking too much and not eating and I know that it won't be too long until I throw up and then the pounding headache arrives.
I had a little conscious when a guy sat beside me on the bar.
"I you seem quite a drinker." he said.
"And you seem quite annoying ." I answered.
"Well somebody is really drunk." he chuckled. I looked at him,he had a brown beard and was casually dressed.
"Look honey,I don't have time to deal with people like you. So if you won't let me drink peacefully then please go away." I spoke impatiently.
"Seems the alcohol had affected your brain quite badly."
Doesn't he give up?
I let out a heavy sighed,"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing,I just saw you and I thought that a beautiful young lady shouldn't be sitting on her own."
"If I want somebody to sit with me I would had brought a friend along." I spoke half drunk.
"Why are you so pissed?"
"Because there are people like you in the world."
"Ouch,that hurts."
"Good."
"Oh come on don't be mean."
"Can you please leave me alone?"
"I can't just leave a fine woman like you."
"Well I can leave an annoying asshole like you. Have a nice day." I said while paying the bill and then left the building. My head was spinning as I walked to my car,I think I was in there for hours because when I got outside more people seemed to be on the streets and judging from the sun,it was the afternoon.
When I got in I started the engine and started driving away. I don't know where am I exactly,I only know that I am outside LA. My vision was fuzzy and I couldn't keep my eyes open. I don't remember what happened next,I only heard a loud crash before the car started to spin.
***
Angela's POV:
I sighed as I parked the car infront of the masion. Dylan told me that I can leave work early to get some rest and then he'll drop by later to check on me. It was almost three o'clock and Claire hasn't called yet. I grabbed my purse,exited the car,and went to the front door. I held out my keys and opened the door and then entered.
"Adam!" I called him.
"In the kitchen!" I heard his little voice answer.
I placed my things on the couch in the living room before entering the kitchen.
"Hey Adam,hey Kathy." I greeted. Adam was sitting with Kathy on the table and they were both eating.
"Hello Ms Morr,how was your day?"
"It was good."
"Did mommy call?" Adam asked.
"No,sweety," I answered and saw the disappointment in his eyes. "But she's coming back very soon."
Adam dropped his head and continued his meal,sadly.
"I'm going to have a quick shower,Dylan is coming over later on."
Adam smiled a bit but then went back to eating.
I climbed the stairs to my room so I can have the shower. After showering and putting on some clothes,my phone began to ring. I quickly ran to it hoping it was Claire.
"Hello? Claire?" I answered worried.
"Hello is this Angelica Morr?" a lady spoke.
"Yes who is this?"
"Ms Morr we're sorry to inform you that Ms Claire Houston had made a car accident an hour ago and now she's in the hospital."
"What?! What hospital?! Where's Claire?!"
"Ms Houston is in San Francisco."
"Please give me the name of the hospital." the lady gave me the name and I wrote it down. My heart was beating so fast and I was so nervous. It was hard to think clearly and if I continue to breathe quickly I would end up having an asthma attack.
I dialed Dylan's number as fast as my shaky hands could.
"Come on pick up." I spoke as I heard the phone ringing.
"Hello?" he finally answered.
"Dylan!"
"Angela what's wrong?"
"It's Claire,I got a phone call from a hospital in San Francisco,saying that she made an accident!" I said as I wore my shoes and hurried outside the bedroom.
"She's in San Francisco?!"
"Yeah I'm going there right now."
"No! Angela stay where you are. Don't go anywhere until I come."
"Dylan I can't wait I need to get there now."
"Just give me five minutes until I get to you,I'm already half way your house."
"But Dylan-"
"Just five minutes."
"Okay but please hurry."
"Don't worry I'm almost there."
I hung up and tried to control my breathing as much as I could,I'm already getting busy which isn't a good sign.
"Ms Morr,is something wrong?" Kathy asked.
"Claire is in the hospital,in San Francisco,Dylan and I are going there now." I answered.
"Hospital? Why?"
"Car accident. Listen don't tell Adam anything,I don't want him to get scared. Dylan and I will go see her,just take care of him and don't tell him anything."
"Of course don't worry Ms Morr."
"Good," I heard a car honk outside. "That's Dylan I'm going to go now,take good care of Adam."
"I will."
"Call me if you need anything." I said as I hurried outside to where Dylan was waiting.
"Okay." Kathy said.
I sat in the passenger seat beside Dylan and he drove away fast.
"What's the name of the hospital?" he asked and I gave him the address,he typed it in the GPS and soon was following the navigations it was giving.
"She's going to be okay,right?" I asked Dylan after a long period of silence.
"I'm sure she will." he said trying to calm me down,although he seemed a little concerned.
I tried not to cry and convince myself that Claire is okay. Come on I have to be strong for her. I tried to calm my rapid breathing,my palms were sweating so I wiped them with my pants.
"Angela calm down. You'll have an asthma attack,if you keep breathing like this." Dylan warned.
I relaxed myself and tried to think positive. Claire please be okay,please.