CHAPTER ELEVEN:
It was cheap. And rather drab. Smelly even. And quite a sight for sore eyes.
“I’ll take it.”
Grimy hands wiped a snotty nose as crooked teeth were exposed in a leery grin. “Alright, ma’am. It’s gonna cost ya ten thousand woolongs. Give or take.”
“A bit too steep for a run-down place like this, don’t you think?”
A small frown on sweaty, meaty flesh. The stench threatening to send her reeling back in disgust. “Listen, lady. I ain’t got all day to sit around here and argue with ya. If ya wanna stay here, then ya gats to pay up! I gat me a whole lot of other customers to deal with, ya know!”
Green eyes narrowed in irritation, as a dainty eyebrow was raised in defiance. “Liar.”
The cigarette butt that hung off moist swollen lips nearly dropped to the floor in shock. “What tha fuck, did ya say, Lady?”
“I said, you are a goddamn liar. You know you don’t get many customers here and quite frankly I have a good mind of leaving this dump.”
“So, what’s keeping ya! Get the fuck out of here! And don’t come back neither!”
She snorted in derision before spinning around on her heels with a slight toss of her hair. Men were bastards. Every single one of them.
/ Would that include that man? /
“Hmph…who cares about that man?”
Now, who’s the liar?
She walked into a phone booth and ran her fingers down the worn-down telephone directory. Maybe she could stay with…
“Hello?? Mina? Hi! This is Faye…Faye Valentine. And I was wondering if I could stay over at your place for a little while…what?…oh…I see…oh, no, no…no problem at all. Silly of me to interrupt you like that. Okay then…you have a goodnight.”
“Dania? Hi…it’s Faye. I was just thinking that I could come over and stay for a while…your who? Children? I didn’t know you had children. Really? Twins? How…cute…of course I understand. I won’t bother you anymore. Goodbye!”
~ Grrr… ~
Five more tries. Five more rejections. She was getting a bit cold.
One more place to try. She leaned her head against the frosty glass and closed her eyes.
Swallow your pride. Just do it.
She gripped the black handset tighter, her knuckles turning white with the pressure. It couldn’t hurt. It might take a while to get there…but at least she was going somewhere.
The monotonous ringing.
~ Nobody is home. Please be there. Please don’t be there. Please be…don’t be. ~
“The Valentine Estates. How may I help you?”
She licked her lips and through them she croaked out softly.
“I would like to come back home.”
~&~&~&~&~
Blood red. The roses were that deeply coated with the sinful color. He sniffed them appreciatively, as he paid the sidewalk vendor.
He hoped she liked it.
Not that Faye hated flowers. She was just not the type to bother with frivolous things like that.
Well, she deserved them today.
~ Ah, one more stop. ~
He pushed open the chocolate Shoppe and eyed the decadent displays with amused eyes. The last time he had been here, Faye had refused to leave. They had spent the entire afternoon sampling each treat and needless to say…that night at home had been one he would never forget.
“Ah, Mr. Spiegel. What a pleasure to see you here again.”
He allowed a polite smile to cross his face. “Hai. I will just take the usual and then I will be off. My woman awaits me.”
A knowing grin. “Of course, Mr. Spiegel. Here you go. Specially wrapped for the missus. Enjoy.”
“I intend to.”
And paying quickly, he found himself almost running back to his car. He couldn’t understand it. This sudden need to be with her. Today had been a disaster through and through and yet…
He craved her like a drug.
He picked up his cell phone to call her again. He had tried later on at work and had been greeted with the answering machine. Maybe she was still upset. And why shouldn’t she be? He hadn’t been in the best of moods either.
The ringing continued and this time it was a frown that crossed his face. He glanced at the time on the dashboard. Almost nine o’clock. She couldn’t still be upset about the argument.
He made the turn into their condo and stepped out to stare at their apartment. His eyes narrowed as they noticed none of the usual lights on. A sense of dread had begun to creep down his spine.
Quick eyes darted to the usual parking space that would have normally held her small but convenient car.
Nothing.
He gripped the flowers in his hands almost crushing them with his anxiety. Tightening his lips, he made his way up the stairs, unaware that he was running double time and nearly colliding with their next-door-neighbor.
“Oh, there you are, Mr. Spiegel. Lovely evening, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Mrs. Kasaki. It is a beauty evening…”
~ I have to get out of here! ~
Apparently, Mrs. Kasaki had no intentions of leaving.
“You wouldn’t believe the amount of snow that fell today. I almost got locked in my own apartment, isn’t that silly?”
A light laugh. “Yes…it is silly. And now if you will excuse me…”
“Oh, don’t mind me. I know how you young couples always want to get together and all of that. Although…”
The pause. Spike, who had started moving again, froze at it.
“Although what?” He asked a bit sharply.
Mrs. Kasaki looked a bit startled at the curt question. “Oh, it’s none of my business and all, but I couldn’t help noticing your wife going into her car…carrying a suitcase of some sort…”
Spike didn’t need to hear anymore. He bounded up the stairs like the devil was on his tail, his mind churning, begging, and pleading for it not to be true.
Hands that trembled fought to open up the doorway and after nearly kicking it down in frustration; he stumbled in and called out shakily.
“Faye?!”
~&~&~&~&~
“I am not one to tell you ‘I told you so’, but there you have it, Faye.”
“Yes, mother.”
“I knew that man was no good for you. I told you time and time again…marrying a writer? Oh, please.”
“Yes, mother.”
“You could have done so much better. I thought you and that Vicious boy had a thing going?”
“……….”
“Well no matter. I suppose you want me to feel sorry for you and sympathize, don’t you?”
“No, mother. I brought this upon myself.”
“Good. I am glad you realize that.”
The tense silence thickened the air, as the only sounds that emanated from the large living room were the crackle of the fire from the fireplace. She sat as tense as a bowstring upon the chair, her purple locks framing and hiding her face from the smirking and smug-looking one of the older woman that sat across from her.
“Stop slouching and sit upright, for Christ sake’s!”
Automatic response. She straightened up and darted a quick hateful glance towards the woman that she was forced to call Mother.
“Where is father?” she asked coldly.
Mother snorted and sipped her evening tea. “Your precious father traveled again. He will be gone for the week. Any objections?”
“No.”
“I suggest you go and take a shower and get out of those ridiculous clothes. Luckily, you don’t look like you have grown a lot over the years, so the clothes in your wardrobe should still be your size.”
“I have my own clothes…mother.”
“And you shan’t wear them
as long as you are in this house! Or maybe you can go back out the way you came
from…after all, you wanted to come back, I didn’t invite you here.”
/ Why? Why do you hate me so much? /
She tightened her lips and stood up. “I will turn myself in. Thank you for letting me back, mother.”
She spun around quickly to make her way out of the claustrophobic room, when the icy voice stopped her.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
She growled beneath her breath and walked back to the sitting woman. Green eyes took in the well-coiffed dark locks and the delicately made-up face. The face that could be as charming and as lethal all in one. Leaning forward, she placed the customary kiss on the cold cheek and had to restrain herself from shuddering at the contact.
“Goodnight, mother.”
And not looking back, Faye Valentine was soon swallowed up by the shadows.
~&~&~&~&~
“Faye?!”
He opened every door. Searched every room. Stupidly looked under the beds and sofas.
Nothing.
He walked into their bedroom again. Her dresser had been cleared out…except for a few meager items. Her wardrobe still contained some of her clothes…
~ So maybe she is coming back? ~
“Grr…she did not go anywhere!!”
~ Oh? So why isn’t she here then? ~
“She must have gone…gone to see someone…that’s all.”
~ Maybe she left a note….somewhere… ~
He searched the room again for any telltale sign of some paper with her delicate calligraphy on it. He made his way to the living room, absentmindedly, punching the answering machine to listen to his messages.
He walked into the den. She had been in here. He could still smell her light jasmine fragrance.
He walked into the kitchen, flicking the lights on as he did so. Nothing…
~ Yatta! ~
“There you are.” He peeled off the sticky note from the fridge and ran his eyes over the simple yet devastating message.
“Message No. 8. 7.45pm.
Mr. and Mrs. Spiegel. This is Dr. Fleming from the Health Institute. And I
think I have some really good news concerning your troubles. I would like to
schedule an appointment with you both as soon as possible. Tomorrow, perhaps? I
am sure you both will be pleased to know that there is a way you can have your
very own children. Please give me a call as soon as you can.”
BEEEEEEEEEP! END OF MESSAGES!
Spike stood like a zombie in the kitchen, the note falling down to the floor from limp fingers.
She was gone.
Just like that. She had left.
What the fuck did she mean by ‘some time to be apart?’
The ache. Oh, sweet Kami, the pain.
He sank to the floor and buried his face within his hands. The searing agony of being alone piercing right through his soul.
The silent ticking of the grandfather clock, his only companion.
The silent agony of being alone.
And for the first time in his entire adult life…
Spike Spiegel wept soundlessly.