The Whispers

9

The cab ride to her house was unbearably long. She had to see Nate as soon as she made sure Ken was gone with only what belonged to him. How dare he answer her phone! Yes, she'd forgotten it in his car but that didn't give him the right to answer it.

I'm a magnet for assholes! She thought to herself just as the cab pulled at the curb. She paid the driver and slipped out to look at the house across the street. She could swear she saw a curtain twitch from the upstairs window but she's probably exaggerating as always.

She opened the door and made a thorough scan of all rooms down here before doing the same upstairs. Nothing was missing except Ken's personal belongings; clothes, cosmetics and his favourite espresso machine.

Satisfied that nothing was amiss, she crossed the street to what she hoped was Nate's house if she remembered Nate's description well. She gave a sharp knock and the door opened almost immediately. He had been expecting her. Good, because...

Her mind stopped working as Nate stood before her in his magnificent glory. Was he even more handsome than the last time she saw him or was her eyes playing games on her?

He opened the door wider for her. "Hey, come in." He led the way to the kitchen. "It's a bit unkempt but I tried to clean up when I saw you coming."

"You saw me coming?" She asked absentmindedly while taking in his house.

It actually was beautiful. She'd expected it to be stark and cold, not bright and colourful with family portraits on the walls.

"I see everything about you," he was mixing whatever spirits one needed to make a Margarita.

"Maybe that's why you took it to yourself to answer my phone and talk to my fiancé? Because you see everything about me?"

Whoa! Someone is in a bitter mood.

"Whoa! You're phone was ringing nonstop and I thought if I turned it off whoever was calling you would think you're avoiding them." He paused to breathe. "I didn't say anything daring. I told him you weren't here and that you forgot your phone in my car!"

"That doesn't make it alright! He clearly thought I was cheating on him with you!" She threw up her hands.

"Are you?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"I wish I was," he said vehemently. "So you mean you're spitting fire like this because your 'fiancé', the very one who cheated on you, thought you were cheating on him with me?"

"Oh, thank you for reminding me about his cheating skills. I'd already forgotten," she said sarcastically.

Nate put his hands on his hips. "Look, Beatrice. I know you're hurting and going through a lot right now, but it's not fair to take it out on me."

"Fair? Don't tell me about fair! And you know nothing about what I'm going thro..."

Her words were cut short by the flickering of lights and the sound of the whirlwind. Heavy currents of wind.

"Oh, no!" Bea whispered with a trembling voice. This was more than what usually happened. It was actually terrifying.

A panicked Nate looked around the room and reached to pull her to him. Even in his panic he thought of her safety. In his arms, she couldn't remember why she'd been shouting at him just two seconds ago.

"What's going on, Bea?" Nate's mouth was in her hair.

"Beth..." She wanted to say more but she was too terrified.

Did she just say Beth? So there was this lady named Beth who disappeared on him seven months ago.

He felt her body shake violently with silent sobs and his heart tightened with pain at seeing her cry. Again. It seemed whenever he saw her these day she was crying.