Taint Me More ☑️

Chapter Thirty

With my father's story, he was still in love with my mother and had tried to fix things between them. Whatever it was that kept them apart, my father's short time left to live was obviously enough to drag her back to him. It was sad and I wanted to hate my mother, maybe I did, but our relationship had always been sour.

Gabby met me out at the front of our apartment building as I returned back home.

"Oh, you're home. How's your papa?" She asked and I just shrugged, telling her he was still the same.

I didn't want to mention anything about my mother showing up just yet, and she didn't ask anymore questions.

Instead, she said, "Aaron stopped by earlier, he was looking for you. I told him you were at the hospital for your dad. He said he's been trying your number but you haven't been taking his calls or replying his messages." She gave me a look of fellow feeling.

I had been ignoring his calls and messages ever since he beat up Brian. I didn't know he would come looking for me.

"I'm heading to the gym. There's some lasagna in the oven, Heather was gonna bring you some but she had to run some errands at work. I'll see you soon?" She added and I nodded as she walked away.

I made my way up to the apartment and stared at Aaron's name on my phone. I missed him, I wasn't going to lie to myself. But I thought about how my life would have been if I had never met him, if I had never gotten entangled with him. I'd still have a job and maybe Brian would still be my friend. All my life, I always thought I had real happiness and peace of mind, but I didn't. I always destroyed everything I touched without realizing it.

That thought gnawed at my mind as I got undressed to take a shower. I spent more time in the shower than I planned to, and as I started to exit my bathroom, a creaking noise sounded from my bedroom, followed by a bang. I immediately opened my bathroom door all the way to inspect my room.

Maybe one of the sisters came home.

"Heather? Gabby!" I called, but no one responded.

Instead, I was left with the low whistling sound of the wind, coming through the window that I was certain had been shut before I stepped into the shower. Chills ran through my damp skin as I moved swiftly to shut it. I tried not to look at it as strange because a sensible explanation was that the wind knocked the window open.

But why did I feel like something else was wrong? I had a strange feeling like someone was around and watching me.

My mind quickly went to Ronald, and it was enough for my skin to tingle with goosebumps. My first thought was to get the hell out, because calling the police wasn't an option. I couldn't exactly call to report that I felt like I was being watched.

So I quickly got dressed and left the house, whoever was stalking me wouldn't follow me out in the street with witnesses around. But it was New York City, anything was possible.

I looked around to make sure there was nothing out of the ordinary as I made my way to the nearest and safest place I could think of. The paint bar. Hopefully Gonzalo still remembered me and would be willing to entertain me before Gabby would be back home or before I'd be ready to go back to the hospital.

"Hi darling, I remember you." Gonzalo greeted me. "We've missed you here. I've asked Aaron about you a lot of times."

It was all I needed to feel safe again. The bar was filled with people, some were drinking cocktails and engaging, while others were either painting something or conversing with the painters.

I made small talk with Gonzalo as he made me a drink. He had quite interesting stories to tell. It was a good distraction for my mind as I managed to not drift off to the thoughts of my mother's arrival. I decided I would cross that bridge when I was ready.