The Affair

Chapter 21

TWO WEEKS LATER

"Hey... if you could give me a call back, that would be nice. Haven't heard from you. I, um... I miss you. I expected you to visit me or to at least return my calls. But I'm sucking up my pride now and calling. So give me a call back. I love you."

I hang the phone up and slowly sit down. I've just come into my apartment. My chest and stomach are aching lowly and I tightly close my eyes. I can see the fuckers face then, hear the sound of the gunshots, and sigh slowly.

I haven't heard a word from her and have been trying my best not to think too much about it. I don't remember much about that night, aside from seeing red as soon as she was being grabbed by him, and losing my composure. After that it's all... a blur.

Lucky is the word the doctor used. Lucky to be alive. Lucky to not have brain damage. Lucky to not have been shot directly through my heart because the bullet was a mere centimeter away.

When I open my eyes Sophie is bring me a glass of water and the pain pills I've been prescribed. I haven't taken but a few and don't take any now. She was the first person I saw as soon as I was awake again. There were plenty of tears and hugs from her and my brothers, who flew in the next day.

I was perplexed when Sophie told me she hadn't seen or heard from Theodora. At first I was stricken with the fear that I hadn't been able to protect her and that she was dead, but that wasn't the case. Theodora spoke with the police, did an official interview about what occurred, and worked with a sketch artist to identify the mugger. But that was it.

The coverage of my incident only lasted a day. Apparently the day after a cop was shot and nearly killed, so I became old news rather quickly. I'm thankful for that, though leaving the hospital was a challenge due to paparazzi swarming Sophie and I.

Hugh visited me a few days after I awoke, when he had come back from Florida, and he told me Theodora had come down with a flu and was at home.

I've called I don't know how many times in the two week span, but now that I'm home, I intend to see exactly what is going on. I've ignored the aching deep in my stomach and pretended as if she has a perfectly good reason for not seeing me, but I know...

"Are you alright?"

Sophie interrupts my train of thought and I nod.

"Yes. Just tired."

I am tired, but I'm much more preoccupied with thoughts of Theodora. She wouldn't end it like this, surely. I keep reminding myself of that. We're more than that, we love each other, she couldn't end it without any words being spoken between us. So there must be some other explanation for her silence.

"I'm going to run out for a moment."

"Run out? Where?"

"Just out. Won't be gone long."

I'm wearing clothes she brought me to the hospital from here, sweatpants and a sweater, and I pull on a coat by the door. Downstairs I hail a cab and give him her address.

I'm nervous and fidgeting and keep telling myself to stay calm. It's just miscommunication, that's all. She's been busy. She wouldn't do this to me. She promised, she told me so many times. We didn't even fight before I was shot. We had a wonderful night, she loved her gift...

But the thought of that makes me close my eyes. The bracelet is in my pocket, which I slowly take out, and stare at. It was caked in blood and in an evidence bag when I got it back. It took my completely by surprise that she didn't have it. She loved it. It almost made her cry, she said it was gorgeous.