Dinner on Friday

27. Carla

TO TRUST & FRIENDSHIP

After powering off my phone, I sat in the locker room for a good forty minutes, contemplating my next move before deciding to leave.

I had a gut feeling that Dante's men were waiting for me at the back and side entrances. So, I decided to take the risk and headed straight towards the main entrance. It was a daring move, but I couldn't let them get the upper hand.

Someone had left a black gym bag with a pair of running shoes in it sitting idly next to me. I dumped the shoes under the bench and took the bag, filling it with the shoes and clothes I had on.

At the bottom of the stairwell, I studied the reception area through the cutout glass part. I couldn't scope out the lounge area in its entirety, but the little bit I managed to see was clear of my husband's men.

I scanned the bustling crowd, looking for signs of Bruce, the gentle giant. Even in disguise, his towering height and kind demeanor would stand out. As for Vlad, his menacing glare would make anyone think twice before crossing his path.

My husband, on the other hand, stood out for totally different reasons. He was a sight to behold.

His eyes. Lethal. Piercing emerald gems that could cut through the thickest of fog. When he was worried or angry, they turned cold, cold enough to send shivers down my spine.

His jaw, angular, and strong, conveyed a sense of seriousness that demanded attention.

And his height? Simply put, it was intimidating. He towered above everyone else, commanding respect wherever he went.

But I couldn't let any of those things stop me.

With a death grip on the gym bag, I scampered out of the main hall, keeping behind a black family with kids. I squeezed myself into a not-so-large revolving door with them and stood with my breasts plastered against the husband's back due to lack of space. The wife threw me a dirty look, and I immediately looked away, refusing to meet her eyes.

Once I was out on the street, I walked stealthily until I found a bus stop. The first bus leaving wasn't stopping close to Eva's, but I hopped on it anyway, needing to be anywhere but here.

The bus took off with a jerk. I squeezed the armrest as I took in the faces of the other people on the bus. Mostly elderlies. Some were chatting quietly with their companions, while others were lost in their thoughts, perhaps reminiscing about their past experiences or contemplating the adventures that awaited them at their destination.

Feeling like I was out of the woods, I fell against the seat and closed my eyes.

With the lack of sensory sensations to distract me, my inner voice took over.

Stop behaving like a child.

You're married now. Talk to your husband. Call him now.

This is a trauma response. Shutting down. Running away. Not communicating. Were all those sessions with Dr. Valez for nothing?

Dante's face flashed in my head and I heard his voice going as far back as the day we first met. 'You are a stupid girl. So stupid. So fucking beautiful. But stupid.'

Dammit. I should go back.

I should.

And yet, my body remained glued to the seat like velcro in a heatwave. I hopped off the bus at the closest bus stop and started the twenty-two-minute walk to Eva's doorstep in the frigid spring air.

I shivered constantly but didn't stop walking. As I approached her apartment, I saw that the lights were on inside. I sighed in relief.

I rang the doorbell, and in the time it took her to come to the door, I tried warming up my hands by rubbing them together.