Within Temptation

Six (The Love I Felt Has Turned to Pain)

I awoke to an eerie sense of quiet.

This sent me into a panic, in my home if it was too quiet it spelled disaster for everyone involved. I try to sit up getting pushed back down. Yuki Amaterasu, Yumi's mom begins the task of removing the IV from my arm. She doesn't have to say anything, I overdid it again. The one trait I received from my father. I worked my ass off. I'd snack to get through the day, but unless Ben was home there'd be no full meal for me. I look for my phone seeing it nowhere in sight. I hated missing appointments. I hated missing work more.

"You worked yourself to the point of exhaustion again, Rin." She gives me the look of a concerned mother. This didn't bother me in the slightest. Mama Yuki treated me like I was one of her own. She was a mother of four. Yumi was her first-born.

"I know." I stare down at my hands. I can't lie to Mama Yuki. She's got the same bullshit detector as my own mom. I will be the first to confess that I was still a workaholic. I may have lessened my load, but that didn't mean I didn't give my responsibilities my all. She hands me my phone.

"Promise me that you'll take better care of yourself. Maybe take some time off? Spend it with your husband and your son?" She suggests.

I let her suggestion sink in. I couldn't remember the last time I took a vacation. I had taken maternity leave with Ri. Well, if you counted working from home when I started going stir crazy. I couldn't help myself. Yuki was right, I'd been working my ass off to the point of exhaustion. I needed to take some much-needed time off. I pulled up my Wanderlust Group Chat typing up my message.

To: Wanderlust Group Chat

From: Corinne Bruce

Mandatory meeting tomorrow. We will be discussing changes to the upcoming schedule.

My crew all responded with thumbs-up emojis. I begin the task of looking through my messages. I text Jo letting her know my mama hijacked my phone and I'd be talking with Ben. My eyes drift to the bedside table finding Ben's signature apology awaiting me. It never failed to bring a smile to my face, yet it felt like it would take more this time around to make amends. Yumi's texts were easy to answer, I let her know I was fine and I'd be back in action tomorrow. I left Danny's messages on read. I didn't feel up to answering them.

I set my phone down running my hands through my hair. My dreams made no sense a warning about someone called the King of Pain. They regained their throne and were now coming to reclaim what they lost. I didn't know who this king was, Remington left me with one piece of advice. I needed to take the vial in my safe. I needed to remember what I'd supposedly forgotten. He said this alone would give me a fighting chance.

"Babe?"

His voice could still melt my heart, we'd been together for seven years now. I hoped it would never fade. My anger, on the other hand, had plans my eyes narrowed. I had to sit on my hands to avoid chucking something at his head. He enters slowly his hands raised in a gesture of surrender. He looked absolutely awful. I can chalk that up to my mom and friends tearing into him.

"Have you heard from Andy?"

This question makes me pause. I stare at him in disbelief. Is this some kind of joke? He'd been accusing me of cheating and now he was showing concern? I pick up my phone checking the time. I'd been asleep an entire day. Now my mind panics. Ben sits next to me putting his arm around me. I shrug him off his words sting more than the last time. I still look at the remaining messages, scrolling through the mountain of ones from Ben with disinterest. I see one from Andy my heart starts to skip.

To: Corinne Bruce

From: Andy Biersack

I missed you at Wanderlust. I heard from your crew you were sick. I'd like to see you before I go. Meet me at The Burger Joint at noon?