Open My Heart to Love

Chapter 50

Walking out of the bathroom, shaving bag in hand, Karim made his way to his open suitcase sitting on the end of his bed. Placing the smaller bag inside the suitcase, he turned back around and walked to the closet. He pulled a few shirts from the hangers that held them and bent down to collect two pairs of shoes. Returning to the suitcase, he placed the items on top of the items he had already placed inside and closed it. Sighing, he sat down on the edge of the bed and rubbed his temples, attempting to massage the tension he was feeling away.

His life was a complete mess right now and he needed to get away. He could slowly feel himself unraveling, each fiber of his being slowly forming a pile at the bottom of his soul. Karim felt like he had no control over anything in his life. The only thing that kept him pushing forward was Ella. He looked forward to every precious moment that he got to spend with the little girl and if it weren't for her, he wasn't sure he would have any sanity to cling to. Macy had told him yesterday when he had dropped Ella off that the two of them were going on vacation with Isco and his son. Karim felt like his heart had been ripped out of his chest. Macy telling him that she and Ella were going on a vacation had told him two things. One, he wouldn't see Ella for over a week and two, that things between Macy and Isco were serious.

Deep down he knew that things were serious with Isco, Macy had said as much at Sergio's wedding. She hadn't left any doubt in his mind that things between him and Macy were over, forever. Her words had stung harder than he would ever admit to anyone, but he hadn't been surprised. He knew that he had single handedly ruined things with Macy, but he had still held an inkling of hope that maybe, just maybe, Macy would someday forgive him of his shortcomings and they could find happiness again. Now, it was clear that it wouldn't happen the way he had hoped. She had moved on and found her own happiness without him and his hopes were turning into a dark misery that was slowly swallowing him whole as each day passed.

Ella was truly his only glimmer of brightness in his life currently and if he couldn't see her for a time, then he didn't really know what to do with himself. This morning he decided he would go home to France and spend some time with his family. He needed it, that was for sure. He knew he could go there and nobody would judge him, or even know what kind of hell he had created for himself. As if the realization that he had lost the love of his life wasn't enough, his football career was in jeopardy. After his breakup with Macy, his form had suffered greatly because he just couldn't find the motivation to work to keep it up. It had showed not only in training, but on the pitch. There were talented, younger players that were hungry for his spot in the starting eleven and the club had told him that he should take the time that the off season offtered to work and to work hard. If he didn't get his mind and body back in the game, he would find himself on the bench, or even worse, on his way out the door.

Real Madrid had been his dream since he was a child and right now, like Macy, it too was quickly slipping from his grasp, on its way to becoming just a fond memory of happier times. He wouldn't lose his career too. He had trained harder than he ever had all summer and now he just needed some time relax and gather his thoughts so that he could move forward and focus on only football when the new season started. Going home was just the ticket, but he needed to leave before Ava found out he was going. She would want to go with him and frankly, he didn't want her company on the trip.

Karim had racked his brain a million times since waking up next to her after he had made the biggest mistake of his life and he couldn't figure out what had drawn him to her in the first place. She had changed so much since they had been together before he met Macy. Back then she was sweet and fun, but now she was selfish and pretentious. They didn't laugh together or have fun. Ava brought him no joy. Macy had brought him an abundance of joy and he knew that he compared everything that Ava did to her. It wasn't fair to Ava that he did this, but he didn't care. He knew that Ava wasn't faithful to him and it didn't even bother him. She could do whatever she wanted. After all, it wasn't like he was going to marry her. She was just something to pass the time and she wasn't Macy.

Shaking his head, he chuckled. He had turned into a bitter asshole and there were only two people in the entire world that could change that, Macy and Ella. Rising to his feet, Karim grabbed his suitcase and took one last look around the room to make sure he didn't forget anything. Seeing that he had everything he needed, he moved out of the room and down the stairs. Just as he reached the front door, his phone began to ring in his pocket. Dreading that it might be Ava, he started coming up with excuses as to why he wouldn't be seeing her for the next week. Pulling the device from his pocket, to his relief he saw that it was an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is Mr. Benzema available?"

The voice on the other end sounded serious and demanding.

"Yes. This is him." Karim answered quickly and curiously.

"This is Officer Bustos. Mr. Benzema, do you know a Ms. Macy Stephens?" the man said on the other end.

"Yes, sir. That is my daughter's mother. Is there a problem?" Karim asked, confused as to why he was being questioned about knowing Macy.

"Well, Mr. Benzema, you were listed as the emergency contact in Ms. Stephens phone...."

Karim could feel a lump quickly forming in the base of his throat as his stomach began turning in a flurry of knots.

"Is everything okay with Macy....with my daughter?" he interrupted the officer.

"Sir, there has been an accident..."