Met An Angel One Night

Chapter 4: A Disappearing Act

She disappeared for a month.  I'd gotten so used to her popping by the studio or my house. The first few days of her absence were fine. I went about my day, drank in the morning, worked in the studio, and made minimal appearances at clubs. Not for too long though. I was always prepared for Lux to appear at some point. To see her knock on my door carrying a take-out bag of Mongolian food with her.  Even to just have her come with me to the studio. Then the 1st week passed, and I got antsy. I emailed her first, it was short, nonchalant message asking how she was doing. Then another week passed, and I emailed her again. This message was a little more worried, and a tad frazzled. My words weren't making much sense, and I bluntly asked where she was. Yet another week passed and I hadn't gotten any answers.

I was substantially worried, and it affected how I went about my day. The "friends" I hung out with at club appearances said I was wound-up. Javen even said I looked like a steamroller crushed me, and then someone tried to glue me back together. Javen's descriptions were always a little on the odd side. After being told all of this, I tried to shake off all thoughts about Lux. If she didn't want to talk to me, then I didn't need to talk to her. Who the fuck cares.

I did.

So I emailed again.

And again.

And again.

She never answered.

It got to the point where I couldn't really function. I drank myself into a respectable stupor, and cooped myself up in my studio. I blasted my music so loud that I could feel it in my bones. I wanted to feel again, and without Lux I couldn't. I finished my album, and set up respective tour dates with my manager. Lux hung in the back of my head like a ghost. Haunting me...with her pretty words, and once-upon-a-time reassuring presence. I decided that the only reason she wouldn't answer my emails was because she was hated me. I wouldn't blame her. I wracked through my memories, trying to pinpoint the exact moment she began hating me. I couldn't find it...but I decided that was the reasoning. A logical, understandable reason to never answer me. To disappear like a magic trick, you know smoke and mirrors, and all that bullshit.

When Lux came back she appeared like an avenging angel. The dreaminess was lost in her eyes. She stared at my with eyes that were stone cold. The pools of brown didn't hold a light in them. Her hair was shorter, and dyed a vibrant silvery grey. She looked exhausted, but she sat casually at my kitchen table sipping on a piping hot cup of tea. I'm officially going crazy, I've started hallucinating now. I didn't think I drank too much vodka today, but what day was it even?

"How are you, Rockboy?" she whispered. Her lips tugged up a little at the corners. Not even a fraction of what her usual mega-watt smiles were.

"Why the fuck are you here?" I snapped. She flinched.

"I came to say hi. I've been gone for a while, I thought you'd at least be happy to see me." she mumbled.

"Well, that isn't usually the case when someone doesn't answer your emails, or calls. Author, you ignored me for a fucking month. What the fuck have you been doing to have dropped off the face of the earth?"

She shrunk back away from me. Even though I was yelling at her from across the room. I hadn't dared to approach her. She was a figment of my imagination, so I'd go along with this. I was probably yelling at empty space. She gulped down more of the tea she was drinking.

    "I had to deal with some stuff. I got cut off, no tech." she answered simply.

    "No tech? You're an author. You write paranormal books. What were you doing that required no tech?"

She played with the mug, slingshotting the beverage holder between her hands. She didn't try to look up my eyes anymore.

    "I had to help out my aunt. She got herself into a bit of a bind. She's usually so careful..." her voice faded out not finishing her thought. She stopped playing with the mug, and stood up. A faint lipstick imprint stays on the mug.

    "I'm gonna leave. I thought...well I was just being stupid obviously." She looked at me directly; staring at me so deeply, it looked like she was in pain.

    "You're eyes still look the same.. I thought they would've cleared up by now. I guess I just can't fix everything...can I?" she whispered. She grasped the door handle, and wrenched the door open. I ran across the room and pulled her away from the doorway. She was real. I could feel her skin beneath my fingers. I brought my hands to her face, cupping her cheeks. I could feel her pulse, and I immediately stepped back.

    "You're real." I choked out.

    "Of course, I'm real Wren." She replied, her voice a little lighter. She tipped her head, and smiled at me.

    "You left me."

    "I had to. I'm sorry Rockboy. I'm so sorry I left you alone." She whispered, she pulled me into a hug. I stood there stiffly.

    "Why? Lux. Why?" I mumbled.

    "It's my fault. I should've seen it coming. It took longer than it should have. You should have never even noticed I was gone." Lux whispered, still holding me in her iron grip of a hug, "I missed you, Rockboy."

    I breathed in her scent, trying to calm my nerves. She was real. She was real. She was real. She was real. She was real.