Way Down We Go

Chapter Twenty Nine

"What're you watching?" Kenna asked me, coming into the waiting room. I glanced at her as she sat down beside me, Greer sleeping on the other side. She gripped the corner of my laptop and saw an old performance of me, just when I had accepted the marriage between Francis and I. I was young, so, so young. But it wasn't all that long ago.

I watched little me sit at the piano, in a black lace corseted dress that dragged behind her in the back and exposed almost all of her legs in the front. She played fluently, the blue lights of the performance bright, yet dark as she lowered her lips to the mic and started to sing.

"When did I become so numb?

When did I lose myself?
All the words that leave my tongue
Feel like they came from someone else"

I shivered at the memory. I'd written the song just after things had started to go bad immediately after the Valois clan, the first time. Men and women had started touching my little body and I hadn't known what to do. So, just like right now, I started to sing.

"How are you feeling?" Kenna asked me. I looked at her. "You don't look good. Too pale, your pulse is racing." she touched my wrist. I sighed. The itch was becoming unbearable.

"This isn't about me. It's about Aylee. We're at a specialist's office for a reason, love." I answered. I heard a shuffle and looked up, seeing Daxten, Dakota, Empire, Dynasty, Dash and Dominion playing around with each other. I smiled at them, albeit sadly, as they tumbled from their bed that had been placed on the other set of chairs opposite us, rushing towards Kenna and I with rapt enthusiasm. I smiled at them, leaning down to stoke their fur, enjoying their little, happy faces.

Daxten jumped up on one of the couches as I sighed a little again, remembering all the times myself and the gorgeous blue eyed man would snuggle up to each other, covered up in a blanket whilst drinking hot chocolate every time it snowed with the fire on, enjoying each others' company with the dogs whom he had loved as much as I did. But now, that was all changed. He's disappeared, and he was off screwing some stupid little whore whilst I was here, taking care of my sick friend and all these businesses, as well as my celebrity.

None of us realised how much time had passed, but suddenly, it was dark outside, and Greer heard Aylee answering the door, signalling the consultation with one of the best doctors I had found was now over. Wiping the heavy amount of tears I didn't realise had fallen with the back of my hand, I quickly stood up and closed the laptop, slipping it into my bag whilst Kenna buckled up the dogs and Greer woke up, walking towards Aylee, taking her hand in hers, providing comfort I assumed she had been sorely needing.

"Are we ready?" Kenna asked.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go head to the restroom." I answered, walking out swiftly before anybody could say otherwise.

I sighed and slowly slid down the wall until I was sitting on the hard, cold floor. I pulled up her knees to my chest and rested my aching head upon them. My body ached and I just wanted to go home, to wallow in my own pain and try and make out that it was a dream that I'd one day wake up from.

Knowing it was wrong, but not being able to help it, I got up as if in a trance, and walked slowly over to the stall that was farthest away from the door. I entered and shut the door quietly, locking it behind me.

(Trigger Warning)

Looking up at the mirror slowly, tears continued to stream, but my eyes gleamed when I remembered what I had in my bag. I stared into my reflection, the blurry makeup and the tear streaked cheeks, before slowly opening my purse and retrieving a book. I rifled through the pages, until a loud 'ping' could be heard, echoing throughout the room.