Derek. Thanks.” I left and walked out towards the door. “I’ll see you
in a few days.”
“I’ll
take you on a tour around campus and we’ll shop for textbooks together.”
I
smiled. That sounded so good, so safe, and so normal right now. As I glanced
back at Derek, I could see how he was smiling sadly at me. My dear dear friend
Derek, whose arms felt so good and secure around me…I wish I can turn that
sadness away, but that would mean I’ve abandoned Collins, which I couldn’t
imagine ever doing.
Chapter 13
I drove as fast as I could to my apartment,
racing up the elevators and to the front door. When I opened the door, I knew
something was different. The lovey dovey atmosphere it had was gone, replaced
with a sense of dread and despair.
“Collins!”
I called out, running through the rooms. “I’m here, Collins…where are you? Are
you here?”
I
ran through the living room, the library, the kitchen, and into my room. I
couldn’t find him there. Was he even here?
I
checked my last messages from Collins, sent an hour ago, right before I
received Billy’s call.
CollinsM: I’m at your place. Come home soon. I miss you. I need you. Love you so much my
heart is empty without your love.
Did
I waited too long to get here? Did he waited too long to see me and finally
left? Why did I sense he’d be here, waiting for me? My head started hurting,
and my throat was dry. I felt so thirsty all of a sudden. Drained.
I walked over
to the kitchen to get a glass of water when I noticed the leather tray on the
kitchen counter. Collins usually puts his car keys in that tray. Why didn’t I
check before? Sitting in that tray were his set of keys. But where was Collins?
My
heart started pounding, thinking the worse. What if something happened?
Billy…he said he’ll find me. He knew about Collins, too. What if Billy did
something to Collins?
I
called Collins’ phone and it went directly to his voice mail. “Collins,” I
said, “Where are you? Call me!”
There was a
faint beeping sound from down the hall. I walked down there with my phone, and
called Collins’ phone again.
Voicemail.
Then that same beeping sound in the hallway…a little louder this time because I
was closer.
When
I turned the corner to stand in front of the wall, I knew where it was coming
from…the Production Room.
I
unlocked the door, and saw it slid into the wall, opening it up until it was
large enough for me to walk through and into the dimly-lit room done in sensual
red silk and black velvet. In the middle of the room was a large medieval
four-poster bed with intricately carved wooden posts. An antique. In the corner
was a gilded gold cage, large enough to fit a person. There was a reclining
padded wall that looked like it can be angled.
Where
did that beep come from? And where was Collins?
I
walked into the middle of the room, right up to the bed. It was magnificent, a
piece from the Renaissance. The bed had red velvet curtains tied to the
bedposts. I touched the fabric, and luxuriated over the softness like doe’s
hair. I peered through the curtains to look at the bed. Maybe Collins was
sleeping there? I didn’t know what to expect.
No
one was there, except for the softest, most luxurious sheets. I wanted to lay
down in it and sleep, feeling all the exhaustion of this afternoon at Sawyer
House hit me. So soft, so inviting.
Go
find Collins, Girl! My Susan conscience screamed at me. You
promised Gail you’ll find him and talk to him.
That
was enough to jar the sleepiness out of me. “Collins?” I called, looking
around.
I
heard a click, and I turned around.
From
where I was standing right at the foot of the bed, I could see out of the
raised platform the bed was on up to the back of the room. It was as though the
bed was on a stage, and there was an entire control room in
in a few days.”
“I’ll
take you on a tour around campus and we’ll shop for textbooks together.”
I
smiled. That sounded so good, so safe, and so normal right now. As I glanced
back at Derek, I could see how he was smiling sadly at me. My dear dear friend
Derek, whose arms felt so good and secure around me…I wish I can turn that
sadness away, but that would mean I’ve abandoned Collins, which I couldn’t
imagine ever doing.
Chapter 13
I drove as fast as I could to my apartment,
racing up the elevators and to the front door. When I opened the door, I knew
something was different. The lovey dovey atmosphere it had was gone, replaced
with a sense of dread and despair.
“Collins!”
I called out, running through the rooms. “I’m here, Collins…where are you? Are
you here?”
I
ran through the living room, the library, the kitchen, and into my room. I
couldn’t find him there. Was he even here?
I
checked my last messages from Collins, sent an hour ago, right before I
received Billy’s call.
CollinsM: I’m at your place. Come home soon. I miss you. I need you. Love you so much my
heart is empty without your love.
Did
I waited too long to get here? Did he waited too long to see me and finally
left? Why did I sense he’d be here, waiting for me? My head started hurting,
and my throat was dry. I felt so thirsty all of a sudden. Drained.
I walked over
to the kitchen to get a glass of water when I noticed the leather tray on the
kitchen counter. Collins usually puts his car keys in that tray. Why didn’t I
check before? Sitting in that tray were his set of keys. But where was Collins?
My
heart started pounding, thinking the worse. What if something happened?
Billy…he said he’ll find me. He knew about Collins, too. What if Billy did
something to Collins?
I
called Collins’ phone and it went directly to his voice mail. “Collins,” I
said, “Where are you? Call me!”
There was a
faint beeping sound from down the hall. I walked down there with my phone, and
called Collins’ phone again.
Voicemail.
Then that same beeping sound in the hallway…a little louder this time because I
was closer.
When
I turned the corner to stand in front of the wall, I knew where it was coming
from…the Production Room.
I
unlocked the door, and saw it slid into the wall, opening it up until it was
large enough for me to walk through and into the dimly-lit room done in sensual
red silk and black velvet. In the middle of the room was a large medieval
four-poster bed with intricately carved wooden posts. An antique. In the corner
was a gilded gold cage, large enough to fit a person. There was a reclining
padded wall that looked like it can be angled.
Where
did that beep come from? And where was Collins?
I
walked into the middle of the room, right up to the bed. It was magnificent, a
piece from the Renaissance. The bed had red velvet curtains tied to the
bedposts. I touched the fabric, and luxuriated over the softness like doe’s
hair. I peered through the curtains to look at the bed. Maybe Collins was
sleeping there? I didn’t know what to expect.
No
one was there, except for the softest, most luxurious sheets. I wanted to lay
down in it and sleep, feeling all the exhaustion of this afternoon at Sawyer
House hit me. So soft, so inviting.
Go
find Collins, Girl! My Susan conscience screamed at me. You
promised Gail you’ll find him and talk to him.
That
was enough to jar the sleepiness out of me. “Collins?” I called, looking
around.
I
heard a click, and I turned around.
From
where I was standing right at the foot of the bed, I could see out of the
raised platform the bed was on up to the back of the room. It was as though the
bed was on a stage, and there was an entire control room in
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