“Just…call me if you need anything.” She said and walked over to my door, sliding out and closing it behind her. I cried for a few more minutes deciding what to do. It was obvious I was making a mess of the lives around me and I needed to set things straight. I scrolled through my phone, taking a deep breath before dialing.
‘Sinthia?” John asked, relieved I had finally called him back.
“John, we need to talk.” I said, waiting for his response.
“I’ll be right over.” I glanced down at my luggage.
“No. I’ll meet you outside.”
“Fair enough”
I sat out front on the curb of the dorm waiting for John to arrive. My heart was racing a mile a minute as I tried to figure out what I was going to say to him. When he arrived, I thought about running back into the building but when I saw his face, I could not move. His eye was an unnatural shade of purple and his cheek was swollen to twice its normal size.
“Oh my God!” I called out, pushing to my feet. He put up his hands to wave off my worry.
“I deserved it. I shouldn’t have said all those things last night.”
“I understand why you did.” He smiled a little and my stomach turned. “We need to talk.” I was ringing my hands together out of nervousness. “I like you, I really do, but I don’t think we are right for each other.”
“What? Sinthia, we are perfect for each other.”
“No, I tried to be what you wanted but it’s not fair to either one of us.” He stepped forward but I put up my hand to stop him.
“So that’s it?” he asked, sounding defeated. I nodded and he shook his head.
“I’m sorry,” I said and he looked down at the ground, kicking a few stones.
“Don’t be. Have a good life, Sinthia.” He turned and made his way back to his car. I took a deep breath and went back into the dorm. I felt a lot better about everything going on but I still had not figured things out with Collin. I grabbed my luggage and called the local cab company. My phone rang off the hook as I sat on the curb waiting for my ride. Collin’s voicemails ranged from sad to downright pissed off. I turned the sound off as the cab pulled up. A million thoughts ran through my head as we reached our destination. I paid the driver and watched him drive down the road and disappear. I turned to look at Collin’s building, summoning the courage to go inside.
Chapter Twelve
“Sin!” Collin yelled from his window. I shielded my eyes from the sun to look up at him.
“I’ll be right down!” He yelled and in record time, he burst through the front door of the building. He walked slowly towards me as if I were a mirage that would disappear at any second. “I thought you were going home?” He asked looking confused and relieved at the same time.
“I’m here aren’t I?” I smiled. He laughed and took a step closer to me.
“Kiss her you idiot!” Taylor yelled from the window above us. We glanced up to see Taylor, Beef and Jake staring at us like a sideshow.
Collin wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me hard against him, his lips finding mine hungrily. Cheering erupted from above us as my feet left the ground. He slid his hand under my knees and carried me in up the front steps.
“Make yourself useful and come grab her things!” Collin yelled up at the window. He carried me effortlessly up the steps as Beef slid by us to retrieve my belongings.
“Thanks Beef!” I smiled. He turned back at me and winked. Collin kissed me quickly on the cheek as he kicked open the front door. Taylor and Jake stood on the other side clapping and cheering. “I feel like I’m in a John Hughes movie.” I laughed as Collin set me down.
“This is your kingdom. Everything the light touches…” Collin began in a deep voice.
“Lion King? Really?” I punched him in the arm.
“Ouch! You hit almost as hard as I do!” He yelped.
“You guys are meant for each other!” Taylor rolled her eyes. “Where are we going to celebrate?” She looked at us expectantly.
“I don’t know about you lightweights but I could use a beer.” I smiled. Collin picked me up and swung me around.
“First, I get to do something I have been dreaming of for months. Body shots!” Collin yelled.
“I got this.” Beef picked me up like a sack of potatoes and threw my over his shoulder. I kicked and screamed as he sat my on the kitchen counter. I laughed and screamed as they held me down and Collin poured tequila into my belly button and slurped it out. It tickled and I fought against them to let me go.
“Alright. I think she has been tortured enough. Let’s go party!” Taylor yelled. I crawled off the counter and jumped Collin’s back. He carried me down the steps and we headed to Filly’s for ‘Midnight Margarita’ night.
The place was pack, as usual and we had to fight our way up to the bar. We each got our margaritas and headed out onto the dance floor. ‘If’ began bumping through the speakers and I used it to my advantage. I shook my hips against Collin. I spun around and dropped my hands to the floor. I flipped my hair back as I slowly stood up against him, reaching behind me and running my hands down his neck.
“Shit, Sin. Where did you learn to dance like that?” His hands slid down my sides.
“Television, duh.” I laughed. He turned me around, pulling me tight against him.
“You have no idea how many times I wanted to do this.” He leaned in and kissed me in the middle of the dance floor. Our friends around us yelled and clapped like a bunch of drunken fools and I loved every minute of it. I felt like I was in the middle of a sappy love story that just kept getting better.
“Take me to bed or lose me forever!” I said dramatically, channeling Meg Ryan in Top Gun. I found it fitting after being called ‘wingman’ for the past several months.
“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Collin lifted me in his arms and the crowd parted around us as we made our way to the door.
When we reached the apartment, I could barely think straight. I had thought about this moment for months but now that it had arrived, I suddenly felt afraid.
“We don’t have to do this now. We have forever.” Collin reassured me, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Shut up and take me to bed already!” I grabbed his face in my hands and pulled his mouth to mine. He kissed me back, as we stumbled down the hallway together, unable to take our hands off each other. We reached his bedroom and he kicked the door shut behind us, turning the lock on the door.
“I should have done that the first time.” He laughed. I smiled, pulling off my clothing as his face turned serious. “I love you, Sin.” He breathed as he pulled off his shirt and grabbed my face again for another kiss. We collapsed in each other’s arms onto the bed, tangled together.
“Collin…” I whispered. His expression looked worried as if he may have gone too far. “I love you.” It felt like a huge weight lifting off me as the words left my mouth. I never meant anything more than those three tiny words. They carried the power of the world.
Five Years Later…
I unlocked the door to my home. It was small but it had a decent size backyard and was just minutes from downtown Savannah. The weather was always warm and the people were incredibly friendly. The house was dark as I slipped inside. Collin was working late tonight. I pushed the door open, my hands full of a few items I had picked up at the bakery. As I flicked on the lights, the room filled with sound.
“Surprise!” Everyone I loved in the world was there. Taylor ran up to hug me, leaning over my giant stomach. My Mom followed kissing me on the cheek. Tears sprung to my eyes.
“I thought you wouldn’t be here until next month!” I wrapped my arms around my Mother’s neck, squeezing her tightly.
“I couldn’t miss your baby shower!” She replied, grabbing my face with her hands. “How is my grandson?” She placed her hand on my belly. I placed mine on hers and smiled. My eyes scanned the room, full of all of my friends. In the back, I spotted Collin, grinning. People swarmed me and I could not take my eyes off him.
Sneak Peek
Chapter One
“Honey, you’re going to be late!” Ally called up the stairs to her husband, Anthony. They had been married for nearly eight years and without her, he would forget his own name. Moments later Anthony lumbered down the staircase, buttoning his shirt along the way. He smirked and grabbed his dark grey suit jacket from Alley, shrugging it on as he made his way out of the front door. Several seconds passed and the front door flew back open as Anthony returned for his keys that Ally held out in her hand with a smirk.
“Thanks, Hon.” Anthony said and quickly pecked Ally on the cheek. She smiled as she walked into the kitchen, fixing her long dirty blonde hair into a loose bun, securing it with a pen she grabbed of off the counter top. She chewed her lip as she read over her schedule for the day. Her heart sunk as she read
Sadie’s Fundraiser 3pm
scrawled out in the calendar block. She grabbed the island countertop with both hands to steady herself, closing her eyes and counting to ten. Tears stung her eyes as she squeezed them tighter begging them not to fall. Her breathing became more rapid and uncontrolled. She reached for her purse and desperately searched for an orange pill bottle labeled valium. Panic set in as she knocked the purse to the floor and its contents scattered.
“Shit!” she muttered aloud as the flood gates opened and tears streamed down her face, stinging her cheeks. She collapsed to the floor and rummaged through the mess, coming up with her prescription bottle. She struggled desperately to pop the child safety cap off. The irony of not having a child to protect did not miss her. Her home was now sickeningly silent since she closed down her day care. Finally, the lid sprung free sending pills all over her lap. She gathered two and grabbed her glass of off the counter, filling it quickly with the water tap on the door of the stainless steel fridge. Swallowing the pills she took a moment to calm herself before finding her cell phone from the mess on the floor. She opened the address book and paused at her husband’s name. After a moment, she continued down the list and selected the name Doctor Hemler. After three excruciatingly long rings, a receptionist answered the phone.
“Dr. Hemler’s office. How may I help you?” a sweet soothing voice called through the receiver.
“Yes, um- is Doctor Hemler available?” Ally asked trying to keep the shaking in her voice hidden.
“He’s in an appointment this morning. May I take a message and have him call you back?” The voice responded.
“NO-no.” Ally stuttered and suddenly felt embarrassed by her breakdown. “I just forgot my appointment time, but I found the slip right here. My mistake.” She said with a laugh. She clicked the end call button before the woman could respond. Taking a deep breath and finally feeling the effects from her medication Ally bend down to retrieve the contents of her purse. She quickly stuffed all of her belongings into her designer bag, hanging onto a picture of her beloved Sadie wearing a pink tutu.
Sadie was the spitting image of Ally, with long dirty blonde hair, big bright blue eyes and dimples framing her smile. She could have easily passed for her daughter. At four years old she dreamed of being a prima ballerina, taking lessons once a week at the Tutu Studio. Ally babysat her nearly every night, indulged in her every whim. They were partners and crime. Ally came alive when she was with Sadie. It was the only time her smile touched her eyes. One night in June while Sadie’s parents were out of town for a business trip, they were leaving a local park after ditching pre-kindergarten to have ice cream and some good old-fashioned fun. They spent nearly two hours climbing trees and swinging from monkey bars.
“I think we better be getting home.” Ally told Sadie as she checked her watch and realized Anthony would be home from work soon and she hadn’t decided on anything for dinner.
“Awww.” Sadie whined and gave her best pout trying to win a few extra moments of play time out of Ally.
“One more trip down the slide then we HAVE to go. You know how your Uncle Anthony gets when he is hungry.” She said making an exaggerated angry face. Sadie giggled and ran off to the sliding board. She smiled and chatted with a little boy who had made it to the ladder just before her. Brushing the long blonde curls from her face she hurried up behind him, anxious to take her turn. Ally rummaged through her purse and checked her cell phone for messages. There were none, so she scrolled to her husband’s name and sent him a quick text letting him know they would be home soon. As she hit send the horrible screeching of tires and metal colliding with something suddenly grabbed her attention. Time slowed as she whipped her head around to see what had made that awful noise. A crowd gathered around as the white car flipped into reverse and sped off, dragging its bumper under the front of it, sending sparks cascading down the road behind it. She quickly scanned the playground for Sadie. A little brown haired boy slid down and no one else was in sight. Her eyes darted to the swings that swayed empty. Her heart leapt into her throat as she searched desperately for the little girl.