by Tammy Lewis
paralyzed by the drug that you had been given. So how did you manage to call for help this evening?”
“Tonight, was the first time that I felt fully conscious, awake
and able to move and speak. Over the past few days I could
hear Cynthia’s voice constantly. Then all of a sudden, she
disappeared and the longer that she was gone, the more lucid
that I became. It was as though she had purposely stayed
away. It was then that I began to hope and pray that someone
was out there, looking for me. Almost certain that she
couldn’t dare return, with the fear that she would lead
someone straight to me,” he replied.
Knowing just how difficult today had been, the detective
concluded the interview quickly. Collecting his things and
shaking Quinn’s hand, he suggested “I think that we have
enough for now, to hold the assailant. You go home, get some
rest and reacquainted with your family and we will be in
touch soon.”
Thanking the detective for all that he had done, he left,
leaving us alone for the first time, since Quinn had been
found. Rising to his feet, standing directly in front of me,
Quinn embraced me fast and strong, pulling me into him, at a
greater force than anything that I had ever felt before. All
while I prayed that he would stop, because being like this,
with him, no longer felt right, so much had changed between
us. But due to the current circumstances, right now, I just
didn’t have the heart to tell him, that what we had was clearly
gone.
When suddenly, feeling Quinn completely overpower me,
hearing the door open behind him. Pressing my hands against
his chest, using all of my strength to try and create some
space between us. Enough to see who was stood behind him,
feeling my heart break a little at the sight of Janine and Marcus. Noticing the tears, clearly evident in Marcus’s eyes.
Lowering his head, holding his emotions inside, Marcus
called out “I’ll go and bring the car around to the front. Dom’,
I will meet you outside.”
Urging Quinn to go and get himself dressed, Janine and I
hung around in Quinn’s hospital room. Feeling a slight
tension within an unbearable silence, watching Janine, watch
me in the corner of my eye, she suggested “Marcus, he’s quite
a guy. How long have you been friends?”
Uncertain why, and where her questions had come from and
where exactly they were leading to, I replied “yeah he’s great.
I’ve known Marcus for… well forever. He’s like the big brother
that I never had and never wanted.”
Watching the slight contempt consume her face, I began to
wonder just how much she could see, giving our close
relationship. Almost forcing out a half-hearted laugh, she
suggested “I know that feeling all too well!”
When thankfully, just in time, cutting through the awkward
tension, Quinn returned fully dressed and ready to leave.
Taking hold of my hand firmly, Quinn led us through the
hospital and out to the front, where Marcus was stood, almost
unapproachable, arms folded, leaning against his car.
Reaching out his hand for Marcus to shake, Quinn thanked
him for all that he had done.
Ignoring Quinn’s hand entirely, Marcus made his way around
to the driver’s side of the car, sounding extremely abrupt, he
called out “I’m only here for Dom’. You should know that by
now, whenever she needs me, I will be there.”
Lowering my head, sure that Marcus’s resilience was
throwing a lot of negative energy towards us, creating a dire
atmosphere for us all. Reaching for the passenger door, to seat myself next to Marcus, I felt Quinn pull me into him,
leaning in, he asked “will you sit in the back with me?”
Reluctantly I nodded, climbing in first, sliding myself across
the seat, knowing that for sure, Marcus was watching me very
closely in his rear-view mirror. Feeling his eyes burn into me
as we drove. The car was in complete silence once again, that
was until we pulled up outside Quinn’s building. Sliding
himself out of the car next to me, Quinn held out his hand to
help me out. While Marcus glared into the back seat and
asked “Dom’, are you staying or are you coming home?”
Instantly filled with a need and desperation to go home with
Marcus and at least discuss what had happened and where we
could go from here. I suggested “Quinn why don’t you go and
get some rest, and I’ll come and see you in a few hours.”
Frowning heavily and reaching in through the car door to me,
feeling as though, those were not the words that he was
expecting. He begged “please Domini, I don’t want to sleep by
myself tonight. I don’t even know if I can.”
Feeling as though I hardly had any choice, not wanting to let
him down in his hour of need, I took his hand and reluctantly,
I slowly shuffled myself across the back seat towards him.
Looking back to say goodnight to Marcus, whose solemn gaze
made me feel dead inside. Closing the rear door behind me, I
heard Marcus call out “night Dom’, I’ll come back and pick
you up in a few hours, ready for work.”
Walking around to the driver’s door, crouching in through the
open window, I hugged Marcus tightly and said “thank you
for everything, I’ll see you in a few hours. Goodnight
Marcus…”
Feeling his arms hold me tighter than he’d ever hugged me
before, sure that a part of him, just couldn’t bear to let me go.
Gracing my cheekbone with the softest kiss, he replied “night honey.”
Chapter 32
Safe inside the confines of Quinn’s apartment, I could see that
he was more than happy to be home. Taking my hand and
saying goodnight to Janine, he led me straight into his
bedroom. Seating myself down on to his bed, wanting to
create us much space between us as I could, without causing
any unnecessary drama or upset. I suggested that before he
could get into bed, that he needed to go and take a quick
shower, to wash the weekend and the damp and musty smells
of the warehouse clean away.
Leaving me in the bedroom, Quinn made his way into his
bathroom. Laid out, all alone, in the centre of Quinn’s bed, I
thought that it was the perfect time to text Marcus. Feeling
that so much needed to be said right now, but couldn’t.
Taking my phone from my pocket, I text Marcus: -
“I really think that we need to talk.”
Instantly receiving a message back from Marcus, it read: -
“We sure do, but not like this, not over text message and
certainly not while you’re there with him. I will see you in a
few hours, I’ll be around at 8, sharp! Try and get yourself
some sleep. Goodnight Dom’.”
Feeling my heart break a little, wanting to be home, in the
comfort of my own bed. Climbing under Quinn’s bed covers,
with tears in my eyes, I lay my head on to the pillow and
gradually fell fast asleep.
The following morning, wrapped
in Quinn and blankets, I was woken by the sound of knocking coming from the bedroom
door. Then a lady’s voice, call out “Domini, Marcus is here, he
says that you need to get ready for work.”
Realising instantly that it was Janine, I pulled myself from
Quinn’s arms, disturbing him, to find both Janine and
Marcus at the other side of the door. Handing me my clothes,
unable to even look at me, Marcus stated “I’ll be downstairs, if
you’re not down in 15 minutes, then I am leaving without
you.”
Raising my eyebrows at his abruptness, I retreated to Quinn’s
room, noticing Janine’s awkward stance, seeing Marcus in
this unpleasant frame of mind. When before I could even turn
around, in an instant, I could feel arms surround me. Holding
on to Quinn’s hands tightly, I sighed and said “I’m sorry, but I
have to go and get ready for work.”
Releasing me, only enough to be able to look at me, noticing
the sadness consume his face, as he asked “you’re leaving,
really? Can’t you give your boss a ring, tell her all that has
happened and ask her for some time off? I am sure that she
will understand, considering the circumstances, you’ve had
hardly any sleep. Please Domini, I don’t want you to go.”
Backing away from him and placing my clothes on to his bed,
unable to look up at him, I replied “Ms Hilary is already
making my life a living hell over you right now, she’d never
understand.”
Feeling his arms surround me once more, a little tighter than
before, hearing the desperation in his tone, Quinn asked
“have you met someone else?”
Turning to face him and raising my eyebrows, feeling the
anger rise inside of me, I replied “are you kidding me right
now, because I have to go to work today, suddenly I have met someone…”
Instantly interrupting me, trying to calm me, pulling me
closer into his embrace, Quinn called out “hey… Domini…
please… calm down… I only asked because you seem a little…
well… uh…”
Glaring at him, waiting for him to finish, I asked “I seem a
little what Quinn, what were you going to say?”
Lowering his head, he replied “distant. It’s just you spent the
weekend away with him… old flames are easily ignited.”
Widening my eyes in horror, I began to laugh at his ridiculous
suggestion, asking him “what Jarred, are you serious? If I had
wanted to have been with Jarred, the night of the Governors
ball, then I would have left with him.”
Apologising, Quinn pulled me into him, feeling my whole-
body tense against his, squeezing me tightly, he suggested “I
am sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just that things
feel different, you do forgive me, don’t you?”
Closing my eyes tightly, I replied “yes, I forgive you. I told you
so, but I really have to go to work.”
Releasing me and holding his hands into the air,
surrendering, he backed down and said “ok, but can I come
and see you at lunch, take you out for a bite to eat.”
Sure, that it was the only way to release myself from this
awkward tension, I agreed, taking my clothes into the
bathroom, I began to get myself ready for work.
Returning to the bedroom, I was relieved to see that Quinn
was gone. Walking through to the kitchen, Janine was stood
at the stove, with a broad smile, handing me a coffee, she
asked with some concern “are you leaving?”
Nodding, I replied “my boss is a real slave driver. I have no other choice than to go in today. Where is Quinn?”
Pointing through to his office, Janine replied “Ralph called,
he wanted to make sure that Quinn was ok, but Quinn being
Quinn, he’s already planning the next unveiling of the new
centre for the kids. How anyone could ever believe that he
would take off with the kids’ money, I will never know. When
he knows more than anyone, just what it’s like to be one of
them.”
Unsure where to even begin, to respond to her words, feeling
the awkward tension between us return. Wanting to leave
quickly, I almost whispered “I have to go or Marcus is going
to leave without me, could you please say bye to Quinn for me
and tell him that I will see him at lunch.”
Looking slightly taken aback by the fact that I was going to
leave without saying goodbye, almost speechless, Janine
replied “sure!”
Lifting my purse and charging towards the apartment door, I
made my way downstairs to Marcus, who was still seated
behind the wheel, looking less than amused. Seating myself
beside him and closing the door, Marcus sped off, sure that he
wanted to leave just as much as I did. Taking an odd route to
work, Marcus pulled into a side lane and without even looking
over at me; he explained.
“Dom’, before all this gets weird, I want to apologise. I should
never have kissed you, we were both exhausted and I crossed
the line. It was a mistake. Can we please just forget that it
ever happened and I promise, hand on heart, that it will never
ever happen again. I don’t like things being weird between us,
you’re my best friend. I love you Dom’, you’re like family.”
Placing my hand on his, looking over at him, noticing that still, he was unable to look back at me, I asked “is that what
you want?”
Nodding, sure that I could see tears present in his eyes,
feeling as though his words were almost scripted, that had
been pre-rehearsed, he replied “yes, definitely. I think that it’s
for the best. Dom’, I hate to say it, but Quinn, you guys look
incredible together, you are the picture-perfect couple. I only
want what’s best for you and he’s an architect for Christ sake,
physically and professionally, you’re both in the same league.
I’m sure that your parents, especially your father, are going to
be so proud, when you take him home. No matter what
though, we’ll always have this, what we have now, this
friendship, our unbreakable bond. No one or nothing, will
ever come between us.”
Returning my hand into my lap, staring through the car
window, feeling the tears begin to trickle down my cheeks. I
held it together as best that I could, forcing out the words, I
suggested “ok, yeah sure. If you think that it’s for the best.”
Hearing the car’s ignition start up once more and the car
begin to move, sinking myself into the seat, trying to stay
strong, to contain my sadness and recollect my thoughts.
Knowing that we were only a few blocks away from the office
and I didn’t want to enter looking like a blubbering mess.
Leaving Marcus in yet another awkward silence, I marched
straight up to my office, instantly greeted by Ashlee, who
proceeded to follow me, incoherently babbling behind me.
Stopping at my office door, I turned to her and asked “please
Ash’, I am sure that you have a trail of important things that
you need to tell me right now. But I need to go into
my office
and scream for few moments, so could you please hold all of
my calls.”
Smiling like an insane person, I turned away from her and entered my office, sliding down my office door into a heap on
the floor. I then began to have the biggest tantrum, that even
the moodiest of toddlers would have been so proud of.
Exhausted, gazing over at my desk, my phone began to ring.
Looking down at it, as the screen illuminated to see Quinn’s
name. I screamed, throwing the phone across the room,
hearing it land somewhere under my desk. Curling myself
into a ball, it was then that I began to sob uncontrollably.
Feeling the door begin to vibrate behind me, with each and
every knock that hit it, I didn’t move. Hearing Ashlee very
professionally call out “Miss Stone, you have just received a
delivery.”
Pulling myself up off of the floor and dusting myself down, I
turned, opening the door, I marched over to my desk, hearing
Ashlee’s footsteps behind me. Turning to face her, I could see
the horror in her face at my sadness, gasping she asked “boss,
are you ok?”
Placing a huge vase full of red roses on to my desk, closing my
door tightly, she hurried over to me, throwing her arms
around me. Holding me close, she then turned from PA to
friend, comforting me, she promised that everything was
going to be ok.
Pulling myself together, gazing over at the flowers, Ashlee
asked “I guess those are from Quinn, apologising.”
Nodding I replied “yep!”
I then took Ashlee back through the weekend’s events that
had occurred, while we had been away at our convention.
Standing back and gasping in horror, placing her hand over
her mouth, she cried “Cynthia. No! I can’t believe it, what a
despicable woman. But you shouldn’t be here… you should be
with him… I will get on to Ms Hilary at once, this is huge…”
Then standing back, looking at me with a curious glare, she asked “that’s not all, is it, you haven’t forgiven him, have you,
things have changed, haven’t they?”
Closing my eyes tightly, knowing that Ashlee had hit the nail
right on the head, gasping once more she asked “there’s
someone else, isn’t there?”
Scrunching up my entire face in contempt, knowing that she
was the last person that I could tell, I replied “there’s no one