Leila took one last look at her office in case she had forgotten something. One last time, she opened his file. The picture stared up at her and she smiled. She placed the picture in her pocket and turned off the lights. Going home was the last thing on her mind. She just drove around for hours thinking about her life. When did I lose control? How did this all happen?. The dimly lit clock in her car read 11:03. Have I really been driving that long? Everything was dark and calm around her. As she pulled to a stop, she found that she had driven herself to Justin’s apartment. She looked up and saw his light through the fifth floor window.
This had been the most horrible day in her life, but she knew once she saw Justin, everything would be okay. Music was playing as she knocked on the door. She turned the handle and was happy to see the door unlocked. The sight before her, however, made her heart drop. There was Justin on the bed with someone else. He didn’t notice her at first, perhaps too caught up in the sexual act. The young woman was blindfolded and handcuffed; a disturbing, but all too familiar sight. She reached over and turned off the radio. This got his attention, but he didn’t seem at all surprised to see Leila standing there. In fact, she could have sworn he almost smiled. The young girl beneath him moved her head to the side, confused as to what was happening. “What’s wrong?”
Leila’s heart sank again. That voice. That’s-- Oh God. Tears formed in her eyes and she ran to the elevator. She felt herself starting to hyperventilate as she sped away. When she finally got to the safety of her home, she locked herself in the bathroom and weeped for hours. Later, she heard the door slam shut and Gigi began to call her name. She walked out to the living room and stared at her. Leila wasn’t sure if she was hurt or angry. The emotions all seemed to flow into one.
“Leila, I swear to you I didn’t know he was who you told me about. I met him at Woofers and Tweeters a few nights ago. He told me his name was Riley, not Justin.”
Her eyes were pleading for some sort of forgiveness. “He just now told me everything. I didn’t even know you were there tonight. You know I’d never do anything to hurt you.”
Leila wasn’t angry. She wasn’t sad. She wasn’t anything -- just emotionally drained.
“I know.” She hugged Gigi who was still crying.
“He wants you to go there. He wants to talk. He said something about being in his quiet place. He needs you.”
She didn’t want to go. In fact, she wanted to slip into her warm bed and sleep forever.
But it had to end. And it would end today.
