“Are you okay sweetie?” Austin asked as he stopped at a red light.
“Yeah, why do you ask?”
“You just seem so quiet. What are you thinking about?”
“About what happened tonight,” I lied, “one minute I was happy, the next sad.”
“Why sad? You should have been mad, I know I was.”
“I was mad, but I now know that Michelle isn’t my sister anymore. We used to be so close, and I just thought that maybe someday she’d come to her senses and come home.”
“Honey, you know how thick headed she is. If she was wrong, she wouldn’t admit it.”
“I know.”
He picked up my hand and kissed it, “I’ll make up for tonight, I promise.”
“It wasn’t your fault. I had a wonderful time with the exception of them.”
“Why do you say them? Don’t you mean her?”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant,” I said, quickly trying to fix my mistake. I never told him anything about any of them, except Michelle. I never even told Candi, I only told her bits and pieces without revealing any names.
“Is there something you aren’t telling me?” he asked as the light turned green.
“No, I just made a mistake. I meant to say her, I was meaning Michelle.”
“Oh,” he said as the conversation dropped. I could sense a bit a disbelief and confusion in his voice.
***************************************
“So,” Joey said as the limo drove away, “now what do we do?”
“You didn’t have to stay here with me,” Dani said as she tried to make herself warmer. She wore a very flimsy coat just because it went with her outfit.
“Are you cold?” Joey asked.
“Yeah, a little,” Dani said as she shivered in the frigid air.
“Here have my coat,” Joey said as he began to take off his coat.
“No,” Dani said, “I don’t want you to freeze. Why don’t we just go inside, call a taxi, and wait for it in there where it’s nice and warm.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Joey said as they walked back into the restaurant. Joey called for a cab while Dani sat down on a bench by the window that looked outside.
Joey walked over to the bench and sat down next to Dani, “She looked very beautiful tonight. I wanted to talk to her yesterday at the restaurant, but I knew you needed to talk to her first.”
“What? You knew I talked to her?” Dani asked as shock registered on her face.
“Well, it was kind of obvious.”
“Did everyone know?”
“I think, I don’t know.”
“I talked to Jen last night. I went to her house and talked to her.”
“When?”
“Late at night. She told me everything, but now I’m so confused. I don’t know who to believe,” she said as tears streamed down her cheeks, “I love him so much, I don’t want it to be true, it can’t be.”
“Oh Dani,“ Joey said as he wrapped his arms around her, “it’ll be okay. It will all work out in the end.”
“Are you sure?” Dani asked.
“Yeah, it has to.”
“But what happens if it doesn’t. What happens if I make a decision I would regret?”
“What do you mean?”
“Never mind,” she said as she stood up, “taxi’s here.”
*******************************************
“Why are there so many cars here? Why are they in my driveway?” I asked as we stepped out of his car.
“Damn it, I knew I forgot to tell you something. The Anderson’s are having a party. They didn’t know your number and they asked me when I stopped by your house last week.”
“Oh,” I said as we neared the door, “do you have work tomorrow?”
“No and neither do you,” he said as he grinned devilishly.
“Oh you bad boy,” I said as his lips crashed onto mine.
I turned the doorknob and stepped in. All of a sudden the lights flickered on, “SURPRISE!!!”
“Oh my gosh,” I said as I looked around, “what is all this?”
“Its are engagement party,” Austin said as he kissed my cheek.
“Really?”
“Congratulations sweetheart,” my mother said as she gave me a kiss and a hug.
“Thank you mom.”
“My little girl is getting married,” my father said as he came closer to me. He gave me a hug and said, “Good luck, I know you made the right decision.”
The rest of the party was fun. There were a lot of people here and the last person left at three am.
“Aren’t you happy you don’t have to work tomorrow?” Austin asked as he laid in bed.
“Yes thank you. Did you put this party together?”
“Well, me and your mom.”
“Oh, thank you. I’m going to have to thank her tomorrow,” I said as I got into bed beside Austin.
“Thank you for saying yes. I would have felt like such an idiot if you came home and you didn’t say yes.”
“Oh Austin, I love you. Why wouldn’t I say yes?”
“I don’t know,” he said as he leaned over and kissed me, “goodnight.”
“Night,” I said as I settled into bed.
********************************************
Dani cautiously opened the door to her hotel room. She wasn’t sure what would happen when she walked in there and didn’t really want to find out. As she walked in, she noticed Chris lying on the bed, sleeping. She carefully walked across the room and quickly changed. She silently lifted up the covers and got into bed.
She was almost safe when Chris said, “What took you so long?”
Dani’s eyes immediately opened as Chris rolled over and looked at her. She looked up at him and could see anger in his eyes. “Well Chris, we had to call a taxi and wait for it.”
He said nothing, just looked at her. Dani shifted uncomfortably under his glare. “What? Am I making you nervous?” Chris whispered as he ran a hand down her arm.
“No, I’m just tired.”
“Why must you lie?”
“Chris, I’m really tired. I barely got any sleep last night.”
“Gee, I wonder why.”
“Damn it Chris, why do you have to be like this?” Dani asked as she sat up.
“Why do I have to be like what? Danielle you have it wrong, why are you being like that? Why do you have to sneak around and make accusations about me? Your supposed to love, honor, and obey me,” he said.
“And in turn, your supposed to do the same,” she said.
“I am, your not.”
“Yeah, that’s why you fuck anything with legs. I’m really getting sick of this Chris, I can’t take it. All of your lies are really getting to me. You continuously fill my head with such fantasies and it confuses me so much.”
Chris looked at her and laughed.
“Why are you laughing?” Dani asked, “stop laughing.”
“Sometimes you say the silliest things Dani.”
“I’m being serious,” she said.
“Sure you are,” he said as he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.
“Damn it Chris, I am,” Dani said as she raised her voice and followed him.
Chris swung around and grabbed Dani by the arm, “Don’t raise your voice to me, and don’t tell me your sick me doing this and doing that. I’m earning the income in this family so just shout your damn mouth. If you’re sick of me, there’s the fucking door,” he said as he pointed at it. “don’t let it hit you on the ass on your way out.”
Dani stumbled back as Chris released her arm.She walked over to the dresser and pulled on a sweatshirt. She quickly closed her suitcase and zipped it up.
“Dani baby, I didn’t mean that, I was just mad. Please, don’t do anything you’ll regret. I love you, don’t you know that? Please baby, don’t leave me. I need you,” Chris said as he wrapped his arms around Dani.
Dani pushed him away from her and headed for the door. She grabbed her coat and shoes and slipped them on. She turned to Chris and threw her wedding ring and engagement ring at him. She opened door and walked out.
Chris walked over to the door and watched her walked down the hall.
“Danielle,” Chris screamed.
She turned to face him as she watched him looked at her from the hotel room doorway.
“If you leave me now, don’t you ever fucking come back,” he said to her.
“Don’t worry Christopher dear, I won’t be coming back to your sorry ass,” she said with a laughed and headed for the elevators.
“You bitch,” he screamed, “I can’t believe I wasted two years on you.”
“No Chris, I can’t believe I wasted two years on you,” she said to him as the elevator door opened. She stepped in and watched as Chris slammed the door shut.
“You little fucking bitch,” he screamed at he threw her other suitcase she left behind against the wall. He turned around and punched the wall, leaving a huge dent in to.
Chapter Six
Chapter Four
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