The vampire and the wife

Chapter 16

I'd spent most of the morning asleep and by the afternoon had come, I'd eaten and ended up reading until I got a text from Marie about meeting her at six. I figured I'd get dressed and sorted at five, which left me little time to back out of the plan with Marie. If Dorian wasn't going to help Xander, then I certainly was going to; after all, as much as I personally hated him for what he'd done to me, he still did good things for others, and I couldn't let him throw that away.

At five o'clock, I headed up to my room and got changed into my favourite jade green wool top and jeans. I just put on my trainers and pinned my hair half up and half down. I didn't bother to do anything else, as I had a feeling that tonight was going to end in tears. It had taken me longer than it normally takes me to get dressed, as I kept mentally fighting myself about doing this.

I went downstairs, where Zack was looking at me curiously. "I'm going to see Annie at the bar. I'm trying to get ideas on what to get her for her present and tonight is her only night this week; she's at work." I lied as I put on my long black coat for a change and slipped my phone into my pocket.

"Ok, just don't get drunk or anything."

"I won't be drinking." I told him simply. "Not happening again." Even though I had a feeling after tonight that I would want to go back to drinking after coming face-to-face with Xander after all these months, I wasn't actually sure how I felt about it. I guess spending all the time with Hunter, Dorian, and Zack was just simply numbing the pain I knew was eventually to come.

"Well, just be safe." Zack muttered as I opened the door, ready to leave. It was gone six now, as I noticed on the clock in the hallway. I hadn't wanted to be there when they got there, as I needed some space to decide if I really was going to go through with it. I didn't say anything and then left, shutting the door behind me as I shoved my hands into my pocket and began to walk slowly to the bar.

My head just felt like a jumble of a mess. I thought I knew what I was feeling; I thought I knew what I wanted to say to Xander if we ever came face-to-face again, but it turned out I was wrong. I was very far from wrong. I didn't have the words or even the questions that I wanted answers for. All I had was a mass mess of emotions that felt like they were bubbling away inside of me, threatening to spill over at any moment and drown me.

Maybe this isn't a good idea.

My pace walking to the bar had been slow as I tried to ram everything I was feeling in that moment into a box. I really hadn't wanted to do it, but I had to remind myself that I wasn't doing it for myself; I was doing it for Xander and everyone who needed him.

I finally got there, stood outside the door for a few minutes and then walked inside. As soon as I did, I knew he was there, as I could feel it in my body—an all-too-familiar feeling. I didn't even need to look around, as I knew where he was. I stood to the side as I looked over at the table where Xander had his back to me, but Marie was sitting there looking at me. I noticed the way he seemed to sit up straight, as if he felt that I was there. I went to walk towards the table when I noticed Claire coming back to the table from where the bathroom was. She then slid into the seat next to Xander and cuddled into him a little. I took a deep breath and turned my back on them as Annie caught sight of me.

"Rosa!" She called to me, but I didn't answer her. I walked out of the bar and headed back out into the cold. I could feel the tears beginning to well up in my eyes as I bit my lip.

I will not cry... I will not cry... I will not cry. I walked away from the bar quickly as I pulled my hands out of my pocket and wiped my eyes on the sleeve as I forced my tears in. I felt my phone ring in my pocket and pulled it out.

"Hello?" I asked, trying to keep my voice as even as I could, but I could hear it breaking.

"Hey, is everything ok? I've just got a text from Annie saying you walked in the bar and then stood looking at a table with a guy and two girls and then you just left."

"I'm... I'm... I'm fine." I stuttered as I wiped my eyes again with my free hand.

"Rosa, you're not. Where are you?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm going for a walk to clear my head and then I'm going home." I spotted an empty park close by, so I headed towards it and sat on the wet swing while I was on the phone to Hunter.

"Rosa. Don't make me come and hunt you."

"Please don't worry about me. I promise. You have enough to deal with tonight. You don't need my problems."

"Give me that phone here." I could hear Jen on the other end of the phone. "Don't make me come and find you myself."

"Please Jen." I whispered. "I just need some space." My phone beeped at me. "I've got to go as I've missed a call or got a text message." Not waiting for Jen to say anything else, I hung up. I knew when I saw her next I'd totally regret hanging up on her, but I'd needed an excuse and that had been too perfect and had also been true.

I looked at my phone to see a text from Dorian. Where are you? I need to talk to you right now.

What was going on with everyone wanting to know where I was? I figured for Dorian to ask, it must have been pretty important, so I called him back and put the phone to my ear.

"What's up?" I asked as I took a deep breath after asking him.

"Where are you? I think this is better than telling you face-to-face rather than over the phone."

"What's happened." My heart seemed to freeze in my chest, as I knew something was wrong.

"Rosa..."

"Please Dorian. I'm on edge right now. Please." I whispered softly to him.

"A friend of mine at the nest has just called and told me Sarah's been hurt." I couldn't speak as the tears began to fall from my eyes. It honestly felt like today was out to destroy me and anything that I'd built to try and pull myself together.

"Rosa?"

"Ask your friend to keep you in the loop about how she is." I asked and then hung up. I got up and headed back to the bar. This was all their fault. If they'd been at the house, then Sarah wouldn't have got hurt. I was ready to unleash my anger on him about everything that had happened. I didn't care if some of it was his fault or not; he was going to get it.

I went into the bar and I didn't feel the all too familiar feeling when I walked in. I went to where they'd been sat and found the seat empty.

"Rosa." I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Where did the guy with the two girls go?"

"They left. The guy got a phone call and seemed to rush out pretty quickly. One of the girls was annoyed, while the other I heard muttering about you letting her down."

I was about to speak when my phone rang. "Excuse me, Annie." I walked away as I saw Xander's name flash up on my screen. Against my better judgement, I answered.

"Rosa..."

"You better be calling to tell me my best friend is ok." I warned him as I walked out of the bar.

"I was calling to let you know about her, but it seems you already know. Dorian, no doubt."

"No s**t, Sherlock." I could feel my anger bubbling away in my chest. "What happened?"

"Glenda told me a story, but until Sarah is back from the hospital, I am unsure of what happened."

"Because you were too busy with Claire." I muttered coldly. "I swear, Xander..."

"She will be fine, I believe. A broken bone is what I was told."

"What did Glenda say?"

"When Sarah gets back, I will get her to call you." Xander muttered. "I called to let you know."

"So what were you doing with Claire?"

"None of your business. Good night, Rosa." The phone went dead and I put it away in my pocket. I took a deep breath as I was ready to go find him and teach him a lesson.

"You look like someone has peed on your cereal." I looked up to see Hunter standing with his arms folded across his chest, looking at me. "Annie texted me and I happened to be out on an errand for Jen, so get your arse in the car now."

"I should..."

"You should do what I say; otherwise, I'll pick you up and throw you in the car myself."

I let out a sigh as I shrugged. "Ok, I give in." I muttered. "You win."

Hunter grinned, pleased. "Good. In."

I walked to the car with Hunter, then got in the car as he shut the car door for me, then got in himself. As he got in, he looked over at me with worry.

"What's wrong? Who was the guy?" He asked quietly.

I didn't speak at first as my anger seemed to peel away but I could feel the tears coming and before I could stop them, they began to roll down my face.

"It was Xander." I whispered quietly as my hands trembled and tears dropped on them as I lowered my head.

"Rosa..." He whispered quietly. "Why did you go there if you knew he was there?"

In hopes of saving him, even though he'd rejected me or at least felt like that, I still loved him and there were still people who needed him.