New Chapter
1075 Words
Santiago
"We will just bandage this and you will be good to go," the nurse said to me. I hardly heard her at first. I had punched the wall three times after the doctor came to speak to us. Mateo walked out and I believe went to have a smoke.
"Honey," I heard my mother's voice but I couldn't really say anything back. I didn't know what to say. "Are you okay?"
"Maya, let him be," I heard my father say.
"I'm worried about him," my mother replied.
"He's going to want to break everything around him. We have to let him," he added.
"I can't believe this happened," my mother whispered. Those words I heard. I became angry again. I wanted to go find the doctor who told me the news and choke him to death.
The baby was gone. Alice barely came out of this alive. She has some head trauma, rib fractures, and was still in surgery. I was going out of my mind. Alice's mother was crying hysterically in the waiting room until she suddenly just slipped away and left.
Mateo finally came back an hour later. Alice was out of surgery but was sleeping. Mateo reeked of smoke and alcohol. I was disappointed in him and how he was reacting. I didn't speak to him the entire time we waited. My mom sat with him and held his hand. I stood by the wall and stared at the double doors that kept me from Alice.
It was 3 am. My mother was sleeping beside both my fathers. They both held her hands. Mateo was asleep in the chair in front of them. I was still standing against the wall. There was no one else here. I let my mind go to the darkest parts of my thoughts. I felt my cheek get wet. A single drop slipped through my eyes. I just wanted to see her but not here. I just wanted to see her smile and I wanted all this to be a dream. My knees suddenly gave out and I slid down the wall. I clenched my fists and punched the floor.
Alice
Two Months Later
I spent weeks alone in my room. I didn't want to hear any sound. I didn't want to see any face. I just wanted to cry and sleep. Mateo tried to comfort me and Santiago would hardly look at me. He tried to be sweet but he also seemed angry. After about a month of awkwardness, I decided to move back with Ady and Lisa. The three of us were just pretending nothing happened and it was hard to live like that. At first, Mateo would call every day, and then it went to every Friday. Now, after another month has passed. He only texted me. Santiago has become a ghost in my life. Mateo last told me he was coming and going from London. He has put all his energy into work. Maya on the other hand called me three times a week and we had lunch every Sunday. She tried to reassure me everything was going to be fine.
"ALICE!" Ady shouted. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the living room. "You have to see this." She sat me on the couch where the news was playing on the tv.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Mr. Lionheart has once again been spotted with top model Sasha," the news reporter said. "The two looked cozy and happy together this weekend in London."
"Alice, "Ady called.
"I'm good," I told her. "I'm going to head out for a bit.
I walked for hours. I didn't know what to think or do. I know that some couples have a hard time after the loss of a child. The doctor suggested therapy. Everything was complicated and neither of us knew what to say or where to start. We gave up, I guess.
I was walking back home when I suddenly saw a sign for a club.
RED LIGHT SPECIAL
I went inside. The walls were all black with fire shooting out every second.
"Was this hell?" I thought. There were girls dancing in cages all around the club. A few of them were dancing on the stage. They were all wearing masks. The girls in the cages had mascarade masks that made them look like cats. The ones on the stage had purple lacey ones. The dancers were all beautiful. There were so many men here.
"Hello," a waitress said to me.
"Hi," I replied.
"What can I get for you?" she asked.
"I'll just go sit at the bar," I told her. I walked over to the bar.
"What can I get you?" A handsome man said. "I'm Frank."
"Alice," I smiled. "I'll take a gin and tonic." Frank smiled and said okay.
"So what brings you here?" Frank asked.
"Just walking by and decided to have a drink," I told him.
"Nice," Frank said. "This place usually doesn't attract women but it sure is a fun place to be."
"I could use some fun right about now," I told him.
"I know that feeling," he said.
"So, how does one get to start working here?" I asked.
"Have you ever worked at a nightclub before?" Frank asked.
"Actually, I have. At CLUB XXX," I told him.
"Wow, really. That place is really popular and our biggest competition," he said. "Why do you want to work here if you could work there?"
"Personal reasons," I answered.
"Ah, okay," he said. "So, how about an audition?"
"Really,"
"Why not,"
"So, when?" I asked.
"Tonight," he said. "I can talk to the owner and set it up," Frank said. "Go to the back and ask for Desire. She will get you some clothes and set you up."
"For?"
"For the stage, your audition," Frank smiled.
"Right,"
"You still want to?"
"Yeah," I headed backstage to look for Desire.
It's safe to say, I got the job. It was actually a fun night. I haven't had a night like this in a long time. After everything, I think I needed this. It was different and exciting. A new chapter for me. I didn't know what would happen next but I didn't care. I had so much I needed to leave in the past. I was ready for the new.
I didn't care about anything or anyone. f**k Mateo and especially f**k Santiago.
- Writer
