Adele
“Adele!” Alex shouts as I try to yank my arm away from him. I can feel the tears in my eyes and I need to get away from him before I break down.
I hadn’t thought about my baby in years. Garth didn’t want to share me with kids. He always said I was his and only his kids would mess that up. He didn’t want to share my attention with anyone else. I was on the pill, but the pill isn’t perfect. I would have never gotten pregnant intentionally with Garth anyways. He was my husband, but he was a monster that I would have never had a child with. I try to blink back the tears thinking of the night I lost my baby and before I realize it I have fallen to the ground and I hear Alex’s voice trying to comfort me.
“Adele… baby what is wrong?” he asks as he holds me between his legs.
“He killed my baby,” I whisper and Alex tightens his grip around me.
“What are you talking about?” he asks and I fall into his chest.
“I had been sick for a month and took a pregnancy test. I took it while Garth was at work and threw it away in the bathroom. I thought I was so careful and I made sure to throw tissue over it. He found it and he asked me about it. I couldn’t deny it, he was holding the damn stick that read positive,” I tell Alex as he wipes away one of my falling tears.
“He beat me up and I miscarried. It was the worst beating he ever gave me, Alex. He wanted our baby dead and he accomplished it. The whole time he kept saying how it was my fault and I was too stupid to not get pregnant.”
Alex closes his eyes and realization sets in for him. “You do realize that if I got you pregnant tonight, I will take care of both of you. I will never hurt you or any child we may have together, Adele.” Alex looks me in the eyes and I believe every word.
A little while later, Alex receives a call and leaves and leaves me sitting alone thinking about Nick. I know Garth killed him because of me. I walk to the bedroom to where I tossed my bag and reach for Nick’s cell phone. I close my eyes as I hold it close to my chest. I feel I did the right thing taking it so no one would find it. If anyone went through it, they would know that he and Alexis were involved. They would find out their secret and if Nick didn’t want anyone to know, I was going to make sure that wish was kept.
I look through the missed calls and notice that Alexis has called him several times already. I hate that she is most likely worried about him or thinking that he is blowing her off. Alexis has been nothing but kind to me and I am the reason that the man she loves is dead. I wonder if I should text her back pretending to be Nick? I don’t even know what I would say to her? The last thing I would want is to send her a phony “dear John” letter when that is the last thing Nick would do. I pull out my own cell phone to call Alexis. When she tells me that she is at the store, I call a cab and go to her.
When I walk into the store, Alexis is talking to another young girl at the register. I wave and walk over to one of the soap displays that Alexis has set up. She walks over to me and gives me a hug and I can feel the tears starting to form. Alexis pulls away from me and frowns when she sees my watery eyes.
“What’s wrong, Adele?” Alexis questions me in a serious tone.
“Can you get out of here for a little while? I really need to talk to you.”
Alexis looks back over at the other girl and walks over to talk to her. When she is done, she comes back advising me that she can leave for a little while. We head to the coffee shop that is a few doors over from the store and we each order a small mocha. It’ll be perfect to talk here since the shop is ironically slow for it to be in the middle of the day. Alexis and I are the only customers.
“What’s wrong Adele? Did Garth find you again?” Alexis ask me and I now feel the tears sliding down my face and her eyes widen.
“I know about you and Nick,” I tell her and she shakes her head.
“What are you talking about? Alexis asks.
“When I started working at the club--,” I start to tell Alexis everything as a pair of fists slam onto our table interrupting and causing us both to jump and look up to Garth’s angry eyes.
“Isn’t it nice to see you two again? Things are going to go much different this time. I have a gun, so both of you are going to get your asses up and come with me peacefully,” Garth whispers as he leans between us.
Alexis looks over towards the baristas and leans back in her chair.
“We are not going anywhere with you,” she says as she glances between Garth and the barista at the counter. Garth narrows his eyes and kneels beside her.
“Listen, bitch, I already had to kill one of her babysitters. I’ll have no issue shooting your ass right now if I must. I have nothing to lose.” Garth shakes his head and chuckles as he grabs Alexis by the arm and forces her to stand.
“Up, bitch,” he barks at me. He pulls her out of the coffee shop and keeps a tight grip on her arm and I have no other option, but to follow them. He killed Nick and I know he won’t hesitate to kill Alexis.
Moments later, I watch as he forces Alexis into the trunk of his car and he pulls me against him, kisses me and forces me in with her.
He grabs my backpack and Alexis’ purse and slams the trunk closed.
Alexis and I both start kicking the trunk once we feel the car moving and scream our asses off. I know it’s pointless because if we’re driving we’d be on the road. Who the hell will hear us yelling if were driving down the road? I stop screaming and shake Alexis telling her to stop and when she does, I can hear her sobbing. I feel my gut being ripped open. This is all because of me, all of it is. Nick being dead is my fault. Alexis being in this trunk is my fault. I should never have stayed in Chicago. I should have left the minute I suspected Garth was in Lola’s house. I should have left and kept running. I messed up and now others are starting to pay the price. Garth is a monster, but he is my monster and no one else should have to deal with him. I brought him into these people’s lives.
“Adele!” Alexis yells and shakes me out of my own self-pitying thoughts.
“What?” I ask calmly. I am almost too calm. There is only one reason that I am this calm and it’s because I have accepted my fate. I am going to save Alexis and go home with Garth.
“What are we going to do?” Alexis asks and I can hear the fear in her voice. She doesn’t realize that she has nothing to fear. I am going to protect her.
“When he stops the car, he’ll let you go,” I tell her.
“Why would he let me go? What are you going to do, Adele?” Alexis asks me as she sniffles.
“I am going home with my husband,” I tell her and the final tear drops.