*Shelby*I was woken up by the sound of a car driving down the snow-covered drive. I turned over in the four-poster log bed, but the space next to me was empty. I slipped out of bed, my bare feet hitting the cold floor, and pulled the curtain back to see one of Michael’s black cars pulling up to the front of the house. Curious as to who was leaving this early, I made my way down the spiral staircase.“Please have the jet fueled up and ready by the time my cousin arrives. She will be going back to New York today. She is not feeling well, so there can be no delays,” Michael spoke into the phone.He was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, still in his pajamas.“What is going on?” I asked, walking up to him.He wrapped an arm around me, pulling me in close as he set his phone down on the kitchen counter.“I had to set up the jet to pick up Lucille. Her headache has turned into the flu. She doesn’t want to stay.”“Oh no, that is horrible. Is she going to
*Michael*Unknown caller reads across my phone screen, and my heart stops. I reluctantly pull myself off the couch and away from Shelby. She stared up at me, worry lines appearing on her forehead.“I have to take this,” I mumbled as I retreated toward the kitchen.“Hello? Who is this?” I answered the phone call, doing my best to keep my voice down so Shelby wouldn’t hear.A scratchy voice sounded on the other end of the line, and static assaulted my ear. I quickly pulled the phone away until the static settled. I had to listen closely to make out what the voice was saying through the static.“You are going to… get what is coming to you….and she will too.”At the last word, the call dropped abruptly. Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck, and I scanned the windows but couldn’t make out anything in the blackness. I stood frozen in the kitchen, unsure of what to do next. Could Blaine possibly have found out we were staying here? Was there something I m
*Shelby*“We need to talk,” Michael said, looking serious. I was so confused at the sudden shift in Michael’s demeanor. With one phone call, fun, and teasing Michael was gone. Seriousness clouded his eyes, and he wouldn’t meet mine. He put a hand on the small of my back and led me out of the office and back into the living room. Guiding me to one of the chairs in front of the fire, he did not sit next to me. Instead, he started pacing back and forth in front of the fire. He was making me anxious just watching him, and the long pause he was taking only made things worse.“Can you please just tell me what happened? Who called you?” I asked, as my eyes darted back and forth following Michael’s movements.He still didn’t immediately answer, making me worried that someone we knew had been seriously hurt.“I don’t know how to say this,” Michael said, stopping and placing his hand on the mantle of the fireplace.My stomach dropped at his words. I figured
*Michael*The cabin felt incredibly quiet after watching Shelby drive away. I couldn’t get the image out of my head of Shelby staring at me; clear hurt etched into all of her features. I hated myself for the pain I caused her, but deep down, I knew it was the only way to keep her safe.I tried to fill the last two hours with anything to distract myself from the pain of sending her away, but nothing was helping. I tried to finish the movie we started, but I was only able to focus on the lead actress's eyes and how they looked so much like Shelby’s. I ended up pacing the kitchen with a glass of whiskey held tightly in my fist.Maybe once I made sure Blaine was behind bars for good, I could reach out to Shelby and explain everything. I didn’t know if she would even want to see me then, or ever again for that matter. I wouldn’t blame her after my whole speech about how she would be better off without me. It stung me to realize that she really would be better off if she had n
*Shelby*I woke to a soft and steady beeping, but I found it hard to open my eyes. When I did, the lights were dimmed, and I was only able to make out the bumps of my feet under a mauve-colored blanket. I tried to move, but my arms felt heavy, lying on the bed. Long tubes were attached to me, but it took me a few moments to realize they were monitors and an IV, and the beeping came from a machine next to my bed, a hospital bed.Suddenly, the memory of a blinding flash of headlights came to mind. Were we in a car crash? I looked around the room, and the light was streaming in softly; I figured it must have been the early hours of the morning. Christmas Day, I realized. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed a small chair in the corner, and Michael was sitting in it.My stirring must have woken him. His eyes were sleepy, and his hair was slightly disheveled as though he had been running his hands through it. I knew he only did that when he was frustrated. I wanted to r
*Michael* I walked out of Shelby's hospital room feeling shattered. I don't know what I expected. She had every right to yell at me and wish I wasn't there. I was the reason she was there in the first place. I made my way back down to the waiting room where Bruce was sitting, but he was no longer alone; a police officer in full uniform was waiting for me to return.“You must be Mr. Michael Astor,” the officer said, rising from his seat.“That’s right. What can I help you with, sir?” I asked, glancing down at Bruce. His face gave nothing away.“I need to speak to Miss Hatton first, but I would ask that you two remain in the hospital until I return. I may need to bring you in for questioning,” the officer said.“Why do we need to be questioned in regards to a car accident?” Bruce asked. “We’ve been searching all night to find where these two were; we even made calls to the police trying to get accident reports. No one seemed able to talk to us then.”“Initi
*Shelby*“Good news Shelby,” the kind nurse with curly black hair said as she walked into my hospital room.“I get to go home today?” I offered, hoping she was coming in with my discharge paperwork.I had been promised I would get to go home today as long as I didn’t show any worrisome symptoms during the night, which I hadn’t. I couldn’t wait to get home and let my family and friends know that I was still in one piece. I knew that Lin must be frantic with worry after I told her I was on my way home, then fell off the grid for two days. I’d asked the nurses to call her, but it wouldn’t be the same as me calling her myself.“Well, yes, that is good news, but this news is different,” she held something behind her back as she made her way to my bedside.“Come on, the suspense is killing me,” I said with a little laugh.“One of the officers working your case just stopped by. They found your wallet,” she said, pulling my black leather wallet from behind her bac
*Shelby*“I think snow is useless after Christmas,” Lin said as she linked her arm with mine.“I don’t think you get to decide when the snow has to stop,” I laughed as we trudged through the soft downpour leaving our first lecture of the semester.“Well, I think I should. You know what else I think?” Lin asked.“Oh no, do I dare ask?” I said in a teasing way,“I think we head over to that little coffee shop to weather out the storm. We only have an hour and a half before the next lecture starts, and I don’t want to walk all the way back to our apartment,” Lin said.“I agree with you on that one,” I said, and we immediately changed directions making our way to one of my favorite places on campus.We walked in the front door, and the warm air inside felt like it enveloped us. The smell of coffee and pastries filled the small shop, and the warm-toned wood walls created a cozy feel in the space. Large, worn-out armchairs dotted the dining space mixed amon