That night from six years ago.
It was 1987, a month after he married Lilibeth.
Daniel and I had gotten into another fight after he saw the invitation to Nathaniel’s house. Even though Nathaniel was married now, Daniel was still jealous of him.
The words kept coming out of his mouth like poison. He called me slut, whore, his regret. He told me he would make me sorry I had ever met Nathaniel, and all I wanted was to get out of that house and see him.
I had made a mistake a month ago when he called. I had said things I didn’t mean. I had no choice. Daniel knew that if I left, he would do everything in his power not only to ruin me, but myfamily, too. He locked me away again, inside the closet, and left me a small knife. Then he told me I had to carve thirty cuts into my stomach, and he would let me go.
Thirty for the thirty days that had passed since I answered Nathaniel’s call. EvenheknewI shouldn’t have answeredit.
I started carving. My white shirt turned red, soaking through with blood. I could barely see in the dark, but I still dragged the blade across my skin repeatedly. By the time my head began to spin, the closet smelled like blood and sweat. My fingers had gone numb. My stomach burned. I kept going until the knife nearly slipped from my hand.
The next thing I remembered was waking up in a car near the Rosewood Residence. I still don’t know what he wanted to do. Maybe he thought I had killed myself and wanted to blame it on Nathaniel. Maybe he had another plan. But the car was empty when I woke up, so I pushed the door open and stumbled out.
I walked and walked until I saw the light glowing from Nathaniel’s house.
I rang the doorbell, and Victor answered. Nathaniel stood on the staircase when the door opened, and he didn’t even say a word before he ran to my side.
I remember he took me to the guest house, let me shower, and gave me one of his shirts to wear. After that, I wandered into his bedroom, where he kept a piano for some reason, and I noticed the room was no longer empty. It was filled with Lilibeth’s things.
Every time I got bullied at school, I used to play notes by letter so he would understand me without asking too many questions. I sat at the piano and placed my hands over the keys. I kept pressing D and A, over and over.
He came closer, then sat beside me. “Who did this to you?” he asked.
I played D and A one last time, and then I heard him say, “Daniel.”
I only nodded.
I remember the way he hugged me after that. The way he told me everything would be fine, that he was still there for me, that even if he was with someone else, he was still my friend. He was still going to protect me.
I remember crying, tears falling, and the pain in my stomach that came suddenly. I was bleeding again.
I blink through the blur of tears and open my eyes to his.
He is here.
Right in front of me, just like before.
My palm finds his cheek, and my voice comes out in a whisper. “I remember.”
His eyes shine, almost glassy, fixed on mine. “You remember?” he asks.
“I’m sorry,” I choke, the words breaking out of me.. “I’m sorry. Out of everyone, I forgot you.” My other hand comes up, holding his face like I’m afraid he might disappear. “I’m so, so sorry. You were the only person worth remembering, and I couldn’t remember you.”
“It’s okay,” he says softly, pressing his lips to mine. “It’s okay.”
“If I ever forget again, please don’t leave.” My tears fall faster, slipping past my lashes. “Please stay.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Kitten.” His thumb brushes under my eyes, catching each tear. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Everyone left me. Everyone moved on.” My voice trembles. “But you kept coming back. Please… please don’t stop.”
He kisses me again, slower this time, like a promise. “I won’t.”
“Your promises are the only ones worth believing.”
“I lost you once. I’m not losing you again.” He says, pulling me closer.
