He didn’t want to hear it. He shook his head, refusing to listen. “I can handle my pain. It’s yours that I can’t take.”
“Stop doing this. You can’t handle shit. You can’t even say what she did to you out loud.” She winced. “You’ve been raped, Mike. Do you understand how horrific that is?”
A sharp jolt of pain resonated through him. She was right. He couldn’t even say the word in his head, and hearing it fell so heavy on his soul. The weakness and the fear he felt at the moment was so much to bear he trembled. Quaked.
“I’m so sorry for being such a bitch right now, but someone had to say it,” she said. “Go to therapy, Mike. People like us need it. I’ve talked to the therapist here a few times, and it’s not so bad. Uncomfortable as fuck, but not bad.”
“I will. I promise you.” He squeezed her hand. “But please, amore, it doesn’t have to be like this.” He felt as if he was choking on his own heart. “It doesn’t have to end.”
Her eyes lifted to the ceiling, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Yes, it does. Why can’t you understand?”
“How can I when it means losing you? I can’t lose you, Maggie.”
She moaned in pain. “We were never meant to be. Life never gave us a chance. Everything stood against us right from the start. Even before we started.”
He brushed the tears from her cheeks and squeezed her hand again. “I know I should’ve told you. I know what I did was terrible, and I deserve to be punished, so punish me. But don’t leave me.” His lips shivered. “It will kill me, Carolina. I’m begging you. Please stay with me.”
She didn’t respond, and he stared at her, willing her to look at him.
After a long silence, she glanced at him, and then leaned into him, crying harder.
He embraced her, and then kissed her lips until he could feel his tears filling his eyes. When she drew back, he felt a tightness in his stomach as he saw what she wanted to say written all over her face.
“I can’t. I just don’t know how.” With her head down, she pulled her hand from his, and he knew it was time for him to go.
His chest burned with the pain of loss, and he couldn’t fight his tears anymore. He rose, his lips parting with a silent moan. “You’ll always be my Carolina.”
He lost her. His best friend. The love of his life. The only person who truly understood him. The only woman he’d ever wanted. All gone.
He lost her.
PART FIVE
HOME
Scene 88
Maggie
Coming home at midnight to find Dad in his pajamas curled up in front of the TV wasn’t something I could ever get used to. Just like walking in this house without Andrea’s threatening presence. Even though it was theoretically safe now, and completely redecorated to a style that suited me and Dad, I still heard the occasional clacking of heels and Andrea’s mocking voice; the image of the taunting eyes still haunted me.
However, I refused to let Dad sell the penthouse and move somewhere else. No matter how impossible it may have seemed, I had to learn how to live here.
I rested my elbows on the back of the couch, smiling. “Daddy?”
“Hey, sweetie.” He yawned, stretching his legs. “You’re early.”
I rolled my eyes at the sarcasm. “You know you don’t have to wait up for me every night?”
“Yeah, but I want to.” His hand patted the free cushion beside him. “Sit. I haven’t seen you all day.” He shook his head. “In fact, I haven’t seen you all month.”
“The final month of shooting is always hectic.”
“I didn’t know making a movie could be that overwhelming.” He motioned for me to sit. “Why are you still standing?”
“I’m going to bed. I’ve just pulled a fourteen-hour day.”
“You can’t spare an hour for your old man, who’s been waiting up for you every night, hoping to spend some quality time with you?”
