Page 96 of Serenade Me

Chapter Thirty-four

Marius

We don’t say anything in the taxi back to the hotel. For some sick reason I can’t keep staring at the bruise spreading on his left cheek. Maybe because I’m wondering how it’s similar to mine, courtesy of his fist, and how it’s all come to this.

It’s a short drive and we jump out of the car as soon as it pulls up to the curb.

The elevator ride up the four floors feels interminable. We both jump from leg to leg, fidgety, like we’re starters in the 100 meter relay. The elevator bells dings and the door’s barely open before we push ourselves through the widening gap and run to Anca’s room down the hall.

It’s somewhat cartoonish, the way we come to a skidding stop outside her door and then glance at each other and then back at the door.

For a moment I consider pushing him away, but then it dawns, he has every right to be there that I do and I take a step back. The smallest flutter of confusion flashes across his face before he lifts his knuckles and raps on the door.

“Anca,” I say, once he’s done knocking. “Anca, it’s us. We just want to check to see how you are.”

We wait for a moment, listening for the sounds of her moving on the other side of the door. But there are none.

“Try again,” I say to Jez and he nods and knocks again, this time louder and for longer.

“Anca, it’s Jez. And Marius, just come so we can see you’re alright.”

But she doesn’t.

Because she isn’t.