“He’s so gorgeous.” Dolly’s voice cracks “I’m sorry. I should go.”
“Funny, that’s what your husband said. Why don’t you two go together?” Axel snorts.
Dolly swings toward him. She stops, though, and whispers, “Jesus.”
“I’ll come back later, okay?” She hugs Charlie who looks like she would love to nod off.
David must notice it too. “Okay guys,” he says. “It’s been a crazy week, but we’re tired. So, get out.” He leans down to kiss Charlie and everyone starts to hug and leave. I’m holding back for Dolly to leave before I go.
“Edge?” I look over at her. “Can we talk? I think we need to talk.” I look around the room. David, Charlie, Eve, and Blade are left. What am I going to say? No? Even though it’s a terrible idea seeing that I’m still under the influence of drugs and booze, I don’t have much of a choice.
“Come on.” I nod at everyone. They’re not even trying to pretend they’re not watching me… us.
I grab her by the arm and escort her out the door. As soon as we leave the room, I release her. I can’t touch her. Everything about her makes me hurt. Eve’s voice carries down the hall saying she’s worried about us.
If I wasn’t so tired, I’d laugh. Pushing the elevator button, I wait in silence. The nurse who gave me the ice pack walks past and smiles at me.
“Perfect.” Dolly looks at the ceiling then out the window. She’s still wearing her sunglasses, but she wipes her nose and enters the elevator, hitting the lobby button.
I take her elbow and she tries to jerk away. “You wanted to talk. We’re gonna talk. Give me your phone.”
She’s either in the same condition I’m in or she doesn’t care. Either way, she hands me her phone. I type in her code and order an Uber wishing I had my bike. Although since I’ve been up for twenty-four hours partying, it’s a good thing I don’t.
“A car is coming in a minute.” I hand her back the phone and she nods, not looking at me. She looks like she’s dropped ten pounds in a day.
“Have you had anything to eat?” I demand.
Usually she bites back. This time, she responds calmly, “I had an egg and gouda sandwich and a coffee.”
The car rolls up and I open the door to let her in first. We sit as far apart as we can. The driver asks if this is the first time we’ve been to Vegas.
We both ignore him and he turns up his classical music. I stare out the window.
This has never happened. In the past, I never felt this from her. Maybe she feels the same. We stop, and before I can open the door, she’s out and speed walking to the elevator.
Something has happened. Something she doesn’t want me to see. I know her better than she knows herself. I follow, and after she enters the elevator, right as it closes, I step in.
I want to rip her fucking black sunglasses off her head. Instead I’ll hold off and see what awaits us.DOLLY
Thirty-one years oldI don’t know why I’m trying to hide that I trashed our room and sliced up his clothes. He’s going to find out, and considering the condition he’s in, I don’t think he’ll even care.
I slow down and let him open the room door. The smell of stale champagne instantly hits us as I march in and sit on the couch as if nothing is wrong. Maybe if I close my eyes, he can’t see it or me.
I peek to watch him stand over the broken bottle of Cristal.
“You might as well open your eyes. I thought you wanted to talk.” He sits down in the chair so that we face each other.
“Talk. Tell me all the lies you tell yourself so that you can get up and make it through the day. But first, take off the glasses. I told you years ago it’s all in the eyes.” He leans back.
I take off my glasses and set them on the glass table.
“I said things last night… Things that I didn’t mean.” My voice cracks and I have to bite my bottom lip to stop the tears.
He’s silent as he watches me. Then he leans in close and I can smell booze and smoke. Is that perfume on him?
“So, you are fine with me being a criminal and you want kids, a house, and all that being married implies?”
“Um… I don’t understand. You’ve never mentioned kids.” I start to pick off my nail polish.
“Look at me.”
I jump and stop picking.
“The problem isn’t only kids, Dolly. It’s that you can’t accept who and what we are.” His words are like a small bite that you think is harmless but starts to itch until you want to scream.