The Kents

Twelve

You should watch me walk around like an imbecile with OCD. Fingers spread and sticking out in different directions and I'm blowing on them so the French manicure would dry up already. I can't even open my bag!

"Here let me help you..." The beautiful Mani/Pedi girl helps me with paying at the cashier, then hands me back my bag.

"Thank you." I smile and wave a hand.

~~~~~~~~~~

As I sit at the back seat of the taxi I start thinking of what to do next. These days all I do is think of what to do next because if I don't, my mind will drag me to thinking of my mother and her unjustifiable behavior...

I close the front door behind me and steal a glance at the living room. Erik was seated on his own. I start at the stairs.

I change into my favorite black Batman shirt and grey sweats. My face feels so soft and looks radiant. I should do the facials thing more often. My hair is being its decent self, falling on my shoulders and down my back.

I hop down the stairs just in time Micah gets the door and someone storms inside.

"Oh my god, Stacey!" She throws herself at me and I hug her tight.

Her body is juddering and she can't take her breath.

"Hush..." I sooth her hair and she silently weeps in my embrace.

"Stacey what is it?" I ask.

"Andrew-and I-" She sobs.

"Let's go upstairs." I usher her.

I nod at Micah who looks worriedly at her and find Erik watching us from the living room.

I take her upstairs and she collapses on my bed. I cover her and sit besides her soothing her hair away from her face.

"Emma... I miss you..." She says so genuinely my eyes dampen.

"I miss you too!" I kiss the top of her head.

"Speak to me what is it?" She straightens up into a seated position and wipes her tears with the back of her hand.

"Andrew said he needs his space from me." She speaks and I gape at her.

"He doesn't want us to rush things-things like moving in together..."

"I wanted to move in with him-I just-"

"I just wanted him to know how much he means to me that I'd move to Paris for him... For us!" She sobs.

"Stace..." I hug her.

"He got a job in Germany and he wants to take it. And when I joked saying I'd go with him he literally said "Belle, let's be real here." "

"Emma... He doesn't love me. It was lust. Not love I'm sure about this!"

"How?" I ask her and she eyes me guiltily. Oh Oh, she's hiding something from me!

"Spill it!" I stiffen my expression.

"You know how he'd take me to the most wonderful clubs in Paris?" She asks and I nod for her to go on.

"I thought he was joking! That pig had it in him!" She spits.

"Stace, get to the point!"

"He used to go like "You'd look so fine dancing instead of those ugly girls." On the um-pole..." She pauses and I widen my eyes at her.

"I could've considered it a joke but, he did mention it several more times."

"One Valentine, I wore kinky lingerie for him, since I knew his taste. And he-"