The Puppeteer's Game

Chapter 15: Found Vulnerability

Miguel was sitting at his desk, and the light from the computer screen cast harsh shadows on his face. His feelings were all over the place in his mind, and each one was trying to take over.

He kept thinking about Emily's teary face, which was a powerful reminder of how far apart they had become. He clenched his teeth together tightly as frustration and anger rushed through him.

How could she have missed it? What makes her think she can stand up for Mark after what he said? Miguel's feelings made him clench his hands so tightly that his fingers turned white.

A deep fear lay beneath the anger: the fear of losing Emily and the fragile bond they had made. He closed his eyes to calm down and get his thoughts back on track.

He couldn't stop thinking about the times they had together; each one hurt his heart. There were times when they were close, happy, and laughing, but now those times only seem like vague memories.

Miguel felt driven to talk to her and tell her what was on his mind. He was scared when he faced her and saw the pain in her eyes.

The sound of a light tap on the door woke Miguel up. He looked over and saw Detective Alvarez standing there, her face showing worry.

"Miguel, are you okay?" Her voice was as soft as she asked.

Miguel had a hard time keeping a smile on his face because he was feeling so upset inside. "I'm fine, Detective." He replied, "It had been a long day." His voice sounded empty, even to himself.

Detective Alvarez looked doubtful as she looked at him, then gave him a small nod. She softly said, "If you need to talk, I'm here," and then she turned to leave.

When Miguel was alone again, he let out a heavy sigh, and his shoulders sagged from the weight of his thoughts. He knew he couldn't put off this conversation any longer.

***

Around the same time, Miguel's doorbell kept ringing, and each ringing got louder than the last. In his deep thought, Miguel didn't even hear the sound at first.

He eventually walked to the door because the bell kept ringing. His mind was still a mess. As he opened the door, he expected to see a harassing seller or a neighbor.

Emily stood there with her eyes wide with fear and relief. As she looked up at him, her chest heaved, and her breath caught.

"Miguel," Emily said in a soft voice.

This woman showed up at Miguel's door late at night, which surprised him. In the dim light, he noticed that he wasn't wearing a shirt and could see the bandage on his arm.

"Emily, what are you doing here?" Miguel inquired, his voice revealing a hint of confusion.

"I had to see you. Are you okay?" Emily spoke quickly as she glanced over his face to see if there was any trouble.

Miguel stopped for a moment. He was thinking about a lot of different emotions at once. "I'm fine. It's just a scratch," he reassured, repeating his earlier statement.

Emily took a step toward him and gave him a tight hug.

Miguel took a moment to think before hugging her back, wrapping his arms around her tightly. It was very quiet outside, and they were standing there, looking for warmth in each other's arms.

"Why did you not call me?" Emily spoke softly into his ear. In her voice, she was worried.

Miguel did not say anything. "We need to go to the hospital. Your wound should..."

Emily's words stayed in the air. Emily's heart was racing as she looked up at him, searching his face for any sign that he wasn't sure what to do. She found only a strong desire and an excessive emotion that left her gasping for air.