Heart of Locks

Chapter 7

"German?"

The prolonged silence told me that he had hung up, but something inside of me longed that that was not the case.

I immediately dialled his number again, his voice reading it in my mind.

Four rings.

Then a voice.

Only it wasn't his.

"Hello?"

A female voice answered on the other end of the line, a voice I didn't recognise.

"Hi, could I speak to German please, it's urgent."

I lied.

It wasn't urgent.

Well, it was to me, I longed to hear his voice say my name again.

"He can't come to the phone right now, may I take a message?"

Her voice sounded so polite, yet there was a harshness to it, deeper down.

"I really need to speak to him, are you sure he isn't there? I was just on the phone to him and-"

Before I could continue, she interrupted.

"Sorry, but may I ask who is calling?"

I was reluctant to answer her question.

"Sorry, but may I ask who you are?"

There was a pause between my question and her answer.

"I am Anastasia Prior and now I would like to know who is calling my fiancé."

My mind went blank at the word fiancé.

How could this be happening?

German is marrying another woman?

Did he forget about all we had?

Jealousy surged through my veins.

Does she get butterflies like I did in his presence?

Does he care for and protect her like he did me?

Do her kisses leave him feeling giddy with excitement like mine did?

A single tear ran down my cheek leaving a wet streak where it had fallen.

For several moments the phone was silent. Either no one spoke, or I blocked out the sound around me, but either way, the next thing I heard was his deep voice.

"Angie?"

He sounded hurt.

He sounded empty.

"German?"

A loud sigh came from the phone.

"You were never meant to find out like this... I wanted to tell you myself... Invite you to the wedding."

He seemed at a loss for words. Each thing he said seemed meaningless. As if the words were just coming out, no emotion in them.

"If not for me, for Violetta. If you want to come, it is on November 29th. Please, at least think about it."

After that, he hung up.

I longed to see German, I really did, but would I go to all that trouble to watch him marry another woman?

If I did go, would I take Gabi? Would I tell him about her?

Would I take Michael with me?

Would I pretend to be happy?

Would I fall in love with him all over again?

Did I ever stop?