My LOVE is Forever (Book 4-1st Alternate Ending)

Part 26

I'm disoriented when I wake in darkness a couple hours later, turning on the light on the nightstand, I look around the softly lit room. It feels like a million years since I've been here in this house with Prince, but it also feels like it was only yesterday. I shake my head and stand, retrieving the still damp washcloth from the pillow, thankful my headache has lessened.

As I head into the bathroom to use the toilet, a sense of deja vu passes over me. In reality, I've been alone in this house more often than not since Prince brought me to Minnesota with him. I look inside my empty closet, then make my way into Prince's.

As I step inside, it occurs to me I had only entered his closet on my first day here, he always had come into mine. I walk past his clothes on hangers, and look into the drawers. Everything is grouped by color and efficiently organized, even down to his socks. I chuckle softly, then sigh, I miss seeing him in just his socks. His scent is strong in here, as well as his presence. I almost expect him to round the corner, but I know that will never happen again. I leave his closet, this is enough of this for the night, I don't even dare glance at his vanity.

I leave the bedroom and make my way into the dark loft area, then carefully down the stairs, almost expecting to hear the sound of the piano below me, but it's as silent as the house. It's nighttime, but I'm wide awake from my extended nap. I wander into the living room and flip on a lamp, then eye the television, maybe the cable is still connected. I turn on the television and I'm not too surprised that it is, I don't even bother flipping channels, I just want the company the television provides.

I flop down onto the sofa, it's my first day back in this house, the memories are too vivid, and the pain is too raw. I start asking myself some questions: Would I ever be truly comfortable here? How often and how long would my trips to Minnesota be, really? Will there ever be a minute that I don't think of Prince while I'm here? My answers are not positive ones, so I have a lot of thinking to do while I'm here.

I sit on the sofa, more staring at the moving images on the television than actually watching. My stomach growls and I remember that I had left everything in my car when I entered the front door hours ago. Stupid, stupid, stupid, I think to myself as I cross the foyer, flip on the front entrance way light, and return to my car parked in the driveway. My purse, my bag and cooler all in plain sight in my unlocked car, thank God this is a well-to-do area, I think to myself. Again, since I'm not thinking clearly, I have to return to the house to walk through and open the garage door, I no longer carry the garage door remote in my car. I pull my car into the garage and make sure the side door is locked as well, after I lower the overhead, then I carry my things into the kitchen. I remind myself I am alone here and stop to lock the front door, check the back door, and set the alarm. Oh, my God, can I spin in any more circles?

I dig into my cooler and pull out an apple, biting into it as I pick up my bag and head toward the stairs. *Ding* I freeze as my foot lights on the first step, my breath catches, I know that ding. With my heart in my chest, I peek around the corner, the elevator door is open. Shit! My first thought is someone has snuck into the house while I was moving the car into the garage. I grab a heavy vase from a nearby table and cautiously walk towards the elevator, it's empty, but the door remains open. I frown, this is not how it works, the door doesn't remain open. I reach my hand in and hit the UP button, the door closes and I hear the muffled noise of the motor working. Okay, that seems right, I wait and the car remains upstairs as it should. I press the button on the wall and the motor whirs to life, and the car returns, followed by the ding, the door opens. One one thousand, two one thousand....when I get to five one thousand, the door closes as it should. Well, that's right, so I make a mental note to monitor it in case it needs to be serviced, and I return the vase to the table where it belongs. I push the button and the door opens, I enter and ride up to the second floor with my bag. *Ding* I step out and the door closes again in five seconds, shaking my head I go into the bedroom and set my bag on the ottoman.

I'm walking back toward the stairs and the elevator door slides open as if it was summoned by the button on the wall, "Prince, if you're behind this, please stop, you're freaking me out," I say out loud. If I'm going crazy, I might as well add talking to spirits to my resume. Prince never did understand why I insisted taking the stairs, so I take this as a friendly reminder, I ride the elevator back downstairs. I reheat the last meal I had brought with me, thinking that I better get up at a decent time tomorrow to go buy some food for while I'm here. I sit alone at the counter and pick at my meal, fighting back more tears as I yearn for Prince to be seated beside me. I pick up my container and carry it into the living room where we never ate anything more than popcorn and Goobers, and I'm finally able to finish my meal without crying.

I switch off the television when I'm done, place my container in the sink and head back towards the elevator that remains closed until I press the button this time. I decide to take a lukewarm bath and head back to bed.