The other side

8

Hey, folks! Thanks for the views! In this chapter, nothing really bad happens, but we have a disturbing situation. I don't think we need a trigger warning yet, though.

***

"Hi, Sandy. It's Donald Gummer" - Don was in his office, looking at his MacBook and holding his cellphone. 

"Hello, Don! How are you? Glad that you call me" - Sandy answered.

"I'm fine, thanks. What do you tell me?" - he wanted to know about the project. 

"Well, I'll tell you how everything will work. First, we need to schedule some meetings to monitor your work. I mean, I have to take some pictures and submit a report every week to the sponsors. Do you have a studio?" 

"Yes, Sandy, I work in my studio in NYC." - he opened his virtual planner. "Well, when shall we start?" 

"Can we start it in the next week?" 

"Yes, Sandy. It's totally fine for me. What time?" - he wrote something. 

"Monday at 14 p.m. Is it ok?" 

"Yes, perfect, Sandy. Thank you" 

"See you, Don. Bye!" 

>>> 

Don was in his office so she was alone in the living room. She was watching TV, but not really paying attention - she was almost asleep. Before she could sleep, though, the doorbell rang. 

"Delivery for Ms. Streep" - the guy said in front of the door. 

"Good afternoon. Thank you" - Meryl took the envelope and gave him some money. 

>>

She opened the delivery and saw a letter. 

" Dear Streep, 

I do not know how much time you will sustain that outstanding image of yours. Meryl Streep, always the perfect and kind, the supportive person, activist; the best in everything she does. Well, what they can not see is that you only do it for money and fame. You do not care about anyone, yourself is all you can think about. You are so self-absorbed that you can not choose your own child as a priority in your life - I know that you always lied about it; your children never were your priority. Stop lying to people, stop showing your fabricated self to the world. You are nothing, but fat and old self-righteous bitch. It is okay, just tell the truth. Be true to yourself. I am writing to you all this because I know that you need to hear it from someone; believe me. 

Your friend, 

XOXO." 

She was shaking. Who the hell could've been that person? Meryl couldn't breathe and couldn't think about anything. All those words broke her. She did not know what to feel: how can anyone talk about her like that? How can anyone talk about her children? About her PEOPLE! Nobody messes with her people. That could have been a joke, a bad joke. What the fuck. What the fuck. 

She ran to the bedroom and threw the letter somewhere in her dresser. What if, what if, that person was right? What if she was a selfish bitch? What if she was really an absent mother? What if? What if? Meryl was driving herself crazy with doubts. She locked herself in the closet and began to sob. It had to be a bad dream. She needed to hit something, she needed relief, so she hit the door over and over until her hand started to bleed. 

>> 

"Baby, Sandy called me. We have a meeting on Monday" - Don said, but his wife wasn't in the living room. The TV was turned on, which intrigued him; she always yelled at him when he left the TV turned on. Where is she? He was looking for her around the house, but she wasn't anywhere downstairs. He made his way upstairs, then; as he entered the bedroom, he started to hear sounds; she was crying.