Connections (16 page)

The air was cold, evidence of breathing creating a fog from her mouth as she walked up the front path. It wasn’t too late for this, was it? No of course not.

This plan could not go wrong. Everything was perfect for this. She had the right outfit, the perfect accessories.

Carter would see this. He would see what he’d been missing this entire time, and he would know how much she loved him. How much she needed him. She unlocked the front door, putting her keys in her pocket before starting to ascend the staircase.

It was now or never.

The bedroom door was open while Carter lay asleep on the bed, still in his clothes from earlier.

He looked peaceful, content almost.

“
Carter?” her voice was soft as she leaned over him as she removed her jacket, revealing her black lingerie underneath it. “Carter?”

He stirred, pulling his pillow closer to him, not awake yet.

“
Carter, take me!” Her voice was more forceful then she’d ever used before.

He sat up, blurry and confused with sleep. “What?”

“
Take me.”

He could smell her perfume and he felt sick as he realized this wasn’t a dream. “How did you get in here? What time is it?”

“
I used my key silly.” She crawled onto the bed. “I need you Carter, why do you deny me over and over again?”

“
You deserve more than me.” He wasn’t sure he even bought his answer, but his mind wasn’t clear enough to deal with her right now. “This isn’t the time to talk about it.”

“
Then when is the time?”

“
Daylight! Not when you sneak into my bedroom in the middle of the night you fucking psycho!”

She stared at him, her eyes wide like an innocent cartoon animal as she scooted off the bed, reaching for her jacket. “Don’t call me a psycho.”

“
Just go before I call the police.”

“
You don’t want to do that.” She pulled out what looked like it could be a water gun, but he wasn’t sure.

“
Then leave.”

“
You think this is fake don’t you?”

Adrenaline rushed through him, “I think that if you really loved me, you wouldn’t even think about shooting me. I think you’re obsessed with the idea of me. But damn it Eva, I’m not the right man for you. You’re not the right woman for me.”

“
Who is? Shayla Daniels? Didn’t you hear she’s been whoring it up since before you two started dating. Now she’s probably spending her afternoons sucking your brother’s cock, instead of yours.”

Carter kept telling himself the gun wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. Why would Eva even have one? “Eva, you know Shayla isn’t the woman I want. I don’t know what I want.”

“
You want me, why can’t you see it?”

“
Because it’s not true.” He stood up, trying to keep from shaking.

Eva shook her head, “Don’t move!”

Carter could see the light on in Amanda’s room. He could only hope that she’d heard the yelling and called the police. “I’m not moving.”

“
Good, you need to understand Carter that I have been waiting around for you for a very long time.” She put a hand over her heart, “I’ve waited while you fucked that slut Shayla. I waited while you slept with every girl that crossed your path at college, and when you slept with the married teacher when you were student teaching.”

“
You know all of that about me, why would you want to sleep with me?”

“
Because, I love you.” She started to beat her chest with a fist as tears ran down her face.

Carter was at a loss of words as the distant cry of police sirens made their way closer.

“
I need you Carter.”

“
You need more of me then I can give you.” He confessed as he heard his front door splinter under the force of officers.

Everything became a blur of movement, the sound of a gun going off echoing in the room and the cry as Eva fell from the impact of shooting.

Carter was frozen as he realized she hadn’t shot anyone, her aim had been off and all that was injured was the wall.

He’d asked for some clarity, he wasn’t sure if he’d gotten it. All he knew now was he needed to realize that he had been a crappy friend to Eva, and probably to anyone else that had crossed his path over the years.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Cassandra banged on Shayla’s dressing room door, “Come on, you can’t hide in here all damn day.”

“
Yes I can!”

“
No, you can’t. We need to be on set soon.”

Shayla opened the door, her hair down, her clothes baggy and loose. “Why couldn’t Addison at least wear something that fit? She doesn’t know she’s been kidnapped. She thinks Bella is letting her figure crap out at the cabin.”

“
Because Addison is supposed to be above us and not give two shits about her appearance. Well as much as any soap character can.” Cassandra pushed her way into the room. “You can’t avoid her forever.”

“
I know. I have to film with her later today.”

“
Ouch. Well use this anger if you can.”

Shayla sighed, “I’m not sure it is anger.”

“
Listen.” Cassandra sat in front of her friend, “I already have to deal with one crazy bitch around here. Now I would much rather it be you, but Jordan is making my life a living hell. I never should’ve fucked her.”

“
I told you that a while ago.” Realization dawned on Shayla, “When?”

Cassandra couldn’t look at Shayla, only at her hands. “Sunday.”

“
God, why?”

“
As a goodbye.” Cassandra looked up, “But, she thought if we did it, and I liked it we would get back together.”

“
You made it clear to her beforehand it was a goodbye sex, right?”

“
Yes, very clear, but not enough.” Cassandra sighed, “Forget her. Let’s get you on set to film the cabin scene. I have too much nervous energy right now to waste sitting in here talking about stupid sexual mistakes.”

“
Fine.” Shayla looked at her phone setting it to vibrate. “Let’s do this.”

The set was quiet as the crew prepared for the scenes. Shayla looked around, not sure she would be able to handle the moment she saw her mother on the set the first time. So far, she didn’t see her. They didn’t have scenes until later, so maybe she wasn’t here yet.

The cabin set was a popular one, used since the 1980’s. It had been updated from time to time, but nothing drastic. Most of the dressings you could spot in clip on YouTube. It was one of Shayla’s favorites, it was this set she’d had her first scenes in when she’d started.

“
Places!”

“
Ready?” Cassandra asked a playful smile on her face.

“
Ready.”

Shayla found her mark, the air feeling thick around her when she heard
Action
. “Bella, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“
Yes, I’m positive Addison. No one will bother you here. You need this time to figure out what you want to do about your shares.”

“
Dad wanted me to run the company didn’t he?”

“
I think Father wanted you to, when you were ready. I don’t think he was expecting to pass when he did.”

She sighed as she sat on the couch, picking up a photograph, “Do you ever wonder what it would’ve been like if we’d been raised apart?”

“
Addison now is not the time to worry about the past. It’s time to focus on the future. The fridge is stocked, electricity is on, no Wi-Fi or cell service, but you need time to think, focus, those will just distract you.” She stood at the doorway. “I will call the landline tomorrow afternoon at one. Don’t answer if it rings at any other time, okay?”

“
Okay, Bella, thank you.”

“
Anytime Addison, anytime.” She exited, a smile crossing her face as she walked off.

“
Cut!” The director checked with a few others and then called for the set-up of the next scene.

Shayla and Cassandra moved away from the set, stopping when they saw Alice.

“
Hello girls.” Alice had colored her hair a mousy brown; she wore a pale blue waitress uniform.

“
Mother” Was all Shayla could say, her stomach was twisting into knots she hadn’t known it could form until now.

“
Places for the diner scene!”

Cassandra squeezed Shayla’s hand before walking away, watching from a distance.

Shayla followed Alice towards the set, suddenly feeling out of place on the set, more like a daughter on take your daughter to work day. Her mother seemed so comfortable, it was odd, and yet reassuring.

The scenes moved quickly, easily, and before Shayla knew it, they were done.

Shayla quickly left the set, hoping that Alice wouldn’t follow. She needed space and air.

“
Shayla Daniels!” Alice called out in the dressing room hallway.

She turned slowly, suddenly feeling like a child in trouble. Maybe she was? “Mother”

“
Let’s talk.”

Shayla led her to her dressing room, sitting on the couch while her Mother looked around, “Well, what do you want to talk about?”

“
The fact that you ran away and left a note instead of confronting me.”

“
That’s what I do, I run away. I always have. I did from you and Dad, I did from Brad, the only thing I haven’t ever run away from is this.”

“
Brad?”

“
Yeah, the older guy I slept with throughout college.” Shayla confessed as she watched her foot shake. “Do you know what I was doing Senior year? I was picking up men on the train and blowing them in alleys in the city. One day I decided I didn’t want to lose my virginity to Carter, I wanted a real man. So I found a young professional on the train. I spent the next four years pleasing him, being a pawn in his games.”

Alice’s face fell, “Shayla, I had no idea.”

“
Oh please, you had an idea. When you visited me at my old apartment. He owns it Mother, and the kicker, he’s your neighbor.”

Alice had no words as her mouth hung open, watching her daughter confess. Finally after a few moments of silence she spoke, “When you were young, you don’t remember this, but you would come here to the studio, with me, stay in my dressing room which was also number 9. You loved it here. I worked a lot then, I didn’t always get to spend time with you, or your brother.”

“
I don’t remember you working when I was older.”

Alice shrugged, “Towards the end of my run here, I was very fortunate that I usually had an early call time and was out before you and Paul would ever notice.”

“
Why didn’t you want me to become an actress?” Shayla looked at her mother, waiting for an answer.

“
Well, I was afraid you would struggle. I fear that every day. I know what’s happening in this business particularly this part.”

“
I guess I get that.” Shayla stood up, “We’re better, we’re not okay yet. This is going to take time, but if you’re willing to work on our mother daughter relationship, while Maeve and Addison work on theirs, then so am I.”

“
I think we can do that.” Alice went to the door, “Shayla, who was the young man you were seeing when you were back home?”

Shayla smiled, “Zach Jensen, I’m still seeing him. He’s moving to New York in January, before he leaves for Spring Training for the Yankees.”