Forever Altered (28 page)

“Very
funny, Matthews.  Hurry up before I go to my room without you,” she threatened.

Within
fifteen minutes or so, we were entering her room.  I was still shocked
over the fact that Alyssa was actually mine again and I was really standing in
the room with her.  She flipped on the light and immediately noticed the
flowers I asked to be brought up to her room.  They put them on the
nightstand just as requested. 

“How
did you do that?” she wanted to know.

“I
asked the front desk to do it,” I cleared up.  “You didn’t get to keep the
other roses I bought you.”  

“What
if we didn’t work things out?” Alyssa asked seriously.

“Sunshine,
I wasn’t letting you go,” I told her.  “I’m nothing without you.” 

Alyssa
dropped her purse on the table and came over to me.  She removed our bags
which were still hanging from my shoulder and put them on the floor. 
“Rocco, I need one more thing from you tonight,” she said as she clasped her
hands around the back of my neck. 

“Anything. 
Just name it,” I assured her holding her tight.

“Make
me forget,” she said.

“Forget?”
I asked.

“Make
me forget that we’ve been apart for over a month.  Make me forget how
empty and lonely I’ve felt.  Make me forget you broke my heart.”  Not
only did I do what she asked of me, I may have even made her forget her own
name.

The
next morning, we woke up early and checked out of the hotel.  Alyssa did
not want to attend the brunch Lori and Dan were hosting for everyone who stayed
the night.  More importantly, she didn’t want to run into someone in
particular.  Luckily, Jill had dropped her off wherever she met Lori the
day prior, so she rode with me to her house.  Having her in the passenger
seat of my car again made it feel real somehow.  Her house was warm, cozy,
and welcoming unlike the museum Max insisted my mom live in.  When we got
there, her parents were already making breakfast for us.  After everything
was cleaned up, Alyssa and Jill started pulling out their Christmas
decorations.  For the first time in a very long time, I helped decorate a
tree.  Occasionally, they would find something that reminded them of her
aunt and uncle.  You could see the sadness on all three of their
faces.  This would be a very hard year for them.  I would have to try
and think of some way to help make it better.

Later
that night, the four of us went out to dinner at one of her dad’s favorite restaurants. 
I had a really good time getting to know Greg and Jill better.  They are
cool, down to earth people.  I was a little concerned they might not let
me sleep in the same room as Sunshine, but they never said anything about it. 
The both of us passed out in a matter of minutes once we got into bed.  I
wouldn’t have been able to sleep at all if she wasn’t curled up next to me,
though. 

We
left fairly early to get back to school Sunday morning.  The two hour drive
sucked since Alyssa wouldn’t leave her car home.  I even offered her the
spare set of my keys and told her she could take my car whenever she needed
it.  She had no plans on coming back home until Winter Break and I told
her I was coming with her anyway, so she’d have a ride home.  Did I ever
mention how stubborn she can be? 

Leah
and Tyler were already at her apartment by the time we got there.  When we
walked in and Leah saw the two of us together, she literally sighed with
relief.  “Well, it’s about time the two of you worked this shit out. 
It was really getting old trying to convince you how stupid you both were
being.”  Leave it to Leah to be subtle.  “Let’s hear about the
wedding.”  Alyssa and I looked at each other and started laughing. 
I’m not really sure why.  Punching Jeff really wasn’t funny.  We sat
down at the table and proceeded to give them the details of what
happened. 

Over
the next week, everything between us picked up right where it left off.  I
walked her to class when I could.  We ate together all the time.  She
let me be her lab partner again.  Our whole group of friends hung
out.  What I had missed the most while we were apart was laying with her
every night until she fell asleep.  Those few moments before she drifted
off were when I felt how much she loved me and it was in those moments I
decided what to get her for Christmas. 

Somehow
I was able to convince Alyssa to go away with me the next weekend.  I made
reservations at a small bed and breakfast in a small touristy town in
Pennsylvania.  My mom had taken me there a few times as a kid.  The
whole town decorates for Christmas and has different things scheduled on the
weekends.  After seeing the way she enjoyed decorating at her house, I
knew she would love it.  We planned to leave right after she was finished
class on Thursday afternoon.  We wouldn’t get there until later Thursday
night, but we’d have all day Friday and Saturday. 

Since
her class wouldn’t be over for almost two hours, I decide to hit the gym. 
That would give me plenty of time to get in a quick workout, then rush back and
shower before she gets out and we hit the road.  Once I walk through the
door of the locker room, I get a text from Alyssa asking me to meet her in the
lobby of the Hamilton Building.  Her class is across campus from that
building.  What the hell is she doing there?  I try calling her to
see what’s up, but my call goes right to voicemail.  When I hang up, my
phone starts ringing.  Thinking it’s her, I don’t check the caller ID.

“Hey,
what’s going on?” I answer my phone.

“Rocco
Matthews?” asks a male voice.  I quick check my phone and see that it
wasn’t her after all. 

“Yes?” 

“This
is Bryce Dolan, the private investigator your mom hired,” he announces. 
This is the first time I’ve heard from this guy and it’s been a couple of weeks
since my mom mentioned him.  “I was told to contact you at this number
with any information about Victoria Callahan.”

“Right. 
You have something for me?” I walk back outside the gym and start to walk down
the path that leads to the Hamilton Building. 

“Well,
I’m not sure about the importance of it right now, but I just uncovered the
fact that Jack and Maggie Callahan are not her biological parents.  The
records were buried pretty deep, so it will take some time before I’m able to
find out who her real parents are and what happened with all of this.”

“Why
would they go to all the trouble of hiding that she was adopted?” I ask because
I’m confused.

“I
do not have that information at this time,” he responds.

“Have
you been able to find any clue as to where she is now?” It’s worth a try to
ask, even though I’m sure it would have been the first thing he told me had he
known. 

“I
found out right after the incident at your house, Mr. and Mrs. Callahan checked
her into a rehabilitation center in Tucson.  I went there personally and
was only told her status was unavailable.  However, I used other methods
to find out that she hasn’t been there in about two months.  No one has
seen or heard from her, including Mr. and Mrs. Callahan.  I haven’t been
able to find any phone records or a financial trail from them to her,
either.  Mr. Matthews, I want you to know that your mom only hired me if I
agreed to work on your case and your case alone.  I’ve been working around
the clock to find you any information I can.  I literally just got off the
plane this morning from Arizona and happened to come across this about ten
minutes ago.”

“I
understand.  Please let me know the second you find out anything
else.  Thank you,” I tell him and disconnect the line.  Right before
I could push my phone back into my pocket, it rings again.  This time,
it’s Shane. 

“Where
are you?” he yells into the phone without waiting for me to answer.

“On
my way to meet Alyssa.  She just texted me,” I tell him. 

“I’m
outside of the Hamilton Building and you need to get here now,” he says
urgently. 

“Shane,
what’s going on?”  I panic and start to jog down the path.

“Vicki’s
here.  She has Alyssa inside.  She won’t let anyone in until you get
here.”  He pauses.  “Rocco, someone said she has a gun.”

“Call
Tony.  I’m on my way.  Make sure you call Tony!” I yell into the
phone.  I hang up and run as fast as I can.  I leave the path and cut
across the extensive lawn.

When
I reach the front of the building, Public Safety has it all blocked off. 
No sign of the real police yet.  The guy in charge knows who I am and
tries to stop me from going in the building. 

“Rocco,”
Shane calls through the crowd.  “Tony said he is about ten minutes away.”

“Rocco,
let the professionals handle this.  Their ETA is less than five minutes,”
he says putting his hand on my chest.

 “My
girlfriend could be dead in four,” I say pushing passed him.  No one else
tries to stop me.

I
run up the steps and open the door just enough that I can fit through. 
The lobby to the building is pretty large.  The ceiling goes up to the
second floor.  The grand staircase to my right is one of two ways to get
upstairs where the classrooms are.  The other is down the hallway to my
left hidden in a corner that only the original staff probably used.  On
this first floor, there are only offices and conference rooms.  These
rooms were once things like a billiards room, dining room, entertaining rooms
or whatever they called them back in the day.  The school has preserved
most of the building except for the things to keep it up to code.  The
history of it is still pretty much alive. 

Across
from the front door is a huge marble fireplace.  Right now, Vicki is
leaning up against it with Alyssa in front of her.  I can see the gun
Vicki is holding at her back.  The moment I walk in the door, Alyssa’s
eyes lock on mine.  The fear and anxiety all over her face mimics the
feelings that have been worsening inside of me since I got the call from
Shane. 

“Well,
look who finally decided to show up,” Vicki says.  Her voice is not how I
remember it.  It sounds totally unstable.  She looks the same as the
last time I saw her only a little thinner, but it’s hard to tell from this far
away.  Her hair isn’t done the way it always was which is saying a lot
because she would go get it done religiously every other week.  It’s
disheveled and hasn’t been cut in a long time.  Vicki is a lot taller than
Alyssa.  When I take a step closer to them, it’s easy for Vicki to put her
arm around Alyssa’s neck and yank her back.  “Don’t come any closer,
Rocco.”  I stop right where I am.

“I’m
here.  Now let her go,” I say to Vicki. 

“Not
going to happen,” she tells me.

“Why
not?  Your problem is with me, not her.  Let her go,” I demand. 
I should have walked Alyssa to her class.  None of this would be happening
if I had.

“Since
you decided to ignore my warning about staying away from her, now she is the
problem.”

I
need to keep her talking.  Tony will be here soon.  He’ll get Alyssa
out of here and she’ll be safe.  “I’m not sure I understand all of
this.  I didn’t intentionally do anything to hurt you, did I?  From
what I remember, you and I just didn’t work out.  We were both
miserable.  It happens.”  Vicki tightens her grip on her and Alyssa
reaches up with both hands grabbing her arm.  “Come on, Vick.  Let
her go and talk to me.”  I very slowly take a step forward with my arms
stretched outward. 

“No. 
She’s not going anywhere.”

“Okay. 
How about you put the gun down then?  There is no need to have that damn
thing.”

“Oh,
no?”  Vicki starts laughing only it sounds more like a witch’s
cackle.  She pulls it away from Alyssa’s back and fires it across the room
startling us.  I don’t pull my eyes away to see where it hit. 
  

“No. 
You don’t need that.  Now put it down,” I say trying to make my voice
sound as relaxed as possible.

“I
finally got your attention, didn’t I?”  She looks like she is starting to
grow impatient.  How do I calm her down?  My phone starts to
ring.  “Don’t you dare answer
that!
”

“If I
don’t, the cops are going to come swarming in here.  You don’t want that,
do you?”  She thinks about it.  “Vicki, you are wasting time. 
They are going to come right through that door if I don’t answer it.”

“Answer
it on speakerphone.”  I do what she says. 

“You’re
on speakerphone,” I announce when I connect the call, so whoever is calling
knows.

“Was
anyone hurt?  We heard the gunshot.”  Vicki nods for me to answer.

“No. 
No one was hurt.”

“Now
they know.  Hang it up.” 

“Okay,”
I tell her, but I don’t.  The call is still connected.  I put it in
my jacket pocket hoping whoever is there can still hear what is going on.

“So,
tell me what I did to make you so upset.  I assumed we just weren’t happy
together.” 

“You
are the most narcissistic bastard I’ve ever met,” she starts with the evil
laugh again.  “How have you not figured this out yet?  I thought you
were so brilliant, Rocco Matthews.”

“Obviously,
I’m not.  Please tell me, Vicki.  Please just tell me what I did and
how to fix it.  I’ll do whatever you want me to do,” I plead with her
because I’m starting to worry Tony isn’t going to make it.  I’m afraid I’m
going to watch my girlfriend die right in front of me just like my dad
did.  Only this time, it will undoubtedly be my fault.