Page 22 of Fractured
Mrs. Russo comes and settles in the chair beside me, looking out over the crowd of slow dancers, and I straighten up.
“Oh please, relax.” She pats my hand. “It’s good to see you let gofor a minute.”
I look out at Anna as Danny sways her in his arms and my heart swells a bit. Danny will look after her once I’m gone.
“I’ll be dropping you girls off tonight. Danny has to wait and take the men home; they’re still in a meeting, so it’s just us ladies.” She smiles like this is no big thing.
I turn to her and say, “Is it like this a lot? Are the men always leaving?”
She sighs, “No, but yes. Isabella: Business is always first. You’ll get used to it.”
She stands. “I’ll be out front with James. Take your time.” His mother gets up and walks away to the door towards James. He opens it for her as they leave. The crowd is thinning out now. Everyone is filing out the door, and I grab Anna’s satchel and shoes, meeting her on the dance floor. We link arms and head out to the waiting car.
We chat and laugh on our way back to Alexanders' house. There are no worries about seeing him tonight, he is staying at the hotel with his brothers.
I thank his mother for a wonderful dinner and I rush out of the car with Anna. We run through the house, passing Sasha by the door, and head straight to the kitchen, digging in the cupboards for wine and glasses. Sasha tries to follow us at our pace as we race up to my room like two teenagers. We get inside, and I smile at Sasha as I close the door in her face.
As Anna takes the bathroom to change into her jammies, I head over to my suitcase and grab my bunny set. I set the wine and glasses on the table and gather up my wilted flower petals, putting them in my bowl.
I open the wine and pour us two glasses. Anna comes out about a half hour later.
“Holy Shit! That bathroom is lit, man. No wonder you lockedyourself in there.” She laughs and plunks down on the couch.
I smile, “It’s great, right?” She grabs her wine and takes a sip. “You sure you can’t hang on long enough for that dickhead to come around and be normal? That bathroom might be worth the wait.” She tips her glass at me and takes another sip.
All humor vanishes, and I look away. This moment will be our last time alone together, to be just us, and it feels so much like the goodbye I never wanted to have with her. I can’t hold back and I start to cry.
Anna puts her drink down, jumping closer and holding me. We are both crying now, the snotty hiccup kind that turns your eyes puffy and your nose red. I get up and grab some Kleenex. We blow our noses and try to hold back the emotions.
“We have a lot to discuss, Anna. We only have tonight. After that, I’ll never be alone again.”
Anna straightens up and holds my hand, breaking out into a wide smile.
“Well. Let’s get to it. To freedom!” She snags our wine off the coffee table and hands me my glass.
We sit there for hours; the wine is gone, and we are pretty tipsy by now. But it worked out. Giggles erupt as we continue to refer to ourselves as DD7 rather than 007. We are both double D’s cup size. I guess it’s only funny when you’re drunk.
Anna will somehow contact me once she’s reached out to Helen, and the gift is ready. I already have an envelope I prepared a few days ago in case I told her my plan and I wrapped it in a box to look like a Maid of Honor gift so it wouldn't raise any suspicion.
It has my driver’s license, banking information, and birth certificate inside it. She’s supposed to give it to Helen so she can start the plan.
I somehow have to get to the museum and Anna will distractSasha and whomever else is on my butt that day. I’ll make a run for the store, and Helen will have the rest already worked out. She’s done this before with many women who needed to disappear.
It sounds easy, but there is no set date or time, so Anna has to be ready the day I walk through those doors. No tears, no goodbyes, I just run.
We were both exhausted, and we climb into bed. Anna curls up facing me, and I turn off the lamp. She grabs my hand in the dark and we just lay there silently.
“Izz? Why get married? You could have bolted days ago if you would have told me.”
I sigh, “I’ve thought about that, Anna. I was trying to keep you out of it, and I’m never alone or out of this room, and there was no way to contact you privately. Plus, my father will get what he wants, and Alexander will be free to make up some excuse that I’m on some holiday when I don’t appear at functions on his arm.”
I sigh and roll onto my back, looking up into the dark.
“He was going to get rid of me after tomorrow, anyway.”
I can feel the bed shake as she laughs.
“You’re delusional. He’ll be so pissed. I can’t wait to see his face. So? Why don’t you just wait till he puts your ass up in a condo?”
