Chapter 35
Chapter 3 5
Only one will stand at the end of it all.
“Are you ready?”
I glance at Mort in the early morning darkness. “I think I am going to throw up, to be honest.” I am in a dark cloak, my hair braided down my back. My nerves are making me sick.
Mort takes a deep breath. “No matter what happens today…we did our best.” She pats me on the shoulder. “There, there.”
I smile at her.
“Mort, I will miss you terribly,” I say with a breath. “Whenever I see a white butterfly, I will always think of you.” I smile through watery eyes.
Mort wipes a tear. “That makes me emotional.”
I laugh.
She sniffs and I grab her, hugging her. “Let’s go.” I kiss her head and we both make our way to the South Shore .
I walk outside and see all the girls in dark cloaks, each one of them getting into a carriage. The air feels heavy, the tension thick with uncertainty.
I am sure Fairy Godmother Inc. is providing escape and transportation. On the side of the vehicles, I can see the Fairy Godmother crest.
Laura comes up to me, face pale. “How are you doing?”
I shrug, shivering in the crisp morning air. “As good as I can.”
“I have a bad feeling.”
My stomach drops. “Why?!” I can feel the storm coming, brewing, like a lightning strike to my heart.
Laura pulls me into a carriage that’s not occupied yet. We both get in and shut the door, leaving us in the moonlit darkness. “Tarren just left me.”
I swallow, feeling sick. “And?”
She begins again, “Apollo was not himself last night, according to Tarren. He got trashed and told Tarren everything. Tarren came to my room demanding answers, super pissed.”
She continues, “I don’t think Apollo has fully healed yet. Something is wrong.”
“From the poison?”
Of course, from the poison. Something that I caused.
Laura sniffs. “Yes, the recovery process is not overnight.”
“I don’t understand.”
Laura is not making sense. She’d better start making fucking sense before I freak out.
I take a breath, ordering myself to calm down.
“Apollo was extremely hurt and angry last night and till the wee hours of the morning, I think. Tarren is very concerned that he is not thinking clearly.”
I look down to my hands fisted into my cloak .
“He’s not coming,” I whisper.
The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. Laura stares at me, then looks out the window, at a loss for words.
“He’s not coming,” I say, louder.
I can see tears stream down her face. “I had to tell Tarren goodbye.” She takes an intake of air. “It killed me, Viola.” Her voice is broken.
“Apollo. Can Tarren help?”
She looks at me and shrugs. “Tarren did say Apollo ~is ~ madly in love with you, and that’s why his brain is having a hard time processing this. Well, because of what mental state he was in.
“So, when he became drunk, it’s like his brain short-circuited.”
“We have to go back, Laura,” I say in a panic. “When Apollo realizes what he has done, he will never forgive himself.”
“He could still show up,” she offers with a small smile.
I shake my head. “When Apollo gets like this, he is determined.”
“He still can show up.”
“We have to go back.” My voice catches and breaks. “This can’t be the end.”
~Don’t let this be the end.~
Tears stream down my face.
“We can’t go back.”
“Are you sure?”
Laura wipes her face and nods. “I already tried.”
Our carriage stops.
We are already here?!
The door opens and Mort and Leenie are there .
“We have to go.” Mort smiles. “I’m sure everything will work out. It’s nearly dawn.”
I walk out and I feel like I am moving in slow motion. Sounds and details are barely being registered in my mind. I watch as Pierce walks toward me in his long wool coat flapping in the wind.
I can see the other girls being ushered onto a very fairy-tale style ship. Its golden and white wood gives it an enchanting elegance. I am in no mood to appreciate it.
I do not want to get on that.
When Pierce walks up to me, he reminds me of Chris Harrison from ~The Bachelor~ , telling me this will be the last rose given out.
Pierce looks down at me. “How are you doing, kid?”
I say nothing, feeling my emotions too close to the top.
He glances at his watch then out toward the direction of the castle, as if Apollo will be showing up any minute. I can’t look.
“You know, the other girls really did an amazing job at taking down Irena’s evil forces. I believe April and Ivy were on their last lifeline.”
He continues as he stares out into the distance, “I didn’t think they could do it, but they did.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because”—he pauses—“if Apollo by some chance does not show, the scales are still borderline to where we will not lose Fairy Godmother Inc.”
I look up at him. “That’s wonderful news,” I whisper, meaning it. “Do you think Apollo is not coming then?” I can feel little bits of my world falling away.
Pierce’s blond hair blows in the wind as he stands quietly. “He only has ten minutes left before I must get you in the ship.”
“Ten minutes,” I breathe. “That’s not long enough! He’s not going to make it, Pierce! ”
Pierce’s face is that of stone as he gazes toward the castle. “I wish I had an answer for you. You did your best. That’s all you can do.”
“Pierce!” I scream, feeling like this is becoming too real. “It’s not good enough. Will you let me go to him? He is not himself.”
“I know he is not, which makes this extremely unfair. These are not my rules. Once the ship leaves, that’s it.
“I worried this would happen and tried to buy you more time, but I got denied by the council,” he admits.
“No,” I say.
Little pieces of me are crumbling away. Gone with the wind.
I am the girl at the end of ~The Bachelor~ who does not get the ring.
“I’m not leaving without him, Pierce,” I tell him, pleading with my eyes. Can’t he see how I’m hurting?! He must do something!
Pierce does not say anything and looks in the direction of the castle. “Unfortunately, that’s impossible.”
I glance to the ship and see the girls in tears, hugging each other.
This is not happening.
“It’s time, I’m afraid.”
“No!” I scream. I turn to look back to the towering castle in the far distance. “Apollo! Damn you!” I wipe the hot tears streaming down my face. “Apollo!”
I feel Pierce pulling me.
“Let go!” I try to push him off me. “I am not leaving without him!”
He pulls me into his embrace, surprisingly strong. His arms hold me tightly as I thrash. I look up into his eyes, vision blurred.
“I was born here, why can’t I stay?” I desperately try this tactic. “I don’t want this to be the end. ”
“It does not matter, I’m afraid.” I can see the pain in his expression.
“Pierce, I can’t leave him.”
He glances toward the Castle of Garthorn, then closes his eyes, jaw flexing. “If you do not leave with me, you will be transferred out. I am so sorry.”
I am crying, delirious with pain.
I can feel Mort hugging me from behind and it makes me cry harder.
I feel Pierce pick me up, and I just bury my face into his wool coat, not wanting to take one more breath.
I numbly feel for my Darling necklace and rip it off, throwing it. Maybe Apollo will find it and realize what a mistake he’s made.
Apollo Augustus Garthorn the Fifth just made the biggest mistake of his life.
***
~New Orleans~
The sound of heartbreak is complete ~silence.~
My bathroom is steamy from the hot bath I am soaking in. A week has passed, and it feels like a lifetime, the pain ever-present. A distant memory that seems more like a dream, a nightmare.
I slowly lift my leg out of the steamy tub filled with red rose petals. Yes, rose petals—how fitting. My skin is smooth and perfect. But who cares? I don’t. Nothing matters to me anymore.
Little water droplets fall off my leg, breaking the sound of silence.
~Drip, drip, drip.~
Fairy Godmother offers therapy for their contestants who lose.
I laugh rudely .
~Give me a break.~
I am just going to stay in this bath for the rest of my life. I slip under the rose-filled water, feeling weightless, tranquil. I just want to stay like this forever, insubstantial.
My eyes cramp but I have no tears left. I am just numb.
Iwonderwhat Apollo thought when he came to his senses. Is he broken like I am? Will he never forgive himself?
What did he do when he came to the South Shore and saw I was gone? Did he cry? Scream? Or did he not care at all, actually thankful I was gone?
I will never know, unfortunately.
I break the surface of the water, gasping for air.
A knock at the door makes me jump.
I am still, hoping the person leaves as I listen. It could be Laura—she said she was going to bring pizza and ice cream. She is just as hurt as I am.
The knocking again.
~Damn,~ this person must know I’m home. If it’s Laura she will not leave until I open the door.
Cursing, I get out of my serene ~depression~ bath. I grab my black robe and hear the knocking again, a little more forceful this time. I try to towel dry my hair.
“Coming!” I yell, irritated.
I am getting water everywhere.
I walk out of the bathroom and through my living room, water dripping off my legs. I hope it’s not FedEx or my landlord.
I unlock the door and open it.
I scream, my hand over my mouth.
I am frozen .
I am staring at a man who looks just like Apollo. A god-like human is currently standing in front of me. He is wearing a fitted leather jacket and tight, dark jeans showcasing his muscular form.
I am confused.
I might need therapy after all.
“Angel,” he breathes in a husky voice.
I can’t move.
“How?” I barely say. Am I hallucinating?!
He holds up my Darling necklace.
“Apollo…” I think I say.
His blonde hair is tied back, and his dark gaze sears me. “May I come in?”
“Come in?”
I am dazed.
He tilts his head. “Yes. I would love to come in. I had to move heaven and hell to get here.” He smiles at me, and it makes my brain malfunction. “So I am coming in whether you like it or not.”
Joy explodes inside my chest, so much sensation and disbelief. “Did you get molested on your way over here?” My eyes are wide, probably bulging.
He raises a brow, his black gaze moving over me. “Can I touch you?”
“Yes,” I say.
I am suddenly in his large embrace, his male scent making me dizzy. Tears flow down my face, I am crying, and I can’t stop.
“I am so sorry, Angel,” I hear him whisper into my wet hair.
“I don’t care, you’re here now,” I breathe into his neck. “I don’t know how, but you’re here.” I sob.
He lifts back to look at me, eyes watery, impacting me to the core .
“I love you with everything that I have, and I am not going anywhere.” His large hands are on my face, wiping away tears. “I’m sorry I took so long, but I made it.”
I now know the true definition of happiness.
~Of true love.~