Torn(50)

Her eyes dart up to her mom's face. "Did you hear that, Mommy? Falon says I'm going to be beautiful."

Her mom, Sadie, smiles through a veil of tears. "You're beautiful now, Sweetheart. You know that Daddy and I think that."

"My brother, Cory, tell me I'm pretty sometimes." She taps her hands on my shoulders. "I think he's pretty too."

I look over to where her brother and her dad are standing. I'd booked the Reynolds family in for a shoot to commemorate their wedding anniversary. Hunter Reynolds is the owner of many of the city's most acclaimed restaurants. His wife is just as well known. She's a doctor and an advocate for organ donors. They have a handsome son, Cory, who is pre-occupied with a game on his dad's phone. Their daughter, Olivia, is only three-years-old.

She's a beautiful little girl with big blue eyes and brown hair. She was excited when she arrived but as soon as I stood behind the camera to take the first shot, her hand darted to her lips. She was trying to shield a small, circular brown mole that is there, hovering just over the right side of her mouth.

"Why don't we try taking one picture and then I can show it to you and see what you think. Does that sound like a deal to you?"

Her tongue darts over her bottom lip. "It's a deal."

***

"We met at Noah's apartment last year," Sadie says as she holds out her hand towards Asher. "I'm friends with his wife, Alexa. I think it was at a birthday party for the twins."

"You're right. It was at Noah's kids' birthday party. I remember that. "He pats Cory on the top of the head as they all stand in the doorway of my studio. "Your kids have gotten big."

"Time flies, doesn't it?" She brushes past him. "We need to get going, but it was great seeing you again, Asher. Say hi to your brothers for us."

"Will do."

I stand in silence watching as the Reynolds family leaves my studio. The shoot had gone very well once Olivia felt comfortable. We laughed afterwards and I promised her that I'd stop by their apartment later this week with a picture of myself when I was her age. I plan on picking one up from my parents' house tomorrow when I'm in Brooklyn for dinner.

"I don't know how to make up for what happened in Philadelphia." Asher walks towards me, his hands clenched in front of him. "I lost track of time, Falon. When I went to find you, you'd already left."

I turn away from him. I want to hug him. I really want to kiss him, but I'm still reeling from what happened two days ago. I had gone to Maya's aunt's house. She was there at the door to greet me with a compassionate ear and a cup of tea.

We sat awake for a few hours talking about what I was feeling. I told her about Karen, and the other version of Asher that I saw on the stage. I went on and on about my work, and the Bishop Hotel contract and every client I hope to get in the future. Then I cried when I talked about my family and how I feel like I'm just one of a crowd, a number, not a person. I stopped finally after telling her about the woman calling me Seven, the same name I carried for years in my own home.

She didn't pass judgment. Maya just sat and listened and when I was done talking, we crawled into the queen size bed in her aunt's guest room and we fell asleep.

"I'm sorry I left," I apologize, not because I think he expects it, but because I want to. "I tried to text you to tell you I was leaving. I should have pushed my way into your dressing room but I was exhausted."

"I planned on us having more time together before the concert," he breathes. "I wanted to hold you before I took the stage. I missed you so much."

Those same words linger on my tongue. I want to say them, but I don't. I turn back around. "I had to get out of there. There were so many people waiting to talk to you. They love you. They love the guy who sang to them. It was strange to see you up there like that. Not strange in a bad way. You're just different on the stage."

"I'm not that guy on the stage. I'm this guy. I'm the guy who can't stop thinking about you," he says hoarsely as he takes a heavy step towards me. "I never stop thinking about you, Falon."

I shoot him a look. "It felt like a lot. I think that was because of that call I got from that woman and then we didn't have a chance to talk before your concert."

"I wanted to explain things to you." He's so close to me now. He doesn't touch me. "I wanted to talk about Karen and about other things."

"Who is she?" I reach up to touch him, but I don't. My hands fall to my side. "Is she someone important to you?"

"No. Not anymore. Karen was my wife."





CHAPTER 40


Asher




There's no reason to hide the truth at this point. I would have told her the same thing, just as bluntly, in Philadelphia but there wasn't time before I took the stage. I knew her expression would look exactly like this when she heard the news. It's a mixture of confusion and sadness. I'm not proud that I was married. I hate that it happened.

"I met her in rehab," I begin even though she doesn't ask for more of an explanation. "She was recovering too. It bonded us together in some f*cked up way and then she got pregnant."

Her hand jumps to her chest. She's shielding her heart. "There's a baby?"