A Life More Complete(115)

“Can I help you ma’am?” Baby Blue asks as I shake my head and bolt out the front door. The valet stops me and asks if he can get my car, again I shake my head. I can’t seem to form a coherent thought. I pull my phone from my purse as I waddle down the brick paved driveway to the gate. I call Bob because at this moment I can’t think of anyone else.

“Oh my God! Blue tuxedo! Love it!” he yells over the music playing in the background.

“Bob,” just saying his name causes me to lose it. I’m crying and I can’t get a word out.

“Krissy? What the hell is going on? Where are you? Why are you crying?” The panic in his voice is evident and I’m not helping to subside it by not speaking.

Shakily I get the words out, “Can you come get me?”

“Where are you? At the party?”

“Yes.”

“Let me call Edward. He couldn’t have gotten very far. I’ll call you back in a minute. Hold tight, honey.”

“Okay,” I say trying to control myself. The gate attendant is eyeing me warily when I sit down in the grass out front of the obscene house. It feels like hours pass before I hear back from Bob, but when I look at my phone it has only been three minutes.

“Edward is coming, baby. He’ll be there soon. Hang in there. I don’t know what happened, but I’m sure it has to do with Tyler.”

“Bob,” I sob. Luckily Edward comes barreling down the street and sidles up to the curb in record time. “Edward’s here,” I choke out before I hang up.

I open the door and climb in before Edward can assist me. Attempting to stifle the sobs that have me near hysteria, I hold my breath.

“Thank you, Edward,” I mumble.

“You’re very welcome, Miss Mullins. Mr. Sonfeld has asked me to inform you that he’ll be meeting you at your house shortly.”

I thank him again as my words get caught in my throat coming out in a hoarse whisper. This is all so surreal. The mental images are worse than the actuality of it. They are disgusting and bold, far too detailed. They play with my emotions until I’m hysterical again. In place of what should be jealous fury, I can only feel humiliation.

I leave the car without saying good-bye or thank you to Edward. I can only think about the safety of my house and crawling into my bed. Bob’s arms are waiting when I cross the threshold, embracing me, holding me close, making me feel a small amount of comfort.

“Do you want to tell me what happened?” he whispers.

“No.”

“When you’re ready I’ll be here.” Bob leads me over to the couch and I lay down with my head resting in his lap. He pulls the wig off and begins to unpin my hair, running his fingers through it. My breathing settles down and my eyes are heavy. I fall asleep quickly. I feel the couch shift as Bob gets up, but I’m back asleep within seconds.

Sometime later I hear the front door close and I hear Tyler’s voice. Just the sound of it churns my stomach.

“Hey Bob,” Tyler says with a bit too much force. The legs of a kitchen chair scrape across the floor.

“What happened tonight?” I hear Bob ask, his tone accusing.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Tyler responds and any trace of levity is gone.

“Cut the bullshit, Tyler. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Bob loves me, but he is beginning to tire of my continuous drama with Tyler. The confrontation has been a long time coming, but it still doesn’t make it any easier to hear. Even from a room away I wince at the tone in their voices.

“Listen, Sonfeld, I don’t know where you get off coming into my home and accusing me of things I know nothing about. But I’m guessing this has something to do with Krissy.” I inch my way closer but still staying out of view.

“You’re damn right,” Bob practically shouts. “All I know is I got a call from her asking me to pick her up in Malibu. She’s been a wreck ever since.”

“How the f*ck should I know what’s wrong with her? I got a text saying she was at the party, but I never hooked up with her.”

“And it never occurred to you to look for her? You just thought it was cool when she didn’t find you at the party? What the f*ck is wrong with you?”

“She’s always looking for attention. That should be obvious to you. She’s all about the drama. Always crying about something. It’s growing old.” Bob interrupts Tyler before he can go on.