My Sunshine (15 page)

“How is that possible?”

“I guess she had to have had sex with her husband within a couple of days of being with me. Do you hate me?”

“I can’t hate you for something you did nine months ago.”

“Don’t be easy on me. I won’t believe you. I’ll just think that you’re lying to me and deep down you really hate me.”

Chloe
sighed. “I don’t hate you, John. I don’t know what it is I feel. Why did you have sex with her?”

“I don’t know. I’m a dog, a scumbag.”

“That’s not true.”

“It just happened. I mean, we were talking and the

conversation led there, and she really wanted it. I just… I made a horrible mistake.”

“Do you have feelings for her?”

“No. I don’t have feelings for anyone but you. I promise you, Chloe. I love you.”

“What?”

“I said I love you. I love you. I am so scared that I am

going to lose you over this. I don’t want to lose you.” He began
to sob.

“You’re not going to lose me. I love you too,
John.

“You do?”

“Yes. I love you.”

“Will you come sooner? I need you here. Please come down.”

“I don’t know.”

“Please. I’ll hire someone to pack your things. Just grab a
bag and come now. I’ll get a plane to come and get you. Just please come right now. Tonight.”

Chloe
sighed. She wanted to go. She had already quit her job at Subway and her replacement at the bank had already been hired. It would be no big deal to just go ahead and quit.

Rebecca
had already taken over Daniel’s finances. She wasn’t needed there anymore. “Okay, John. I’ll come. I’ll come right now.”

“Let me see what I can work out about a plane. I’ll call you
as soon as I can. Is there an airport in Asheville?”

“Yeah, but it’s not real big.”

“Big enough for the jet like we took to Anaheim?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. I’ll give you a call back.”

“I’ll pack.”

“Thank you, God,” he breathed when he clicked off the phone. He immediately dialed the number of Carl Black, his manager.

“Hey
John, what’s up?”

“I need you to do me a favor,
Carl. I need the plane tonight.”

“
John, it’s not like asking to borrow my car. This is a plane.

It’s expensive. We have to get pilots and a flight plan.”

“Then get it. I don’t care the cost. If I don’t get your plane,

I’m just going to charter one.”

“No, no. That’s what we bought that plane for. How soon do you need it?”

“ASAP
’’.

“Where are you going?”

“Asheville, North Carolina. There’s a small airport there.”

“Do you need a bodyguard?”

“No.”

“How long are you going to be gone?”

“Just there and back tonight. I’m picking up a friend. She’ll be waiting for me there.”

“Okay,
John. Let me make a couple of phone calls. I’ll call you back.”

Chloe
packed as many clothes in her suitcase in as she could then stuffed her carry-on bag full
.
This is craz
y
.

No, you’re just crazy, banana-brain. It’s starting already.
He says jump and you ask how high. You’re a crazy fool to get involved with someone like him. He’s got a kid, he screwed a married woman. You’re just nuts to think that he’s not screwing around on you. But you really don’t deserve any better. You’re just worthless trash. He’ll find out soon enough how bad you are.

Chloe
closed her eyes and put her fingers to her temples.

“Go away, go away, go away,” she murmured. She had yet to
go to the doctor to get her medicine adjusted.

“
Chloe, what’s going on?” Daniel asked, stepping into her room.

“Oh, I’ve decided to leave tonight.
John is sending a plane.”

“For good?”

“Yeah, I mean, I’ll have to come back and get more of my stuff, but I’m going ahead and moving in now.”

“Why so sudden?”

She shrugged. “Why not? I’m not needed here anymore.”

“I wish you wouldn’t say it like that.”

“Well, it’s true.”

“It's not.” He shoved his hands into the front pockets of his
jeans. “So when is this plane getting here?”

“I don’t know. He’s supposed to call me back. Can yo
u drive me to the airport in Asheville? That’s where the plane is landing.”

“Yeah, of course I will. I just don’t like this spur of the

moment stuff. I need more time to plan.”

Chloe
frowned. “I’m sorry, Daniel, but I’ve got to do this.

It’s what’s right for me. He told me he loved me.”

Daniel smiled. “He did?”

She nodded. “He loves me,
Daniel. Finally, after all the crap I have been through, finally I found someone who loves me.”

Daniel
pulled her to him for a hug. “I know you have,

Chloe
. I’m happy for you. I really am. Just don’t go down there and forget about me.” He kissed the top of her head.

She hugged him tighter. “
Daniel, don’t be sorry. I couldn’t have made it this far without you.” She pulled away from him to look him in the eyes. “You have sacrificed so much for me.”

He shook his head and wiped the tears from his face.

Chloe could tell there was so much he wanted to say, but nothing he could put into words. “I’m going to call Rebecca so she can come over and say good-bye. Don’t you want to call Justin?”

Chloe
nodded. “I should.” Daniel left the room, and she picked up her cell phone to dial Justin’s number.

“Hey Justin.”

“What’s up?”

“I called to say good-bye.”

“Where are you going?”

“To Orlando. I’m leaving tonight.”

“And you’re not coming back?”

“I’ll be back for visits.”

“So he took it okay when you told him about your

schi
zophrenia?”

“Yeah, he’s good.”

“And you went to the doctor and got your meds fixed?”

“Oh yeah. I’m good.” She shook her head. She hated to lie
to him, but she didn’t want an argument.

“Okay then. I’ll miss you, girl. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Justin. Be good. Bye”

“Bye.”

She clicked off the phone and it rang in her hand. “Hello?”

“Hey babe,”
John said. “I got the details.”

“Okay, what time?”

“The pane will be there in about two hours. It’s a hour flight, but the pilot needs time to get ready.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for it.”

“I’m coming, too. I’m coming to get you. I’ll be on the

plane.”

“I was hoping you would.”

“Where’s the paper? And the phone book?”
Chloe poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table with Tyler and Christine who were eating breakfast.

“The paper is still in the yard,”
Tyler said, “and the phone book is in the first drawer over there.” He pointed towards the kitchen cabinets.

“What are you up to?”
Christine asked.

“I’m going to find a job.”

She had been there a week and was itching to get a job. She liked working and making money, saving it and watching it grow in her bank account. She didn’t like feeling dependent on someone else, the way she had been all week as she watched

John
dole out money for every little thing she needed.

She stood up from the table and disappeared from the room.

She came back a few seconds later with the paper. She retrieved that phone book from the drawer. She sat back down at the table and opened the paper.

“What kind of job are you looking for?”
Christine asked.

“I don’t know. I was working at a bank before as a teller,
but Orlando is a whole lot bigger than Canton. I might try to get a job in an accounting department somewhere. That’s what my degree is in.”

She glanced through the paper for a few more minutes
before folding it and laying it down. She opened the yellow pages to the employment agencies. “This is where I should start.”

She handed the phone book to
Tyler. “Find me a place that’s close to here.”

Tyler
scanned the pages. “This one is close. Applebaum Employment. It’s on Elmhurst Street, which is just across the bridge.”

Chloe
nodded, knowing which bridge he was talking about. “Then that’s where I’m going.”

“Where are you going?”
John asked, entering the room.

“To Applebaum Employment Agency. I’m getting a job.

Can I borrow your car?”

He nodded. “Yeah. Today?”

“Yes, today.” She stood up and walked over to John. She kissed him. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” he replied with a smile. “You want me to
drive you?”

She shook her head. “Y’all have to be at the studio by ten.”

She looked at the clock. It was already nine. “I need to get a shower and get going before all the good jobs get gone.”

She went back to her room and into bathroom. She started
the shower and stripped off all her clothes. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She was happy.

What are you so happy about? You’re not good enough to
be happy. It’s just a matter of time before John does you just like Trevor and makes you have sex with all of his friends.

He knows what a whore you are.

“I am not a whore!” Chloe told her reflection.

Sure you are. You had sex with
John when he was practically a stranger. And you kept going back for more with Trevor’s buddies. No one was making you.

“You were making me.”

Chloe you’re such a loser. Only an idiot would think that John really loved you.

“He does love me.”

Eli ran away from you. He finally saw you for who you were.

“No,” she cried, giving into the voice.

Eli was scared of living the rest of his life with you. He wasn’t killed. He killed himself. He’d rather die than have to live with you.
Chloe sank to the floor and wrapped her armaround he
r
legs. “No, it’s not true.”

Even your own mother didn’t love you enough to stick
around. If you had been a better kid, she wouldn’t have run away. You make everyone run away. Daniel is glad to see you go. You make everyone sick. Stupid, stupid whore.