New Beginnings

Chapter 3

“Texas is a great state. You will love it.” I was grateful he didn’t ask me a bunch of questions because I didn’t have the answers.

“I hope I can find a job when we get to Texas. I also have to find a place to stay.”

“What did you do before?”

“I worked in a bakery and I was a waitress.”

“Hmmm well I am sure you will find something quickly in Texas.”

Our orders were placed in front of us and through dinner I found out that he was married and had 4 sons. He was in Florida on business and his wife pushed him to take the train for two reasons.

One, he was obsessed with trains and two, it forced him to take a short vacation. Much needed rest.

He was really easy to talk to and when I tried to pay for my dinner he refused.

“Thank you for dinner.”

“It was my pleasure.”

I made my way back to the cabin and didn’t even bother to power on my phone. I curled up and went to sleep.

The next morning, I plugged my phone in and powered it on. I had multiple voicemails from Luca and Chantelle. It was at that moment that I realized I had nobody. No family, no friends, and no boyfriend.

I had spent the last few years letting them both control me. Anytime I made a new friend, Chantelle would find something wrong with them or Luca would get upset that they took my time away from him.

Now here I was alone. The more I thought about it, the more I felt the pain from what they did to me. Tears poured from my face. I wanted to be strong but it hurt. Hurt more than I thought was possible.

I stayed in my cabin through breakfast and lunch. I had no appetite and my head was pounding. I took a quick shower and realized how awful I looked. My eyes were puffy and red and it was obvious I had been crying.

I looked at myself in the mirror and felt disgusted. I hadn’t worked out in days and Chantelle used to tell me that my body was bad even when working out. Last night, I had a cheeseburger and fries, which wasn’t the healthiest option.

I finally forced myself to go and get dinner. I made my way to a very busy dinner hall. I started to scan the room and my eyes fell on Charlie and he waved me over.

Sliding into the booth across from him and smiled.

“Marie, I missed seeing you at breakfast and lunch.”

I smiled, embarrassed that he noticed. “I wasn’t very hungry.”

“Well, you must be starving now.”

I ordered grilled chicken, steamed broccoli and a fruit cup this time, trying to eat better.

Again, I made small talk with Charlie. He told me his wife opened a bakery 5 years ago and between his contraction company and her company he was always busy.

He had gone to Florida to negotiate with the man that owned a lumber company in Texas to get a better deal.

As he told me stories about his kids, I felt myself open up to him.

“Do you have family in Florida?”

“No, My Mom died in a car accident when I was young and my Grandma took care of me till she passed when I was 16. I went to a group home until I was 18.”

“I am so sorry to hear about your Mom and Grandma.”

“Thanks, I miss them every day. I was living with my best friend until I found her and my boyfriend…” I felt the tears come to my eyes and I fought them back.

“They are both fools for letting somebody like you out of their lives.”

“It doesn’t feel that way.”

“I suppose it doesn’t right now, but it will. I take it that is why you are running.”

I looked up at him with big eyes. “I….I’m not really running, I just couldn’t stay.”

As if Charlie could tell I wanted to stop talking about my past, he changed the subject.

“The train is making a stop tomorrow for 6 hours. Are you planning on leaving the train?”

“I hadn’t planned on it….I really haven’t thought about it to be honest.”

“How about you do a little site seeing with me? My wife had a great idea for me to take a little vacation but it sure is lonely.”

I couldn’t help but smile. “ OK sounds good.”

After dinner we spent some time in one of the cars designed for viewing and talked some more. I couldn’t help but think this was what it would have been like if I had known my Dad. When I was young, I used to ask about him and my Mom would only tell me he had another family now. I didn’t even know his name or have a single picture of him.

Pushing the thought of my Dad away, I enjoyed my night hanging out with Charlie before making my way back to my cabin. I had left my phone on silent and noticed again multiple calls and messages from both Chantelle and Luca. I had a feeling I was going to have to change my number.

As if on queue, my phone started ringing and it was Elma. I bet the cafe picked back up and she was calling me to come back. Not thinking, I answered to tell her I wouldn’t be coming back ever.

“Hello.”

“Please don’t hang up.”

I recognized Chantelle’s voice right away.

“What do you want, Chantelle?”

“I am so sorry Marie, please, please come home.” I could hear the desperation in her voice.

“Why? So you can tell me how you have been sleeping with my boyfriend for 3 months.”

“I was jealous of what you had and I….I have always been jealous. You are pretty and smart and had a boyfriend that loved you.”

“If he loved me he wouldn’t have cheated. But you can have him. I’m out of the way or is it you don’t want him now that he isn’t mine?”

“Please Marie, I am so sorry….He just used me for s*x and it was never anything more to him. I just need you to come home. You are my only family.”

“We are not family, Chantelle. Enjoy Luca.”

“No please.” Her voice seemed even more panicked.

“I’m never coming back. In fact, first thing tomorrow I am having my number changed.”

I could hear her crying on the phone. “He..he will kill me if you don’t come back.”

“Oh please, Luca will not kill you. What is wrong with you? You wanted what I had and now you have it.”

“Did you look at my messages?”

“No, and I had no want to answer your calls.”

“Look at your messages please.”

I wish she could see me roll my eyes as I maneuvered through my phone to my messages.

I opened the ones of Chantelle and the first thing I saw was a bruised and beaten picture of Chantelle.

The message read" He blames me for you leaving."

“Did Luca do that to you?”

“No, but he allowed it to happen…I think he planned it.”

“Chantelle, you are a striper and, well, a w***e, so bad things can happen to you when you put yourself into those situations.”

I know I sounded cold but she had destroyed me by sleeping with the one person that was mine. The one she knew I loved.

“It’s been bad since you left. He is bad. He showed up at the apartment looking for you and destroyed the place when he found your necklace.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Let me guess you had it on, didn’t you? I bet you were glad I left because you thought he would want to be with you.”

The silence at her end answered my question.