True Love Is Sacrifice-Chapter 4

By the time I finally pulled myself together and managed to drag my emotionally battered body home, it was past midnight. I quietly unlocked the door and stealthily only to find Lauren, my wife, glaring at me intently. "Where the hell have you been, Michael? We were supposed to go to my parent's today for dinner! And why are you drenched? Oh my god! Have you been crying?" she rambled on. I was in no state of mind to engage myself in a verbal battle with Lauren and I was much too worried about Sydney to even bother so I simply shrugged her off and headed for the shower.

I stood under the steaming shower for what seemed like hours, just letting the hot streams of water flow over me, hoping that they would somehow wash the pain away too. Thoughts of Sydney continued to invade my mind and I wondered if she was thinking of me too. Why did she walk away from me? Why couldn't she just let me tell her that I love her? Does she hate me? Who wouldn't? I hated myself for getting married. I hated not being able to be with her right now holding her in my arms. I finally got out of the shower and dried off. Glancing down, the shiny read band on my finger caught my eye. I slipped it off and twirled it around=d in my palm. How could something so small cause so much anguish to two people? I feel sickened by the predicament I'm in and I head toward the living room, leaving behind my ring.

It was past three in the morning an Lauren had already fallen asleep. Did Sydney get home? Was she safe? I knew I wouldn't be able to find any peace of mind if I didn't call her, at least once, just to hear her voice. Just to know she was safe and to ease my aching heart. I pulled out my cell phone and headed as far away from Lauren as I could possibly get. She was a good person, a great friend but my heart belonged to someone else-it could never be hers. I mechanically punched in the numbers and was greeted by the sound of a monotonous ringing tone. Images of Sydney lying in bed, looking so gorgeous and perfect flooded my mind. After several rings, someone picked up the phone but remained silent. "Syd?" I enquired. Hoping, praying, begging that she would respond. Soon I heard her…she was crying. Her painful sobs ripped through my heart like a dagger. She finally broke the silence. "Vaughn…I've had enough…I can't take this anymore." She said through her sobs and then she hung up.

I was frozen stood frozen, trying to process what she had just said. Something was wrong. My instincts hollered to me that she was in trouble just like they always did before. I had to get to her, immediately, before it was too late. Just as I reached the door, I heard Lauren. "Michael? Where the hell are you going at this hour?" "I'm sorry" I replied without even turning back to see her reaction. I raced to my car and sped down the freeway. Sydney was more important that anything else or anything else, more important than Lauren or me. My car screeched to a halt at her driveway and I bolted to her door. "Sydney!" I yelled as I banged furiously. She was home but there was no response. Something was amiss….I knew it. I trudged back and rammed my shoulder into the door, getting it open. "Oh my god! Sydney!" I cried as I raced to the bedroom, finding her asleep, with no pulse.