Here's the next installment. Enjoy!
When on pain killers, I felt what I thought was the closest feeling of being immortal. There was no sense of time. Seconds, minutes, hours blended into a clump of semi-awareness. I sat dazed in my rocking chair, the slow steady movement of the thing beneath me carrying me into a kind of stupor. I vaguely realized that there was knocking at my door. It sounded like a distant booming, a hallow thumping in the back of my mind.
I rose, tripping over Cari and landing flat on my face. I couldn't feel a thing. When I managed to get up, I floated, or so I thought, to the door. Fiddling with the door handle I somehow managed to unlock it. I looked up to see my publisher in a fog. I blinked madly trying to push the haze away. A surprised expression registered on her face.
"Bella… is this not a good time?" She finally spoke. She was miles away.
"It's fine." I slurred. "Come in." I had to get a grip on myself.
She nodded and entered, her shoes making a raucous, driving me insane. She sat on the old sofa and laid her purse next to her delicately. She sat rigidly, uneasy.
"Bella, we have to talk." She finally spoke, her voice stern.
"Yes, Marie?" I took a seat in the love seat across from her.
"You missed your last deadline. We needed that novel edited and done. Now we can't release it on the day we planned. I also need the draft of your current novel. Are you finished?" It took a while for me to register what she was saying.
"No, not yet Marie."
Shelet out a frustrated sigh.
"Bella, this is very bad. We can't keep you if you do this. We're losing time. There are plenty of other very talented people we could publish. The agency is ready to drop you. I wanted to give you one more chance, but I have done that too many times."
"I'm sorry." I whispered, my voice cracking. I felt the familiar sting of tears.
"This may not be my place to say… I just think…. you could use some help." She was careful with her words, as if they would break me.
"Help?" I asked dumbfounded.
"Bella, as your publisher, your friend, I am worried about you. Even your writing is becoming strange. I was reading your last submission. It was… madness. So unlike you. Please, don't let it be too late." Her eyes were soft, she was sincerely concerned.
"Right." I mumbled.
She sighed again throwing up her hands.
"Well, whatever. What do I know? Get me your novel in by next week. I mean it." She paused. "By the way, there was someone looking for you yesterday." I started at her words.
"Who?"
"A young man. Very handsome. I'd say, maybe early twenties. I didn't know what he was up to so I told him you generally worked at home. Obviously I didn't release your address."
"What was his name?" I asked shocked.
"I didn't catch it. He was gorgeous though. Pretty eyes." She smiled.
No, no this couldn't be. I sat stunned. Not now. Not after all this time. How dare he? My head swirled. I got up to go, but didn't know where. I stumbled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Marie rise and soon enough felt her cold hand steadying me. She slowly guided me back to my seat.
"Rest, Bella. And for God's sake, stay off those pain killers." She warned vehemently.
She let herself out while I clutched my burning head, and felt the tears flowing faster and faster. Large drops of salty water dripped onto my lap. I watched it all happen in slow motion.