Quick Visit

Quick Visit
Elona

The studio had emptied surprisingly quickly. Only the distant sound of hairdryers and voices carried faintly through the hallways now. Stylists were packing away equipment, assistants wheeled garment racks towards storage, and somewhere nearby, someone laughed loudly enough for it to echo through the otherwise quiet floor.
I adjusted the strap of my gym bag over my shoulder before reaching down to pick up my water bottle.
“Elona.” I looked up. Madame stood near the doorway to her office, one hand resting against the glass frame. “I need a moment.”
My stomach tightened instinctively. “Of course.” I followed her into her office. She closed the door behind us.
“You may sit.” I lowered myself into one of the chairs opposite her desk.
She remained standing for a moment, sorting through several large black portfolios before selecting one. Without saying anything, she placed it in front of me.
I frowned. “What is this?”
“Open it.” I carefully lifted the cover. Inside were concept sketches, photographs, fabric samples, lighting references, and mood boards. My eyes slowly moved from one page to the next. A circular marble fountain. Crystal-clear water cascading over sculpted stone. Artificial rain pouring from an overhead rig. Massive lighting cranes surrounding the entire set. Models standing barefoot in ankle-deep water beneath what looked like a summer storm. The dresses stole my breath. They weren’t ordinary gowns, they looked almost weightless. Layers of ivory chiffon floated around the models like clouds while thousands of tiny crystals caught the light, making the fabric resemble falling rain.
One sketch showed a gown with an impossibly long train spreading across the surface of the fountain like liquid silk. Another featured hand-sewn glass beads cascading from the shoulders, mimicking droplets of water. It was breathtaking.
I looked up. “It’s beautiful.”
“It will be.”
I looked back down at the portfolio. The campaign title was embossed across one page.
ECLIPSE - Born From Rain
Beneath it sat the production schedule. International Luxury Campaign. Three-day shoot. Location was Seattle. Creative Director. Wardrobe. Hair. Jewellery. Everything had already been planned.
My eyes travelled further down the page until they landed on the dates. I froze. February. The second week of February. That was a month after my birthday. This campaign is just over a month away. I didn’t even know what my life would look like by then, whether the court case would still be ongoing, whether Tristan… I forced myself to stop thinking.
Madame interrupted my thoughts. “You were selected.”
I looked up. “Me?”
She nodded. “You.”
I couldn’t believe it. “There must be a mistake.”
“There isn’t.”
“But there are girls who have been here longer.”
“There are.”
“They are more experienced.”
“They are.”
“So…”
“So I chose you.” She folded her hands neatly in front of her. “The creative team agreed.”
I looked back down at the sketches. “They want me for this?”
“They specifically requested you.”
My heart skipped. “Why?”
She walked around the desk and stood beside me, looking down at the same photographs. “They wanted elegance.” She turned another page. “They wanted vulnerability.” She turned over another page. “They wanted someone capable of telling a story without speaking.” My eyes lingered on the image of a model standing alone beneath falling rain. The expression on her face wasn’t glamorous, it was heartbreak, strength, hope, all at once. “You already know how to do that,” She said quietly.
I swallowed. “I don’t know if I do.”
She looked at me. “You do.”
I carefully closed the portfolio. “So…” I smiled faintly. “I got the job?”
“The campaign is yours.”
A small laugh escaped me before I could stop it. For the first time all day, it wasn’t forced. “I would love to do it.”
“I expected that answer.”
“I accept.”
“Good.” She nodded. “I will have contracts sent to your email tomorrow morning.”
I looked down at the portfolio again. “It’s incredible.”
“It has the potential to become one of VFS’s biggest campaigns this year.”
My fingers rested against the cover. “I won’t let you down.”
“I know.” Her answer came without hesitation. It caught me off guard.
I slowly lifted my eyes to hers. She was already watching me, not as a director or as an instructor, she was just watching me. “There is something else.”
My stomach tightened again. “What is it?”
She leaned lightly against the edge of her desk. “What I’m about to say stays in this room.”
I nodded. “Of course.” My heart automatically began pounding in my chest.
She took a slow breath. “I’m aware that people assume I support Grace.” My chest tightened. She continued before I could respond. “She is my daughter.”
“I know.”
“I will always love her.” There was pain in her voice, the kind only a parent could carry. “But…” She paused. “That doesn’t mean I agree with every decision she makes.”
I remained completely still. She looked out towards the city through the windows before speaking again. “I don’t know everything.” Her voice was quieter now.
“I don’t know what happened between Grace and Tristan.” She paused again. “I wasn’t there.” She turned back to me. “And I refuse to condemn someone before the truth is established.” Emotion tightened unexpectedly in my chest. She continued. “I’ve watched you since you joined VFS. I’ve watched the way you work, the way you carry yourself, the way he looks at you. Even the way he fights for you.” My throat felt dry. “I’ve met countless couples over the years.” She smiled sadly. “Some real, some pretending, some toxic, some extraordinary.” Her eyes held mine. “You two…” She searched for the right words. “Don’t look like people built on manipulation.” I felt tears prick behind my eyes. She noticed. “I am not saying Tristan is innocent.” She chose every word carefully. “I’m saying…I hope he is.” My breathing became uneven. “For your sake.” She stepped closer. “I sincerely hope that the man you love is exactly the man you believe him to be.”
A lump formed in my throat. “I do too.” My voice barely came out above a whisper.
She nodded gently. “I imagine you do.”
Neither of us spoke for several seconds and then, unexpectedly, she reached out and briefly squeezed my forearm. It lasted barely a second. “Don’t let this consume you, Elona.” I looked at her. “You still have a future. Don’t allow other people’s decisions to steal it from you.”
My eyes burned. “I will try.”
“No. You will do more than try.” She picked up the portfolio and tucked it beneath her arm. “When all of this is over…” She glanced towards the sketches one final time. “I expect to see you standing in that fountain wearing that dress.”
Despite everything, I smiled. “I’ll be there.”
“I know you will.” She walked towards the office door before stopping with her hand on the handle. Without turning around, she said quietly, “And Elona…”
“Yes?”
“I hope tomorrow brings you better news.” Before I could answer, she opened the door and disappeared into the hallway. I remained sitting there for several moments alone, trying to process everything she had just said. Grace’s own mother, rooting for me and Tristan. The thought felt almost impossible.
Eventually I stood up, adjusted my bag over my shoulder, and stepped back into the hallway. The building was quieter now. Most of the staff had already gone home. As I waited for the elevator, my phone vibrated inside my bag. My heart immediately knew who it was. I pulled my phone out. It was a text from Tristan.
Tristan: Can I come see you tonight?
I stared at the message for several long seconds. My chest tightened so painfully it almost stole my breath. A smile, small but genuine, found its way onto my lips for the first time today. I typed my reply.
Me: I would like that. Come over whenever you’re ready.
I pressed send.

I unlocked the apartment door with trembling fingers. I pushed the door open. The apartment was still exactly as I had left it this morning. The blanket was folded neatly over the sofa, my coffee mug still sat in the sink, and soft afternoon light spilled through the windows, painting warm streaks across the wooden floor. It should have felt comforting, but it felt empty.
I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, closing my eyes. The silence pressed in around me. For the first time all day, I wasn’t forcing a smile. I wasn’t walking a runway. I wasn’t pretending everything was okay. I wasn’t reassuring Tristan, Jasmine or myself. I was just simply tired.I took a quick shower and tied my hair into a messy bun with a clip. I walked into the lounge, waiting for Tristan. There was a knock on the front door, I hurried across the lounge, and opened the door. He stood there, neither of us spoke. He looked exhausted.
He was wearing his suit, his tie had disappeared somewhere during the day, and the top buttons of his white shirt were undone. His dark hair looked as though he had run his fingers through it a hundred times, and the faint stubble along his jaw made him look older than he had only a few days ago.
His eyes found mine. Gosh…He looked broken. I didn’t remember deciding to move. One second we were standing apart, the next I was in his arms. His embrace wasn’t desperate. It felt like he was relieved like he had finally reached somewhere safe. I buried my face against his chest, breathing him in. The scent that always meant home.
His arms wrapped around me so carefully it almost hurt. “I missed you,” he whispered into my hair. The words cracked somewhere in the middle. “So much.”
My eyes closed. “I missed you too.”
He held me tighter, not enough to hurt, just enough that I could feel his heartbeat. It was fast, much faster than normal.
He pulled inches back, moving his hands up my body, his finger under my chin, tilting it up so that I could look into his eyes. They were different now. I parted my lips, my heart beat rapidly in my chest, his eyes were hungry, darker, as if a predator ready to devour its prey. He leaned down, crashing his lips against mine.
I closed my eyes on instinct as I gripped his jacket, his hand moved to cup the side of my face as he deepened the kiss, forcing his tongue into my mouth, and I welcomed it. He pulled inches away as we both panted, catching our breaths.
He was definitely a predator now, and I was waiting for him to take me, to use me. I know that’s what he needed right now. Not alcohol or anything else, he needed me this way. He bit his bottom lip as he studied my face, that stole a breath from me.
Gosh, that was sexy as fuck. He turned me around, I was now facing the wall. He placed kisses along my shoulder on both sides, sliding the straps of my tank top down my shoulders as he kissed. His lips lingered on my butterfly tattoo that was behind my left shoulder, the place where he once bit me open. Now that tattoo covered that scar. The tattoo that had our baby’s initials in it. He took his time to linger.
My breath caught as I looked over my shoulder, hoping that he was okay. His hands moved in front of me, resting on my stomach. He breathed me in, his breath now against my ear, sending goosebumps all over my body. His hand over to my hair, removing the clip and letting it fall to the ground, my hair falling down to my back from its messy bun style.
His hands moved further down, his fingers slipped inside of my shorts and panties, then he slid them down at once, he moved down with it crouching, I looked over my shoulder, as my shorts and panties fell to the ground around my feet, as his hands moved up my legs, he stared at my ass, as his hands reached them, he squeezed and looked up at me, I bit my bottom lip unconsciously, I wanted him now.
I looked away as he placed gentle kisses on each ass cheek. I yelped as he bit one gently as he stood back up. His hand moved up, taking my hands in his and holding them up against the wall.
“Keep them there,” he demanded. I did as he asked.
He slipped his hands under my tank top and pulled it up over my head and discarded it on the ground. His hands found my breasts, just holding them. I really wanted him as in now, but I waited on him. He moved a hand in front of me, slipping his finger between my folds, finding my clit.
He moved his finger back and forth, and I threw my head to the back, my eyes closed, moaning in satisfaction. He pressed his hard cock against my ass, his pants separating us from being skin to skin. He moved his finger further down as his other hand held my hip and kept me in place, his finger slipped inside of me, thrusting into me, not stopping.
I bit my lower lip as the sensations took over. This was supposed to be about him, not me. He was pleasuring me. My arms grew tired of holding them up against the wall. Instead, I lowered them, my hand found his, which was busy thrusting a finger inside of me. His thumb found my clit.
I rolled my eyes to the back. Fuck. He increased the pace, and my toes tingled, my body was on the verge of exploding, and yet my Endo pain still remained. I overlooked it because I wanted this with him. I could hear his breathing increasing as his mouth was now against my ear.
“Fuck. I’m going to come,” he said with strain in his voice as he continued to thrust his finger inside of me. That brought me out of my moment, he was about to explode with only doing this to me. All of a sudden, he removed his hand and turned me around.
Crashing his lips against mine again. He now undid his pants, freeing his cock as I slid his jacket off. He threw it onto the ground. His hand moved to my ass and lifted me up, my arms wrapped around his neck while my legs wrapped around his waist.
He aligned his cock against my entrance and entered me. I sucked in a deep breath, it was painful, but I wanted him to want me and not stop. He stopped and looked at me with worry.
“Keep going.” I urged him on, and he kept going all the way to the hilt. He then moved back and forth, at a steady pace. I closed my eyes tight, trying to breath with the pain and yet feel some pleasure.
He buried his face in my neck as he now increased the pace. I held onto him as tight as I could, and then he moved me away from the wall, walking with me until he pressed me against the front door, pounding into me like someone who couldn’t get enough of me. I rolled my eyes to the back as a wave of ecstasy took over me. Throwing my head to the back, I bit my lower lip, pain and pleasure rolled into one, as I orgasmed. 
“Fuck” he grunted, and he emptied inside of me with his fluids as I came down from my high.
His face was buried inside of my neck as we both were catching our breath in the quiet lounge. He then pulled back and pulled out of me, setting me on my feet as he fastened his pants, and I got dressed. He came closer and held me in his arms. Pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“I was worried about you all day.”
“So was I.”
Neither of us moved. We simply stood in the doorway holding each other while the world outside continued spinning without us. Eventually he drew back just enough to look at me. His hand rose slowly, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“Did I hurt you?” He asked.
“No,” I replied. I was already in some pain, but this is what Endo does.
“You’ve been crying.” I cried in the shower due to my Endo pain.
“So have you.”
He gave a quiet huff of laughter. “I guess I have.”
His thumb gently traced beneath my eye. “I hate seeing you like this.”
“I hate seeing you like this too.”
Something in his expression softened. “You still worry about me.”
“I always will.”
His eyes closed briefly. When they opened again, they looked brighter, not because he was happier, he was trying not to cry. “I don’t deserve you.”
I frowned immediately. “Don’t say that.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
He shook his head. “I’m dragging you through this.”
I stepped closer until there wasn’t any space left between us. “No.” My hands rested against either side of his face. “We are walking through it together.” A tear escaped before I could stop it. “We have both lost things.”
His jaw tightened. “The baby…” His voice barely existed.
My own chest tightened instantly. “I know.”
He swallowed hard. “I still think about…” He couldn’t finish, he didn’t need to. I knew exactly what he meant.
I rested my forehead against his. “So do I.” Silence wrapped itself around us again. This court case was really something unnecessary and opening up things we both are still moving on from.
Finally I reached for his hand. “Come sit down.”
He nodded. For several moments neither of us said anything. He slowly looked around the apartment before letting out a tired breath as he stopped in front of the sofa.
His eyes found mine again. “I hardly slept.”
“I know.”
“You do?”
“I know you.”
That earned the smallest smile of the evening. “I suppose you do.”
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No.”
“And you?” He asked.
“Not really. I had lunch.”
He looked surprised. “You ate?”
“Jasmine made sure of it.”
He smiled properly this time. “I like her.”
“I do too.”
He sat down on the sofa with a weary sigh, elbows resting on his knees as he rubbed both hands over his face.
“I met my new lawyer.” I sat down next to him.
“How did it go?”
“He believes me.”
Relief flooded through me so suddenly I almost cried again. “Really?”
“He wasn’t interested in headlines.” He looked up at me. “He wanted facts.”
“That’s good.”
“It is.” He reached towards me. Our fingers found each other naturally like they always did. “I was so scared today.”
His confession came so quietly I almost missed it. “I know.”
“No…” He shook his head. “You don’t.” He looked down at our intertwined hands. “When Rowan didn’t arrive…” His breathing slowed. “I thought everything was over. And today…” His jaw flexed. “Finding out he died…” His voice broke. “I keep wondering if I should’ve done something.”
“You couldn’t have.” He seemed so vulnerable.
“I should’ve called.”
“You didn’t know.” He was blaming himself.
“I should’ve checked.”
“You didn’t know.” The words came more firmly this time. I turned towards him completely. “Tristan.” He finally looked at me. “You didn’t know.” Something inside him seemed to collapse.
His shoulders sagged. “I hate feeling helpless.”
“I know.”
“I’ve spent my whole life trying to fix problems, to heal and protect.”
“I know.”
“I can’t fix this.”
“No.” I squeezed his hand. “But you don’t have to carry it alone.”
His eyes searched mine for a long moment and then, without a word, he leaned forward and kissed me softly. There was nothing hurried about it. Nothing demanding. It was just warmth and comfort.
His lips lingered against mine as though he was afraid the moment would disappear if he moved too quickly. I kissed him back just as gently. My fingers slipped into his hair while his hand rested lightly against my waist. The kiss deepened only slightly before he drew back, resting his forehead against mine once more.
“I love you.” His voice was rough with emotion.
“I love you too.”
He smiled faintly. “I don’t think I’ve heard you say it enough today.”
I laughed quietly through tears. “You sound needy.”
“I am.”
I brushed my nose against his. “Good.”
He kissed me again, this time slower. His thumb stroked absentmindedly along my side beneath the fabric of my tank top, a gentle, reassuring touch that made me melt closer rather than ignite with urgency.
He treated me as though I might still break apart if he held me too tightly. Maybe I would.
When we finally separated, he rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes.
“We don’t have to talk anymore tonight. We don’t have to think about court, or Grace, or lawyers.”
I smiled. “Definitely not lawyers.”
A quiet chuckle escaped him. The sound filled the apartment in a way that made it feel alive again.
He opened his eyes. I needed to make myself some tea so that I could have some warmth due to my pain. “I will be making some tea, would you like any?” I asked as I stood up, the ache was back, but I hid it as best as I could.
“No, thank you,” he said, and then I went to the kitchen.
I switched the kettle on and reached in the top cupboard for a tea cup, his phone rang and it was like the air was punched out of me as my hand found its way to my abdomen, I squeezed my eyes tight, I could hear Tristan talking on his phone, but my Endo was the one taking over, I sucked in a deep breath as I stood up straight.
Don’t let him see you cry, no tears now.
I took more breaths as the pain subsided. I still held onto the teacup, I was so grateful it didn’t shatter. I didn’t want to worry Tristan. 
“I have to leave…” I turned to look at him, and immediately concern was written all over his face as I let out a breath and forced a smile. His brows furrowed. “Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, perfectly fine.” I lied. 
“Um, it was my lawyer. I just have to prepare a few more things for tomorrow. I will have an early night… hopefully,” he said, but the way he looked at me was like he didn’t believe that I was fine.
“Okay, all the best.” He walked over to me and took me into his embrace. I closed my eyes, and he pressed a kiss against my forehead. “I love you,” he said. 
“I love you too,” I replied with my face buried into his chest. He pulled away and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. I savored that moment until he pulled back and then walked away until I heard the front door open and close.
I let out a breath. I hope that everything works out in our favor and that I will be okay.