Chapter 36 Strange feelings
Chapter 36: Strange feelings
Alex snatched the phone. Fabulous leaned in.
When they saw the pictures, both of them froze.
“Jesus Christ…” Fabulous whispered.
Alex inhaled shakily, then quietly went to work, delete, delete, delete…then blocked Linda…and blocked Allan.
The silence in the lounge grew thick. Golden slowly reached for her phone again, but Alex hesitated.
“Gigi… maybe don’t…”
Golden took it anyway. Then something inside her snapped. Her hand clenched the phone. Her jaw tightened. Her eyes burned but didn’t cry. She stood and before either of them could react, she threw the phone against the wall.
It shattered. Golden breathed once, sharp and shallow.
“I’m going for a swim,” She said, voice eerily calm. Then she walked away.
Alex shot up immediately. “We need backup. Now.”
She fired a message to Varney:
GET HERE. FAST!
“Who did you text?” Fab asked.
“Her brother. We might need a body bag…maybe two.” Alex said with a sigh.
Fabulous typed furiously at Linda.
Fab: What the hell is wrong with you?
Linda: Stay out of it. This is between me and Golden.
Fab stared at the screen in disbelief. “Bitch is psychotic,” he muttered.
“I know Allan is stupid, but I don't think he would be stupid enough to hurt Golden like that.” Fab tried to say.
“Well he did hurt her. And in the worst way too. Wait, whose side are you even on?” Alex turned to Fab, daring him to choose the wrong side.
“Hey chill out tiger!” Fab raised his hands in surrender. “I'm team Golden remember? The whole reason I brought her here was to forget about him”
Alex softened. “Well remember that and don't do or say anything stupid when her brother gets here or the third body bag would be yours. And be ready to hide a body if the need arises”
Fabulous nodded his head like an agama lizard. “Got it. And for the body bag, I know a guy.” he said with a smirk.
“Good boy. You are learning something.” Alex patted Fab on the shoulder.
Alex's phone dinged. She had a message from Varney.
Varney: Just landed. Send me your live location.
Alex was shocked. It hadn't been too long she sent Varney a message. She shared her location and waited.
“What's wrong?” Fab asked when he saw Alex's expression. He seriously hoped more drama wasn't about to unfold.
“Golden's brother would be here in 30 minutes.” She responded still in shock.
“How?” It was Fab's turn to be shocked.
“Don't even ask. Let's just go to the reception and wait.” She said pulling Fab along.
30 minutes later...
A black SUV rolled into the resort driveway.
Varney stepped out. He found Alex and Fabulous waiting at the lounge by the reception.
“Where is she?” he asked.
“Pool,” Alex whispered.
Varney exhaled and nodded.
“Fill me in. What's been happening?”
Alex hesitated at first. Varney was releasing a dangerous aura.
“Well Gigi received some photos earlier this evening.”
“What photos? And who sent them?” Varney asked with a frosty expression.
“I've deleted them.
Besides Gigi already smashed her phone.” Alex said.
Varney brought out his laptop and began typing.
And in no time he recovered the deleted pictures.
He showed the pictures to a surprised Alex and Fab.
“Wow! That's impressive.” Fab marveled at Varney's speed.
He moved close to Alex and whispered in her ears:
“how did he get those pictures?
Do we need to get a body bag ready?”
“Let's just say he is a tech guru.
For the body bag, we would need it back at home in Florida, not here.”
Varney ignored Alex and Fab as they hurdled together whispering.
“We’re staying an extra week. I already booked the rooms. You two aren’t going anywhere.”
They both nodded, relieved.
Golden was sitting by the pool edge, feet underwater, staring into space like the water was whispering answers she couldn’t hear.
Varney approached slowly.
“Gigi.”
She looked up, tired, hollow. He sat beside her.
“Can I… step in now?” he asked gently.
Golden looked away. Her voice was barely there. “He never asked me out officially, V… He doesn’t owe me anything.”
Alex watched from a distance and her heart broke all over again. Golden wrapped her own arms around herself.
“I’ll face him when I get back to Florida.”
Varney’s jaw tightened but he nodded.
“Then we’ll be here,” he said softly. “As long as you need.”
Golden didn’t answer.
She just kept staring at the water.
As if trying to see who she was before Allan.
And who she would be after him.
Golden was not oblivious to what her friends were doing.
She knew they were worried about her because they cared. She wished she could put them at ease but she herself wasn't at ease.
Florida: Rex Tattoo Parlor
Allan couldn't explain why he was feeling uneasy. He had already made mistakes twice in his sketches.
It was a slow day at the parlor and normally he would have appreciated the free time but he couldn't shake off the weariness he was feeling.
His thoughts strayed to Golden.
It had been a while he heard from her.
In the beginning she had always sent messages despite the time difference.
He had used that same time difference as an excuse to slack.
Then the messages stopped.
He had always looked forward to seeing her message and pictures.
One day
Three days
One week.
No messages. No pictures.
He didn't know when it started, but he started to miss her.
He picked up his phone and sent her a message.
Allan: Hey!
Nothing. No response.
Allan: It's been a while. When are you back?
Still nothing. Something wasn't right. Golden always responded almost immediately.
A client came in and Allan had to drop his phone to attend to the client.
Hopefully, by the time he was done with the client, he would have gotten a response.