Chapter 31
Donna's Pov.
My voice caught in my throat as Claire emerged from the stall next to mine. The awkward tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. She moved to the sink beside me, splashing water on her face with a grimace.
Unable to hold back any longer, I blurted, "Hey, Claire."
She shot me a sideways glance, a flicker of surprise crossing her features. “You the one responsible for that unpleasant loud noise?" she asked, a faint hint of humor flickering in her voice.
"I could say the same for you," I replied defensively, mirroring her tone.
A ghost of a smile played on her lips as she dabbed at her mouth with a tissue. "Perhaps, but yours was way louder than mine.”
Ignoring the jab, I reached into my purse and applied a fresh coat of lip gloss. "That looks very cheap," Claire remarked offhandedly.
I forced myself not to react, clenching my jaw as a wave of self-consciousness washed over me, I wondered what she was aiming to achieve with that statement.
Before I could retort, she continued, "Funny, we haven't spoken since the gala, have we? Where you ”danced” with my husband. I would love to know if you would be fine with me dancing with Charlie the exact same way you did with my husband?”
"I would be okay with it,” I said, trying to sound calm, "last I checked, we were just dancing."
I couldn't help but notice how pale she looked, her usually flawless makeup failing to conceal the fatigue etched on her face. "Speaking of things that might not be okay," I ventured, concern momentarily overriding my annoyance. "You look very pale. Are you alright?
She glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes wide and unfocused. "Well, we're both in the ladies' room making these unpleasant puking noises like gagging geese," she said dryly. "Does that sound okay to you?”
She turned back to me, a flicker of something akin to vulnerability crossing her features. "What are the odds, right? What are the odds that both of us are pregnant at the same time?" Her voice softened just a touch. "Are you…pregnant?"
The question hung in the air, a silent confirmation of the decision that had been swirling in the back of my mind. "I hope not," I mumbled, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.
Claire's smile was tight, strained. "Oh, you are one of those women who don't want to have children, huh?"
I shook my head, the weight of my own unspoken truth settling on me. "No, not exactly. I just…don't want one right now." The words tumbled out, a verbal confirmation of the choice I hadn't quite dared to articulate.
Claire's eyes widened for a moment before a determined glint settled in them. "Well, I want children," she declared, her voice regaining its earlier strength. "I want them now. I want a little human who depends on me, and loves me unconditionally. That's what I want, and that's what I'm going to get."
For a fleeting moment, I glimpsed a raw vulnerability beneath Claire's steely exterior. A yearning for something beyond the carefully constructed facade of her life. I could tell from her words that she has been yearning for this for a long time, but hasn't been fortunate. "I wish you luck with that," I offered quietly, a strange sense of empathy washing over me.
*************
Relief washed over me as I exited the restroom, Claire following close behind. We walked back on to the bustling hotel floor, the usual symphony of clinking glasses and hushed conversations filling the air.
As I approached a table to check on a guest's order, my steps faltered as I noticed a shift in the atmosphere, a prickle of unease crawled up my spine. Every head seemed to be swiveling in my direction, a curious mix of concern and something akin to morbid fascination swirling in their eyes.
Confused, I scanned myself for any telltale sign of a wardrobe malfunction – a rogue stain, a gaping zipper. Finding nothing amiss, I turned to Lorena, who was hurrying towards me, her face a mask of worry.
"Why is everyone staring?" I hissed, my voice barely audible over the sudden silence.
Lorena's gaze flickered towards the source of the commotion – Claire. "Girl," she hissed, "they're not looking at you. They're looking at her.”
Frowning, I whirled back around, scrutinizing Claire from head to toe. But she appeared as impeccably put together as ever. "What about her?" I pressed, my unease deepening.
Lorena hesitated, then blurted out, "You haven't heard?"
"Heard what?" I demanded, frustration creeping into my voice.
Just then, a flurry of movement caught my eye. Louis emerged from around a corner, a look of pure dread etched on his face as he practically sprinted towards Claire. He reached her just as her knees buckled, catching her before she could hit the floor.
"Look at the screen," Lorena whispered urgently, nudging me towards a mounted TV displaying a live news feed.
My heart lurched into my throat as the image resolved. Six women, their faces grim but resolute, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a renowned women's rights lawyer named Lauren Shaw. The chyron at the bottom of the screen blared: "Breaking News: Sexual Assault Allegations Against Business Tycoons."
A wave of nausea washed over me, different this time from the one that had ravaged me moments ago. This nausea stemmed from a sickening dread. The lawyer was speaking, her voice laced with steely determination as she vowed to use every legal tool at her disposal to ensure these women received justice.
My gaze flickered from the TV to Claire, who crumpled further into Louis's embrace, her face a mask of horror. In that moment, a silent understanding passed between us – an unwanted camaraderie forged in the fires of this unfolding nightmare.
I couldn't even begin to fathom the emotional earthquake that had just leveled their world. All I could do was stand there, a silent observer to the chaos that had erupted around them, and silently pray that I wouldn't be swept away by the aftershocks.