please, that’s your master plan? Forget it, he’s not going to listen. Do you think I haven’t tried to get in touch with him? He doesn’t answer my calls, and when I went to see him he acted as though I wasn’t there. It was humiliating.”
“Well what did you expect? That he was going to fall at your flipping feet because you decided that you were sorry that you humiliated him and treated him like a piece of shit because you are so high and mighty?”
Hope felt every lash of the words Destiny threw at her although they were laced with nothing but the truth. Reaching for the purse that sat on the couch beside her, she handed it over in silence.
Using her own cell, after Hope had given her Steve’s number, Destiny made the call and waited. It was around 6pm in LA, and she hoped Steve would answer an unknown number.
“Hello.”
“Steve?”
“Speaking, who is this?”
“It’s Destiny, Hope’s friend.”
“If you’ve called to speak to me about Hope then you’ve wasted your time–”
Destiny cut him off sensing he was about to hang up on her. “Please, Steve. I’m so worried about her. She’s drinking too much,” Destiny lowered her voice as though imparting a secret, “and she’s talking about wanting it all to be over. I’m so worried, and I have to leave tomorrow. I’m scared to leave her alone.”
“Call her parents.”
Destiny gave Hope a dirty look as she pulled up yet another lie in an attempt to get him to come to London. “I tried them before I called you. They didn’t answer.”
“Then call her manager. Hope is no longer my responsibility!”
“Please, Steve. I’m begging you. Please come. If anything happens to her, I don’t think I could live with myself.”
“Then don’t leave her. If you’re so worried, stay with her or have her committed. Do whatever you think is best. As I said at the beginning of this conversation, Hope is no longer my concern. Goodbye, Destiny.”
Destiny was in shock at the abrupt end to the conversation. This wasn’t the same man she remembered. The coldness that emanated from his voice came as a shock. Unwilling to give up so easily, Destiny dialed the number again. Steve didn’t pick up.
Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Peace.
Pleading on Hope’s behalf once more, Destiny left a message before she hung up. “You lied to me!” She said pointing a finger at Hope.
“I didn’t. I just didn’t tell you everything.” Hope replied, shame washing over her yet again. Knowing that she had no recourse other than to disclose the full extent of her behavior.
“What did you do, Hope?”
When she was finished, Destiny sat with her mouth hanging open in utter shock and disgust. “I’m leaving later today, so I need to pack and get some shut eye. I can’t afford to look like a hag for this shoot. I also have no idea what to say to you right now. I’m not one to judge, you know that, but that was probably one of the lowest things I’ve ever heard. Honestly, I can’t begin to imagine how you’re going to pull your arse out of this one.”
“Do you hate me too?”
“I don’t hate ya, luv. You’re not all bad. I’ll just have to remember to keep my fellas away from ya.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It’s the bloody truth. When is enough for you? You need to stop this. No more, Hope. Find a way to make this right because it’s time to stop punishing the people you love and who love you. I don’t want ya to wake up one day to find that you’ve burnt all your bridges and have no way to cross the chasm.”
Whatever Destiny saw on Hope’s face led her to pull her into her arms. Her act of kindness was more than Hope could stand. Her friend’s words had come too late. She was already looking over the chasm. As Hope cried, Destiny stroked her back but offered no words of comfort.
As her tears subsided, Destiny moved back. “Still feel like crap, right?”
“Yep.” Hope replied, still sniffing after
“Well what did you expect? That he was going to fall at your flipping feet because you decided that you were sorry that you humiliated him and treated him like a piece of shit because you are so high and mighty?”
Hope felt every lash of the words Destiny threw at her although they were laced with nothing but the truth. Reaching for the purse that sat on the couch beside her, she handed it over in silence.
Using her own cell, after Hope had given her Steve’s number, Destiny made the call and waited. It was around 6pm in LA, and she hoped Steve would answer an unknown number.
“Hello.”
“Steve?”
“Speaking, who is this?”
“It’s Destiny, Hope’s friend.”
“If you’ve called to speak to me about Hope then you’ve wasted your time–”
Destiny cut him off sensing he was about to hang up on her. “Please, Steve. I’m so worried about her. She’s drinking too much,” Destiny lowered her voice as though imparting a secret, “and she’s talking about wanting it all to be over. I’m so worried, and I have to leave tomorrow. I’m scared to leave her alone.”
“Call her parents.”
Destiny gave Hope a dirty look as she pulled up yet another lie in an attempt to get him to come to London. “I tried them before I called you. They didn’t answer.”
“Then call her manager. Hope is no longer my responsibility!”
“Please, Steve. I’m begging you. Please come. If anything happens to her, I don’t think I could live with myself.”
“Then don’t leave her. If you’re so worried, stay with her or have her committed. Do whatever you think is best. As I said at the beginning of this conversation, Hope is no longer my concern. Goodbye, Destiny.”
Destiny was in shock at the abrupt end to the conversation. This wasn’t the same man she remembered. The coldness that emanated from his voice came as a shock. Unwilling to give up so easily, Destiny dialed the number again. Steve didn’t pick up.
Leave a message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Peace.
Pleading on Hope’s behalf once more, Destiny left a message before she hung up. “You lied to me!” She said pointing a finger at Hope.
“I didn’t. I just didn’t tell you everything.” Hope replied, shame washing over her yet again. Knowing that she had no recourse other than to disclose the full extent of her behavior.
“What did you do, Hope?”
When she was finished, Destiny sat with her mouth hanging open in utter shock and disgust. “I’m leaving later today, so I need to pack and get some shut eye. I can’t afford to look like a hag for this shoot. I also have no idea what to say to you right now. I’m not one to judge, you know that, but that was probably one of the lowest things I’ve ever heard. Honestly, I can’t begin to imagine how you’re going to pull your arse out of this one.”
“Do you hate me too?”
“I don’t hate ya, luv. You’re not all bad. I’ll just have to remember to keep my fellas away from ya.”
“Don’t say that!”
“It’s the bloody truth. When is enough for you? You need to stop this. No more, Hope. Find a way to make this right because it’s time to stop punishing the people you love and who love you. I don’t want ya to wake up one day to find that you’ve burnt all your bridges and have no way to cross the chasm.”
Whatever Destiny saw on Hope’s face led her to pull her into her arms. Her act of kindness was more than Hope could stand. Her friend’s words had come too late. She was already looking over the chasm. As Hope cried, Destiny stroked her back but offered no words of comfort.
As her tears subsided, Destiny moved back. “Still feel like crap, right?”
“Yep.” Hope replied, still sniffing after
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