| She sat on the hotel terrace, drinking the last drip of champagne from her glass, ordered from room service, of course. She couldn’t go outside, the fans knew where she was, crowded in masses in the beginning of the day, but seemed to subside as the night wore on. She looked out at the Los Angeles sky, the lights twinkling as they mixed with the heat rising from the streets. The night consumed her, looking at the people walking on the streets below. They had lives-- families, friends-- a daily routine they worked on. They were doctors, executives, factory workers, teachers, everyday joes. Their lives had meaning. And even though she had an entourage filling the hotel floor, she felt like the loneliest person in the world. Her meaning she had lost a long time ago, it seemed impossible to reach out and touch those that she wanted to. She lost her grip into the unreality of the world she was now living in. She made the choice, but where was it taking her now? Where? ~*~ She woke up from her jagged slumber, looking at her cell phone blinking wildly. Sighing, she picked up the phone. “You have 4 new messages,” the automated voice said. “Lauralee, Clive here. Just wishing you a nice vacation. Call you in a few days. Bye.” “Hey, it’s Marnie. Your flight leaves at 8:50, just reminding you. Your ticket is at the front desk.” “Honey? It’s Mom. Just can’t wait to see you sweetie. Call me when you get home.” “Babe? Mark. Um, haven’t heard from you in days, wanted to make sure you were alive. I’ll be in New York next week, and I’ll call you later. Love ya.” Lauralee closed her eyes at the last message, hung up the phone, and got up to take a shower. ~*~ She arrived at the apartment building early in the afternoon, nodding her head towards the doorman as she turned the key in the private elevator. The elevator stopped at the penthouse, and slowly opened the doors. She opened the double doors and stepped inside, where Lola walked out of the kitchen. “Miss Deverson! Welcome home!” She gave Lauralee a hug, grabbed her bags and set them on the floor. “Hi Lola, what are you doing here?” “I knew you would be returning home today, and no one likes to come home to an empty house,” she spoke in her soft accent. “But…” “No buts,” Lola put a hand up. “I changed your sheets and made your favorite for lunch. You have some messages,” Lola grabbed a pad from her apron. “Your mama called, and Mark called twice. Not urgent though.” “Thanks Lola, I really appreciate it.” Lola smiled. “You’re welcome. Why don’t you settle in and I’ll prepare the lunch for you at the table.” Lauralee walked through her apartment. Almost sinful in nature, it had everything that money could buy: state of the art electronics, three fireplaces, white baby grand piano overlooking Central Park, music piped into every room; mostly white with blue accents in every room which made the place light and lofty. She even rented out a space in the basement that she converted into a state-of-the-art-recording studio so she could play around without having to take studio time. She stepped into her bedroom and put her bags on the king size bed, pushing the white netting away from her face. The bedroom looked as if it belonged to a member of royalty. White netting surrounded the bed with its plush down bedding. The great window faced the same view of Central Park as her living room, and had all whitewashed furniture inside. The fireplace Lola had turned on to make the place feel cozy, although Lauralee felt that it was too big to feel cozy. “Just put the dirty laundry on the bed, Miss Deverson, and I’ll take care of it,” Lola called from the kitchen. Lauralee sorted out her things and hung the clean clothes in her closet. She stepped out of her clothes and put on some navy shorts, cropped gray T-shirt, and swept her long brown hair into a high ponytail. She splashed some cool water on her face, and went into the kitchen. Lola had prepared chicken cutlet parmigiana, a small salad, and fresh fruit on the side. “This is so wonderful Lola,” Lauralee smiled as she took a bite. “I figured hotel food can only go so far,” Lola smiled as she poured a glass of wine for Lauralee. “OK, I’m settled, so why don’t you go home? I’m sure your family is expecting you,” Lauralee wiped her mouth with a napkin. “I will leave when I’m good and ready,” Lola served Lauralee some more chicken. Lauralee smiled. Although she didn’t admit to Lola, she was really glad she was there. Lola was Colombian, in her late fifties, and had a husband she adored, along with two teenage boys. She was the type of woman you could tell your innermost secrets, and would never tell a soul. Lauralee needed that, not to mention that Lola had a salary that most people on Wall Street would drool over. Lola stayed for a little while longer, washed the dishes in the sink, instructed Lauralee where the extra snacks were, and left the apartment. Lauralee then padded around her place, went through her pile of mail Lola had sorted, made a phone call to her mother to let her know she was back in town, and headed to bed. ~*~ Lauralee woke up early the next day, not really shaking the same jagged feelings. It seemed to be a ritual for her over the past 5 years, ever since her career took off. She had it all apparently, but she felt a cold emptiness in the pit of her stomach. Although she tried to block it through her celebrity life, or even with a little cocktail, it still was there whenever she was alone. It seemed more prevalent now that she was on vacation. Although it was a break from working, there was a point to this vacation. It was a vacation from her mind. She needed to clear away some of the cobwebs that had been stored in there for the past 6 years. In order to do it, she had to face the demon head on. She had never been more scared to do so in her entire life. Chapter 2 Contents |