Chapter 95: Tangled Destinies

Taylor looked at the message on her phone and turned it in her hands as she tried to make sense of things. The number was unknown, and the message received was generalized; it can be said that it was riddled. It read, “I think it’s time we had a word about something serious." Let’s meet at the coffee shop on 5th Avenue at noon, and please come alone. Her heart began racing as she read the words for the second time. Suddenly, she became aware of Alex’s stare, and she could no longer pretend to be comfortable. But she also did not wish to upset Alex or allow things to disturb the fragile calm they have only just established. Taylor tried to smile as she put her phone down on the table in front of them, but anxiety did not leave her chest. She rested her head on Alex, in the hope that the body heat from Alex would be able to soothe her. “Oh, come on,” Taylor replied quietly, waving her hand dismissively. “Just more of a person who has the wrong number.” Thus, Alex frowned, feeling Taylor’s nervousness even though she stated that she was okay. “You sure?” She asked, her palm pressed against Taylor’s back softly. “Yeah,” Taylor answered and, putting his lips to the skin of Alex’s shoulder, kissed it. “We should not allow anything to spoil it for us we should enjoy today. We need this time together.” Alex nodded, but her worry did not completely disappear. For the next hour, they lay entwined in each other’s arms, watching the lights of the city slowly come on. However, Taylor still had this uneasy sense that the storm was brewing—the storm that would upset everything that had been achieved. Thus, with the sun passing overhead, the message that had come out of the blue began to feel like a burden to Taylor. She was certain it was a must to go, at least to ease her mind off it. But how could she leave without at least thinking about Alex? Taylor thought that she had to go solo on this, at least until she understood what she was up against. When Alex finally fell asleep, Taylor slowly slipped out of her arms without disturbing her. She scribbled a quick note, leaving it on the kitchen counter: “Had to run for something quickly." Be back soon. Love you." Taylor paused for a while, but she did not want to give Alex any unnecessary details; she told herself this was only for the better. Turning to take one last look at Alex, who was fast asleep, Taylor took off her jacket and made her way out of the apartment. This walk to the coffee shop was aggressive; the cold air did not help in slowing down Taylor’s mind. More to the point, what could be so important that someone would send such an enigmatic text message? And why now, just when the dust seemed to have started to finally begin to settle? Taylor had gotten into the coffee shop, and as she opened the door, she hesitated for a moment before entering the place. She didn’t see anyone through the glass, and she felt more uncomfortable as she had thought she would see someone familiar. Taking a deep, last breath, she turned the handle and entered the room. The shop was still, and most of the shoppers had already left by midmorning. Taylor checked around the room, and her gaze fell on a person sitting at the corner of the room. Instantly she knew who the man was, and her heart raced as she had not seen him in quite some time. It was Mia, a friend from college, a person who was once quite close to Taylor but they lost touch over the years. Mia had aged over the years; she appeared even more grown up now and seemed rather serious when she saw Taylor approaching. “Mia,” Taylor said, her voice filled with surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you here.” Mia nodded and simply offered Taylor a very brief smile before she pointed at the chair in front of the desk. “Sorry, Taylor, for the vague message; I did not know how else I could be able to communicate with you.” Taylor got to a chair, her thoughts still in a flurry of questions. “What happened? What was the reason for you to call me for a meeting?” He could see this was a difficult situation for her because Mia was not one to sit in silence, and she let out a deep breath. “I realize this has got to be a shock, but I don’t know who else to contact at the moment, Taylor; I am in trouble.” Taylor’s heart sink. Trouble? They were not friends anymore—not really, not for a long time—but there was a tone in Mia’s voice that called her to avenge. “What kind of trouble?” Mia looked unsure for a moment, then she moved closer and whispered. “It is complex, but I am into something I should not be getting myself involved with, and now I am being hunted by these people, dangerous people.” Taylor’s stomach twisted. She never thought that this would happen. “Mia, I have never been in a position to offer any assistance in such cases; have you reported the case to the police?” “I can’t,” Mia said quickly; she looked really terrified. “If I do, they’ll find out, and it’ll only get worse.” He said softly, looking into my eyes beseechingly, “Please, Taylor, I wouldn’t ask if I had any other choice. ” Taylor’s mind whirled. It overwhelmed her, and she did not know how to go about it. She wanted to help them, but the danger was great, and she has Alex for whom she has to take care of. This was not about her anymore. “Mia, I don’t know.” Taylor tried to say, but seeing the look of the girl who was sitting in front of her, she decided it was better to keep quiet. “Please, Taylor,” Mia pleaded. “For some hours, maybe days... I want a place where I can hide from him... I need a place where I can think of what next to do.” Taylor felt a little torn here; she had always been an old friend with him, and yet she was already starting a new life with Alex. She understood how much this can make the situation worse, but at the same time, she could not remain indifferent to Mia’s suffering. This time the ringer was much sharper, and before she could decide on what choice to make, the phone rang. Taylor glanced at the screen and saw a message from Alex: "Dayum, you’ve been quiet for a while; are you okay? Where are you?” Taylor’s heart clenched. She was caught between two worlds, two different lives. She had to decide, and fast. Taking a deep breath, Taylor looked at Mia. “I’ll help you, but only for a few days. After that, you need to figure something else out. And you have to promise me you’ll stay out of trouble.” Mia’s eyes filled with relief, and she nodded quickly. “Thank you, Taylor. I promise, I’ll be out of your hair soon.” Taylor forced a smile, her mind already racing with the implications of what she had just agreed to. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere safe.” As they left the coffee shop, Taylor couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking into something far more complicated than she realized. But she knew one thing for sure—she had to keep this from Alex, at least until she figured out what to do next. Back at the apartment, Taylor sneaked Mia in through the side entrance, praying that Alex wouldn’t wake up. Her heart pounded with every step, knowing that if Alex found out, it could change everything. She got Mia settled in the spare room, then returned to the living room, where Alex was still asleep on the couch. Taylor stood there for a moment, watching her, a pang of guilt twisting in her chest. She knew she was walking a fine line, and she just hoped it wouldn’t come back to haunt her. For now, Taylor decided to keep the secret, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something that could spiral out of control. And she wasn’t sure how long she could keep everything hidden.