Chapter 92

DORIS

I slept better than I thought I would. I didn’t know what my next step should be. Should I quit Heritage Properties and look for another real estate job?

I was jolted out of my reverie when my phone rang. It was a number I didn’t recognize. My first thought was that perhaps it was Arthur trying to trick me, calling from a different number.

I was going to ignore it, but something told me I should answer.

“Hello?”

“Is this Doris? This is Mr. Owens.“

The record executive!

“Yes, sir, how can I help you?“

He laughed. “The question is, how can I help you? I just listened to that demo you made, and I think it’s pretty good. Fantastic, actually. I’d like to talk to you about signing a record deal. Could you come into my office later this afternoon?”

I looked down at myself. I had slept in my clothes. I knew I was a complete and total mess.

“Of course. What time works for you?”

“3 PM. I’ll text you the address.”

As soon as I hung up, I stood up and did a happy victory dance.

I picked up my phone to call Arthur and froze. For one brief second, I forgot about Arthur’s cheating. My jaw locked.

My emotions went from a soaring high to a bitter, vile anger in one second.

I put my phone back down on the fancy showroom coffee table. “No matter,“ I said to myself. "Forget about Arthur. Forget his cheating. Forget about everything except a record contract!"

“Don’t celebrate yet. You don’t have a contract. You just have a record executive who likes your voice and is interested.”

The fact that my first instinct was to call Arthur wasn’t lost on me. But based on what I saw outside Rockefeller Center with him and Cathy, I might have to face a new reality.

I wasn’t dating Arthur anymore. I couldn’t just call him and share my good news.

My entire body slumped. I couldn’t stay in this model showroom apartment forever. I would have to go home to my old apartment.

But I couldn’t just disappear on Mia without saying goodbye. I shouldn’t run away. I wasn't the one who did anything wrong.

When I caught Bob cheating, I never confronted him, and maybe that was the right thing to do.

But I should talk to Arthur. He deserved a chance to explain himself.

But not right now. I didn’t have a lot of time to clean myself up and get ready.

I already knew that the bathroom was perfectly decked out with fancy towels. I went and checked out the shower. It even had expensive shampoo.

Well, I might as well take a luxurious shower and spend time getting ready. I had all my clothes with me. I nodded, confirming my decision.

I would look through my suitcases and find the perfect thing to wear for this meeting. Then, I would pamper myself with a nice bath and a quick cold shower to wake myself up. Then, I would change into a nice outfit and meditate.

If I were going to sign a contract, I would probably need an entertainment lawyer.

Before I could overthink things, I took off my clothes and decided to take everything one step at a time.

ARTHUR

I was in my office at Heritage Properties, debating pacing the halls again. I was about out of my mind by mid-afternoon when the private detective called.

“Ethan, tell me you found her."

“Well. The building directly across from yours has high-level security cameras, and not only do they cover their front door and the street, but they also cover the front of your apartment building."

“So at least you know when she left and what direction she was going,” I said.

“That’s just it. I scoured all the footage. Doris never left the building.“

What?

“So all you have to do is find out which apartment she’s in. Who’s her best friend in the building?“

“She doesn’t know anybody here.“

“Well, she must be with somebody.“

“Thanks, Ethan.“ I hung up.

Mrs Martinez. It had to be. That was the only other person Doris knew in the building.

When I talked to Mrs. Martinez, I hadn’t thought to ask if Doris was there. Mrs. Martinez simply said that she was checking on Mia with a baby monitor. Mrs. Martinez didn’t say whether or not Doris might have been by her side.

I called Mrs. Martinez. “Is Doris with you?"

“No, why?"

Now, I needed to be specific. “Did she spend last night with you?“

“No, Arthur. I assumed she came home when you did or a little bit afterward. She didn’t come home? She’s missing? Do you think she’s OK?”

“I hope so. Tell me, does Doris know anybody else in the building?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“OK. Thank you.”

I raced out of my office at Heritage Properties. It was a few minutes before three o’clock when I stormed into the lobby of my apartment building.

The doorman's shift change was imminent. I knew they changed shifts like clockwork.

When Jim saw me rushing towards him with a thundercloud on my face, he immediately looked guilty.

“Where is she? Which apartment is she in?”

“I’m sorry, sir. I really shouldn’t say. If she wanted you to know, she would’ve told you.”

I reached over the reception desk and grabbed him by his lapels. “Listen, you low life. If my woman is in this building somewhere, I want to know exactly whose apartment she’s in.“

Jim rolled his lips together. He had obviously closed up. I have lived in this building for nine years. The fact that he had more loyalty to Doris than he had to me rankled.

Howard, the other doorman came walking up. “Where's my wife?“

Howard rubbed his fingers together in the universal sign for 'it’ll cost you money'.

I took out my wallet and put $200 on the reception desk. Howard put it in his jacket.

“Don’t tell him,“ Jim said.

“She’s in the model apartment,” Howard said.

The model apartment. Huh?

Then I remembered there was an apartment on the second floor that the building used as a showroom. There must not be any vacancies in the building, or the doorman would have to keep the showroom open in case they had to show the apartment to prospective buyers.

“Take me up there.”

“Mr. Arthur, I think you should respect her space."

I gave Jim a look that should melt his brain, if not his whole body, and told him I would get him fired if he didn’t open the apartment ASAP.

“OK then,” he said, sounding resigned. “I’ll get the key.”

I didn’t wait for the elevator. I ran up the stairs, my feet pounding the cement hard as I took the steps two at a time.

“Mr. Arthur," Jim called from behind me as he followed me up the stairs, “Sir! Maybe you should wait until she’s ready to talk to you. I know that when I argue with my wife…"

“Shut up, please.” My heart beat hard, anticipation and anger heating my body until I felt like a pressure pot filled with steam. I was overreacting, I knew, but every minute since I’d discovered Doris had left me seemed like an eternity.

I knocked on the door, but no one answered. I knocked again. Still no answer.

I looked at Jim. “Open it,” I commanded.

“Mr. Arthur…”

I cut him off. “If you expect to keep your job or ever work in this town again, you will open this door right now.”

Jim took out a key card and opened the door.

I ran into the show apartment, desperate to sweep Doris up into my arms and explain everything.

But all of it let me was a devastating silence.

Doris was gone.