Between Love and Hate: Struggling without you

 Sarah walked into the only bedroom in her tiny apartment determined to get Beth out of bed. The sight that awaited her was much worse than Sarah had originally anticipated. Beth was sitting on the floor curled up in misery.
"Oh Beth, it's been a week already. You haven't left this room since you got here or had anything to eat. It's time to rejoin the land of the living."

"Please just let me be." Beth said through tears.
"No Beth, if I leave you alone you're going to die in this room, and over some jerk that's not worth it. How about you get up, take a shower, and I'll make you some food. You'll feel a million times better."

Beth doubted she would ever feel better again, but she knew Sarah was worried about her and wouldn't give up. Beth knew she had no fight in her so she did what she always did, she gave in.
"Ok Sarah, I can't promise I'll feel better but I'll try."



***

 



Sarah was in the kitchen making Beth grilled cheese sandwiches when her phone rang.

"Hello?"
"Hey Sarah." The voice on the other line send chills running down Sarah's spine she knew that something was wrong otherwise she wouldn't be getting the phone call. Regina never called unless she was in trouble
"Regina, what's wrong?"

 
"Why do you always assume something is wrong? What if  I just wanted to call and say hi?" Regina said indignantly.

"Are you just calling to say hi?"
"No I'm in jail, I was hoping you could come and bail me out." Sarah knew something was wrong because when it came to Regina Boyd there was always something wrong. Regina wore trouble like a second skin.
"Why are you in jail?"

 Regina could hear the disappointment loud and clear through the phone line, but it could not be helped Sarah was the only person that could help her. Regina knew she would never be able to call the other person who had been there for her in her time of need, Regina herself had blown that bridge to pieces.

"I only get one twenty minute phone call Sarah and it's a long story can you please come?"
"Where do I go?"
"Bridgeport Police Department."

***

 



 "I'll be back soon I hope, I just have to go bail out Regina. Can you just go to the market and pick up the ingredients I need for the Monty party."

"Sure don't worry about it, being busy might help me keep my mind of other things. I'll make the cake for you." Beth reassured Sarah who seemed quite exasperated. Beth thought it was almost funny, and was actually very excited at seeing Reggie again.

***

 





On a whim while at the grocery store Beth had picked up a pregnancy test, since she had arrived at the apartment before her sisters she had decided to take the test. Now she leaned against the door in tears of despair, she was pregnant with Matteo's baby. What was she going to do now, without real job and staying with her sister in the one bedroom apartment. Beth knew her future looked grim and she would have to stop being a victim and start taking control of her life, she just didn't know how to even begin doing what needed to be done. Beth heard the front door open and wiped away her tears.

"Reggie!" As soon as Beth got out of the bathroom she engulfed her baby sister in a warm hug. Unlike Sarah, Beth had no problems or frictions with the rebellious and irresponsible Regina. In fact in the years they had been together before Regina had been send away Beth had been the peace maker between the sisters.

"Dude you look horrible." Reggie informed Beth after taking a good look at her.
"Gee is nice to see you too Reggie." Beth said laughing.

"Alright Regina here is going to be helping me out to pay me back the three thousand dollars bail." Sarah said walking past her sisters and into the kitchen to start working.

"Jesus, three thousand dollars? What did you do?"
"I don't really want to talk about it." Reggie said taking a deep breath and following her new involuntary boss.

***

 





Matteo sat across from his fiancé Gia Costolli whom was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, yet Matteo's mind kept wondering back to Beth. It had been a month since Edmundo had showed him the pictures that shattered his world and Beth continued to haunt him.

"Matteo are you even listening to me? Mother wants to take me to a designer in Paris to be measured for the wedding dress." Gia said exasperated. She knew there was no love between the two of them, just commitment but they had been officially engaged for two weeks and unofficially her entire life the least he could do was pay attention to her.

"I'm sorry Gia, what?"
"Oh never mind, I think its best if you take me home." Gia said looking annoyed, and she had every right to be Matteo thought. He wasn't even putting in an effort and he knew from his parents how miserable a marriage could be if people where not willing to work on it.
"Yes, maybe that's a good idea."

Gia rolled her eyes wondering if this was going to be a bigger mistake than she had originally thought. Gia had held hope that they would become friends and maybe one day fall in love with each other, she had known Matteo, always had. He was always nice and courteous to her but the more she thought about marrying to please her family the more nervous she was getting about the entire thing specially since she couldn't keep Matteo's attention for longer than a few minutes.



***

 



 After dropping Gia off at her house Matteo drove around aimlessly until he ended up back at the penthouse. For the fourth time that week Matteo found himself there looking around reliving memories of all he had shared with Beth. How much of an asshole he had been to her when all she had done was offer her love. Every time he thought of looking for her and begging her to come back he remembered the pictures of her happily strolling with her lover. Anger overtook him once again and Matteo decided to sell the penthouse. He needed to exorcise Beth from his life completely.

The next morning was dark and rainy and Matteo had made his way to Sarah's apartment hoping to talk to Beth. He got out of his car and was about to cross the street when he saw her and  Shane Little. Matteo's anger was so intense he almost ran across the street and beat the guy within an inch of his life for taking his Beth, then he had to remind himself that Beth was not his and she had obviously chosen the other man over him.

 "Ugh it's so ugly out there, you wouldn't believe it's nine in the morning. Look who I found downstairs." Beth said over her shoulder as she shook water from her soaked body. She straighten realizing she could have saved her breath since Reggie had pulled Shane into the kitchen.

 "Shane, Oh my god I haven't seen you in so long." Reggie said after hugging her old friend.
"I just got back in town a couple of months ago. Beth and Sarah have been helping me settle in and they have agreed to be painted for my new collection." Shane explained to Reggie hoping to peak her interest.
"What's your collection about?"

"Friends and Family, you three where my first friends once I moved in with my dad after my mother died. So I was hoping to have the three of you in my collection. Can I paint you too."
"Of course I'd be honored. Imagine me painted by a famous artist." Reggie was right Shane Little had become one of the most famous and sought after artist of his time.