Page 143 of A Temporary Forever

Downing it, I smash the fucking tumbler against the glass banister. It helps about as much as the pacing. Zilch. Fucking nada.

I turn to the wall of windows. The view has always invited peace into my mind, but right now I only see the suffocating grid of concrete monotony. “I should have been there.”

“It’s not like they would let you hold my hand. This is on me alone.”

I spin toward her voice. Celeste stands at the landing in black leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. I’ve never seen her this underdressed. Fuck.

She takes the stairs slowly, descending with resignation in her posture.

“We’ll fix it all.” My declaration is as desperate as it’s a lie. As much as I want to fix it all, I have no fucking clue how.

She looks at me with similar skepticism to what Dominic rewarded me with earlier and walks to the bar. She pours two glasses and looks at Dom, who shakes his head.

Celeste passes me a glass and glances at the shards on the floor. She walks around and folds herself on the sofa, taking a sip.

Her every move reeks of despair, void of spark or any emotion. The fiery dancer I know and love is subdued.

It pisses me off, but more importantly it worries me.

“Will I go to jail?” she asks Dom.

I sit beside her and put my hand over hers. She recoils. Not visibly, but as soon as my palm touches her, she readjusts her position, distancing herself from me.

It might look like a natural move to make herself more comfortable, but I know she doesn’t want me near her. I just know.

Why the fuck is she giving up like this?

“Highly unlikely. What is likely, with a fiftypercent probability, is that Officer Martinez will file a request for deportation. We’ll fight it, of course. I’m going to call in all the favors now. You two go through your phones and find as many authentic pictures of your life together as possible.”

He stands and picks up his briefcase. Buttoning up his jacket, he nods his goodbyes and leaves.

We both stare at the closed elevator doors on the other side of this cavernous room long after he leaves.

Celeste sighs. “I’m sorry.”

I jump up to pace. Yet again. “You have nothing to be sorry about. Dominic will make sure we will prevent the worst.”

“But we can’t pretend the possibility isn’t pretty fucking real. Dom said it’s a fifty percent chance I’ll have to leave.”

“Then I’ll leave with you,” I offer immediately. Without thinking or considering the implications. That’s what I’ll do. I know that as much as I know I love her.

She stands up, shaking her head vehemently. Despite the situation, a jolt of hope courses through me at her reignited fire.

“You’ll leave with me? What about Merged?” She puts her glass on the coffee table and marches tothe kitchen.

I chase after her. “Fuck Merged.” After today’s negative publicity, Merged might be fucked already, anyway.

She opens and closes a cabinet, and then another one. “And what about Mia?”

I pause for the briefest moment, because my daughter does deserve consideration, but I’ll figure it out. I will not abandon her. Or Celeste. I refuse to accept either of them being gone from my life.

“I’ll have her fly to us every second weekend.” It’s a fucked-up solution, but I need to show her we can find a solution even if the worst happens.

She keeps banging the doors, opening and closing cabinets. “You’ll have her fly to Europe twice a month. Don’t be ridiculous.”

I grip her wrist to stop her. “What are you looking for?” My words come out laced with harsh frustration.

Her shoulders slump. “Where are those stupid cookies?”

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