Chapter 106
She nodded. "I can only imagine, because I know what it did to me." She closed her eyes as she bit her lower lip, looking just as beautiful as ever. I fought the urge to take her into my arms and tell her that everything would be okay, because it was surely far from the truth. She opened her eyes, the same bright green that I had remembered, her voice merely a whisper. "Logan, we all thought you were dead. It just about crushed your band, your friends me. For heaven's sake! Frank even attended your funeral! Where were you?"
"What do you mean he 'attended my funeral'," I asked, confused beyond all reason. "Alyssa, who told you that I was dead?"
"Well everyone!" she said, her voice shaking as tears spilled down her cheeks. "Frank said that your parents were there, thanking everyone for their support."
"Do not tell me that they actually had my funeral!" I said as tears sprang to my eyes. "You mean to tell me that my own parents lied to me? To you? To everyone?"
She bit her lower lip. "Logan " She looked directly into my eyes. " yes. They did. They lied to us all."
"But why?" I asked as tears slid down my cheeks.
"Your mother probably wanted you to follow the path they chose for you "
"To become a politician," I finished. I turned away and ran my fingers through my hair, letting it all sink in. I knew my mother wanted control over me, over my life, but I had no idea that she would go to such lengths. "And I followed their plan." I turned around to face her as tears streamed down my cheeks. "Alyssa, after you died, I gave up all hope. I gave up the music everything. And by the time I recovered, it was too late."
"Recovered?" she asked, taking a step toward me, but I stepped back, not trusting myself.
I nodded. "My back was broken in the accident."
"Oh, my God!"
I nodded. "It took years for me to heal," I said, my voice reflecting my anger. "Just to be able to walk again. And you let me think that you were dead because you didn't want to be with an invalid."
"That's not true!" Alyssa said as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I loved you, Logan! Think about it! Why would I ever leave you? It was a win-win for your mother! She made us all believe that you were dead, and she got you back in the process! You were unable to fight her, so she could tell you anything." She took another step toward me. "Logan, I would never do that to you! Is that why you let me think that you were dead all this time, too? Because you thought I was dead, too?"
"Alyssa, I have to ask this," I said calmly, stepping closer to the door. "Did you marry someone else?"
The hurt look in her eyes suddenly turned to anger. "Is that what you think of me? That I let you think I was dead so I could go on with my life?" She took a step closer. "Do you really think that I could go on with my life without you, as if nothing had ever happened?" She stepped closer and looked into my eyes. "How dare you think so low of me!"
I grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at me. "Then, who was the guy I saw you with at the party?"
She jerked away as if I had just slapped her and gritted her teeth. "I was there alone. I met Curt that night at the party. And when I thought that I saw you, I thought I was finally going crazy. He helped me to get back to my hotel safely."
I let out a deep breath. "Have you seen him since?"
Anger and hurt welled up in her eyes. "Logan, I haven't dated anyone for the last ten years "
"You didn't answer my question!"
"Yes!" she said as she sat down in her chair, finally broken. "Yes. I saw him again."
I nodded. "Are you in love with him?"
"Logan, you have no right "
"Just answer the damn question!" I yelled, now beyond all reason. "Are you in love with him?"
She shook her head. "I don't know."
I nodded as I backed toward the door. "That's all I wanted to know."
"Logan, how did you find me?" she asked as tears poured down her cheeks.
I laughed without humor. "Your old buddy Craig told me," I said as I glared at her. "That is, right before I punched him for not telling me that you were alive all this time."
She narrowed her eyes at me. "Craig knew? He knew you were alive all this time and he didn't tell me?"
I shook my head, unable to believe what I was hearing. "Alyssa, give it a rest," I said as I moved toward the door.
"Logan, wait!" She ran after me and placed her hands on my chest. "Don't leave! Let's talk about this!"
I shrugged her off. "What's there left to talk about?" Without another word, I opened the door.
A girl about Alyssa's age with reddish brown hair was waiting outside her door, along with Mrs. Farrow. The girl narrowed her eyes at me, but spoke to Alyssa, never taking her eyes from mine. "Alyssa, do I need to call the police?"
I looked back at her and she shook her head as tears streaked down her cheeks. "No, let him go."
"Alyssa," I said in a low voice. "You know, it didn't have to be this way. We could have had a good life together. Too bad it's over." I sounded cruel, even to my own ears, but I couldn't stop myself.
She sobbed openly and nodded as I walked out the door, headed back to New York, leaving my heart behind.
