Free Connections by Amber Bourbon

life.
    The same mother that had tried to convince her not to go into acting.
    The same mother that told her not to work on a soap opera.
    The same mother that had secretly been an actress.
    The same mother that had secretly been an actress on the same soap opera she was now on.
    Her mother, would be playing—her mother.
    Escape.
    That’s all Shayla wanted right now. She had to get away from the hypocrisies of her family. She had to get back to her real life, no matter how empty it really was. An emptiness waiting to be filled by someone, she just wasn’t sure who.
    Shayla opened the small box as she looked over the desk towards Brad. “What is this?”
    “ It’s a key, to a studio apartment a few blocks from here.” He rose from his chair and moved towards the front of the desk watching as she studied it.
    “ I think I’m missing something.” Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail; her nails a perfect airbrushed French manicure.
    Brad smiled, “It’s where I want you to live while you go to school.”
    “ It is?” She couldn’t believe this. “Why?”
    Brad took her hand, running his thumb on her nails, “Because Shayla, I want you in a safe place. I want a place where I can stay with you; I can’t do that in the dorms.”
    “ You mean, like overnight?” Her heartbeat was loud in her ears, was this really happening.
    “ I can finagle a night a bit more often now that I got the promotion. I told my wife it would be cheaper to have a little studio for me to stay in then getting a hotel room, that that I’ve got more entertaining to do in the city.” Brad looked at his hand, his gold wedding band looking up at him. “Anyways, she’ll never question it if I stay over once a week. She’s more grateful for the time away from me.”
    “ Oh Brad, don’t worry about her. You’ve got me.” Shayla smiled her lips glossy and eyes bright. “One day, you’ll be free of her, and you’ll still have me.”
    He smiled as he looked at his young lover, “I’ll always have you, won’t I?”
    “ Yes, of course you will. I will always be yours, you can count on me. If I could I would shout it from the rooftops. I would do anything for you Brad, don’t you see that? I’ve already done so much for you.” Her eyes searched his nervously.
    “ Yes that you have.” He kissed her forehead, “You know, I only ask that of you when I really need your help.”
    “ Yes, I know that.” She took his hand in hers, “Now, is there anything I can do for you right now?”
    Brad reached over on his desk, picking up an envelope, “In here, is a credit card with your name on it, and some cash. Go pick out some linens for the bed and something for yourself.”
    “ Really?” Shayla couldn’t believe the responsibility of this all; she couldn’t believe any of this.
    “ Yes, really, it will be your home and mine.” Brad couldn’t help but smile.
    “ Well, I guess I better get going. What’s the address?”
    “ Here” He picked up a piece of paper, “I’ll be by this evening after work for just a little bit.”
    “ Thank you, Brad.”
    “ Thank you, Shayla.”
    Shayla opened the door of her apartment; it was a spacious loft really. Glass windows all along one wall looking out on the city, plenty of light during the daytime and yet she was high enough up that she felt as though she had plenty of privacy. The floors were hardwood, her kitchen counter tops were butcher block, and the appliances stainless steel.
    She opened the fridge, not expecting much as she pulled out a bottle of wine. Yes it was early, not even 9am yet. Perfect though for her to forget everything, a chance for her to become numb for just a little bit and forget about her Mother.
    She poured some of her chardonnay into a mason jar as she let her mind drift to Zach. Her stomach twisted as she thought about him, the way he looked at her, the way she felt around him.
    It was different.
    It was good different.
    Especially when she thought about