Big Black Car

Ch. 9

“You’re home!” The familiar voice of her best friend greeted her as she closed the door to the apartment. All of the interns shared dorms, but being friends with Katie, the director, enabled Annik to share her nicer apartment style with two small bedrooms and two bathrooms. In the ever-expensive LA, it was paradise.

Annik quickly brushed at her eyes again and felt surreal. Katie had stood and was grinning at her. “Are you still sick or can I give you a hug?”

“Wha--no, I’m not. Clean bill of health,” she smiled tightly.

“In that case, we are going to hug,” Katie said, wrapping her arms around Annik. “I missed you, friend.”

Annik almost sagged against Katie and hugged her tightly. “I missed you, too.” She did not realize there were tears in her eyes until Katie pulled away and looked at her suspiciously. “Either you missed me way more than I thought, or something’s wrong. I’m inclined toward the latter.”

Annik laughed slightly and closed her eyes. “It’s a long story.” Katie took the hint and nodded. “Why don’t you just head to bed? We have a big day tomorrow! Your first official day of work.”

Annik was again overcome with gratitude for her friend and equal guilt at not being able to tell her what was wrong. She turned and opened the door to her bedroom. The walls were beige and empty, the dresser bare except for a few family photos. It didn’t feel like home.

She slipped into her bed fully clothed and pulled the covers high around her face, feeling so small. The first night in almost a week that she was sleeping alone.

Adam closed the front door, the sound echoing throughout the house. His body felt heavy, each step a struggle. They had been having such a good time, and then everything turned bad so quickly. He didn’t even have her phone number, and he doubted he could get back to where she lived. They were just as physically disconnected as they were emotionally.

He didn’t even really know her, but he missed her. He missed her laugh. He missed her conversation. He missed having someone to look out for. He missed the way he had been able to forget about his depression when he was around her.

Now he was alone. Again. He considered calling Blake or Gene, but they were probably busy with their wives and families. He had never seriously thought about getting married; it seemed too messy, too doomed to end in failure. Despite his fear of marriage, however, he could see the perk of always having someone to come home to.

Grabbing an acoustic guitar from the living room, Adam went to his bedroom and sat against the headboard. He tried not to think of him and Annik sitting up against that same headboard, of kissing her. Was that just this morning? It seemed so long ago.

Man it's been a long day
Stuck thinking 'bout it
Driving on the freeway
Wonderin' if I really
Tried everything I could
Not knowing if I should
Try a little a harder
Oh, but I'm scared to death
That there may not be
Another one like this
And I confess
That I'm only holding on
By a thin, thin thread

Putting the guitar down, Adam went to the window and looked out at the city below him, knowing that Annik Jenkins was out there somewhere. He sighed, closed the curtains, and slipped into the cold bed. He did not sleep.

“You look like shit.”

Adam groaned, the booming voice of Blake Shelton disrupting his few moments of quiet. He put his head down on the table in the conference room on The Voice set.

“Awww, did somebody have a long night? Who’d you have over?” Blake’s jab at whatever woman usually warmed his bed normally would have rolled off him, but in his current state, made Adam stand up abruptly, knocking the chair over.

“It wasn’t like that, man,” Adam snapped, his face barely meeting Blake’s shoulder. “And why are you so damn tall?”

Blake looked surprised but apologetic. “Hey, I’m sorry. Didn’t realize that would make you upset. Wanna go talk about it or something? Miranda’s been encouraging me to communicate.” His big grin made Adam calm down a little.

“Don’t we have a meeting?” Adam asked. Blake shrugged, “If we leave, there won’t be a meeting. We make this show, bro.”

Adam nodded, “Well, okay then. Let’s, as you might say, skedaddle.”

Blake clapped Adam on the back and shook his head. “You know I like it when you talk country to me, Levine.”

They arrived at an IHOP outside Los Angeles about an hour later.

“What can I get y’all to eat?” The bleached blonde waitress asked them after they sat down. She looked to be about 65 and didn’t seem interested in the fact that they were famous.

“I will have the Rooty Tooty, fresh ‘n fruity with two orders of bacon,” Blake said, smiling at her.

Adam rolled his eyes. “Out of all the restaurants in L.A., it’s weird that this is your favorite.” He turned to the waitress. “I’ll just have some toast please.”

“TOAST? You really are down in the dumps man.” As Adam stared off into space, Blake whispered to the waitress, “Get him a Rooty with sausage. And a lot of coffee.”

Blake let Adam zone out for a few minutes before clearing his throat. “Adam?”

No response.

“ Adam?”

Blake slammed his hands on the table, jolting Adam out of his reverie.

“What the hell, man? You don’t have to slap your giant hands on the table to get my attention.”

Blake raised his eyebrow. “Well saying your name wasn’t doing any good. Seriously. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Adam sighed deeply. He wanted to tell Blake, but he didn’t want to infringe on Annik’s privacy. “I met this girl… and we really bonded. But the paparazzi hounded us after dinner last night and she freaked out. She’s been having a hard time, and that just made it so much worse. She said she didn’t want to see me again.

“And like an idiot, I didn’t get her number.”

Blake frowned sympathetically at him. “I’m sorry, bro. She must be special to get you so worked up.”

Adam put his head in his hands. “I feel like it really could have been something. She’s real, honest, genuine. So unlike most of the girls in L.A.”

Adam continued as if Blake wasn’t even there.

“And the worst part is, I know she’s hurting and I can’t be there for her. I haven’t wanted to be there for someone like this in forever.”

“Wow, she’s really bringing out the best in you,” Blake said. “You know what I think? If it’s meant to be, you will find her again. I screwed up so much with Miranda, but fate had something different in store for us.”

The waitress came with their heaping piles of food. Adam looked at Blake with a wry grin.

“You’re such a cheeseball, Shelton.” Adam said, looking at the food heaped on the table. “But I love you for it…. also, how did you know that sausage is my favorite?”

Blake put his hand behind his head and leaned back into the booth, grinning.

“Because I’m the best best friend ever.”

“Don’t get too cocky.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got our friendship bracelets in the car, rock star.”