P2
She ignored the fact that tears were free falling from her eyes and continued to toss things into her luggage and box.
After a few minutes of her compressed sobs, he gave up. “Please stop this…” he said quietly. He was surprised that he could form a coherent statement. “Just… hear me out… you don’t understand…,” but before he could go on explaining himself, she grabbed a small black remote and clicked the button. Music began playing from the ceiling speakers. Not too loud, but loud enough to help her ignore his voice. She hummed quietly to the music and continued to ignore his presence.
He sighed in frustration and heartbreak. He walked over to the sound system and unplugged the speakers so she couldn’t turn them on again. “Stop..” he pleaded. She stopped humming but kept packing.
“I didn’t forget… okay? I had everything planned.. I really did. I planned it all but things just got so messed up… and the rain….” he tried explaining, she kept packing and didn’t listen to a word he said.
“Please babe… just, come back to the restaurant with me…”
No response.
“Look, here’s a ring….” he reached in his pockets and pulled out a small box.
She finished packing and was zipping her luggage up and getting ready to go.
“Stop…”
She set the luggage on the floor and pulled up the handle. She left it there and picked her box up first. She walked to the door with her box and he followed. Before she could open the door, he came over and hugged her tightly from behind. Tighly, securely, and gently.
her tears came out faster. She was so tempted to stay, but no. She tried pulling away from his embrace but he help on tightly.
“Let go!” she demanded and yelled. He wouldn’t.
She pushed, pulled, and squirmed but nothing worked. He finally loosened his grip and let go. She stood dazed for a few moments, but eventually turned around and slapped his face. He moved his hand up to his left cheek. She slapped really hard.
She looked up at him with sad, tired eyes.
“Fine…. leave if you want.” he said, finally walking away and sitting on the bed.
His bluntness broke her already crushed heart. Tears flowed more fluidly and quickly out of her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan and turned to the door. She opened the door and walked out. She moved sluggishly down the stairs and towards the front door. She looked around the house in a dazed manner. Everything she came to know… would be gone soon.
She made her way to the front door, opened it and walked out to her car. She waited for her trunk to open and set the box inside. She turned to go back into the house for her other luggage but he was coming down the stairs with it already.
He walked with it to the front door and set it down by the doorway. She walked to the front door again and took her luggage. She dragged it to her car and set it in the trunk. The trunk door closed and she turned back to look at the memories. She took it all in, again. He was still standing at the doorway, watching her. ‘Is this really happening?’ he thought to himself, ‘No, can’t be…. I’ll wake up from this nighmare in a second…’
She stood by her car, waiting for him to say something, anything. and tell her not to go.
He didn’t even make an effort. She gave one last sad glance and opened her car door. She was quickly getting wet from the still falling rain.
She stepped into the driver’s seat, closed the door, and held onto the wheel as if her life depended on it. She kept a hand on the wheel and put her keys in. She sat still for a moment or two, he still hadn’t moved.
In a rush of frustration, she accelerated out of the drive way and drove away.
