Page 155 of Lars

I passed out early. When I woke in the morning, I felt like I was about to die… and not just from the hangover.

I checked my phone.

6:45 AM.

I had no idea when he was flying out, but 6:45 would have been early enough to catch him before he left.

I could have called him.

I could have apologized.

I could have at least said goodbye…

But I didn’t.

Maybe it was my pride…

Maybe it was my resentment…

Maybe it was the hang-xiety from all the wine I’d drunk.

Whatever the reason, I didn’t call.

It turned out to be the worst mistake I’d ever made in my life.

Because when I finally did call him…

He was gone.

Forever.

82

Lars

When I was about to leave my hotel room the next morning, I put my regular phone in the room safe. I could only take the burner to Italy.

When I opened the door to the safe, I stared at the box for the ring.

I didn’t want to leave it…

But I didn’t want to take it, either. Mostly because I didn’t want to lose it… but also because I still had a bad taste in my mouth from the day before.

However, I was afraid to leave it. And not because a cleaning maid might steal it.

No… it was something verging on the superstitious.

Like something awful would happen.

No matter how angry I was with Rachel, I still believed in us.

I believed in our future together.

The ring symbolized that, and I didn’t want to leave it behind.

So I shoved it in my pocket right before I closed the safe and walked out.

I stopped at the front desk, informed them I would be away on business, and pre-paid for three weeks.

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