Page 28 of Losing a Piece of Me

I stare at the seven words for several minutes, not daring to touch it.

I shouldn’t be surprised that she left. I pushed her, I knew I shouldn’t have, but I did and now she’s gone.

When does she leave? What if she’s only in town for the weekend? What if she leaves today?

I shower quickly and dress even quicker, then hop on the bike and head straight to her parents’ house. Her car isn’t in the drive.

Fuck, she’s already gone. She took off and didn’t say goodbye, again.

It’s not just her car that is missing, though – none of her family’s cars are in the driveway either. Usually her mom’s car is here during the day, but the driveway is completely empty.

An idea flashes in my mind. It’s a long shot, but I have to try.

I drive to the country club and sure enough, her car is here.

I don’t go in. It’s not like it was last night. The parking lot is damn-near empty. If I walk in there, everyone will know.

So I wait.

She doesn’t see me waiting for her, leaning on my bike, until she almost reaches her car. I pour my heart out for her and she has the nerve to tell me that last night meant nothing, that it was a mistake, that she feels nothing for me. Passion burns hot in the pit of my stomach, mixed with a sharp, consuming anger from her words that I have never experienced before.

No feelings for me? Time to prove it, sweetheart.

I give her all of me. Every last fucking drop that I’ve been hiding deep inside of me for six long years. I give it all to her. I let it flood out of me and into her. When I pull away, I can see the crack spiderwebbing across her walls, until the entire foundation crumbles and exposes her core. Rather than calling her out on it, I leave her to figure it out herself.

I know I won’t hear from her again, and if I do, it will be a long fucking time, but I know I’ve planted a seed of doubt inside of her. She’s doubting everything right now.

* * *

“Hey, Pops.” I take my usual seat at the counter and he pours me a cup of coffee.

“Tomorrow’s the big day, huh?”

I nod and force a smile. “Yep, sure is. I get to pick up my check tomorrow and finally start my business.” Needless to say, the accomplishment of achieving my dream of running my own company fills me with hope and excitement, and a part of me is ecstatic. No more getting shit on by every incompetent foreman having a bad day, no more fighting with my supervisors. But happiness is buried deep in a pit of sadness and hurt after the last encounter with Lex. When I left her standing in that parking lot, staring after me, I left a bigger piece of myself than I had foreseen.

“I have something for you,” Pops says as he shuffles into the back.

I sip my coffee and wait.

He comes back and slides an envelope across to me. I eye him before I pick it up and open it, unsure of what I’ll see. A small piece of paper is inside, which I remove and look over several times before comprehending what it is.

It’s a check, written out to me, for a hundred grand.

I’m speechless. My eyes go from the check to him and back. “Pops, what is this?”

“Tell that big corporate bank to shove their money. You don’t need it anymore.” He offers me a wide grin.

I don’t want to offend him, but I say, “Pops, I can’t take your money.”

“Bullshit. Take the money. What do you think I’m going to do with it?” He flattens his hands on the counter to support his weight.

I shake my head and rub my brows, then look back at the check. It’s tempting, but I can’t do it. I did not befriend Pops for his money. He’s busted his ass his entire life to earn this, I have no right to take it.

“No, and that’s final. I mean it, Pops.” I slide the check across the counter.

He looks pissed, but he picks it up and folds it in half. He slides it into his pocket and pats it. “Fine. I don’t know why you are so damn stubborn.” He turns and refills my coffee cup.

He leans over, resting his forearms on the counter and his eyes stay with mine. I don’t know what he’s searching for, but after a long minute of awkwardness I ask, “What the hell are you doing?”

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