Page 54 of Missing Pieces

She jumps up and down and then jumps on me and clings to me. “My new temporary best friend is gonna be my real best friend! This is the best day ever. Did you tell Easton?”

“We had a small conversation about it last night.” I run my hands along one of the tables. “I didn’t exactly tell him I was staying, but I pretty much said I wasn’t leaving.”

Her smile eats up her entire face. “Well, I am happy for you. I’m happy you’re staying, and I am happy y’all are together. Just please don’t go breakin’ his heart.”

Before I can answer, someone starts banging on the door. We both look over and see one of the Sergeants. I look over at the clock and see that it’s quarter after seven. “Shit we need to open.”

Ivy rushes to open the door and I’m kind of grateful I didn’t have to promise I wouldn’t break Easton’s heart because I am not positive that’s a promise I can keep.

* * *

It was a slow day at the diner due to the torrential downpour outside. Ivy and I spent most of the day looking for new tables for the diner and picking out paint colors. We concluded that we would close the diner for a couple of days at the end of August to paint and install new tables and fixtures.

My cell starts ringing and I pick it up without looking at who’s calling. Before I can even answer, I hear Drew screaming in my ear.

“What the fuck did you do with the dog?”

Ivy looks up at me. I’m assuming she heard Drew through the phone.

“I—uh…”

“Don’t play fucking dumb with me Harper. I know you came and got Poe from the kennel.”

I’m thankful that no customers are in the diner to hear this argument. “That was four fucking days ago! And you’re just now calling me about him? I can tell you actually care.”

“I was out of town for work. I came back this morning to get him. How the fuck did you even know he was there?” I can feel his anger through the phone.

“Lucky guess.” I snort ready to just hang up on the dumb asshole.

“Fucking bitch. I know it wasn’t even you that got him. You pay someone to get him for you? Oh, wait you don’t have any money. It must be hard when you don’t have MY money to spend.”

He did not just go there. My fist curls, my nails digging into my skin. “It doesn’t matter how I got him. And you have no idea what I am doing. I don’t need YOUR money. I never did.”

“Could have fooled me.” He grumbles into the phone.

“Fuck you, Drew. If I recall correctly, you were the one that had to borrow money from me in the beginning. I do not need to deal with this or any of your stupid bullshit. I am sick and tired of you blaming me for everything. Have you not realized that we aren’t even together anymore?” I start to scream into the phone and I give zero fucks about it. I am so over him. “We’re divorced. I am not the cause to all your problems anymore. Please just leave me alone so I can live my own life without you in it.”

“We are not divorced yet, Harper. And don’t think this incident isn’t going to have some role in our divorce. Shit is just gonna get worse for you. Keep playing your little game of house down there in wherever the fuck you are because once this is finalized, you are going to have to pay me and then your life really will be shit.”

I swear I can hear him spitting as he yells. I don’t let him talk more and hang up on him. I slump into the chair next to me and grind my teeth. I want all of this to be over because I am so sick of that despicable man and his endless tirades of bullshit.

Ivy looks at me with hesitation. I can tell she wants to say something because she usually has a comment about everything.

“What?” I groan, growing impatient waiting for her.

She sighs and sets down the broom she had in her hand. “Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”

I’m surprised that’s all she had to say. “Really? You don’t have any words of wisdom for me?”

I realize that came out a lot crueler than intended, but she doesn’t seem affected by it. “I think you know well enough what I think. It’s slow. You should go clear your head. Heaven knows I would if I had to deal with that bullshit.”

“You heard it all?” I ask even though I knew she could because of how loud he was yelling.

She nods. “And that’s why you need to leave. Go do something like paint my house and make it pretty.”

I laugh. She’s right if I stay here the thoughts will just stew in my head. I look outside and see the rain has let up a bit. “I think I need to go for a run.”

“It’s raining,” she remarks and points outside.

“Yeah, well not enough to drown me.”

I run to the truck and grab my running clothes out of it. I like to keep them around for this reason. Plus, it’s a lot easier running around this part of town than the farmlands near my house.

I go back into the diner and change. I do some stretches before heading back out the door.

“Don’t get sick on me.” I hear Ivy call out. I wave her off and then take off down Main Street.

I run for over an hour and let all the thoughts in my head clear out. Thoughts of Drew, my mom, Easton. I let them all wash away in the rain. By the time I end up back at the diner, I feel refreshed and new. I’m completely soaked but the rain was warm, and it feels good against my skin. I change back into dry clothes and decide to do some more work on Ivy’s rental for the rest of the night.

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