Page 90 of Sweet Everythings

The doorbell rang, and my stomach growled in anticipation of my meal. I swung the door open and took the bag as well as the brown, business-sized envelope the delivery girl said had been leaning against my door.

I set my food on the table and turned the envelope over in my hands. No address on the front.

Slitting it open, I pulled out another envelope and a piece of paper. After reading the first few lines, I needed to sit down.

…formally resign…

…effective immediately…

…thank you to all my employees for their years of service…

…Anton’s has been a family to me…

And at the bottom, Ratcliffe’ s signature.

My eyes flew up to the top of the page to check the date. Tuesday, December 7th. The last day he was in office.

They hadn’t announced it yet.

Fingers shaking, I ripped open the smaller envelope and opened the Christmas card tucked inside.

Happy Not-Christmas.

No name.

But I knew who it was.

Ares

I paced back and forth.You should have just left her alone.

I’d hoped for a text from her. Something along the lines of ‘thank you’. Something to indicate a softening, an understanding, an acknowledgement of what she meant to me even if we weren’t meant to be.

Instead, I got a one-word text.

Hope: Address.

Ares: I’m sorry?

Hope: Give me your address.

I tried a few different messages but before I could decide what to write she texted again.

Hope: Give. Me. Your. Address.

I gave it to her.

Now, I paced. And waited. And prepared to explain myself well enough that when she saw me next, she wouldn’t hate me. I huffed out a laugh. Or punch me again.

I opened the door before she finished knocking and she stormed past me without a word.

My heart pounded in my throat.

Sick roiled in my stomach.

I didn’t have the right words.

I couldn’t afford to stumble.

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