Lie To Me

Lie To Me-Chapter 159

Oh no...

"Riley? Riley, are you there?!?"

For a moment, I just stood there, unable to speak...unable to even think. It was too soon. I wasn't prepared for this. I wasn't ready...

"Riley?!?"

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. "Yes, Harry. I'm here."

"Oh, good," he sighed in relief. "I thought I lost you for a minute there."

You did...

"No. I'm just...busy."

The silence stretched on between us. I could hear the slight intake of breath each time he went to speak, only to have him exhale slowly, and start all over again.

"Is there something you want?"

"I... Uh... Yeah. Um. How was your flight?"

How was my flight? How was my flight?!? What kind of question was that?!?

"It was fine." I had a dream about catching you and Bree in bed together, and haven't slept since, but whatever...

"Oh, that's good. So you're home, then?"

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at him even though he couldn't see me do it. I knew him well enough to know what he was doing, to see right through this "small talk." He was gauging me, testing me, checking to see how much anger I still harbored toward him. If he only knew...

I took another deep breath, sighing audibly. "Yes, I'm home. For now."

"For now?"

"Harry..." I sighed again. "You can't seriously expect me to stay here, can you? I told you. It's done. I'm leaving."

For a moment he was silent, most likely trying to figure out something to say that would change my mind. But, he couldn't change this. There was nothing he could say that would make everything alright. Not this time. Not anymore. No matter how much my heart still ached for him, no matter how much every fiber in my being longed to be wrapped in his arms again, I couldn't do it. I wouldn't.

"Please don't leave, Riley. Not like this. I...I love you."

"Harry..." I didn't want to hear those words from him. Not now. Not while the image of his hands cupping Bree's cheeks, his lips pressed to hers, was still etched in my brain.

"Please, Riley. You have to hear me out. You have to at least let me explain! Look, I'm coming home, okay? I'm already packed and ready to go, and as soon as I get Max's papers I'll be on the next flight back. Just... Just don't leave until I get there. Please. We can sit down and talk, about...everything."

I shook my head again, tossing another pile of clothes into the bag. "Honestly Harry, there's nothing to talk about. Nothing you say is going to change anything. You lied to me. You lied about everything! About Bree, about how 'special' I was to you, about how much you 'loved me.' It was all Bullshit!"

"I didn't lie about you!!" His voice rang in my ears, frantic and pained. "I loved you, Riley! I still do! YOU were the one who lied about your feelings for me! YOU were the one led me to believe that we had something real! That we could be...a family!"

My heart stopped at the crack in his voice, tears pooling in my eyes.

He wasn't the only one who had believed it all. I couldn't even count on two hands the number of times I'd thought of us, pictured us that way. Sometimes I would see him as the father of my children, playing in the sun with a little curly haired boy or girl, their laughter filling my heart with joy. Sometimes I would imagine the two of us, old and grey, laughing and teasing like the best of friends we always were, his soft touch still igniting a fire deep inside me. But now, those wishes, those hopes for the future, no longer existed.

"Harry... Please, just stop..."

Unaware of the pain rushing through me, he snapped. "No! You lied to me, Riley! This whole time! You don't even love me! You said it yourself; you never did! So, why the hell does it even matter to you?!? Yes, I fucked up, okay?!? I made a really stupid, drunk decision that I thought would help the situation, and I messed everything up in the process. But, how do you think I felt finding out that you don't even love me at all?!? How do you think I felt knowing that you'd been lying to me this whole time?!? Making me think we actually... Making me think..." He paused for a moment. "But, you know what? I'm willing to accept it. I'm willing to forgive you, to try to go back to being friends like we were. I'm not going to just throw away the last two years because of this!"

If it wasn't for the fact that I was already crying, I probably would have laughed at his attempt to turn the tables on this whole situation... Especially given that his entire argument was based on a lie.

Exhausted, broken, and with absolutely no fight left in me, I simply sighed back at him. I needed to end this conversation. I needed to get back to my life, to find my own way. Without him...

"Well, I guess you're a much better person than I am, then. Because for me, there is no going back now. It's over. It's done. I have to go. Goodbye, Harry."

Just as I was about to hit the red icon on my phone, effectively ending our conversation, he called out to me.

"Riley, wait!"

"What?"

"So, it's all over? It's done just like that? Our friendship, our memories? You're just going to walk away?"

"I have to. I... I can't do this anymore. I..."

"Where are you going to go?" He interrupted, "I know your finances, Riley. You can't afford London on your own."

Although I would never admit it out loud, he was right. There was no way I could afford it here...even with a decent paycheck coming in. "I don't know, but I'll figure it out. Now, I really need to go."

"Wait! What about Max?"

My breath caught as I pictured my fuzzy little boy, the one I missed as much if not a little more than Harry himself. My voice cracked, changing pitch as I responded, the words coming out of my mouth in contrast to the feelings in my heart.

"You... You will take care of him. He doesn't need me. I know you love him, and he loves you, and... You're a good person, Harry. Max will be fine as long as he's with you."

"But, he loves you. And he needs you. He's not the same, Riley... He's a mess. He misses you. The sound of your voice, the gentle way you cuddled him, the rhythmic beating of your heart as you slept..."

"Harry..."

He scoffed at himself, no doubt shaking his head, "Okay, fine. Maybe that last one wasn't Max... But still! Are you really going to just leave him like this?!?"

I rubbed my hand down my face, at this point not knowing whether I wanted to laugh, or just continue crying.

"I read somewhere that dogs have a memory of about six months. In no time, he won't even know who I am."

"Yes he will..." His voice shook as he finished his thought before hanging up with me, "You, Riley... You are impossible to forget. And... I love you."

As the phone chimed to signal the lost connection, it fell from my hands, my heart making the decision for me.

Crying, it was...

Note: Hello my loves!!! I wanted to write a little note this week to first apologize for the long wait, and to second ask for your continued patience. I recently got a pretty major promotion at work, but with a bigger paycheck comes a massive amount of responsibility and hard work. So, the next couple of weeks are going to be a bit rough... I'm gonna continue to do the best I can, but please be patient with me! I love you guys, and I hope all is well for all of you!!! 😘😘😘