He's Fire and She's Playing with It - Mafia Version

Chapter 22: Dynasty

"Is he going to be inside?"

Jamie strolled up to Ally, who was looking up at the big building that was home of their work place.

"No", she said. "He's on vacation with his sister and mum. That's why I was picking him up, because he was leaving for a week."

Her eyes still stroked the warehouse. Today it wasn't about being afraid of running into him, it was about being scared of the memories. She had made up her mind. She was done. It may have been a decision made in spur of the moment, but the more she thought about it, the more convinced she got that she had made the right one. He had scared her, not by being violent, but by not listening. How could she trust him when he had crossed the lines that she had made clear, and broken every promise that he had ever made to her?

"You can't stand here all day", Jamie said and put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on. We'll match our breaks so that you can rant through them all."

He pulled her with him.

"I don't want to rant. I'm not mad."

He put in the code and the door swung open.

"You're sad. It's healthy to talk through sadness and it's healthy to rant when you're angry. Feel free to do both."

∞

It had been three days since the day Ally broke up with Leo. He left with his family the day after. He had texted her once, and asked if she was okay. She replied, because she knew that if she didn't, he would become worried and come over, and she didn't want him to.

She had told him that she had made it home safely.

Okay, was the answer she got.

They hadn't talked since. No contact whatsoever. He hadn't tried to reach out, and she was grateful. At least he respected her decision, this time. She knew their paths would cross eventually, but at least she had a week to think through what to say, and mentally prepare for his presence. It was already hard to not reach out, to not miss him, and if he suddenly stood in front her, she would crumble and touch him. If she touched him, she'd be lost. She needed to be strong, to go through all the reasons they shouldn't be together, but sometimes the list disappeared and she was left standing with nothing but the happy memories.

∞

"I think you should forgive him."

Ally turned around with a face of disbelief.

"You, of all people, think that I should forgive Leo?"

Clara kept stocking. They were sitting on the floor, the clock hadn't even struck seven, and filled the empty shelves with new products.

"I'm surprised too." She put the box down. "I know he didn't listen to you, but what he did was act on the instinct to protect you."

"No, what he did was act on an impulse. If he can't control himself when he gets angry, I can't be with him."

"Has he ever done anything similar to you? I honestly see it as admirable to be willing to defend your honour against a friend."

"Defend my honour?"

"Okay, beat his friend's ass because he hurt you. He'd walk through fire for you, and even I wouldn't do that. Maybe. If it was like a small fire." She paused. "I would jump over a grill."

Ally put down what she was holding and stood up.

"He lied to me.", she said. "The trust is gone. Our whole relationship was built on trust."

Clara looked up at her, her face calm.

"Every relationship should be built on trust, but there're different kinds of broken promises. What he did, what he said, was him trying to protect you. What would you have done if it had been me? If I'd been the one crying by the curb? If you found out that one of your friends had done it? Would you have let it go? Pretended like it didn't happen? Would I've been able to forgive you if you had?"