Eddie Munson - One Shots II

025. Return To Sender

"Sweetie, you just left, what's going on?

"I couldn't stay in that job, I couldn't stay in our town, I just needed to go. It seemed sudden, mom, and maybe it was. But I just had to go."

"I wasn't good enough for him, and it turns out, he was seeing two other girls, and a third who he's just gotten engaged to. They announced it infront of us all, just after he appeared in my office telling me he missed me, mom."

"Sweetie, let me help you with this."

"Come home."

"Mom, I just need to do this by myself."

"You have a family here, friends.... We can all help you."

"Once I'm settled, I'll tell you where I am. I have to go."

"Your dad is devastated, honey."

"I'm not that far that I can't or you guys can't visit. But I need a clean break. From everything, but especially him."

"Please respect that, mom. I don't need anyone feeling sorry for me, or giving me that look of pity when deep down, they think I'm pathetic. I am, I know I am, but I don't need anyone to look at me that way."

"Oh sweetie...."

"I have to go."

Hanging up, I reached my front door, leaned against it, and sighed heavily.

This was who I was, messy, dumb, completely imperfect and heartbroken.

And I hated just how much I'd cried over this.

Defeated, and not feeling it for the first time, more like the hundredth, I slid the key into my recently new front door, turning it, the metal feeling heavy in my hand.

Everything felt heavy, lately.

Even my feet, as I sloped my way inside, the closing of the front door behind me drowning out the heavy sigh that left my mouth, from relief of being home.

I dropped my bag by the side table, removed my coat, not feeling any lighter from taking it off, and I aimed for the sofa, where I resided most days after work.

On my way past, the answering machine caught my eye, and I paused, staring down at it.

'One new message.'

I hadn't given this number out to anyone yet, figured it was an additional way for my parents to call, for them to have another means to try and convince me to come home.

Come home to deal with this as a family.
I didn't want to.

I'd gotten myself into this mess.
My heart was broken, and only I could be charged with fixing it.

It was my heart, my responsibility.

Knowing it wouldn't be anyone I knew, I pressed play.

A husky, soft, kind sounding voice filled my living room, and I was transfixed immediately.

'Hey, uhm it's me. I know I haven't called in a long time, you know, after I left. I just wanted to say that I'm fine, I just had some things I needed to deal with.........

Anyway, it's been a long time, and I know that you've probably wondered why I left.'

This sounded all too much like me, it resonated, and if I knew who this was, I'd have said that I understood completely.

I had to, I guess. We were pretty toxic, weren't we? You deserved better than that, and I should have said that before leaving, but I felt that you maybe needed that clean break, from me, from us.