I Don't Belong To You

Chapter 23

Time passes slowly without Becky.

It drags and slips by aimlessly as she cries alone in her own little brownstone...and waits.

She waits for an apology. She waits for the "I'm sorry" or "I didn't mean it" that she knows Becky feels deep down.

She nearly gives up until one night, well past any respectable hour, she hears a knock at the door. It's both with hesitation and utter excitement that she stumbles towards the door, refusing to turn on any lights.

What greets her is the furthest thing from Becky.

Well, perhaps not the furthest, she thinks as she takes in a bundled up Rawee.

Her hair is down and she looks quite comfortable apart from the obvious shivering. Snow falls around her and she looks effortlessly and timelessly beautiful.

She eventually stares so long that Rawee must give up on a formal invite.

"May I?" She asks as she steps over the threshold.

"Sure," she mumbles before closing the door.

By the time she turns around from locking it, Ingrid is removing her scarf and gloves.

"I know this is sudden and I can understand if I'm one of the last people you want to see..."

She shrugs out of her coat.

"I also fully recognize that we barely know each other."

She hands her coat to Freen and she resigns to the fact that the woman is obviously going to be staying awhile.

"But I know how my daughter feels about you. From the way she talks about you, you'd think you created the earth in seven days. So...I came to check in on you."

Her eyes widen and she probably looks comically surprised.

"Uh...why," she clears her throat, "If she cares so much, why didn't Becky check on me? Why did she send you?"

Rawee's eyes cast downward and there's her answer.

She didn't send her. Because she doesn't care.

"Nevermind, no need to answer that."

She breezes past her towards the kitchen, suddenly in desperate need of wine.

"Freen..."

Her eyes rolls instinctively. "Why are you here? Really?"

"Because I have no doubt in my mind that Becky loves you."

She scoffs. "If that was true, she wouldn't have cheated. If that was true, she'd be here apologizing, not forcing you to do it."

She uncorks a new bottle and, against her better judgment, she pours it immediately.

"I admit, I don't really know the entire story. Or any of it really. But...I think you and I both know that while she has her flaws, Becky didn't cheat on you."

That makes her finish her glass in one gulp.

"Well she certainly had the pictures to prove it."

  Rawee frowns.

"Mmm...well do you believe in your heart that she would do that? Be honest with yourself. After everything you two experienced together, do you think that she would do that to you?"