Deserving | ✔

Chapter 6

"Ian? You up yet?" Silence.

"Ian?" I shout and knock at his door. He has cleaned the house after my grand exit. I never returned home yesterday night. I was roaming the streets of New York until I got lost in another region 20 blocks away. But I didn't get lost enough to numb my sorrow.

After hearing her voice and her message, I didn't know what to do. If she had been here, I would've taken her in my arms and kissed her for the immense love she had on me. IF she had been here...

Why did this have to happen?

Stephanie and I have a beautiful life. Had. I don't know how to address it. Well, I had a nice plan. I planned to propose to her on her birthday which is three weeks from now. I hope she will accept. Hoped. We will have the wedding of her dreams and have a honeymoon of my dreams and have a beautiful married life of our dreams.

We would have our first kid in two years. Either May Jeanne March: because May is my Mom's name and Jeanne is her mom's middle name; or Christopher James March: because Christopher James is her dad's first and middle name. Chris/May would be our prince/princess and we would be a happy family.

Stephanie wanted a second child as well but I didn't want to stress her out as a mother. I'm sure she will be the best mom but being a mom is hard. I don't want her to feel stressful. If she still wanted a child after Chris/May was born, I'll definitely agree. Anything for her.

This is the life I wanted. No, this is the life I was damn sure I'd get. I need her... Nothing excites me like having a family with her. And then all of this happened. And I lost her. Forever.

I trail back to the present from the futuristic visions of my past.

"Ian?" I shout and open the door to his room. All I see is an empty room.

Empty not in the sense he's not here. Empty in the sense there's nothing in the room.

All his stuff are gone. Only an empty made bed is there. And a letter. I pick the letter and read it.

Dear Phillip,

Some things came up for me. So I'm moving out. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before. I won't be in NY for a few weeks. It's something important. But please remember what I said. Be there for everyone. They need you as much as you need them. Probably even a lot more than you need them. Don't worry about Stephanie's death. It's taken care of. Love you, buddy.

Ian

I read the letter again. What work could be so important that he moved out? Where is he? I reach for my phone and call him but it went straight to voicemail. I call Denver.

"Good morning, Phillip! How are you, my boy?" "Fine, Denver. Do you know where Ian is?"

"I thought he was with you. He moved in with you, didn't he?"

"Yes but he moved out, like, yesterday night. Didn't even tell me... So I thought maybe he was with you..."

"I haven't heard from him in a long time, Phillip."

"Oh okay, thanks Denver."

"No mentioning my boy."

I cut the call. Where the hell is he?

***

A knock on the door disrupts my shower. I so the shower and grab a towel to wrap around my waist. Someone rings the doorbell.
"Coming!" I shout and open the door.

"Hello Mr. Mar - Oh, sorry, is it a bad time?" Says a flushed Agent Kennedy. Leril, I think. Her cheeks turn a light pink from seeing me like this and I mentally kick myself for not checking my condition before opening the door.