parenthood | c. evans [✓]

09 | REAL LIFE

Waiting had never been as painful as it was now, Riley and Chris sitting in a car parked on the road opposite the hotel that Hannah had told them Sebastian planned to meet his PA. Hannah couldn't make the trip, a last minute photoshoot being booked for her that she couldn't postpone. She joked about the pair taking photos of evidence for her so that she could exact revenge in her own way. So Riley and Chris were sat silently in Chris's car, choosing his vehicle so that Sebastian couldn't identify it if he happened to spot it.

He kept glancing over at the very tired looking Riley, who had her eyes set out on a spot somewhere else, her mind in a far away place. He couldn't help but worry about his friend, perhaps worrying more than a friend should, but worrying all the same. He noticed she was no longer eating the same, nor was she speaking as much. Every time he looked at her, she was often in the state she was in now. Staring with no expression, no emotion, no sign of even being alive if it wasn't for her occasional heavy sigh.

"Is that the PA?" He asked once he looked away from her and at the hotel gates, sitting up a little when there was a woman waiting here who wasn't stood there before.

"Yeah, that's her." Riley answered, also sitting up a little and looking in his line of sight. Though she was stood there alone, blonde hair tied back into a loose bun and staring down at her phone, Riley hoped that nobody would come to join her. Or that maybe they were overreacting over an inside joke or something. Perhaps she was hallucinating everything else because of how tired she was and the others were here for the sake of making sure she was okay. She tried to find every other reason possible for why they were sat there, focussing on the ones that meant she wouldn't leave there broken hearted.

"Riley?" Chris whispered, grabbing her attention. Her eyes lifted and she looked up at him, once again distant and confused. "He's there." He added to answer the question mark look on her face. She looked back where they were looking before, seeing that he was right. She could tell her fiancé from anywhere. Especially when he was dressed in a suit as he was now, strolling up the street towards the woman who worked for him. She didn't say a word when noticed the bouquet of flowers. She didn't even blink when he pulled her into him gave her long kiss, the very same kinds of kisses he used to give to Riley when he was away from so long. She barely breathed out when he kept his arm around her waist and walked her through the gates and into the hotel.

"Can we go?" She whispered after a long moment of silence.

"Where? Somewhere with food? Home-"

"Not home." She cut him off with the shake of her head. "Anywhere but home. I can't go there after seeing what I've seen. I'll probably burn the house down."

"Okay, well..." Chris grew quiet as he thought of where to take her, starting up the engine of the car. "You okay to stay at mine? Dodger's great at licking up tears." He suggested, trying to make her smile. She looked at him and lifted her shoulders, leaning back into the seat.