Gone (Ianthony)

Two Months, One Week, Two Days, and Eleven Hours Before

Anthony:   

"I know what it means."

It's really weird how time can completely freeze around you for a few short moments before reality comes crashing down around you and you're left breathless and unable to gain enough oxygen to even muster out a simple word.

"Anthony?"

I shook my head. I never wanted to hear her voice again. The last words I had heard from her rang through my mind and seeped into my veins, angering me just as bad as the first time she'd said them:

"Well maybe since you care about him so much more than me, you should be marrying him instead!"  

That was about thirty seconds before I slammed the door in her face and never looked back.

"Anthony, I know you don't wanna talk to me, but right now, I'm your only chance."

I finally took a big enough breath to make a little bit of sense of what the hell was going on.

"How do you know that date?"

"Because he told me."

Her voice was so demanding. I could tell what she was doing. She was trying to make me feel inferior. Show that she was stronger now. And she probably was; I mean, her best friend wasn't missing.

"And why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm the only one who knows what it means."

I bit my lip. It just didn't make sense. Why would Ian trust my ex-fiancee, who he never even liked in the first place, with the only thing that could ever lead me to him?

"Then what is it?"

"I'd rather explain in person."

I sighed and laid my head in my hands.

"You really can't just tell me now?"

"I'm back home until next week. Come any time after Tuesday."

"Fine."

It was quiet. I was just about to hang up when her shrill voice echoed through the phone.

"I miss you, you know."

I hung up.

|||

Later that night, I went over to my mom's for my step-dad's birthday. It was the first time I'd seen my family since it happened, and I felt bad, because I knew all the attention that should have been for him would all be directed towards me. And I didn't want it to be.

At first, they did a pretty good job of realizing that I didn't want to talk about it. It wasn't until after dinner and all my little siblings and cousins had gone outside to play and all us "adults" were sitting around drinking and talking when my mom brought it up.

"How are you doing, Anthony?"

I took a deep breath. I really wouldn't have minded talking about it to just my mom, but all my realitves were there. I didn't think some even knew what had happened.

"I'm alright," I answered, giving my mom that please-change-the-subject look.

But, of course, she didn't catch on.

"Ian was such a great person. It's just such a shame."

I turned toward my step-dad.

"Remember on your fourtieth birthday when you got that new car and let me drive it right after I got my license and I hit a deer?"

Luckily, this made my family laugh and realize that I really was not in the mood to talk about my possibly dead best friend with relatives I hadn't seen in years.

So, while they all shared other stories about my step-dad, I found myself lost in my thoughts again.

I had thought all day, and still had no idea whether or not I wanted to go to Los Angeles. My first thought, of course, was no, because I in no way wanted to see her. But, if she really knew anything about what happened on that day, and so far she was the only lead I had, it would be worth it.

It still just made no sense. Why would Ian tell her of all people? And why would he leave that clue for me if I didn't even know what it meant?

But, after a drink or two and a lot of thinking, at that table, I realized seeing her was really my only option.