Reminiscing

Confrontations Pt. II

Emerald's POV~

"What do you mean she's not home?!" I asked in disbelief.

My worry for Candice just about doubled. I was out of place and my thoughts were jumping around from one bad case scenario to another.

Normally I would have remained under control. Patiently trying to make sense out of any situation in order to determine what my next move would be. But when it came to Candice it was a completely different story.

My sense of alert heightened and my thoughts were getting jumbled instead of clearing themselves out.

Maybe it was the fact that Candice was gone before I had gotten back from that stage. So I didn't really know whether she left in a haste, if she was upset or if she left with a determination of not coming back.

I gulped.

The realization of the latter seemed to make the most sense and I didn't want to feed the thought because if something like that happened—thanks to my mother—I wouldn't even know where to begin my search for Candice.

I stared at the brunette before me.

She was clad in a very bold choice of sleeping attire. Maybe if I wasn't in the current situation I was in I would have found it amusing—funny even.

I guess I had never really seen a grown woman clad in a bright neon pink unicorn onesie. Casually leaning against the doorframe with a messy as f-ck bun over her head.

"What." She bluntly stated in a duh tone.

I tucked my lips before shaking my head, silently brushing my concentration from the silly woman in front of me back to my current situation.

"Look, last night we were at dinner. I had to leave for a minute and when I came back she was gone." I tried to explain. "No explanation, no goodbye. I need to know how she's doing."

Even I noticed that my tone had gone from worried to assertive and pleading.

Almost as if I were begging the woman to let me come in and see Candice although I wasn't even sure if she was inside or not.  She did mention that Candice wasn't home but I needed to make sure.

"Maybe you fucked up. What did you do girl?" She crossed her arms and stared me down.

Oh this girl was lucky that she was my only way of finding out where Candice was, otherwise I would have probably grabbed her shoulders and shook her until she told me where my love was at.

"It's Audrey –," I raised a brow. "–right?"

She lifted a shoulder appearing to be bored already.

"Look, Audrey, I did nothing yesterday but I do know of something that may have pissed her off. Not on my behalf but I do need to speak with her. So can I please come in?"

She sighed and made an attempt to close the door.

"I wasn't lying, she really isn't home. If I were you I wouldn't worry. If Candice were to be in any trouble she'd call me okay? Maybe she needs a moment to recollect her thoughts. Or just to go over that 'something that may have pissed her off'." She rolled her eyes and used her fingers as quotation marks.

That seemed reasonable enough.

With a heavy sigh, I thanked Audrey and I made my way back to my car.

Maybe she was right.

Considering the things that my mother may have told Candice it really did seem reasonable that she would want some time to herself. My mother had a distinct way of getting into people's head and planting the most senseless of thoughts.

Besides, if Candice was feeling out of place yesterday and my mother did more than to point her out on that, it wouldn't have taken Candice much to actually believe that she was. Even if she was with me and that was all that should have mattered.

But just as I was about to climb into my car and pull away, I noticed something odd.

Candice's car was in the driveway.

Yet she wasn't home.

Which could only mean one thing.

She was with someone.

My jaw clenched because I knew the only other person that it could possibly be.

Without even a hesitation or a doubt as to what to do, I headed over to the only other house Candice could be at.

I wasn't sure as to how I was feeling. I wouldn't describe it as anger because it wasn't entirely that. It was too vast to just categorize it as anger.

I mean this was her ex wife we were talking about.

Candice wasn't going back to a rebound or even a stranger.

No.

She was going back to someone she'd spent a life with. Back to someone that at some point in life had shared a very deep connection with her. And that was something I couldn't exactly compete with.

I couldn't change or alter what she had—at some point— felt for this woman.

And if what I have given her so far hasn't been enough to keep her from going back, I don't think much would be able to.

For a split second I considered turning back and not heading over to that house.

Maybe I'd rather stay with the doubt and the not knowing, than seeing something that I wouldn't like with my own eyes. At least I could make myself believe that it wasn't true and that there was a possibility that I may have been wrong about her after all.

But I was very stubborn.

And I just had to continue.

So yes, I drove past Nancy's house.

And I must say so myself, timing is horrible.  I mean really! What are the chances of driving past Nancy's house just in time to see both her and Candice stepping out?

And not only smiling, but with a child in tow.

There was a child.

 With them. 

Smiling and looking happy as ever.

Timing was a b-tch.

I quickly drove off with one thought in mind.

What a lovely little family...

•••

I have finally updated 😂

Sorry for the long wait!!!