Almost A Decade // Ryden

Chapter Five.

     It's been five days since I've seen Ryan.

     Actually, it's been five days since my wife has talked to me.

     I'm not exactly sure which one upsets me more, and that's probably why Sarah is so mad at me. She's far from stupid, and she knows me better than most people do, so I am sure she has some sort of sense in her body that's making her feel uneasy. I should've told her Ryan was coming over. I feel bad that she just walked into that situation, but it's not like we were even close to each other. But she did just ask me about Cape Town ....

     And now this ....

     It just looks bad.

"Once upon a thrill, from a kiss to a swill.
We were swallowin the nights like we had nine lives.
Dead and gone so long... seventeen's so gone..
    *repeat again*
We were borderline kids with a book of disorders.
Medicatin everyday to keep the straightness in order..."
     
     I stop writing. "Were all of my songs about Ryan?" I shake my head laughing at my thoughts. "No way." Anyone could make them be about us, I guess.

     I read the lyrics over.

    I do see how people could be confused though. Or maybe I was in denial. Either way, I'd never give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
    
     I walk into the house, the dogs come running to me. "Hey guys!" I bend down and pick Bogart up, and he immediately starts licking me like always. "Sarah??" I yell through the house, my voice just echoes through our high ceilings.

     I wait .....

     "Sarah?!"

     Nothing. Where is she? I pull out my phone to call her, but I am instead faced with a text that I haven't seen in awhile.

Ryan: I need you.

————————————————

     I'm going to be responsible for a second.

*Goes to recent calls and selects Sarah's name*

     It rings a couple times, and then I hear her phone come through my speaker. "Hey, B!"

     "Hi, my love. Where are you? I came in the house and have been calling for you...." I figured I better be as nice as I can, but she actually sounded happy to hear from me.

     "I'm with Linda, I didn't want to bother you. We're actually leaving dinner now, and I will be home soon, ok?" Her voice sounds ... excited. It's been awhile since I've heard her voice, it was nice .... familiar.

      I hang up the phone, and I decide to ignore Ryan. Trust me, it was a hard decision .... but I had an immense amount of guilt hanging on my back over Sarah not knowing he was here. Besides, I couldn't be that little 20 year old bitch, again. Ryan knew I would always come running when he beckoned me and I couldn't be that person for him anymore.

     I decided to wait in the kitchen for Sarah. She was right, she was on her way home,  because I heard the garage door only about 20 minutes after I talked to her. "I brought your favorite." She was holding up a paper bag from a restaurant that I like, but don't get often. It's expensive, so I try to only go there once a month or so. Sarah was trying to brag to me that that was where she went with a bag of take out, I thought it was cute.

     "Thank you!" I grab the bag from her, and lean in for a kiss. She dodged it though, pretending to be paying attention to Bogart. "Ok .... Did you girls have a good time?" I turn around and pull the food out of the bag and jump right in.

     "We did. We had a really good time, talked about a llllllllllot of things," she giggles a little bit and sort of loses her footing trying to stand back up.