Last July

Chapter thirty four

The day started out just like I remembered it from two years ago. Lockwood was gone by six because he had a early shift, the blaring of horns of cars as they rushed to beat rush hour, doors closing down the hall and the fact that I spent another night barely sleeping. I didn't know where the kid was, hadn't bothered to look either since he had taken over my room. I laid in bed trying to bide my time. Rushing over would be irrational and I didn't want to freak Lucy out either. But Gale should have gotten home by now, I hadn't text her to find out but going by what she said she should have.

Nine thirty I tidied up deciding to grab breakfast at Starbucks. I should have taken a jog this morning all this anxiety was pilling up at the back of my neck and into my shoulders too much. Using my hand, I gave myself a mini massage walking back to the land rover being careful to settle to latte I had gotten for Gale and a small picece of pie into the seat next to me. She might get a little upset seeing me this morning so I knew I needed something to distract her. I loved her but not the nagging and she was great at nagging. I knocked the door a few times of her apartment waiting for someone to answer shifting from feet to feet slightly nervous. The last time I saw my girlfriend was four months, no wait six months and a week and a half ago. F*** What the hell was I thinking not coming here sooner, an entire half year. Shit! The lock turned and a short figure peeked out meeting my curious expression. Realising it was me I had to hold out the bag I held in my hand just to preserve its contents. We stood for five minutes her embracing me. She wouldn't let go.

"I wasn't expecting to see you" she said as I finally settled into a chair.
She stood gazing at me in her uniform, pinning her I.D onto the dress before waltzing back to the kitchen.

"Sorry, didnt mean to startle you"

"No it's fine, you're always welcome Andrew you know that"

"Thanks"

She gave me a smile again turning to glance at the bag.

"It's for Gale "

She looked at me shocked. "You guys haven't met up yet?"

I shook my head. "She's not home yet?"

Lucy glanced around as if she was trying to remember if she'd seen her roommate all day.

"Nn...no" she finally responded. "She's supposed to be here?"

" Yeah" supposed to.

She grabbed her bag and started for the door. "You gonna be okay"

I glanced up at my friend. What the hell was she asking? I

"I'll be fine lucy"

She nodded but the look in her eyes said she was buying it at all. "Call me if you need anything okay? My shift ends at six but I'm scheduled for lunch at one"

"Lucy" I started.

"Don't be stubborn Andrew, until she gets here your my responsibility"

I chuckled, I was still a few years older than she was, if anything she was my responsibility. I nodded accepting her stance knowing full well if I prolonged this argument I'd only be opening hell and she needed to get to work.

I walked to gale's bedroom later during the day when I got bored waiting for her, her sheets were mint green with garden nomes all over it. Typical gale, I'd be surprised if her room didn't have at least one creepy character. I tossed a few off our own garden the moment she left in January. I hadn't seen them during Christmas because of the snow and during this summer neither would she. If she asked I'd just tell her they broke, anything was liable to happen mowing the lawn. The bear I got her the last time I was here when we went to the amusement park laid at the center of her bed. It was a large panda that she had named herbie, so called due to the fact that they ate bamboo. I shook my head walking over to her dresser which was lined with every arsenal in a woman's world. From hair products to mascara and in the mess of it all my freshman photo of us. I took it up. I hated this photo. One it was probably the worst day of my life after finding out I had to rent off campus. Annoyance number two, they lost my information for class so I had to reregister for classes and thirdly Lockwood's new girlfriend had broken my recently bought shades. I didn't even bother to ask how something that should have been on my bed got under her feet. Gale laughed through it all- literally and at the end of the day decided that I should take a photo to commemorate the worst day of my life. She kept it instead.
I made dinner, for two realising after three in the afternoon that if she wasn't here yet then she was never coming in the first place. I figured Lucy would be hungry, and would probably appreciate the company more than Lockwood since he had his cry baby roommate and hers was MIA. Lucy arrived after six from her rotations waltzing into the kitchen watery mouthed after dropping her bag in the sofa. She glanced around a few times.I

"Not here yet?"

" No"

She frowned. "Do you want me to call?"

" No it's fine. You hungry? " I asked sharing a plate.

"Starving"

I cleaned up after eating, I thought about staying over night just in case then changed my mind. She lied. She lied again and again and I was done playing the fool.

"Hey" said Lucy stopping at gale's door. "You gonna be okay?"

" I'm fine Lucy, don't worry about me"

"I'm gonna call her, this is ridiculous. You're here to see her and yet..."

I caught her by the hand as she sauntered off into the opposite room upset. "Its fine lucy" I reiterated more adamantly. "Its fine"

"No it's not andrew. She should be with you, not have you playing Sherlock Holmes. You're both in a relationship for pete's sake. That should say something"I've

I patted my little friend on the head to calm her down. She was overprotective of us and I knew she meant well but the die was already cast and Gale made her decision. I knew I was selfish but at the very least they all knew I tried to save us in some way. I didn't know what was going through gale's head. We used to talk about everything, I didn't know when that changed. But things did change though, if she went out of her way to avoid me this much things had more than changed and I was an ass to haven't realised it.

"I mean, your slightly scary andrew"

Again with my height?

"But I know you love her or you wouldn't be trying this hard"

"Sometimes love isn't enough lucy"

"Bullshit!"

I glanced at her outburst.

"Bullshit!" She repeated. " you don't hurt people you love Andrew that's how it works"

"In theory yes but that's not always reality lucy. People are selfish, their needs always come before everyone else's" I said getting up. There wasn't any point in staying here any longer and her absence was getting to me more than Lucy's anger.

"You're leaving? " said Lucy as I placed my shoe on at the door. "Its late out andrew, you can't drive all the way back tonight"

"I'm grown Lucy I'll be fine. It's only two hours from here anyway and there's no point in being here any longer"

"Yes but..."

I gave her a final hug before opening the door. "Don't tell her I came okay? Oh and there's pie in the refrigerator you can have it"

I slipped out and walked to my truck. A text came in on my phone as I closed the door. It was from ziploc.

Enjoy the road trip?

I glanced at the time, 10:01 pm. Why wasn't she sleeping? Then I thought about her question as I started the engine.

Not really, I'm coming home