Story Time!

Call Back

"Why do you always act like this!? You're so sensitive!" she yelled at me.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered.

She shoved me against the wall roughly.

Tears filled my eyes from pain. "I'm just going to leave you alone now."

I hastily exited our living room and wiped my tears away.

I curled up on our bed and tried to sniffle quietly so she wouldn't hear and be bothered.

Again.

A few minutes later the door creaked open.

She awkwardly stood in the doorway. "I'm sorry for yelling and hurting you. I've been stressed lately."

I nodded numbly and turned my gaze to the side so I could look out our window.

She slowly slid onto the bed next to me. "Come here."

I didn't move.

"I said I was sorry."

Her arms wrapped around me and I sighed as her familiar perfume surrounded me.

I gave in and snuggled closer to her. "I'm sorry for bothering you," I said.

"It's okay. I need to work on expressing my emotions in a positive way," she replied.

We stayed in each other's embrace before she started to pull back.

"Don't go," I begged.

"Okay," she relented and laid back down with me.

I rested my head on her chest so I could hear her heartbeat.

I woke early the next morning as she started climbing out of the bed.

"Go back to sleep," she whispered.

"Do I get a goodbye kiss before you go to work?" I asked.

She smiled. "Of course."

She leaned over and kissed me, but her kiss was urgent and desperate.

She held me tight before hastily resuming getting ready for work.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

She smiled again but it was strained. "Yeah. I'll call you when I come home, alright?"

"Okay."

She lingered by the doorway. "I love you."

"I love you too."

She left and I went back to sleep.

I woke later and went to work.

I waited for her to call when she got off work but nothing.

Maybe she was staying late tonight.

I got home and opened the door. "You home?"

I decided to start dinner.

I opened the fridge and a piece of paper fluttered to the floor.

I'm sorry.

I turned it over but that's all it said.

I ran to our bedroom and all her belongings were gone.

I stood in the middle of our apartment clutching the piece of paper with tears streaming down my face.

"This is my fault. She didn't even say goodbye to me. She knew this morning. If only I realised then I could have asked her to stay."

I desperately pulled my phone out and dialled her number.

It rang and rang before going to voicemail.

I stared at my phone in disbelief and threw it across the room.

I numbly went back to the fridge to make food for myself and saw a pan of lasagna, my favourite meal, where the note must have laid.

I wanted to scream.

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to give up.

My phone rang in the other room.

I eagerly raced to it and trembled as I picked up.

"Mom, she left me," I sobbed.