He arrived at his place in suburban Raleigh that evening, satisfied. Despite the divorce, he was glad to know that he was still welcome in Joanne and Helena's new home. Not that he regretted signing the divorce papers, not that he wanted Joanne back (though he couldn't really say he didn't love her after all). He was just relieved to know that even after their just recent separation, they were now in good terms—they were at least friends, as others would call it.
His pet, a French pug he named Dill, enthusiastically ran to meet him. He wagged his tail, barked, and jumped as he pounced on Zach's jeans, welcoming him back into his home. Zach patted the dog's head and said, "Just a few minutes and we're gonna have our dinner, Dill!" He went straight into the kitchen and fried all the mock chicken nuggets left in the fridge. He gave Dill some dog food and water as he waited for the mock meat to cook. He was able to find half a medium-sized carrot, a small half-full can of green peas, another small can of corn kernels, and yet another small can of mushroom gravy in the fridge, so with those he impulsively cooked up some gravy. As he ate, Dill was looking up to him, whimpering more in affection than in dissatisfaction. The pug had just finished his dinner. Zach paused, looked the pug in the eye, and decided to give the pug the last two nuggets. Dill wagged his tail in anticipation and victory, and ate happily.
Ever since the divorce, Zach's life had only been this: doing all the work as the president of his indie recording label during the day, sometimes taking leaves to visit Joanne and Helena or just take a trip to somewhere, and spending evenings attending the gigs of the bands under his label's wing or just like this evening, having dinner and watching TV shows or movies at home with Dill.
Except for this evening, in the middle of watching a fantasy TV serial, Zach's phone rang. Its screen displayed an unfamiliar number.
"Hello?" Zach tentatively greeted.
"Hey, Zacky," a very familiar voice answered back.
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Empires
RomantizmZach Stephen admits his secret feelings for his former bandmate Jon Gillespie have never faded away all this time. But he didn't quite expect Jon to be back in his life three years after their band's breakup.
