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“No, I saw him from a distance at the mall. He’s met someone, and they looked happy.”
“Whoever the woman is, I wish her a ton of luck.”
“Macie, Chad went through therapy, and he’s doing well now. I’m happy for him.”
“It’s just hard for me to forgive him for what he did to you.”
“I get that, but we all mess up to different degrees. Look at me with Rhys. The smallest things can cause the biggest catastrophes.”
“You cannot possibly be comparing Chad’s abuse of you to what you and Rhys have been through.”
“I am. Tell me whose sin is greater? Mine or Chad’s?”
“Chad’s is by a landslide. I’d tell Jesus that, too.”
“I’m sure you would.”
“Hey, Noah just got to my apartment.”
“I’ll let you go then. Tell him hello from me.”
“I sure will. Love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Come see me!”
After Macie and I hung up, I poured myself some wine, got into bed, and turned on my TV. As timing would have it, The Notebook was playing. I started to change the channel but couldn’t. So, I grabbed a handful of Kleenex and settled in for the emotional roller coaster ride.
At some point, I fell asleep during the movie and woke up in the middle of the night. My TV had been turned off but not by me.
Still lying in the dark with only the sound of the AC running, my cellphone screen lit up, surprising me. I grabbed it off my nightstand and gasped when I saw Rhys’s sweaty selfie displayed.
“Joseph, I know you just did this,” I said. The goosebumps already covering my body rose up even more. “Please stop sending me reminders of Rhys. There’s no point.”
I swiped away Rhys’s picture and laid my cellphone back down on my nightstand. About a minute later, the screen lit up again. I sighed and grabbed my cellphone once more. This time, my text thread with Rhys was showing. The last entry was: “I love you, mia bella. You’re my everything.”
I stared at it, feeling so fucking sad. Then, I powered off my cellphone, closed my eyes, and prayed to God for a miracle.
CH 46 - #lastchance
Rhys
Song: “Go Get Her” by Restless Road
WHY IS SHE going to Blossom’s Florist? I thought as I drove by it. I’d just seen Riley, Rachel, and Macie walking toward the entrance, all three smiling.
I took a deep breath and blew it out hard as I continued heading to B&B #7 to prep it for weekend renters. The whole time I was there, I couldn’t stop wondering why Riley went to the florist.
I hadn’t spoken to Macie since that night at Cheers and Beers, when she, Noah, and Riley were there, and I was there with Carrie Brooks. Macie used to be a text or phone call away to let me privately know how Riley was doing or what was going on with her. I used to be able to do that with Rachel, too, but I wasn’t comfortable contacting either of them about Riley now.
Too much time had gone by.
It was too late.
I was too late.
And I was crawling out of my skin from imagining Riley talking to the florist about a bridal bouquet. Did she get back together with Chad?
