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MIA
Ryan moving to New York was the final straw of our relationship. I get it, he grew bigger than his fishbowl, but Detroit is my home. I’ve built my life here, and it’s where I want to eventually raise a family. It’s also where I envision growing old alongside the love of my life, which wasn’t him.
However, this part now is tougher than I thought it would be. The big cardboard box carries everything Ryan left behind, including clothes, shoes, a bicycle helmet, books, a cell phone charger, and a handheld gaming device.
I take a good look at it. I made sure to pick up my stuff when he wasn’t home a few months ago before he moved to New York.
And I had to pack all his stuff and take it on the flight over from Detroit and bring it to his hotel room here in St. Louis and it doesn’t seem fair.
At least he’s staying at the same hotel. Being the CEO of a company sponsoring the team has its perks and he’s staying in the penthouse suite.
Pulling determination from God knows where, I grab the box and head out of my hotel room and into the elevator.
The elevator dings open, and I step out onto the top floor. The penthouse occupies the entire floor. I head for the door, place the box at my feet, and ring the doorbell.
Ryan answers promptly, his face flushed. “Was waiting for you,” he nods, leaning down to grab the box. “Thank you for bringing these things over on your flight and dropping them off. I know it’s a pain, but even though it’s Saturday, I’ve been stuck in calls all day. I appreciate it. Come on in.”
I furrow my brows but oblige. As I head inside, I find Ethan and Senna tossing a football around.
“Um, aren’t you guys afraid you’ll break something?” I ask it jokingly, trying to disguise my real worry.
“The room is in Ryan’s name,” Ethan shrugs, tossing me the ball.
For a second, I have no idea what to do with it. Then Senna calls out, “To me, Aunt Mia! Over here!” I carefully toss the ball to him.
Meanwhile, Ryan is going through the items I brought, taking them out one by one and placing them on the bed.
“How did so much of my stuff end up with you?” he asks, puzzled. I’m focused on throwing the ball and find it difficult to pay attention to him.
“It must have gotten mixed with my stuff. I grabbed everything in a hurry and didn’t notice at the time,” I reply after a moment.
I toss the ball to Ethan with surprising strength. It hits him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him and making him let out a loud, “Oof!”
“Oh my God, are you okay?” I rush over to check on him as he falls back onto the sofa.
“I’m okay!” His voice is comically breathless, and I can’t tell if he’s faking it. “You have a good arm, huh?”
I smile and help him up. He tucks the football under his arm, ready to continue the game, but Senna is now more interested in the items his uncle is unpacking.
“What are these things, Uncle Ryan?” Senna asks, climbing onto the bed to inspect the contents.
“Just some of my things that ended up with Aunt Mia,” Ryan explains.
“Did you and Aunt Mia get divorced like mom and dad?” Senna asks smartly.
“No, Senna…” I sit on the bed beside him. “Your Uncle Ryan and I were never married. We were boyfriend and girlfriend, so we just broke up.”
“What’s the difference between boyfriend and girlfriend and married?” Senna demands to know.
“First you start dating someone,” Ethan explains, kneeling in front of his son. “Then you ask her to be your girlfriend. After a while, if you’re sure of what you want, you buy her a ring and ask her to marry you.”
Senna looks deeply into his father’s eyes, then turns to me and Ryan. “So, Uncle Ryan never bought you a ring, Aunt Mia?”
I choke on my own laughter, while Ryan goes as red as an heirloom tomato.
“No, Senna…” I ruffle his hair. “He never did.”
Senna immediately turns to Ryan. “Why not, Uncle Ryan?”
