AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Thirty
Peyton
––––––––
“There she is!” Johnstrolls into my office with a wide smile on his face. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m good.” I adjust in my chair. “My ribs are still pretty sore, but I feel good.”
Now if I could just get rid of this pain in my chest...
It’s been two weeks since my accident. Two weeks without Abel. Two weeks of sitting around my apartment driving myself crazy.
He text me. Once. Five days after my accident. It read:I have a few things to take care of. I’m sorry. Please don’t give up on me.
At first I felt hopeful, but as the days have continued to pass with nothing from Abel, that hope quickly dwindled, and completely vanished when I found out from Aaron that Abel had gone to California. He didn’t know why or for how long, only that he was gone. And even though I feel like I should be angrier, more than anything I feel sad. And I miss him. So much.
I’m hoping being back at work will offer a welcome distraction because lord knows I need one. My heartache is only heightened by having to endure the Aaron and Henna show every single day. It’s not bad enough that I’m miserable, but then they have to go flaunt their happiness right in my face.
I know it’s not intentional, but that doesn’t lessen the blow. Especially when Aaron smiles a certain way, when he looks the most like Abel. Every time his dimple makes an appearance, I feel like someone has stabbed me in the chest with a knife. Because it reminds me of Abel...
“That’s good. Everyone here was so worried. We’re really glad to have you back.” John pulls me back to the conversation.
“I’m glad to be back.”
“I’m especially glad. Janice had to step in and help pick up some of your workload. I bet you can imagine the hell I’ve been through the last two weeks in your absence.” He gives me a knowing look. “So, do us all a favor and don’t go getting yourself hit by anymore cars, yeah?”
“That’s the plan.” I force a light laugh but it sounds foreign coming out of my mouth.
“I’ve got a meeting I’ve got to get to but if you need anything. Don’t hesitate to give me a holler.”
“Will do,” I tell him, offering him a half wave with my uninjured hand.
I spend my morning getting caught up on emails and my afternoon in meetings, trying to play catch up with everything I’ve missed.
The day goes by in a blur and before I know it, I’m in my car headed home. Only I don’t want to go home. In fact, it’s the last place I want to be. So instead I drive.
No real destination. Just me and the road. I roll the windows down and let the warm evening air float inside, humming along to Florence and The Machine playing lightly on the radio.
I try to push out all thoughts of Abel and focus on my surroundings. On the feeling of my heart beating against my ribs. On the sound of my breath as it leaves my lungs. On the wind brushing against my face as it seeps in through the window. But he’s everywhere. And try as I may, I can’t shake him.
Deciding to pull over, I slide into the first empty parking spot I find and kill the engine. When I look in front of me, I’m surprised to see Jack’s Diner on the corner.
I instantly go back to the night Abel brought us here. I think it was that night that I really realized he was something special. Not that I hadn’t known it all along, but I feel like in a lot of ways that night was a turning point for us.
Before I realize what I’m doing, I climb from the car and head toward the diner. It takes me less than a minute to reach the front door, and I hesitate for a millisecond before pushing my way inside.
The diner looks different in the light of day. Maybe because it’s filled with people now, or maybe because the sunlight illuminates the imperfections that are easier to hide at night. Like the crack running along the seam of the checkered tile floor. Or the way most of the booths are torn and tattered, or how the wallpaper is peeling in the far corner behind the counter.
Or maybe this is exactly the way it looked, and I was just too high on alcohol and Abel to pay that much attention.
Reading the sign at the entrance that says please seat yourself, I quickly find an empty booth next to the door and slide into it.
I’ve been sitting no longer than a minute when an older woman approaches my table. It isn’t until she starts talking that I realize that I’ve seen her before. At Sam and Aaron’s wedding.
“You’re Abel’s aunt?” I blurt as she’s in the middle of asking me if I’m ready to order.
Her eyebrows knit together and then something passes over her features and her demeanor completely changes.
