AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shit. Patrick still had a key. And I couldn’t afford to pay the replacement fee. I pulled out my phone and quickly texted him.
“I’m moving out of our old place today. I need your key. And I have some stuff you left here. Could you stop by after work?” I pressed the send button.
I already knew what his response would be. He had to work late and wouldn’t be able to come. That was always what he responded back to me when we were together. And he’d wait awhile to respond. He wouldn’t want me to think he didn’t have anything better to do than text me. Which was stupid. Because everyone always had their phones on them. I almost jumped when my phone vibrated right away.
“I’m on a lunch break. Can I come now?”
So maybe that was just the way he acted when I cared if I got a response. “Yeah. I’m packing now. See you soon.” I put my phone back down on the floor.
The last time I had been alone with Patrick was right here in this apartment. I had thrown my engagement ring at him. I ran my thumb along the spot where the ring had once been. I had spent five years of my life loving him. It was weird for that to suddenly mean so little.
I stood up and grabbed the wedding dress from the closet. It was the last thing hanging there. Patrick had never seen it. And he never would. I opened up the lid of the box labeled “donate” and put the dress inside. I never even tried it on after I got it. I quickly put the lid back on the box.
I wasn’t in love with Patrick anymore. But that dress still made me want to cry. A wedding dress is full of hope. This one should have been black and ragged. It only symbolized our end. And I couldn’t wait to drop it off at Goodwill.
There was a scraping sound in the lock on my door. Patrick was just letting himself in without knocking, like he belonged here, like he still belonged in my life despite everything that had happened. The door opened and he looked down at me. He gave me a small smile and leaned against the door frame.
“Hey.” I stood up and pointed down at the box filled with his stuff. “While I was packing I found some of your stuff if you want it. And I’ll take that key.”
“You got it,” he said and tossed the key to me. I caught it in my hand. It was strange that I had never asked for it back. I kept hoping we’d be able to work it out. Asking for his key back seemed so final.
“I’m glad you still had it.” I realized now that it was stupid for me to ask for it. It would have only cost a few dollars to get a copy made. Maybe a small part of me just wanted him to know that I was moving on too. That I was finally ready to let go.
“It was still on my keychain,” he said.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “What made you decide to move?” He looked around the small room. “So many memories.”
“It was just time to move on.”
“Are you moving in with Mason?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Bee.” He said my name in that way that made me always confess all my worries to him. And what did it matter if he knew my reason for moving?
“I’m moving in with Kendra.”
“Why?”
“I need to save money. I got fired today.”
He stopped leaning against the door frame and walked into the room. He sat down on the end of the bed we used to share. “If you need money…”
“No. That’s okay, Patrick.”
He locked eyes with me. “I still care about you.”
“I know.” I wasn’t angry anymore.
He put his elbows on his knees and leaned forward slightly. “So, what’s in that box? I thought I got everything.”
“You left some CDs and stuff like that.”
“Right.” He pulled the lid off the box and picked up the worn t-shirt. “I thought you loved this?” He smiled at me.
“I did.”
