Preg-Not

Part 5

"Thanks for coming to Tar...get."

The employee at the entrance reached for his walkie-talkie, ready to alert his team that a burglar entered the store.

Maksim ignored him. He walked to the electronics section. No employee offered help, mothers clutched their children, and cameras zoomed in on him. This was a typical Tuesday for him.

He scanned the rows of televisions. Their prices ranged wildly, but were all in the hundreds of dollars.

He reached for his back pocket, where his wallet was stored safely. He picked up extra shifts throughout the week just so he could afford this luxury. It wasn't for him, but for Rae.

There were all sorts of men in the world. Some could live quietly, and others were arrogant assholes that spat on silence. Maksim was the latter. He couldn't stand the thought of not being able to take care of his girl. It messed with his ego; soured his already nasty demeanor.

He spent twenty years surrounded by wealth and prestige and then fell from grace and crash-landed onto Rae's feet. The materialistic loss was great, but he ended up winning something priceless.

Raelynn.

He picked out a Samsung TV worth $329. The box was light in his hands, but his wallet felt heavier. This would have to do. He didn't want to risk buying another refurbished TV only for it to break down.

He walked to the cashier and made sure his hands were visible to avoid alarming more employees. He didn't care about the profiling. He knew what he looked like, and he signed away his invisibility when he tatted his arms to hell.

"Hey there. Is this all?" the old cashier lady asked. She was either sweet or a great actress.

"Yes." He pulled out his credit card, swiped it, and picked up the pen to sign.

MAKSIM K.

He refused to sign his full surname. It didn't belong to him anymore. He gave up that part of him long ago.

"Sir?"

He picked up the box, pocketed his wallet, and was out the door.

The drive home was faster than usual. When he parked outside, he saw that the apartment kitchen light was out. That was odd. It was nearly midnight, so Rae should be home from school.

Did the lightbulb burn out again?

He picked up the TV box and walked up the steps. He unlocked the door and scanned the apartment. Everything was in place, except for the empty couch. Usually, Rae was sitting on it, a smile on her face and her arms wide open for him.

"Rae?"

Something sinister took root in his gut. He could tell something was off. The bikers had nothing to do with it. He made sure they understood that he would burn them to the ground if they crossed Rae's path again.

He checked their bedroom, flicking lights on as he passed by. He checked the bathroom next. The girly decorations, flowers, and pumpkin spice freshener were there, but their owner wasn't. Rae's presence had been erased. Her toothbrush, tampon basket, makeup, hair ties, and robe were gone. All that remained were Maksim's body wash and razor.

This whole place was male, unfruitful.

With his heart at his throat, he tore through their closet. It was less than half its size. Most of Raelynn had gone with the wind.

"Raelynn!" he boomed, voice unrecognizable from the emotion that was strangling it.

He found the letter next. He knew it was Raelynn's without even opening it because it was perfectly folded and placed on the very corner. Although Raelynn tended to ramble on messily, she was a ridiculously organized person.