Life behind a photograph

Chapter 34 | Part I

Ash

"Oh you are so fucking stupid." Vivian curses me over the phone. 

"I did what I had to." I say through clenched teeth.

"No you didn't. You just took the easy way out. And boy are you going to regret it." she sighs. "And you didn't go home?"

"No okay. Can I hang up now?" 

"What are you going to do once you go home? What are you going to say to her? How long until you go home?"

"I don't know Vivian. The event is over but the drive is at least two hours." 

"Okay well hurry your ass."

-

"Watch her beg you to let her stay." Tiffany says as we pull in to the avenue.

"Can you please stop?" I say in the calmest manner possible.

"Fine. But I'm coming in with you." 

There's no lights up on the house when we pull in to the driveway. But everything else was intact. 

"I don't think she's here," Tiffany says when we walk inside the house, the lights automatically turning on when they sense our presence.

"Maybe she's in the room." I say, a mild anxiety creeping in even though I didn't know why. "I'll go check it out... Help yourself to something."

My palms are sweaty when I reach the bedroom. And my whole body is cold when I find it very much empty. In a desperate move I look through both the washroom and the balcony, even though I knew she was not here.

"Is she here?" I hear Tiffany asking when she enters the room.

"No." I say, entering the closet.

"Oh goodie. Did she leave? Surely not? I thought she'll leech on to you. She probably just went out for something."

"No. Her bags are gone." 

"Oh great. She took the hint." 

"Yeah. Great." 

-

"You do know that it's 2 am?" Vivian says from behind me as she slides in to the chair next to me.

"Yeah." I empty the drink in my glass.

"Woah slow down there now,"

"Who called you?"

"The bartender did. He needs to close up and you're not leaving."

"I thought this was open twenty four seven."

"Well yeah but not in December?! Come on, no one stays behind at bars until late during this season. They're out about with families."

"You know I hate Christmas."

"Typical. That one person with commitment issues that hates all happy things. Aka Ash Williams and you're building a pattern here. I thought this year would be different, I mean you with Abigail. And no one can deny that you were happy."

"You have to bring it up."

"Did you talk to her?"

"No. I was busy with the launch."

"So it's all done now huh?"

"Yep. Last three weeks were just... hectic."

"Did she call you?"

"Yes. Everyday. Two times and multiple texts."

"Did you return them?"

"No Vivian. I was busy okay? I barely had time to breath."