WRONG NUMBER

Epilogue: No Right Number For the Dead

Epilogue:
No Right Number For the Dead

He was staring at his phone. And not for the first time.

This was something he found himself doing more often then he should, but he had gotten better. He used to do this daily. Now it was only monthly if he was lucky. 

But he would do this because what had happened now and then what had happened seemed to be a dream, and he'd find himself staring at the phone waiting for it to buzz. Waiting for a simple text to come in. It never mattered what the text was about, the time of day, or why he had been texted. It was just the fact that he was which always made him feel better.

Usually in these times he'd send off a message himself. He'd send one off knowing there would be no reply, but now he couldn't. Because now he would get a reply, from someone he didn't care to know about. He had the wrong number, because there was no right number for the dead.

"Riley? There's a girl here for you."

He closed his eyes and to avoid looking at his mother, she always seemed to know he was upset by looking into them. "I don't care."

"But she's here to-"

"I don't give a shit."

He heard a sigh, "I'm sorry. Sometimes he's likes this. It's because-"

"You don't need to explain, I get it," said another voice, vaguely familiar. He ignored the sound of footsteps coming closer and felt someone's breath as they leaned down. "Get up fuckboy," a girl's voice whispered harshly in his ear. "We're gonna go see Jackie."

~~~~

"How did you find out where I live? And didn't you move?" Riley asked when they had been driving for a while.

Mickey kept her eyes on the road, "Our moms, and his, exchanged information the day of the funeral... in-incase of whatever. So I just asked my mom. And I'm back visiting an aunt for her wedding, and I figured I'd visit him too." When Riley didn't respond she fell silent she began to fiddle with the radio for a minute or so before turning it off again. "Have you uh- have you been since?"

"Couldn't bring myself to," Riley admitted leaning his head on the window and looking out. "There was always a barrier between the two us, but I certainly prefer when it's a screen and not several feet of dirt."

"Then why are you coming with me now?" She questioned she asked after a brief pause.

Riley looked over to her to see she her eyes were completely on him now that they were at a light. He studied her face for a moment before leaning on the window once more, "Why did you want me to come?"

~~~~

"It's too nice of a day for this."

Those were the only words he could force out when he saw it.

He stood in front of the stone slab awkwardly, unsure of what to do with himself. He wanted to sit down and tell it everything he could think of. He wanted to scream at it to return him from the ground. He wanted to break down in tears.

But all he could do was set down the flowers he had picked up on the way. "You never seemed like the flowers type, but I wasn't sure what else I could bring."

Mickey spoke, but he didn't hear it. Instead false words flashed in his eyes, and he could hear the made up voice he'd given Jackie in his mind, Dumbass. You could've brought me that cake or something. Or at least blue flowers. You know that's my favorite color.

Riley swallowed a sob and his eyes burned with the threat of tears as in the moment what he could only call an inexplicable smile spread across his face. "I miss you," he whispered but his words were covered up by the breeze.