Pieces of Your Heart

The Audition

Remy and Angel pulled up in Angel's old sticker-clad Ford Windstar early the next morning. They knocked on the door and were

greeted by Ian who was dressed only in his black sweatpants.

Angel looked as if his eyes were going to pop out of his head. "Don't take this the wrong way, Officer, but woof."

Ian laughed. "Ok, I'll take that as a compliment I guess."

"Oh trust me, it was a compliment," Remy said, rolling her eyes at Angel.

"Come on in," Ian said, as he stepped aside to let them make their way into the kitchen. "You want some coffee or something?"

"Sure!" Remy said.

"Yes please," Angel replied.

Minutes later, Elodie emerged from the bedroom, dressed in a pair of ripped and studded black jeans and her black Social D. hoodie. "What's up guys?" she said.

"Oh nothing, just getting geared up for this rockin' road trip!" Angel said a little too enthusiastically.

Remy glared at him over her coffee mug. "Chill bro. Way too early."

Half an hour later, Angel was loading Elodie's suitcase into the van. Remy thanked Ian for the coffee and bounded down the driveway, leaving Ian alone with her in the living room.

"Good luck darlin'," he said warmly. He hugged her tightly to his bare chest and kissed her long and hard. "I love you so much"

"I love you too," she said. "I'll call you."

"You better," he said, smiling sadly. He watched her as she walked out the door, then he watched her through the window as she got into the van. He continued to watch as the van pulled away. He knew this trip wasn't forever, that she would be back soon, and that she might even be able to spend the holidays with him. Even so, he couldn't help but feel that she had taken a piece of his heart with her.

"You know, I never understood what you saw in him," Remy said, turning around to face Elodie, who was sitting in the back seat, "but now, having seen him with his shirt off...Oh baby!"

"You're hilarious," Elodie said flatly.

"Someone's wearing her grumpy pants today," Angel teased from the driver's seat.

"Leave her alone dude," Remy said. "She's in love."

"I know, I know. But seriously, Elle, we're embarking on an adventure! You should at least try to enjoy yourself."

Elodie smiled a little. "Yeah, I know. I miss him already though."

"Don't think about that," Angel shouted over the Bad Religion blaring from the speakers. "Think about those adjudicators shitting their pants when they see me walk on stage with my green Liberty Spikes!"

She laughed. "You're punk as hell, I'll give you that."

"Don't you forget it mothafucka! So I think we should stop and get Persian food in Sac," Angel said.

"Ooo, gyros and bakhlava, I'm so down," Remy replied.

"Dude, that's Greek food," Elodie corrected.

"Whatevs, it's all Greek to me."

Several hours later, they pulled into the parking lot of Famous Kabob. They sat down at a table and ordered hot tea and warm flat bread with mast o' moussir.