Chapter 7
The car screeched to a halt in front of the house. River barely put it in park before throwing the door open. Gravel crunched beneath his shoes as he sprinted toward the front door heart pounding louder than the engine still humming behind him.
“Allison!” he shouted, bursting through the door.
Darkness X
Complete, still darkness |
No warm lights. No soft humming from the kitchen. No scent of baked cookies she made whenever he came home late, even if they weren’t talking. Just silence
The kind of silence that haunted.
He flicked on the light switch. The chandelier above flickered weakly to life. The living room stood frozen in time–cushions untouched. no shoes by the door, no sweater slung over the arm of the couch like she always left
No Allison E
River stood there, unmoving, trying to make sense of it. her plants taking up every windowsill?
of it. This was
was their home–her home. Where was the life? The laughter? The chaos of
His eyes wandered across the room and landed on the wall near the stairs–the one she’d decorated with polaroids 2
They were still there.
The first day they moved in. Their “accidental” first kiss. Their vacation in Venice where he pretended to be annoyed by her excitement but secretly memorized her laughter. Her birthday, where he bought the wrong cake but she laughed and said it was perfect anyway
He remembered the way she used to fill this place with too much energy. It annoyed ham. Her singing while cooking. Her dancing in socks Her asking about his day even when she knew he’d ignore the question
And yet somehow that chaos had tumed into comfort
He closed his eyes
“You should paint this wall,” she once said, standing
“Why? It’s fine.
in this very food
foor
“It’s boning” she said with a smile “But it’s okay, I’ll paint it. I do everything I know you don’t like fixing things.”
“That’s not true.“)
“You don’t even fix your te
He’d smirked and she had giggled. Then she leaned in and fixed his callar herself.
God, he hadn’t even thanked her that day
“Allison!” he yelled again, voice echoing this time–mocking him!!
He stormed up the stairs two at a time, heart sinking deeper with each step
The bedroom door creaked as he pushed it open
The lamp was on–but dimmed. And sitting on the bed was the very last thing he wanted to see
A neat stack. Her wedding ring
A box with
“No,” he whispered.
birday gift she must’ve planned to give before everything fell apart. And beside it all divorce papers
He crossed the room and stared down at the documents.
She had already signed
His name was still blank !
It felt like his lungs forgot how to breathe
He picked up the letter and sat on the edge of the bed. His hands shook as he unfolded it
River
I don’t know what I was expecting when I married you. Maybe I thought, if I loved you enough, you’d eventually love me back Maybel thought I could change you I was wrong on both. But despite everything, I want you to know I tried. I gave you everything I had. And now i have nothing left to give You said I was just convenient. A placeholder. So I’m setting you free. You don’t have to pretend anymore. You can have Candice. I’ll love you from a distance, River. But I won’t lose myself in you anymore. Goodbye. – Allison His fingers clenched around the paper
“No” he growled, crumpling the letter “No.
11:21 AM
His fingers clenched around the paper.
“No,” he growled, crumpling the letter. “No.”
He grabbed the divorce papers and tore them apart, piece by piece, until the fragments fell like snow at his feet.
“This isn’t happening,” he muttered, yanking out his phone and dialing her number.
Ring. Then–nothing.
A flat tone. Number cannot be reached.
He tried again.
And again.E
“Why?” His voice cracked.
Why did it hurt so much?!
Isn’t this what he wanted? Allison out of the way. Candice by his side. The dream he once lost coming back to him.
Years ago, he had proposed to Candice. She laughed it off, choosing her career. And in his rage, his wounded pride, he agreed to marry Allison–his parents‘ choice, the quiet girl with big eyes and a soft heart.
A placeholder. At least, that’s what he told himself.S
But now, sitting alone in a house that no longer felt like home, surrounded by memories that clawed at his chest, River realized something terrifying.
He missed her. The real her?
The girl who patched his torn shirts. Who reminded him to take his vitamins. Who cried silently during sad movies and always pretended she didn’t.
He remembered once, years ago, waking up at 3 AM, unable to sleep. She was in the kitchen, making hot chocolate.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” she asked gently.!
He only nodded, and she handed him a cup without saying anything else.!!
They drank in silence, and for once, it felt… safe.
He hadn’t thoual
night until now.
Why did it feel con
was hollowing him out from the inside?!
Tears burned his eyes before he could stop them.
“Please.” he whispered, gripping her ring in his palm like it might bring her back. “Come back, Allison,“%
But the silence that answered him was colder than anything he’d ever known.!!
