Chapter Forty
Gentry
Night before last I slept on the hard kitchen floor after I drank/cried myself to sleep. My only comfort in those few hours of rest was fluff ball that was Duke.
Ed and Ethan found me there sometime before ten the next morning, clutching to her locket, repeatedly saying ‘She’s gave it back. She’s really gone.’ Ethan called for Brandon and together they wrestled me to my room.
I hadn’t been sober since. I was running low on whiskey and had zero interest of going into town for more. I lie in bed, Duke curled up next to me. It was afternoon over thirty-seven hours since she left. I had stumbled to the barn last night but Thunder seemed to know his girl had left and that it was all my fault. So I retreated hastily.
“Get your ass up Hollis!” my best friend yelled at the foot of the stairs. I heard the thunder of him coming up. Ethan didn’t know just pushed the door open. “It’s freezing in here!”
“Broken window. Plastic’s not the greatest.”
“You’re acting like a giant baby. So I was curious if you needed a diaper change yet.”
“You’re an ass Ethan.”
“No. When I had to move back here, when I lost the mother of my child. When I lost my ability to see my daughter every day and night, you wouldn’t let me act like this! You want Krystina back, you should of gotten off your ass and stopped her!”
“I don’t even know where she went.”
“She went home for Christmas.”
I winced. “New York?”
“No home. To Illinois. To your sister and parents.”
“She gave me back my locket.”
“God you are an idiot,” he picked up Duke from the foot of my bed. “If you want her back, if you love her go after her. She’s upset, devastated. She thinks you will never forgive her. Your temper tantrum over the land purchase shows she is right. Get your shit in order Gentry.”
Ethan left and I stumbled downstairs, tiny Duke tumbling behind me. I let him outside to potty and went into the bathroom. I pissed and then, looking into the mirror I splashed water on my face. I saw a ghost staring back at me.
Hallowed eyes, pale skin, days past needing a shave. I remember this man. The broken image I used to see near every morning in the weeks after I moved here. Aching for my girl back home and then for nearing two years after she had left for school – only in a much more hung over state then. The whiskey soaked nights were long and tiring. It only took away the memories for a few hours. They always came back.
I turned the water on and opened the cabinet to pull out my shaving cream and razor. I didn’t want to see this ghost any longer.
By the time Ed came back in the house an hour later my bags were packed and I was on the phone with the airport. “What do you mean no room on any flights to Illinois or Saint Louis? Anything indirect? I realize it’s December 22nd at six o’clock at night but nothing today or tomorrow at all?”
I listened to the very annoyed lady on the other end.
“Fine screw it. I will just drive,” I said disconnecting.
“No flights?” Ed asked me setting the mail on the table casually.
“Not until Christmas Eve. So I’m driving.”
“You wait and take the flight and you will get there about the same time.”
“I can’t wait. I have to do something now,” I rushed around grabbing last minute items Krys had shipped my family’s gifts early last week so I didn’t have that to worry about.
“Call her then.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work Ed. I have to go to her.”
Duke whined at my feed. I conceded and added dog food, leash, bowls and toys to a plastic grocery bag.
“I’m out. Don’t know when I’ll be back.”
“Drawer,” Ed said opening the paper on the kitchen table as he poured himself some coffee.
I knew what he meant. I opened the desk drawer and pulled out the velvet box Grandma gave him when she died. It was meant for his wife but now, hopefully Krys would wear it. I opened the box and stared down at the rose cut solitaire. Perfect. I pocketed it and then shutting the drawer saw the stack of her paycheck envelopes.
“Damn woman,” I pocketed them too.
It was going to be a long two day drive.