Allison

Gone

After a long day driving along the coast with my little brother and worrying about the situation with Ridge, I’m ready to talk things out and relax with him by the fire pit with a glass of wine. But Ridge’s car isn’t in the driveway, so I’ll have to wait.

“I’m going down to the beach to…”

“See if Jack is surfing?” I answer before David finishes his sentence. He likes Jack, and he’s more interested in surfing than I ever imagined he would be. It worries me—the surfing and the ocean and also the possibility that Jack might be into something I don’t want my David to be involved in.

“Yeah,” he says opening the glass doors to the deck.

“Why don’t you bring him over for dinner. We can grill something.”

David looks surprised and then suspicious. “Ally, we aren’t doing anything wrong, you know. You don’t have to have him over for dinner to scope him out.”

He’s onto me. “I like knowing your friends, that’s all.”

He smiles that smile that says, ‘yeah, whatever, sis’ and continues outside calling over his shoulder, “I’ll see what he says.”

“Okay, be safe,” I yell, and he shakes his head.

I drag my tired ass into the bedroom to shower and change my clothes before I start dinner. I strip down and toss my clothes on the bed before heading into the bathroom where I stop short. Ridge’s things are gone—no razor, no shaving cream, no cologne or shampoo—all of it—gone. My heart sinks, and nausea hits me like a Mack truck. He’s left me. I was right. Caroline must have spoken to him.

Back in the bedroom, I open the closet, just to be sure and find his side empty. Why didn’t he talk to me about it? This is so stupid, all he had to do was ask, and I would have told him that I haven’t given them anything. But no, he packs up and leaves instead. Everybody in my life aside from my brother has left me in one way or another. Mom packed up and walked out, my dad died, and now Ridge is gone.

Why did I let myself get so caught up in him? Relationships are dangerous for the heart. I was doing fine working and raising David before Ridge came along. Now I’m going to suffer the consequences of taking a risk, and I don’t have time for a broken heart.

I slip on a green silk robe and sit down on the bed with my phone. I try to call him twice, but it goes straight to voicemail both times. So he’s not answering his calls, I can still text.

Me: Why did you leave?

I wait for a minute with no response, so I try again.

Me: Whatever Caroline said, it’s not true. Please call me so we can talk about it.

Still nothing so I try one more time.

Me: I love you, Ridge, don’t you ever forget that.

When he doesn’t respond to that, my nausea turns into an episode of full-fledged vomiting. I grab the wastebasket next to the bed and relieve my stomach of my lunch and bitter bile. When I’m finished, my stomach feels better, but my heart hurts, and this is only the beginning. Why? Why didn’t he just talk to me?

I fall to my side on the mattress and lay in the giant California king bed alone and watch the ocean waves. It’s not fun without Ridge. He took the magic of our vacation, along with my heart, home to Montana with him.

When I open my eyes, it’s dark out. I must have fallen asleep. I can hear the sound of the television in the distance and light glows around the edges of my door. I turn my head toward the clock on the bedside table. It’s ten-thirty.

Dinner. Shit. I forgot to make David and Jack dinner. I push up off the bed and sit on the edge to get my bearings, and that’s when it all comes rushing back to me. Ridge is gone. He thinks I’ve betrayed him, and he won’t accept my calls. Reality is a big fat bitch today.

I sigh and crawl out of bed. On the landing outside my room, I peek over the railing at David who is on the couch watching America’s Got Talent. He’s alone with an empty plate of what looks to have been fish and rice sitting on his lap.

“David, I’m sorry I fell asleep. Did your friend come for dinner?” I clutch my robe shut in case Jack is still here in the house somewhere. He tips his head back and looks up at me.

“Nah, he was going out to eat with his family. I cooked some fish and rice. There’s some for you. You’ll have to warm it up, though.”

“Thanks, that sounds good. I’m going to put something on.”

“Hey, sis.”

“Yeah?”

“Ridge is gone, isn’t he?”

I take a long shuttering breath and let it out before answering. “Yes, he’s gone. We had a misunderstanding, and I’ve tried to call and text, but he hasn’t responded yet.”

“He left us here alone because of a misunderstanding? That must be one hell of a misunderstanding.”

“I think he might have spoken to my boss by accident. If he did, he thinks I agreed to do photos for an article on him, which I did not.”

“Your phone was moved this morning.”

“Yeah, that’s the only thing I can come up with.”

“So are we leaving? I mean if he’s gone, should we be here?”

“I’m sure it’s okay, and no, not yet. I want to talk to him, and see if I can get him to come back before we up and leave.”

“Okay, sorry, sis. I know how much you like him.” He has no idea how much I love Ridge.

“It’ll be okay. I’ll be down in a sec.” God, please let it be okay.

In the bedroom, I put on a pair of shorts and a tank top and try one more time to message Ridge. Still no response, but he can’t ignore me forever. If he doesn’t pick up the phone or text back, we will be making a pit stop in Montana on the way home. He will understand when I talk to him face to face.

He’s not getting off this easily.