Page 3 of Until We Weren't

“I wonder if Faith does the same thing. She worked there, too, right?” Monica said.

Destiny sat back in her chair and stared at Monica. “If you must know, I go back there not only to check the grounds, but also to visit with one of the residents.” She smiled just thinking about Mrs. Baker. “When Faith and I were putting in the flower beds we made a friend. Every time I go back, Mrs. Baker appears while I’m tending to the plants and we have a nice visit.”

“Maybe I should ask her what happened between you and Faith because no matter how many times I ask, you won’t enlighten me,” Monica said.

“Maybe because it’s none of your business,” Destiny said.

“Oh, but it is. I’m concerned with your well-being and I know Faith has a lot to do with that.”

Destiny laughed sarcastically. “How so? It’s been three years since Faith and I were together.”

“Three long years since you’ve been on a date or smiled when talking about another woman,” Monica said. “I’ve tried to set you up several times.”

“If you haven’t noticed, I’m trying to run a company,” Destiny said defensively. “That leaves no time for dating or much else.”

“Oh, you could make time. That’s what I’m for. As your assistant, I’m supposed to take some of the burden off of you.”

“And you do,” Destiny said.

“Why did you and Faith break up again? I forget,” Monica said. “Was it because you worked all the time? Because that’s all you’ve done since you two broke up. Come to think of it, you and Faith didn’t do much with us or our friend group when you were together.”

Destiny looked back to her computer. “You’d have to ask her,” she muttered.

“What was that? I should ask her? Come on, Destiny. This is the closest you’ve come to telling me what happened,” Monica pleaded.

Exasperated, Destiny sighed. “I said, you’d have to ask her. She never told me why she left.”

Monica stood in front of Destiny’s desk with her mouth hanging open. “Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“All this time, she has never told you why she left?” Monica said, unbelieving. “I thought you’d eventually open up about it, but you really don’t know?”

Destiny shook her head. “Please don’t ask me about this again, Monica.” She could feel the familiar stab of loss in her stomach. It was accompanied by sadness now that the anger had washed away.

“Okay, Des,” Monica said softly.

“It’s time to close up for the day. You go ahead,” Destiny said, still staring at her computer screen. “I’m going to stay for a little longer.”

“Don’t stay too long. We’ll be busy in the morning starting that new job we’re going to win.”

Destiny smiled. “That’s right.”

“See you tomorrow,” Monica said, walking out of the office.

Destiny sat back in her chair and sighed. It had been three long years since her life imploded. She knew that was a little dramatic, but that’s how it felt. She had to work late one night and when she’d gotten home, Faith was gone along with most of her things. When she tried to call her, she discovered Faith had blocked her number.

She tried to find her at work the next day, but Faith had cleaned out her locker and quit. Destiny began to call their friends including Monica and her wife, Kim, but they didn’t know what was going on either. She finally cornered a worker on Faith’s crew who was also a friend. Destiny could still remember the sad look on Mark’s face and the hurt in her heart was just as sharp today as it was back then.

“She said to tell you that you know what you did,” Mark said.

Destiny looked at him with such confusion, but he shrugged.

“That’s all she told me,” he said.

“But what did I do?” Destiny pleaded.

“I don’t know,” Mark said. “She just said, ‘she’ll know what she did.’”

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