Page 33 of Shameless
When I opened the door to my apartment, I never expected to find that Stacey had moved out. It wasn’t noticeable right away, but the more I walked through the place, the more I noticed her things were gone. The flip-flops she kept by the door were gone. The umbrella she kept in case of a summer downpour was missing. Her necklace rack was no longer hanging on the wall in our bedroom, and when I opened the closet, all of her clothes were missing.
Anger bubbled inside of me and I pulled out my phone, wanting answers as I pulled up Stacey’s name and pressed the call button. How could she just leave? She left the wedding venue. She left our apartment. She leftme.
The call rang a few times before going to her voicemail. I seethed as I paced back and forth at the end of the bed. “So, you’re just going to move out and not even talk to me? I never expected that of you. Hell, I never expected any of this. The least you could do is tell me what the fuck I did wrong.”
I ended the call and tossed the phone onto the bed. My fists clenched as I forced myself not to punch the wall. Not to rip our pictures down. Not to break everything in the entire apartment. I knew we were over, but I needed to know why.
My phone dinged with a text. I picked it up to see Stacey’s name pop up on the screen.
We need to talk.
I didn’t hesitate to reply.
Yeah, no shit.
Can I come over?
I stared at the four words on the screen. Could she come over? I’d expected to be the one to leave with my clothes, not her. But I didn’t care anymore. I just wanted answers.
Yeah.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I backed out of her message and looked for the one from Sarah. I found the one she’d sent while in my hotel room and then realized she’d sent another one since then.
Just made it home to my quiet apartment. I need a dog. What veterinarian doesn’t have a pet? LOL Anyway, hope you make it home soon too ?
As I typed out a reply, the phone buzzed in my hand with a call from my brother. Taking a deep breath, I answered it. “Hello?”
There was a slight pause and then he said, “Oh, hey.”
“Hey,” I replied. “What’s up?”
“You tell me.”
I rolled my eyes. “Just got home.”
“Did you have a good time?”
I thought about Sarah and the way her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “I did.”
“That’s good. Wasn’t sure if you were home or not.”
“Did you know?” I asked as I brought myself back into the present.
“Know what?”
“That Stacey moved out.”
“Um … no?”
I closed my eyes and blew out a breath. “She’s on her way over to talk.”
“Oh, well, call me if you need me.”
“Yeah. Thanks.” I hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Do you know why?”
I wasn’t sure if Spencer had talked to Stacey in the week I’d been gone. Maybe everyone knew why she’d left me and I was going to be the last to know.
“I don’t. Sorry.”
