22 - Fred

The notes that sounded from my piano were the saddest I could ever play in my entire life. Nothing else made sense in all that. It had only been fifteen hours since she left, and it was as if I expected her to enter the door again, smiling, hiding her fear. It doesn't matter, even pretending not to. We knew how to do it very well. Pretend not, when the will was yes.

My cell phone vibrated once again on the piano, I picked it up on the second ringtone, thinking it was her. But it wasn't.

"Hanson" I spoke in a hoarse tone, letting the discouragement dominate my voice.

"Fred. My God, I'm calling you on time. What happened? "It was Elide's voice.

"I'm fine, Elide. I'd just like to be a little alone. I'll call you back later.”

Before I pressed the red button to end the call, she kept talking.

"It was that submissive of yours, wasn't it? "I was silent. "I told you she wasn't right for you. She said she shouldn't spend so much time at her house, so as not to mix things up. You didn't want to