I Didn't Know I Could Break Your Heart

"I'm looking for someone," Rodger said tiredly. The phone was gripped in his hand so tightly that it was obvious he had not let go of it for hours. His short brown hair was as messy as it could be and dark circles hung under his eyes. "I don't know if he's at your hotel or not. I don't know if he's still using a credit card or paying with cash or if he even gave you his real name. I'm looking for Carlos Johnston... Yes, I know that's a very common name... He has shiny brown hair that hangs in his face, dark eyes... Yes, I know that's a very common description... I don't know what he was wearing, but he's usually in a t-shirt and jeans, probably something with a stupid saying or a rock band on it... Yes, I know that's every guy in the world..."

"What's he doing?"

Marrietta jumped and turned around to face Steven. He had said the question casually enough, but it was obvious that he had actually wanted to ask what she was doing. And he had every right to since she was standing in a doorway eavesdropping on her fiance.

"He's trying to find Carlos. He's been through every hotel where you guys live and I think this is one of the last on his list for hotels in the surrounding area..." She turned to look at Rodger and whispered, "I know you probably think he shouldn't be trying to find him... but Rodger grew up with Carlos as his big brother and... he's scared."

Steven snorted, "Rodger's not scared of anything but the way it'll look if someone else finds Carlos before him or dad. I mean, Dad used to be at the very top of a business that created anti-drug commercials. If someone finds his son passed out in a dumpster somewhere smelling of pot and obviously hung over..." Steven let out a low whistle before continuing, "The local news will have a field day."

Marrietta frowned, "He wants to find Carlos to make sure he's okay." She met Steven's eyes evenly, disgusted by the bemused look he was giving her. "He was completely baked when he hit you and he probably feels awful and he's all alone."

"Yeah, well, I've been all alone for a while. No one ever tried to help me," Steven shot back icily.

"You never asked."

Steven opened his mouth to say something in reply when Rodger let out a loud exclamation that sounded oddly like a swear word. Both of them turned to watch him as he said into the phone, "I need to speak with him, now. Do you have a contact number? A cell phone? Anything?"

There was a long pause before Rodger spoke again, "Okay... uhhh, no message. When he gets back just make sure he doesn't leave again, okay? I'll send his dad to come pick him up." Rodger hung up quickly and was dialing again. There was an odd look in Steven's eyes.

"Looks like he found the prince of bad behaviour... seems like he's still unstable... probably doesn't even remember what he did." Something murderous flashed through his eyes and Marrietta reached out a hand, maybe to lay it on his shoulder, but he brushed it away. "I'm going to go back to sleep. I'll see you at dinner." With that, he disappeared down the hallway.

***

Marrietta could not understand her own need to get out of the apartment building as soon as possible. But the smell of fresh air and the feel of pavement beneath her feet made her feel a million times better. She was only vaguely aware that she was walking towards the park as the smell of coffee came from down the street.

She entered Central Park without a worry-she had left her bag at home-and waved to a few people she knew. There were voices everywhere. Some people were shouting, others whispering and more still laughing at some unheard joke. She had forgotten, being so busy over the last couple of weeks, how much she had loved the park.

And how much she had loved one familiar voice that drifted across the path, "Yeah, that's it. You're still throwing like a girl but at least you got it over here." The voice paused as if waiting for someone to reply and then laughed, "Throw it overhand and don't hold back, I'm sure I can take it."

Marrietta forgot that Tyler was mad at her for the moment and made her way over to the sound of his voice. As she came closer, she was greeted by a familiar swish of blonde hair. It was not the blonde hair that she had wished to see.

She kept going despite the fact that her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She could see the girl's face now and her piercing blue eyes. The girl was older, yes, and maybe a little worse for wear, but she was unmistakeably the girl from the football game.

The breath was knocked out of Marrietta has she took a step closer, wanting to see Tyler more than anything else in the world. He would see her and he would tell her that the girl had been playing a joke and he had never cheated. But that would be hard to believe when she pushed past the crowd of people and saw a seven year-old boy with Tyler's eyes standing in the middle of the park.

He had a baseball in one hand and a catcher's mitt in the other. Tyler was standing across from him, oblivious to the fact that Marrietta was there, and telling the boy to throw the ball. He looked so small compared to his father and his mother. Determination was clear on his face though as he wound up and threw the ball at his father.

His father.

Marrietta had not really thought about it before, but now that she looked at them they had to be father and son. There was no other way to think of it. Tyler caught the ball in his glove and winced, "Ouch! Nice one though, Ed."

Tears threatened to spill over her face as she watched them. The power that the scene had over her was haunting. It was over now; her and Tyler. He had his own family to take care of and she had hers. It was over. She turned on her heel and walked away.