Room With No Windows

Guess who I was staying with while the condo and garage aired out?
"What, did Elsa kick you out?" he teased with a smirk when he opens the door.
I roll my eyes. The only reason I was resorting to Eric was because it was late and he was the only one I lived closest by. Also, because I knew that I could at least spend time with Ruby.
He moves aside to let me in and I sigh. "She isn't there anymore."
"What?" His eyes widen. "She left?"
I run a hand through my hair before setting the duffel I'd packed with a few of my things down on the nearest table. I turn to him and pull the ring out of my pocket. "Her sister came by to pick her up, and Isaac came with her. She...she put this in my pocket when she was hugging me goodbye."
"What the fuck?" he mutters. "Why did she leave? I thought she wanted to stay with you."
I thought so too, I think, feeling an empty hole in my stomach. But I knew the reason she left, or at least the one that made sense. She was upset that I lied to her, that I had 'interfered with her life' as she put it. I didn't think she'd let that come between us, though. I never expected her to be so easily hurt. I never meant to hurt her.
I take a seat out from the table and plop into it, feeling drained. "She got mad that I never told her boyfriend called," I reply at last. "Her sister gave him my number. Ellie used my phone to talk to her."
Eric pulls out a chair and sits, resting his arms on the table as he leans forward. "So she left just like that? That's a pretty shitty excuse to leave. It doesn't sound like it's all of that big of a deal for her to get so upset that she would go back home."
"That's the same thing I thought," I sigh. "But I guess it was enough for her."
My thoughts dim as I remember the touch of her skin at night, and the feeling of her body curled into mine when I woke up. I was struggling to accept that none of that was mine now. I was back to my ordinary extraordinary life.
Ruby appears at the doorway. She barks, padding over to me. I smile as I scratch her head. At least she couldn't get mad at me. Dogs were a lot easier to understand than girls.
"So wait," Eric mumbles, "Why did she leave her ring with you then?"
I shrug. "Who knows." I was as confused as he was. It didn't make any sense to me that she would give it to me if she was gone for good. Where was the point in that? Unless she planned to visit, which I highly doubt.
But I still hoped.
"Anyway, I have to stay here overnight. My place smells like smoke and I don't want to die." I add a chuckle.
Eric scoffs. "What did you burn down, O' Callaghan?"
I stick my tongue out and he pulls a weird face, raising an eyebrow. "What are you, ten?"
A nostalgia washes over me as I realize I'd picked up on her habit. I clench and unclench my fist. "Sorry. Elsa rubbed off on me."
He smirks, amused. "I'm sure she did. Well, the man cave is always open, so you're more than welcome. I'm leaving early in the morning though. My cousin is back from California with her baby so everyone is visiting."
I nod, leaning back in my chair. "How'd the birth go?"
"Don't talk about it," he groans. "My aunt called her sisters up to see who could be there since her husband couldn't and my mom forced me to go. Why she chose me to act as Bri's doula is beyond me."
"What the fuck is a doula?"
"The fact that I know makes me feel like I've permanently lost a piece of my masculinity."

Ruby wakes me up by climbing on the couch I was forced to sleep on and licking my ear. I groan, covering it with my shoulder. "Gross, Rubes."
She barks in response. I sigh and sit up. If she was waking me up, it was probably because she was hungry.
The tips of my fingers start to itch and I knew that I should be running them along Elsa's back right now. I knew that I belonged in my bed, and she belonged beside me, snoring softly and soundlessly.
I rise to my feet to make my way into the kitchen. I rummage through the cabinets for Ruby's dog food and fill her bowl. I let her eat her heart out and go on a search for a notebook. Eric usually had one laying around and I hadn't written in a while. We had released our full length album Forever Halloween a few months ago, but I felt that when we weren't recording or touring, we were working on putting something out. And if I wasn't writing, I was restless sitting around doing nothing. Well, before Elsa had shown up.
But I was back to the way I was before.
Scoring a notebook and random marker, I sit in a chair next to Ruby and stare at the blank paper. Before I knew it, the words were flowing effortlessly as I let my memories with Elsa fuel my inspiration. The day I took her to the coffee shop, the day I held her in my arms, the day we took a shower together, they all stuck out at me and I let them fill the gaping hole. I wasn't lonely as long as I could remember.
My stomach growls and I stand, opening the fridge to see what I could find for myself. I bite my lip and look down at Ruby. "You wouldn't happen to know if he has any ice cream, would you?"
She ignores my question, too focused on emptying the bowl. I sigh and check the freezer, finding a few frozen pizzas and a tray of ice. I spot a pint sized bucket of Ben and Jerry's chocolate chip and fish it out, grabbing a spoon before sitting back down. I could almost picture her sitting across from me, taking my spoon from me and digging in with a playful smirk teasing her lips before blooming into a real smile on her face. I hear her giggle echo in my head and sigh. My chest suddenly feels heavy and I pop the lid. Maybe ice cream would make me feel better.
I jab a spoonful into my mouth, my hand moving in sync with my thoughts as it scribbled away, almost with a mind of its own.
'Hallucinating things are fine in my head,
Illuminating the right side of my bed.'
I stare down at the words, thinking how true they were. I missed her more than I could have ever imagined missing anyone.
My phone rings, causing me to jump, and I pick up. "Hello?"
"Hey, Johno," Eric chuckles. "I'm heading to the store later, need anything?"
"Pick up some Ben and Jerry's," I reply, probably sounding like a seventeen year old girl on her period, but I'd already finished the pint.
I was going to need a lot more ice cream.