Two Pieces

Stephanie rested her head against the window of the taxi. The vibration from the car rattled her head but she didn’t pay it any mind.

She was busy fighting with her thoughts. She felt so bad for what happened between Rylee and Matt. Rylee hasn’t said a word since they boarded the plane. She was completely silent, almost stoic, the whole way home.

Steph found the dead silence uncomfortable. She felt as if she should say something. Anything to break the silence.

While on the plane, She racked her brain, thinking of something to say to her broken friend. Something that would reassure her that everything will be okay.

Hopefully be okay.

But the words, along with her courage, disappeared at the sight of the shattered woman. Her posture was slightly intimidating. Her face showed no emotion. Her lips were set in a straight line. Her eyes were puffy from the crying she had done on the bus. Her dark brown orbs were dull and life less and her shoulders were slummed over, not an ounce of liveliness in her body.

“Here is your stop, ladies. That’ll be forty five dollars.” The voice of the taxi driver broke Stephanie from her thoughts. She quickly removed her seatbelt and reached for her purse to pay but Rylee beat her to it.

“Thank You, ma’am. You ladies enjoy the rest of your day.” Rylee was already out of the car, getting her stuff from the trunk. Steph sat frozen in her seat, not being able to keep up with Rylee’s sudden actions.

“You okay, ma’am?”

Stephanie looked up and met the driver’s concerned gaze from the rear view mirror.

“Uh…yeah. Just a little jet lagged,” she lied.

She quickly gathered up her purse and waved awkwardly to the driver as she stepped out of the car.

Rylee was struggling to get her suitcase from the trunk of the taxi. Her breath came out ragged as she tugged on the handle of the luggage, trying to lift it out of the deep trunk. When it didn’t budge, she forcefully threw it back down in frustration.

“I got it, Ryles.” She watched as Steph pulled the luggage from the trunk with no problem.

Stephanie handed Rylee her bag before taking her own luggage along with Rylee’s. Rylee tried sending her an appreciative smile but her lips didn’t budge.

The taxi drove off as she fished around her purse for her house keys. Once she found them she gripped on to her bag and waddled up the walkway. The familiar structure looked just as her and Matt left it. The grass was freshly cut and hydrated. Even the flowers were well maintained. She made a mental note to thank her uncle for taking good care of their lawn and flowers.

She unlocked the Victorian style screen door before unlocking the main door. The familiar scent of vanilla lilac hit her as she entered the house. It was the only scent Matt and her could agree on.

She sat her keys on the living room table before throwing her bag on the couch.

Stephanie shut the door softly and sat Rylee’s luggage, along with her own, beside the couch. She wiped the bit of perspiration from her forehead and took a deep breath.

Then she caught sight of Rylee standing near the mantle, staring up at her and Matt’s wedding picture.

Stephanie’s heart ached for Rylee. She couldn’t begin to imagine the pain and heartache this is all causing her.

She hesitantly walked over to Rylee and touched her shoulder gently.

Rylee felt Steph’s hand on her shoulder but ignored it. She couldn’t take her eyes off the picture in front of her. She didn’t recognize the happy couple in the photo.

The bright smiles.

The loving gazes.

A faithful husband holding his unbroken wife.

When it became too much to take in, Rylee unlocked her gaze–– just to come in contact with another picture of her and Matt. They all looked so happy and promising.

It seemed so unfair to come back to a house that held so much promise for their marriage.

Rylee’s body trembled from the impending breakdown that was building up. She took a deep, quivering breath and removed Steph’s hand from her shoulder.

“I need some time alone, Steph.”

Stephanie squeezed her hand gently in return.

“You sure, Ryles? I think it’s best if I stay here with you for a few days.”

Rylee quickly shook her head. Her left hand was balled up into a fist to keep from breaking down in front of the concerned woman.

“No. Please, I need time to myself.”

Stephanie huffed and let go of her hand.

“I just don’t know, Rylee. I think-“

“For fuck sake, Steph. Just leave. Please!” Rylee covered her mouth as a sob finally escaped.

Stephanie just nodded and gathered her luggage and purse. She took one last glance at Rylee before walking out the door.

Rylee was full on sobbing after Stephanie left. She slowly made her way up to her bedroom.

She stumbled as she kicked off her shoes. She pulled back the covers and slipped into bed.

Her arm rested over her stomach as if she was trying to protect her daughter from the pain she was enduring, all the while crying herself to sleep.



You’d think sleep wouldn’t come easy for Matt. But, unlike the first time his wife left him, sleep became a simple task.

As soon as she left he tore off his clothes, leaving on his boxers, and climbed into the bunk he once shared with Rylee. Her sweet scent was infused into the pillow she used.

He found the familiar scent comforting. Almost as if she was lying beside to him.

He cuddled the pillow in his arms as he slept. The blanket covered his head, blocking out his surroundings.

He hasn’t eaten anything since before their concert the previous night. Food was the least of his worries. He ignored his friends when they tried to get him out of bed to eat. They gave up after the third try. There was no use in trying, especially with someone as stubborn as Matt. Once he sets his mind to something, he’ll stick to it no matter what.

Sleep was his new priority. It was an escape from his fucked up reality.

“You think he’ll ever get out of bed?” asked Zack, sitting with the guys’ in the seating area.

They all just shrugged.

“I don’t know, Zee. He’ll have to get up eventually. We have a show tomorrow night.”

Zacky drank the last bit of his beer before letting out a sigh.

“That’s true. This whole situation is so fucked up.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Still can’t believe he hid that from all of us. Like seriously?” said Johnny, shaking his head.

“I sure as hell don’t get it. It’s absurd, “ said Brian.

Jimmy let out a long frustrated sigh. He didn’t feel an ounce of compassion for his best friend. If anything, he was disappointed in Matt. After all the time and effort he put in to help him win his wife back the first time, he goes and fucks everything up again.

“I hope Rylee will be okay…” Brian said somberly, twirling his empty beer bottle in his hand.

“Me too. She doesn’t deserve any of this shit,” said Jimmy, finally speaking.

He sat and thought for a bit longer before standing up from the couch abruptly.

“I’m waking him up. He has no right to mope around after doing that to Rylee.”

The others watched in shock as Jimmy stomped back to the bunk area. Jimmy pulled the curtain to Matt’s bunk back. He shook his head disapprovingly at the sight of him. He snatched the cover from over Matt’s head.

“Get your ass out of bed, Matt.”

Matt opened his dull, bloodshot eyes and glared hard at Jimmy.

“What the fuck, man?” he grumbled.

“Get the fuck up dude. Stop moping around like you’re the victim and man up.”

Matt became fully awake from Jimmy’s harsh words.

His temper started to flare.

“What the fuck are you saying?” he sat up and swung his long legs over the side of the bunk. “My wife just left with my unborn child and you think I don’t have the right to mope around?”

Jimmy let out a maniacal laugh.

“Dude, you did this shit to yourself. No one told you to hide shit from your wife.”

Matt slid from the bunk and shoved Jimmy back.

“You don’t think I know I fucked up? How about you stay out of my fucking business for once?"

Jimmy was taken aback by his harsh criticism. He only indulged in Matt’s business with good intentions. In fact, he did that with all of his friends. He hated seeing people he cared about in tough situations.

“You know what? Fine. I won’t ever get in your business again. In fact, don’t come to me asking for help.”

With that he left, leaving Matt in a puddle of remorse.