Change Your Life

“Riley please call me back. I’m started to really worry about you” I recited into the phone as I was once again forced to leave a voice message for my fiancé.

Initially I hadn’t panicked when she didn’t spend the night at home because I was convinced she was hanging out with Colleen and she just forget to let me know. But when Wayne’s wife called earlier this morning to ask if she could speak to Riley I started to panic.

“Robin don’t do this to yourself, we both know what is happening here” Bouchra said from behind me as we stood in the living room.

I refused to indulge my ex-girlfriends fantasies as I turned back to look at her.

“No Bouchra I have no idea what is happening. Care to enlighten me?” I snapped back at her as she raised an eyebrow.

“Oh don’t play dumb. She’s gone missing just two days before your wedding? It seems to me that she’s gotten cold feet and run off”

Rather than yell back at Bouchra for her accusation, I took a few deep breathes because no matter how hard I was trying to ignore it, deep in my mind I knew there was a possibility of what she said being true.

“You don’t know anything about Riley. She wouldn’t do that”

“It would seem to me that you don’t know anything about her too because apart from Colleen you can’t call any of her other friends to help you in finding her”

“Don’t you dare” I threatened her as I started to collect my belongings. “I know she loves and she wouldn’t leave me. Not now, not when we are so close to being married” I said in an attempt to get her off my back.

“Fine. If you believe you and her are meant to be, this won’t mean anything to you” she said confidently before moving forward to connect our lips.

The kiss didn’t even last that long as I pulled away, while Bouchra had a smirk of her face.

“That didn’t mean anything” I snapped as I moved towards the door. “And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave us alone” I said angrily as I headed for my car and tried to find some trace of Riley in a city I knew she wasn’t familiar with.

*

“Oh wow I’m so sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help you find her?” Daley mocked as I sat on his sofa later on that day.

From the glare I gave him, I knew he felt regret as he turned to look at me seriously.

“Look man I’m really sorry that she’s left you but what do you honestly want me to do? You know I don’t approve of her so why would I want to help you find her?” he admitted honestly as I sank back in my seat.

“I’m worried okay. I know she wouldn’t just disappear without letting me know. I don’t know what to do anymore. I don’t know who to call…”

“Well that may have something to do with the fact that you don’t really know that…that woman” Daley interjected as I looked him in the eye.

I had to laugh at his reaction because if I didn’t know better, I knew exactly where that sentence had come from.

“You spoke to Bouchra didn’t you?”

Daley just shrugged as he looked back at his phone.

“What if I did? It’s not like she wasn’t speaking the truth. You don’t know Riley and I don’t know why you’re going crazy looking for her. She’s probably doing you a favour by leaving you. She’s just saved you the stress of having to give up your fortune when you guys eventually get divorced”

I had to shake my head in disbelief at his sentence but I said nothing as he continued to speak.

“And anyway Bouchra was right about one thing. You need to be with a woman who loves you for you and will support you no matter what. That woman is not Riley…I just think” Daley said sternly as he forced me to look at him. “I just think you should give B another chance. I know she’s hurt you once before but I really think she’s changed and I want you to be happy. And she makes you happy”

I couldn’t help but scoff at Daley’s explanation as I got off his sofa.

“The fact that you can look me in the eye and tell me to get back with Bouchra after she faked a pregnancy and left me for some billionaire is laughable. That woman has brought nothing but pain to me and she represents a dark period of my past. Are you telling me you want me to go back to that?” I challenged as he opened his mouth to answer.

However I shook my head no as picked up my keys.

“Thanks for your…help Daley but I think I’ll find Riley on my own. And trust me I WILL find her. Ooh and another thing. Tell your best friend Bouchra since she’s enjoying being back in her old house so much, she can stay there permanently. I’ll find somewhere else to stay until I find Riley”

I announced as I left the house in anger.

As I started the car and drove out of Daley’s driveway I couldn’t help but panic.

What if I couldn’t find Riley?