“Hi, I’m Loriana Moores. Dominic’s first love. I didn’t expect that even after all these years, even after getting married, he still hasn’t forgotten me. I saw his tattoo today… my nickname, still there. He kept our old photos too. And the letters… The diaries he wrote just for me. He still calls my name in his sleep, did you know? I guess first love never really goes away.”
My chest tightened until I could barely breathe. My fingers hovered over the screen for a long time before I typed back:
“What do you want from me?”
A minute passed. Then another.
Finally, she replied.
“Nothing. I just want back what’s mine. He’s about to wake up. Want to bet that if I tell him I had a nightmare, he’ll stay with me for five days straight? He won’t even text you.”
I didn’t respond. I didn’t need to.
Ten minutes later, Dominic’s message arrived.
“Baby, something came up. I’ll be on a business trip for a few days. Call my secretary if you need anything. Take care of yourself and the baby.”
My vision blurred. I started laughing, the kind of laugh that hurt your ribs. My tears fell anyway, hot and soundless.
He really was that predictable.
….
For the next five days, he vanished. No calls, no texts, nothing.