Three Years, Five Months and Eleven Days

Chapter Nineteen

So here's chapter nineteen, the first look at how Michael and Debby are faring (no idea if that's how  you spell it) without Beth. Please vote if you like it, comment to tell me what you are thinking when you finish it, and fan if you really really love me :D

This is dedicated to BeautifuL17KhaoS for the many awesome covers she made me, which are on the side. Do you think I picked the right one?

Happy reading!

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     That day felt like the longest one in my life. Michael and I went back to my house, he unpacked his things in the guest room, but we didn’t do anything all day, because it felt wrong to just continue as if nothing had changed, it felt almost disrespectful.

     I went to sleep that night hoping that when I woke up the pain in my chest would be gone, but it wasn’t. Sleep had not made me forget, it was still all fresh on my mind; the look Beth had given me before she left, the guilt within me for choosing Michael, the uncertainty of if I was making the right decision.

     I didn’t let Michael or Rob see what was going on inside, I kept it all locked up. I had managed not to cry once since the whole thing had started, and I wanted to keep it that way, I wanted to be strong.

     They could tell something was up, and they knew I couldn’t be happy with the fact that Beth was gone, but no matter how many times they asked if I was okay, I always replied ‘I’m fine.’ I hardly said a word to them, keeping my exterior as blank as possible, while inside I was screaming and crying for Beth.

     ‘Debby, please tell me what you feel,’ Michael pleaded after breakfast the morning following her departure. ‘I understand you’re upset, but not dealing with it will only make it worse.’

     ‘I’m fine,’ I told him again. ‘I just feel… weird. Just let me get used to it in my own time, okay?’

     ‘I will,’ he said. ‘Take all the time you want. I just think you should talk about it.’

     ‘Michael? Can you leave me alone?’ I asked, trying to say it as nicely as possible. ‘For today, I want to be alone.’

     He nodded. ‘Yes, of course. If that’s what you want. I’ll see if I can go spend the day in Haverfordwest with Chris.’

     He disappeared, getting his iPhone out as he did, preparing to make some calls. Ten minutes later he reappeared at the door to my room and said ‘Rob’s gonna give me a lift to Haverfordwest, will you be alright here alone?’

     ‘You don’t have to worry so much,’ I told him. ‘It’s not like I’m suicidal or anything.’

     ‘I hope not.’

     I spent the day watching TV, browsing on Facebook, just sitting on my bed. Whatever I did I was thinking of Beth. Rob came back from Haverfordwest to keep an eye on me, but he had to go back in the evening to get Michael again. Once he had gone I decided to go to Beth’s house and retrieve my clothes. I walked as slowly as possible, dreading the moment when I unlocked her front door and went into the empty house, knowing it would feel wrong without her, but it was something I felt I had to do.

     As I made my way through the sitting room and the dining room I felt uncomfortable in the silence. Even if I hadn’t known, I would have been able to sense that there was no one there because the house seemed almost unlived inalready.

     I went straight to the closet in her room, and opened it. The wardrobe looked sadly depleted. It was a big wardrobe, and Beth owned many clothes, but now they were all gone and there was just a pathetic little pile of my belongings.