The Facility

Chapter Two

Luc's eyes widened and his mouth went agape. "A month? Meredith, that's too long to be away from our daughter."

"I know, but I won't be going dark. I can Skype her every night." She looked out the window, watching the people of D.C. walk by, the guilt to be a good mother was creeping in like usual; Meredith was the type of woman who craved perfection but rarely ever achieved it. Her life was a mess, and it was only getting messier.

Luc gazed at his watch and then back at her. "I have to go."

Meredith nodded, her brows furrowed. "Will you pick her up tonight then?" Her fingertips tapped anxiously against her mug, their soft sound filled the empty silence between them.

"So you're leaving tomorrow." His words an accusing statement, not a question.

"Yes."

Luc stood with a heavy sigh and grabbed his thick coat off the chair, shrugging it on. He raised his eyebrows as if there was nothing else to say, nothing else that could be done. "I'll be there around six." He said, his words sounding slightly exasperated.

A sympathetic smile worked its way on her lips. Luc was cold because he still loved her in his own morphed way, and even after his betrayal, she found herself getting upset that he was still loving her, she felt responsible but knew logically it wasn't her fault. It was his actions that took her love of him away, not her own. "Thank you, Luc. I know we do not see eye to eye anymore, but I can always count on you to be there for Diana. And that's all I ask."

Luc smiled awkwardly, "I will see you tonight."

And then he was gone.

She watched him move toward the door, her eyes following as he walked by the large windows until he was out of sight. Looking back at his cup, she noticed it was half full with a twenty dollar bill stuck under it. So Luc was still trying to take care of her.

A waitress walked up from behind her, startling her out of a daze. "Miss, would you like to order now?"

Meredith gestured to her full mug of tea, "No, but may I get this as a cup to go?"

The waitress smiled brightly, "Sure, would your friend like his to go, too?"

Meredith shook her head, "No, you can dump that."

"Okay, I'll be back soon with your tea." The waitress took their drinks away, and all there was left of him was the twenty.

She glanced back out the large glass windows, watching people until the waitress came back. "Here you go, Ma'am." She set a styrofoam cup in front of Meredith, a small smiley face and a 'thank you for coming' we're on the side in black marker.

"Thank you." She slid over the bill. "Keep the change."

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Tuesday, October 4th, 2018
5:27 p.m. Washington D.C.
Meredith Gray

Meredith shoved clothes after clothes into her two suitcases: warm clothes, dress clothes, fitness clothes, and much more. She squeezed them into vacuum bags to conserve space and then threw in two pairs of heels, a pair of tennis shoes and boots.

Gazing around the room, Meredith thought about what she could be missing. She moved to her dresser, her fingers gliding across the wood surface. She stopped at her jewelry box, and when she opened the hatch, her eyes fell on the glittering ring Luc had used to propose.

Her eyes moved, settling on a gold necklace with the letter L imprinted on a small, dangling circle. With a heavy heart, she took the necklace off the hook, holding it close to her.