Resume Of Romance

Chapter 4

After Rylie gets home she changes into a pair of jeggings and a t-shirt then goes downstairs to her fridge to get something to drink to go with the Chinese food she stopped to pick up for dinner.  While sitting at her kitchen counter eating her dinner she pulls out her cell phone to check for messages.  She finds one sent to her from Monique.  

Rylie, I can’t come back right now.  Don’t try to find me, I don’t want to get you involved.  I’m alright, so don’t worry.  I broke it off with Jayson but he won’t accept it.  Please don’t show this message to him.  He needs to stop trying to find me.   I’ll call you when it’s safe.  Monique. 

Rylie pushes her plate of food to the side to read the message again.  It was sent almost three hours ago.  Monique disappears all the time then just shows up sometime later like nothing has happened but she’s never sent her a message like this before.  “Involved in what…. Oh, Monique, what are you doing?”  Rylie is worried, how can she go back to work and face Jayson.  She doesn’t know if he will even show up tomorrow. 

Rylie cleans up everything going to the trashcan to throw away her food container.  The trashcan seems full when she tries to shove it in, taking the lid off to change the trash bag she sees lying on top a home pregnancy kit.  Picking up the box she looks inside it the stick is missing.  She digs through the trash trying to find the stick but it’s not there.  Running into the foyer bathroom to see if maybe it was left there she has no luck. 

Upstairs in the hall bathroom she finds a different type of pregnancy test box sitting on the back of the toilet unopened.  Looking around again for the pregnancy stick she doesn’t find it.  Monique was here sometime today while she was at work, why did she leave. 

Rylie tries desperately not to assume anything or overreact but she knows her sister.  Monique thinks about her actions after she makes a mistake which most of the time causes Rylie to have to step in and clean up the mess.   

Rushing into Monique’s bedroom Rylie finds a bunch of brochures for adoption agencies and information on various medical clinics.  She doesn’t know if her sister is pregnant or what her intentions are.  Now really upset she leaves Monique another message pleading with her to call.   

The next morning she can barely get up early for work.  She hurriedly showers and dresses then grabs a couple of ponytailers and races out the door. While sitting in Northern Virginia traffic she puts her hair up in a ponytail and spends the rest of her time worry about her sister while stuck in the barely moving traffic.  By the time the clock on her computer changes over to eight o’clock she’s sitting at her desk wishing she had a cup of coffee but trying to avoid seeing Chace Braxton.    

Thank goodness for Beth, she stopped and got coffee for both of them on her way to work.  Rylie's day is busy but she spends most of it checking her phone for messages from Monique or Jayson neither contacts her.  She decides to stay late again trying to get caught up on more accounts. 

Rylie leaves again about the same time she did the night before.  At home she changes into some comfortable clothes and takes a ride over to the house of one of Monique’s friends.  Kayla Adams is coming out her front door when Rylie pulls up.  Rylie suspects she is on her way to work as a fitness teacher at a local gym.  Monique met her at the gym years ago and Kayla talked Monique into doing some car shows and private party modeling.  Rylie gets out of her car meeting Kayla in her driveway. 

“Hey Rylie, you looking for Monique she’s not here.”  Kayla let’s her know before she walks all the way up the drive of Kayla’s townhouse. 

“I thought I would take a chance that she was Kayla, do you know where she is?”  Kayla can see the worry on Rylie’s face.  She doesn’t know if Rylie knows all the things her older sister is involved in and she doesn’t want to be the one to tell her.