Loss and Longing

Stevie’s anger lasted all the way to her place. It wasn’t until after she’d got out of his car without saying a word and had walked into her bedroom, shutting the door firmly on the worried looks of her mother, that it finally dissipated and she felt the impact of what had she done. She was devastated and flopping down on her bed she cried. 

That night, for the first time since they started seeing each other, Grant didn’t text her, nor did he call. And for the next week she heard nothing from him. She did not call him either. She went about her life in a sort of numb, daze. Nothing mattered to her anymore.  She was just going through the motions. Her mother tried to speak to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything except that it was over. She couldn’t bear to talk about what had happened to anyone. Rachel tried too but she didn’t get any further than Nina. Not that it stopped her trying. 

For another week Stevie suffered through a daily barrage of questions from her friend. And it was only by agreeing to meet her for a drink at a hotel in town that Saturday night, that Stevie exacted a promise from Rachel that she would stop the inquisition. They had been to this particular hotel for a couple of girl’s night out in the past. It had a restaurant and bar in the foyer and while they never ate there, the drinks weren’t any dearer than other places and the luxurious atmosphere made it feel like an expensive night out, even if it wasn’t.

Stevie arrived at the hotel on time and after looking for Rachel and not seeing her, she took a seat at one of the tables in the foyer. But she had no sooner sat down than a hotel employee approached her and after asking her name informed her that her friend, Rachel Green had booked a room and requested that she proceed upstairs. Stevie shrugged and getting up took the room card the employee held out and followed him to the lifts. The man waited until the lift opened and then showing her where to insert the card he pressed the button for the correct floor and stood back. 

The lift door slid shut and Stevie stared straight ahead as the lift took her up to the twentieth floor. Normally she’d be excited to see more of the opulent hotel, but like everything else at the moment, she didn’t see any of it. Getting off the lift she walked down the corridor and finding the correct room number inserted the card she’d been given and opened the door. “Rachel” she called as the door closed with a soft click behind her. She got no answer and walking further into the room she saw why. It wasn’t Rachel waiting for her, it was Grant.