Chapter Twenty-Four
NATE
It’s been three months since we officially broke up, and I’ve been missing Ria like crazy. I’m becoming more and more miserable, resorting to Google alerts in my email just to gain some knowledge of her now. In a sense, I’m stalking Ria, which I realize is sad, but I don’t know how to stop.
I know I need to let her go.
But I’m struggling.
Even visits from Whisper aren’t helping. Sure, I realize he’s a quack, and his ju-ju doesn’t really aid in maintaining a cool, calm, collected environment, but he’s more of a friend now than anything else. His cheery demeanor and stupidity usually perk me up, but not lately.
Recently, my focus has been on finishing the dove canvas. I’ve been going through stages where I madly want to finish it, then stop and figure if she wants it, she’d call. Then I get my mojo back and start on it again, like my subconscious is trying to hang on to what I have left.
Well, not anymore.
The final touches are drying.
And what that means now, I’m not sure.
Or how I really feel about it.
Over the past few months, I’ve continued my studies and become more proficient with writing and reading. It’s another thing I can’t let go of because this is for me, for my well-being. It’s still a learning process, but I’m happy to see it through.
So with a handwritten—well, as best I could—note, I wrapped the painting and had it sent to her home. I’m unsure how the painting will be received or if she even wants it, but I told her I’d give it to her, and I keep my word.
A Google alert pops up on my computer as I sip my morning coffee. Unable to ignore it, I scroll through the tabloids but pull up short when one makes my heart stop in my chest.
The headline reads:
ZARIA’S MYSTERY BABY BUMP