ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟜𝟡 #2
I wanted to believe that. I needed to. The alternative was too painful to even consider.
Hunter finally nodded. "Alright, then give her time."
"Of course I will."
Brody smiled faintly. "Good."
Brody had one hand on the doorknob when he suddenly turned around. "Actually, Cam Wam..."
I looked up.
"I've got an idea."
I immediately knew I wasn't going to like it. "What?"
Brody smiled. "You know, now that Dixie is gone, uh, perhaps you could talk to Rachel a little more."
I stared at him.
Ryan's eyebrows rose. Brody, meanwhile, looked genuinely excited about his own idea.
"You know, just talk. Hang out. Get to know each other better."
"Rachel?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Why would I do that?"
Brody shrugged. "Because you're a single man now."
"I'm not single." I sigh.
"Technically, you kind of are."
I stared at him, running my hands down my face.
"Brody."
"Okay, okay," He held his hands up. "I'm just saying Rachel's nice."
Hunter nodded. "She is."
Brody continued. "And you two have been talking more lately."
I frowned.
"IThe only times I've ever talked to her was at the dumb brunch you guys basically forced me to go to, and at Brody's wedding."
"About that wedding," I pointed a finger at Brody. "Why would you invite Rachel knowing I was going with Dixie?
Rody scratched the back of his neck.
"You're not the only one who knows Rachel. I only invited her because she invited us for brunch that time."
Hunter suddenly started laughing.
"Brody, you're terrible. Trying to set him up already?"
"I'm not setting anybody up."
Brody looked back at me. "I'm just saying, Cam, maybe it's good to have someone around."
I felt something cold settle in my chest. I don't think I'd ever want anyone besides Dixie.
That's not how my heart worked. If Dixie needed space, I'd wait.
Even if it took forever. Just as long as I got Dixie West back.
"I'm not looking for someone." I said.
Brody's smile faded slightly.
"I don't want someone else."
He nodded. "Cool. Got it."
I looked down at the paperwork on my desk.
"I'm still married, and I love my wife."
"Very, very much."
Nobody said anything.
I cleared my throat. "So please stop talking about Rachel."
Brody's expression softened. "Alright. If that's what you want."
Hunter nodded.
Ryan gave me a small look. "Sorry about causing all this again, Cam."
I exhaled. "Just..."
I rubbed my eyes. "Leave me alone for a little while, 'kay?"
They all understood that time. Brody nodded first.
"Okay."
Hunter pointed at the door. "Come on."
Brody started walking out, then he looked back. "I'm serious, though. Don't shut everyone out."
I stared at him. He gave me a small smile. "That's all."
Then he left. Hunter followed, but Ryan lingered.
He looked at me. "Are you good, Cameron?"
"No." I looked up.
Ryan nodded slowly. "Okay. Yeah- aright. "
"I'll see you later, chief." Ryan turned.
"Yeah."
The door closed.
Finally.
I leaned back in my chair, staring at the paperwork. The 3rd page was sitting directly in front of me.
I picked up my pen, but my mind immediately went somewhere else.
Dixie. I could still picture her standing in the bedroom.
Her hair was slightly messy, and her face was stained from crying. That stupid tote bag was hanging from her shoulder.
I could hear her voice.
I need space.
I closed my eyes. She had looked beautiful even while she was angry.
That was the problem.
She always did.
Even when she was furious with me. Even when she was standing at the front door preparing to leave.
She was still Dixie.
My Dixie.
I opened my eyes, forcing myself to look at the paperwork. "Focus."
I signed the first couple pages, then my handwriting became slower. My eyes kept drifting toward the empty doorway.
I wondered where she was.
Was she sleeping okay? Was she thinking about me?
I actually hoped she wasn't.
Wherever she went, I hoped she was okay- or else I don't think I'd ever forgive myself. I wanted her to be okay.
Even if being okay meant she didn't think about me.
I signed another document.
My phone sat beside my hand. I glanced at it quickly, before turning it over.
I sighed. This was stupid.
I had work to do.
Molly was still missing.
Molly, eleven years old, somewhere out there. I had promised myself I wouldn't stop looking.
And I wouldn't, but now Dixie was gone too. I suddenly felt the weight of everything I'd lost.
Molly, Dixie, Jordyn.
Three people, and three empty spaces that hurt all at once.
Jordyn had been gone for years, but sometimes it still felt like yesterday.
Molly was missing. Every day without her felt like another piece of my life being ripped away.
And now, Dixie had walked out of our house. She wasn't dead, or gone forever.
She was just gone from me.
Thats what terrified me the most. I looked down at my paperwork, trying to read the next paragraph.
The words didn't make sense at all.
I shook my head. "Come on."
My eyes burned. I hadn't realized how exhausted I was.
I leaned forward, just for a second. My head lowered slightly, but I immediately lifted it.
I rubbed my face. I wasn't going to sleep, at least, not yet.
There was too much to do. I had to keep working, I had to keep looking for Molly, and I had to figure out what to do about Dixie.
My eyes drifted shut. I opened them once again.
The more I stared at the paperwork, the more I thought about her.
Dixie.
Her smile, her laugh. The way she'd looked at me in the movie theater years ago.
I laughed at the thought. We shared our very first kiss behind a movie theater.
I swallowed.
I missed her. Gosh, did I miss her. I rested my forehead against my hand. I would close my eyes for one minute.
One minute.
Then I'd figure everything out. I'd find Molly, and I'd fix things with Dixie.
My breathing slowed as the pen remained loosely between my fingers.
Inside my office, everything became quiet. My head finally rested against the paperwork.
Sooner or later, I fell asleep right there on my desk.
~
Dannah stared at my tote bag on the floor.
She looked up at me. "Are you staying?"
I sniffled. "I..I'm not sure. I just don't want to go back."
Dannah held my hands, putting them in hers.
"You can stay, don't worry. But...I do have to tell you.."
Just then, someone came out of the bathroom down the hall.
It was Josh. I stared at him, and he stared back. At my face specifically.
Great, because the one thing I wanted was for Ted's assistant watching me break down.
His expression immediately changed.
He didn't know what had happened, but he knew something had happened.
"I thought you guys broke up," I whispered.
Dannah sighed. "We're... complicated."
I gave her a tired look. I knew what complicated meant.
Josh didn't say anything. His eyes stayed on me for another second, then he disappeared into the hallway.
A few seconds later, Josh came back holding a box of tissues. He walked over and held it out to me.
"Here."
I stared at him then took a few. "Thank you."
"No problem." He nodded.
I dabbed underneath my eyes.I probably looked horrible.
Actually, there was no probably about it.
I did look horrible.
Everything about me felt disgusting. This was not how I imagined coming home after winning one of the biggest cases of my career.
Dannah looked at Josh. "Can you give us a little privacy?"
"Of course," He nodded, then he leaned down and kissed her gently. "I'll be in the other room."
Dannah smiled faintly. "Okay."
"Take your time." Josh glanced at me once more.
"Thanks, Josh."
I watched him disappear down the hallway, then I looked at Dannah.
The second the bathroom door clicked shut behind him, everything I'd been holding inside collapsed again.
I covered my face. "Oh my goodness..."
Dannah immediately stepped closer. "Dix, hey.."
"I left him. I actually left him."
Dannah wrapped her arms around me. "I know."
"I shouldn't have."
"You were upset."
"I shouldn't have. He's already going through so much."
"What do you mean?" Dannah frowned.
I pulled back slightly. "You don't know about Molly?"
She shook her head. I wiped my face with some tissues.
"His little sister."
"What happened?"
"She's missing. She's been missing."
I swallowed. "She's only eleven."
"Oh my..I can't imagine how he's feeling right now." Dannah's face fell.
"It's been weeks," I looked down. "Cameron's been trying to find her this entire time."
Dannah's arms tightened around me. "And you left him?"
"I know how that sounds, trust me."
"Wel...it doesn't sound bad.."
"Don't lie to me. It does."
I shook my head. "He needed me. He just needed someone."
"You're allowed to need space too."
"But not now. Not when his sister is missing."
Dannah shook her head. "You're still allowed to be hurt."
"But I left him alone. I walked out, for pete sake."
"Because you were overwhelmed."
"Do overwhelmed people also threaten divorce?"
Dannah paused. I looked away from her gaze.