The Tattooed Flower

27. Permanent

The day before.

"Wanna come over tonight?" I ask Ruth, I'm in need of a certain connection.

"I have a date." She says. "What happened to that one girl, doctor girl."

"Didn't work out." I say nonchalantly. Really no was has been surprised that Diana and I broke it off. We weren't any good for each other. A good idea, just like Ruth and I were, a good idea. Good enough together too, just, no magic, no sparks- "That's fine, though. I'll just go home alone. Or you could come with me." -and maybe a touch of fighting.

"Ahh, as tempting as that sounds, we know how this ends, don't we Caleb?" She smirks at me and ruffles my hair. "Our relationship ended in too many broken plates."

"I got new plates, I'm so down to try again." I flash her my best smile, still trying to get lucky.

"I don't think so, I have a date with a dancer. I've heard he's very flexible..." She growls, walking out of the door. "See yah later, guys!"

I shout my goodbye after her and walk off to find Dave and Matthew. I run into Dave first. And he catches my shoulder. "Hey, Matt is putting Avery to bed. She came home sick from school today."

"Oh. That's no good." I respond sitting on the edge of the leather sofa.

"Yeah, strep is running through that school like an angry motherfucker." He sits down and looks at me strangely. "Did you watch the news this morning?"

"No. Why?" Dave shakes his head and tries to pass it off. "Dave, what was on the news?"

"Quinn." Quinn? "Quinn was on the news... She got out, Caleb-"

"She broke out of prison?"

"They let her out. Settle down." He runs a hand over his bald head and looks at me. Trying to figure out what I'm thinking. But he'll never find out. I don't even know what I'm thinking. "She got out about two weeks ago."

Two weeks ago? Thats enough time to make it here. Enough time for her to come back to me. To come back home. For so long I'd counted down the days until she'd come back to me. Yearned for a time when I'd be able to reach out and touch her again. Be able to hold her in my arms. Be able to love her again. Love her the right way. But I lost track. I stopped counting those days. I let her go. Now the time is here and gone. And she's not coming home.

"Oh." I say. I grab my coat off the arm of the chair and make my way towards the door.

"Caleb, where are you going?" Dave shouts, not bothering to follow me.

"Home, Dave. I'm going home."

***

Being alone isn't a bad thing. There a million and one perks to being alone; however, in the midst of being alone it's difficult to see those perks. I've spent the last five years being alone. Well... Semi-alone. Ruth and I tried it, and I loved her. I still love her. But we don't belong together. And I'm too in love with someone else to ever give her all that she deserves.

Taz and I are on the patio. Him at my side; his head in my lap. I tell him that she's back and that I don't think she'll be coming home. And the whole time he just stares at me, with his big brown eyes full of knowledge and years that I can't even comprehend, and his ears perked up like all he hears is her name and the rest is just static.

"She's not coming home." I tell him, but in a fit of denial, it seems, he opens his mouth and smiles at me like he knows something I don't. "Crazy, old, dog." I mutter.

He just keeps smiling at me, smiling so bright it almost makes me trust him. Like somehow, this old dog, who can barely control his bladder has some sort of extra sense. Like he just knows.