He switched to a shopping app, magnifying the image. “This lingerie looks nice. I wonder how it would look on you. Kinda want to…” He didn’t finish the thought, abruptly shutting off his phone and looking at me with annoyance. “Geez, can you not sneak around? You scared the life out of me!”
I turned away, retreating to my room. After a long shower, I emerged, steam swirling around me. To my surprise, Derick was sitting on the edge of the bed with a hairdryer in hand.
“Did your parents leave?” Derick asked, his voice slow. “I rushed home as soon as I finished work. Can’t believe I still missed them,” he said, attempting to sound apologetic, but I didn’t buy a word.
I had told him my parents’ bus left at two, hoping he would come to see them off. He claimed he was busy, but his gaming account had been online since noon. He had left me hanging for weeks, only showing up after my parents were gone. When I didn’t respond, his frustration mounted.
“Penny, I’ve been busy!” He yelled. “I have piles of work waiting for me every day. I play games to unwind! Can’t I do that?” He shot me a glare. “Besides, it’s just seeing your parents off. It’s not like your life depends on it. Stop making such a big deal out of everything!” His words cut deep, sharp and unyielding, piercing through the heart of my resolve. I had meant to tell him about my father’s illness, but now the thought seemed too heavy to lift.
I turned my head slightly, feigning ignorance. “Huh? What was that? I can’t hear with the noise.”
Derick’s frustration faded into a palpable sense of defeat, as if he was the one who had been hit. Just then, his phone buzzed on the vanity, lighting up with a series of messages.
I caught a glimpse of the name: Becky.
Becky Owen. Derick Montgomery. BO&DM.
That’s when I realized the initials engraved on that gift set. It was supposed to have been my initials, PO–Penny Ortega. Derick had told me the store had made a mistake, insisting he’d ordered mine. When I suggested holding the store accountable, he dismissed it, saying I shouldn’t be so uptight. I believed him… until I saw the surveillance footage. There she was, a short-haired girl, sitting in Derick’s lap, snatching his phone to place an order. In that moment, I realized how foolish I had been.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice Derick had already grabbed his coat and moved toward the door.