Cold Morning Light

Malcolm awoke alone. He stretched and found the place beside him was cold. Sitting up, he went still, trying to locate the sound of her moving around. But everything was silent.

Worried something may have happened to her, Malcolm searched the building. Nothing. She wasn’t inside the house. He started looking outside and stopped dead in his tracks. Her car was gone, her bag too. She left without a goodbye. He checked again for a note, nothing.

Malcolm stood there stunned, in disbelief. No goodbye, no reason for leaving early.

He tried to call her phone, and she didn’t pick it up any time he called. Finally, he called Jordan and told him what had happened. Jordan told him she’d probably explain on Tuesday when she saw him. That maybe she had a family emergency and reminded him about the cute Ellie.

She’d not wanted to talk about it. Perhaps that was the case. He still wanted to change the rule of their agreement. Now it would have to wait.

He cleaned up the