I Bought Only One Ticket Home

"The front desk says they don't rent rooms by the hour this late. Splash some water on your face in the restroom and make do with a lobby couch tonight."

Vanessa Clarke's voice message arrived just as I settled into the back of a cab.

"Tomorrow morning, take my mom to that trendy breakfast burrito place. Her stomach's sensitive, so tell them to leave out the cilantro."

A second message followed. "Get there early and stand in line. I don't want her waking up hungry."

I lowered the phone from my ear.

The cab was quiet.

"Where to, buddy?" the driver asked, glancing at me in his rearview mirror.

"The airport."

"Got a flight number? I can take you to the right terminal."

"Whichever flight gets me back to Riverton first. I'll buy a ticket when I get there."

He looked surprised. "Middle of the night? Have a fight with your girlfriend?"

"No fight."

I watched the streetlights slide past the window. "Just get me to the airport, please. As fast as you can."

My phone vibrated again. This time it was my brother-in-law, Tyler.

"Elliot, what's taking so long with my water?"

"Never mind. Vanessa ordered me one of those fancy iced drinks. It's on its way."

"Just stay downstairs and watch the luggage, okay? Don't let anybody steal my designer watch."

Then came a photo.

Vanessa was kneeling on the floor, massaging her mother's legs. Tyler grinned into the camera, holding up a condensation-covered fruit drink. Behind them stretched the expensive lake-view suite I'd paid for.

I typed two words.

"Got it."

After sending the message, I slipped the wedding band off my finger. Then I took the matching one from my bag.

Vanessa had chosen the rings herself. Tiny diamond chips, inexpensive settings. She said we should save every spare dollar for our future family.

I'd thought that made her practical. Sensible. Someone who was building a life with me.

I lowered the car window and tossed both rings into a roadside trash can as we passed.

"You sure you don't want those?" the driver asked when he heard the clink.

"I'm sure. They never fit right."

The airport was almost deserted.

At the ticket counter, I asked, "What's your earliest flight to Riverton?"

The agent checked her screen. "There's one at two thirty in the morning, but the only seat left is first class. It's quite expensive."

"I'll take it."

I handed over my ID.

"That comes to nine hundred and fifty dollars. How would you like to pay?"

"Card."

I slid my own debit card across the counter.

My own card. My own money.

Vanessa's paycheck went straight into an account Diane controlled. Vanessa said handling the money gave her mother a sense of security.

I'd never argued. I earned far more than Vanessa did, so I'd figured it didn't matter.

Apparently, it had made all of them feel very secure.

Boarding pass in hand, I sat down in the departure lounge. My phone lit up.

Vanessa was calling.

I answered.

"Elliot, where the hell have you disappeared to?"