Close Reads Novels & Stories

The curtains were stained, and there was an unmistakable odor permeating the space. The manager looked at me uncomfortably. "Mr. Davis occasionally rests here," he explained awkwardly. "Then maybe he should keep it clean, especially for client meetings," I said, glancing at him. "This place reeks. Can't you smell it?" I straightened a photo frame, noticing our wedding photo had been replaced with one of Max and Coco. Meanwhile, my photo lay discarded in a corner. I picked up our photo, cut myself out of it, and tucked it into my purse. Then, I left the divorce papers in Max's desk drawer, asking the manager to make sure Max saw them.

She gave a wave of dismissal as Darius gently laid a sleeping Dahlia in her cot. “Goodnight, then.” She walked with him to the door, where he turned around and stared at her, words he couldn’t possibly say crashing on the floor of his mind. “Goodnight, Darius,” Astrid said, her hand lingering on the doorknob. She wanted it to be a mutual goodnight – she would only close the door once he turned around and headed for his room, which he wasn’t doing just yet.

A circle. Finally closed.

No rewriting necessary. We may get an opportunity now after many weeks have passed.

Wrong if that is even a thing. The end.

A break. Matt had said it so casually, like it wasn’t something heavy. Like it didn’t mean anything. But it did. At least… to Jordy, it did. He turned his head slightly, eyes drifting toward his phone. For a moment, he debated picking it up. Debated texting first. He didn’t. Instead, he let out a slow breath and closed his eyes. And right on cue, his phone buzzed. Jordy’s eyes opened immediately. He grabbed it.

Do follow and vote. Till then Adios