Day427 : 5 Minute Freewrite: Friday - Prompt: sequin

photo by Amber Lamoreaux from Pexels, edited by @blueeyes8960

This is an entry to the 5 Minute Freewrite contest. See post below:
Day427 : 5 Minute Freewrite: Friday - Prompt: sequin

LEFT BEHIND

The apartment was bare now, what had once been a cheerful homey space was transformed back into an empty nest. The oak plank floors gleamed softly in the deepening dusk, the walls were freshly painted, and the windows sparkled in their just cleaned radiance.

Jan sat cross legged in the middle of the former dining room floor, head in hand. A deep sigh escaped her lips. Everything was gone now, loaded into the moving van and on the way across the country to Philadelphia. Her life was over here in California, and the next chapter about to begin with her new job as the head news anchor for Channel WPVI.

Yes, after 5 years of moving from station to station each one a step up in her career plan, she was finally getting her dream job with ABC. Five years of constant grinding, long hours chasing stories, making her whole life about realizing her dream. Except for Roarke. She’d made time for Roarke. He’d came into her life unexpectedly, over a spilled coffee in a late night diner, and had refused to take no for an answer.

Within weeks they were dating and Jan fell madly in love, in spite of herself. And Roarke did his part, acting the perfect soulmate and lover. Intimate dinners slipped in between dashing about between stories, a stolen weekend away to San Francisco, things were so good between them. Then came the phone call. Jan had been selected for the anchor job in Philly. She had never really considered that she was a serious contender, but there it was, the offer made and joyfully accepted.

Another sigh escaped, she should be ecstatic, but there was always a catch in life, wasn’t there? Roarke.

She had made dinner reservations at Gary Danko,the most exclusive restaurant in San Francisco, and told Roarke to dress to the teeth, she was taking him out for a surprise and some great news. When Jan ordered for an appetizer the caviar service (Imperial Golden Osetra at $135 a pop) Roarke’s eyes widened in shock. What the hell?? All through the meal Jan could hardly contain herself. Three courses later as their waiter served their dessert of Grand Marnier Soufflé, Roarke put down his napkin and demanded to know what was going on.

From there the evening went rapidly downhill. Roarke not only was not happy about Jan’s promotion, he absolutely forbade her to accept the position. Forbade her! No discussion. After a heated argument that brought their hovering waiter to the table nervously wringing his hands, Roarke had stormed out, leaving her in shocked silence with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Jan looked around one last time, thinking it was time to call an Uber and head to the airport. She walked slowly to the bedroom, remembering her last night here with Roarke when things had been so perfect. Something shiny caught her eye at the threshold. A lone sparkling sequin, apparently fallen from her dress that night she tore it from her quivering body and threw herself on the bed upon arriving home that fateful night.

One sequin, destined to be left behind, along with her broken heart, as she quietly closed the apartment door behind her, bound for her new life.