Goodbye, Red Flag

Sebastian had a bag slung over his arm. I recognized it at once as the restaurant's signature dish: a stew of baked cod piperade, mussels, and chorizo. His colleagues stood beside him.

Sebastian hated the smell of fish.

Half a year ago…

My mother brought our hometown's signature snack when she visited me: fish pies. They were baked to a golden crisp and filled with haddock and prawns, with almost no trace of a fishy odor.

Sebastian still threw a tantrum. He did not care that my mother was watching when he dumped every last one into the trash.

"If I see anything related to fish at home again, we're breaking up!" he shouted at me, his voice sharp with threat.

My mother said nothing. By evening, she had bought a train ticket home, claiming she was worried about a possible flash flood.

On the way back, she called me and asked in a small voice, "I'm so sorry I messed up, Pumpkin. I caused trouble for the two of you, didn't I?"

…

I remembered how anxious she had sounded, how heavy her guilt had been. It felt as if someone had stabbed me in the chest.

I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, the warmth was gone. "No. It has to be someone else."

Sebastian suddenly turned and stared straight at me. Then he started walking over. "Why are you here instead of home? Where's Mrs. Goode?"

This was the first time in twenty days that he had shown even a trace of concern for my mother.

I ignored him and nodded to myself. "Yes."

"I didn't mean to stand you up, Maddie. There were too many people at the vet, and I couldn't leave when I wanted to," he said.

I paid the tab. "Okay."

"I'm taking my annual leave. Once Suzy's puppy fully recovers, I'll visit your hometown with you."

I motioned to my colleagues. It was time to go. "I'm fine."

Sebastian paused. His gaze swept over the room, and his tone turned accusatory. "Are you having a gathering with your colleagues? Why didn't you tell me?"

I froze.

Why was he upset? He had spent day after day with Suzanna while my mother lay in the hospital.

Did he ever inform me? He had promised to drive my mother to the station after her discharge.

Did he keep that promise? He used to loathe the "stench" of fish, yet now he ate it without complaint because Suzanna wanted it.

On what grounds did he think he had the right to be angry about me meeting my colleagues?

I slid my card back into my wallet without looking at him. "Who knows? You're always busy. No time to read a text."

I pointed at Suzanna and smirked. "Are you really going to make Suzy wait?"

Sebastian turned, startled, and met Suzanna's pleading eyes. Color crept into his face. "Listen. Her parents are on vacation abroad, okay? Someone has to look after her. That's why I'm bringing her out. Don't misunderstand."

"Mm-hmm. I didn't misunderstand," I said.

I turned to my colleagues. "Ready to go? Let's head out."

They understood at once. They ignored Sebastian and left with me, without a single greeting.

I could still feel his confused stare burning into the back of my neck as I walked away.

…

When I got home, I started cleaning.

Couple-themed outfits went into the trash. Our Christmas couple photo shoots were torn apart. Every message I had exchanged with him over the years disappeared with a tap of my finger.

Sebastian came back just as I finished. He had not returned home once during the twenty days my mother was hospitalized, yet he showed up now, when I was already preparing to leave.

His eyes landed on the shredded photos in the trash. He stopped short and rushed over without even removing his coat. "Why did you tear those up?"

I did not look at him. "They're out of style. I don't like them anymore."

He was about to speak when he noticed my suitcase. His expression eased.

"Well, trends change. We can always take new photos," he said. "The vet said Suzy's dog needs follow-up visits, so I won't have time to go on vacation with you."

He set a bag on the table. "I brought you dinner. Eat it while it's hot."

I stood there, stunned. Had I really heard him correctly?