Goodbyes and Fresh Starts
Chapter Six
Ray sat in his chair in his office at the station; the show had just ended and he was working on material for tomorrow's show. He wasn't doing much. He leaned back in his chair and tapped his pen along to the music that was playing in the background. Lily's show was about a week away and he suddenly found himself thinking more and more about her. He was on a date with Katie the night before and just couldn't concentrate on her, sure she was a nice girl, but she wasn't Lily. He really missed Lily but he didn't tell anyone, not even Robbie. He then heard a knock at his door.
"Yeah, come in!" He shouted.
"Ray? You busy?" Robbie said approaching the desk.
"Do I look busy?" Ray asked him. "I can't concentrate on anything anymore."
"Wanna talk about it?" Robbie offered.
"I do Rob, I wanna talk so bad, but I don't know if I can." Ray said.
"Is it about Katie?" He wondered.
"Yea and someone else." Ray replied.
"Lily?" Robbie asked.
"Is it that obvious?" Ray asked.
"She's the only girl I know of that can put that kind of look on your face, so what's up?" Robbie asked.
"This may sound crazy but Lily comes in a week and I want her back, Rob, so bad. I can't believe I'm saying this but it's been my dating with Katie that makes me want Lily so much. Don't get me wrong, Katie is great, but just not for me." Ray said.
"You need to tell Katie and it's about time you fess up to your feelings for Lily. You need to tell her Ray, how you feel, you need to be honest." Robbie said.
"I know and you're right. I'm gonna talk to Katie tonight and when Lily gets home, I'm gonna tell her how I really feel, I'm not going to hide that anymore."
The door opens and a familiar figure walks in.
"That's what I want to hear, Ray!" The person said.
"Travis?" Ray asked.
"In the flesh, my friend!" Travis responded.
"What are you doing here?" Robbie jumped in.
"I heard Lily was doing a show in Roscoe, so I couldn't pass up the chance to bring the whole RFR gang back together again." He said.
"But that's not till next week, you're a week early." Ray said.
"True, but honestly? I didn't fit in too well in London, so I decided to come back; I start at Toronto University in the fall." Travis said.
"You don't fit in here, Swami." Ray laughed.
"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that." He smiled.
"So you're back for good?" Robbie asked.
"I guess I am, and it feels good to be home." Travis said.
"So you finally consider Roscoe home?" Ray asked.
"That I do." Travis replied. "So you really gonna tell Lily how you feel?"
"Yes, and I'm not going to hide those feelings like I did so long ago, this is for real."
"I'm here to help." Travis said.
"Ditto," Robbie replied.
The three men sat around the station talking for a few hours; Ray still didn't have his work done but he figured he would just wing it the next day. He did that a lot and no one seemed to complain. Later on that night he was waiting in a restaurant for Katie. He didn't know what he was going to tell her and he knew it wasn't going to be easy but he had to do it. He was sipping on his water when Katie came in; he waved to her.
"Sorry I'm late, someone left the office early sick and I had to cover for them." She said, kissing his cheek before taking a seat.
"It's ok." Ray replied.
"What's wrong Ray?" Katie asked. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
"We need to talk." Ray said.
"That's never a good thing." She replied. "What's up?"
"I want to see other people." Ray blurted out.
"This is coming out of nowhere, Ray, yesterday you seemed completely content with me and now you want to break up?" She asked angrily.
"I know it sounds like it's coming from nowhere but I just don't feel the connection between us anymore. It's time to move on." Ray said.
"Wow, and I thought you were different." Katie said, pushing in her chair to leave. "Good-bye, Ray, I hope you can figure out whatever it is you have with Lily."
Once again Ray sat there alone; it had gone better then he thought it would. He and Katie just broke up and he couldn't think of anything else but Lily Randall. He had never told anyone this but he found her number at Robbie's apartment one day and wrote it down while Robbie was getting ready to go out. He wanted to call her. He picked up the phone and dialed some numbers.
"Hello?" the voice said.
"Robbie, my man!" Ray replied; he hadn't had the nerve to actually call Lily.
"It's late, Ray, and Travis is asleep." Robbie replied.
"Travis is there?" Ray asked.
"Yea, he's going to stay with me until he starts school." Robbie told him.
"Great then, I'm sorry, I'll let you go, see you tomorrow." Ray said.
"Night, Ray." Robbie laughed.
And he was alone again. It was so quiet; he can't imagine a time when he felt so alone. Sure, he was surrounded by family and great friends, but he was alone because Lily wasn't a part of his life. Then and there he made a pact to himself that he was going to win Lily back, no matter what it took. He didn't care that she was seeing Charlie; he was going to put an end to that.
Of course he didn't know that Lily broke up with Charlie that very night and was vowing to win Ray back.