Chapter 6: Closure and a New Beginning

Riley was meeting Christopher at one of the best French restaurants in town. She was wearing a blue satin dress that outlined her slim figure and a sapphire necklace with matching earrings.

She walked into the restaurant and noticed that it was dark except for the couple hundred candles placed on assorted tables, ledges, and crystal chandeliers. Even more surprising was the fact the restaurant was completely empty.

Suddenly a tall man with black hair and matching mustache came out of the darkness and appeared in front of Riley.

"Mademoiselle Carter?"

Riley was really thrown for a loop and suspected something but wasn't quite sure what.

"Follow me," the man instructed walking in front of her leading her carefully through the darkness.

He stopped suddenly at a room's entrance. It was also dark and had few candles for light. The man motioned for her to go inside and she complied by taking a few steps in, then she heard the door close behind her. For the first time she noticed a man facing the fireplace. He was tall and had on a black suit. He turned around and Riley realized that it was Chris.

You could tell he was nervous; his hands were shaking and he was grasping a handkerchief that was dripping with sweat.

"RyLynn," he smiled. This almost made her feel guilty for what she was preparing herself to do.

"Chris. There's something I have to tell you," Riley began.

'Better to get this over with and not let it drag out.'

Chris cut her off, "champagne?"

'Great idea, get me so drunk I can't remember what I came here to do, or maybe it will coax me into getting this over with. Oh to weigh the pros and cons. Wait, I'm not old enough to drink. Thanks conscience!' she thought to herself sarcastically as she refused the drink with a wave of her hand.

"Chris..." she tried to start her sentence again but again he cut her off.

"RyLynn, come and sit down with me." He took her hand and led her toward the table in the center of the room.

The same man who had greeted her at the door had once again reemerged from the shadows and so had Soufflé au Fromage (Cheese Soufflé) The couple sat and ate in uncomfortable silence. Well it was more like nervous silence. Riley was contemplating her next move while Christopher................well she couldn't really tell what was going on inside of his head.

26 nervous coughs or 1 hour later........................................... (I had to do it)

"RyLynn," Riley was trapped in one of her 'deep in thought' trances and had spent the last 20 minutes staring into the flames of the fire.

"RyLynn," Christopher called once more. Riley quickly averted her gaze to her boyfriend.

"Yes?" she shifted her wait in the chair.

"There's something I have to tell you. Well," he cleared his throat, "not tell you. More like ask you. Here it goes."

Chris got down on one knee.

'Oh my GOSH' Riley thought as her heartbeat quickened and her breath was caught in her throat.

Chris fished a blue velvet ring box out of his pocket and opened it to reveal a MASSIVE diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"

At that moment, Riley's heart dropped and she froze. Her eyes wide and her mouth opened all she could manage was silence. Chris started to get worried.

"RyLynn, did you hear what I said?" Riley could only manage to nod.

"Yes you're going to marry me?" Riley finally got her jaw off the ground.

"Chris, I'm...I'm not going to marry you. In fact, I took to heart what you said about starting a new chapter of my life and you were right. I'm closing this one tonight for good. Have a nice life." Riley got out of her chair and left the room with one last glance at the fire and never looking back.

"Have a nice life! I propose to her and she dumps me. I mean I'm successful and I had our whole life planned out. I will not take this! You'll see RyLynn, you'll see." In a fit of rage, Chris throws the engagement ring into the fire causing the fire to get hotter and reflect the diamond that was melting in the ember.

RyLynn got into her car and drove home.

"I've closed that chapter now to open a new one. No looking back; only ahead." Riley reflected on a poem...well not poem but a page of reflection that she had found in one of her diaries from years and years before when she was 13.

The following thoughts were really written by ME! I OWN THEM so if I find them copied without my consent; let's say I can sue you for all you're worth and more. It's not a threat it's a guarantee Thank you.

'Finding who you are and never having regrets can be the greatest reward in life.

Many may have the ideal plan of who they want to be.

Many are still searching undecided.

Others put limits on what they want to accomplish

others know that the sky's the limit.

We all have a pre-determined destiny, a future.

But then again the future is what we make it to be.

They plan a career when going to career day and asked what they want to be when they

grow up.

I'm just a kid. I don't know what my greater purpose is. All I know is that when I grow up I want to be HAPPY.'

'I wish I had remembered to look at that every now and again. Well never to late to open a new chapter, never to early either.'

So she drove home and never looked back.