Chapter 18: The Breakup

"Tell me how this sounds." Zelda said, "Dear Mr. Thomas Fellmen, I am writing to you because I am looking for more information about my mother. Her name is Millicent Kane. She was murdered, as I was told, when I was three in Detroit. I was taken into the orphan organization shortly thereafter. I have left the organization once I turned sixteen and am trying to start my life over. In order to do so, I feel, I need more information about my mother and my life with her, however short it was. Any contact by you would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely yours, Edna Mary Kane."

Zelda put the paper down and looked at Grim for approval. Zelda and Grim sat in the backroom of the pawn shop. Grim had to search her mind long and hard to figure out what the organization president's name was. If anyone could help her find out information about her life, it would be him. He has every child's record who walked through his doors. Grim took the note and reread it quickly.

"I'm guessing it's as good as it'll get." she finally answered.

"So, why are you doing this?" Zelda asked as she sat back in her chair.

"It's either do this or leave David and I…really don't want to do either but doing this is a lot less painful."

"Are you ready to hear anything he's willing to reveal?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Well, I hope the best for you…and David." Zelda said.

"Thank you. I appreciate all of this. You have much better handwriting than I do."

"I'll give this letter to the mailman this afternoon and, hopefully, we'll hear from him in the next week or so."

Grim thanked her again then she left to meet David for lunch. Hopefully, when she tells David about this letter, his mind will be at ease about her leaving. If she did leave, he would know that she'll be back. She need to find out what family she might have out there and who she really is. She would be back because, no matter what she finds out, David is her world. It's still hard for her to make herself think that but she must admit that it is true.

But what if there's nothing out there for her? What if the letter comes back unanswered or she has no new answers? That probably only proves that she really is suppose to be like this, cold-hearted and emotionless. She's suppose to be alone and everything the organization has told her is true. Thinking about this made her slow down her pace. She was suddenly scared. She knew that this is how she's suppose to be but it'll be hard to have proof.

"Hey, Grim." she heard David behind her, "Where are you going?"

"I'm meeting you for lunch." she answered.

The tension between them were thick. Grim shifted her weight uncomfortably while David just stood in front of her emotionlessly. Who could blame him though? She just told him that she's going to walk out of his life forever and she didn't have a good reason for it. He wouldn't walk out of her life. He tried but he came back. David will always come back to her even though it'll always cause him pain.

"Where did you go?" he finally asked.

"I went to see Zelda and we wrote a letter to the organization to find out more about my mother."

"Why?"

"You kept telling me that my mother might not be all that I thought so I wanted to see if you were right. I'm hoping you're right."

"What are you going to do with your findings?"

"I don't know yet. I don't want to leave but, if I have to, I will."

"I wish you would change your mind about this." he said.

"You know that's probably not going to happen."

David didn't say anything. Instead, he walked passed her without giving her a second look. Grim stood in her spot for a moment. He hates her. This isn't fair, she thought. He's acting like she left already or that he found out about her plan on the street from someone else. She had to run a bit to catch up to him.

"Why are you acting like this?" she asked once she caught up to him.

"Do you not remember our conversation this morning?"

"I remember, David, but that doesn't mean you have to act like this."

"You want to leave? Fine. I'm not going to waste my time trying to change your mind. Apparently, I wasted my time trying to show you how much I'm in love with you. That's not enough for you, is it?"

"Well, I guess it isn't." she snapped at him.

"Okay, then, I guess I just have to let you go." he said.

"Let me go?" she asked confused.

"I'm not going to make you stay. You made up your mind already. Don't look so upset, Grim. You threw me out of the lodging house and I came back to you. You kissed Spot, not just once but two times in the same day, and I forgave you. You went to Brooklyn last night and I was so worried about you. I'm empty, Grim. I can't give you anything else. You done it. You successfully pushed me away." he explained.

"I…I wasn't trying to."

"Yes, you was. The whole time you've been here, you haven't made an effort to meet me half way. Every time you try, you break down. I don't know what you want from me anymore, Edna. You want me, then be with me but stop playing games with me."

"I never once played games with you, David, and what's with the sudden change of mood? Earlier, you were telling me that you would follow me if I left and now, you'll let me go just like that."

"I did some thinking while you were with Zelda. I've been following you since you've been here and it was worthless. You'll never have the same feelings for me as I do for you. I already accepted that." he answered.

"So, that's it? We're done?" she asked, trying not to sound or show that she's upset.

"I guess so."

"Okay, then," she sighed, "I guess it's for the best."

"I don't know why you're acting like this. You should be happy about this. You finally got what you want and now, you can leave without worrying about what I would do."

Grim bit her lip to keep her from getting even more upset than she is already. She walked past David and didn't look back. She wasn't sure where she was heading. She just needed to get away from him. It was true that this was what she wanted but she didn't actually think he would give in to her demands. Her stomach began hurting so bad because she was so upset that she ran into an alley and threw up. Once she cleaned herself up, she slid down the wall and started crying.

David sat at a table outside a deli near his apartment building but he wasn't eating. He stared blankly at the small stack of newspapers that sat on the table in front of him. He felt bad about his conversation with Grim but it had to be done. She expected him to follow her even though she tried to act indifferent towards him. He wasn't going to let Grim make him out as a joke. He was putting his foot down. IF she wants to leave after all I've done for her, he thought, then she could leave by herself.

"Hey there, Mouth." he heard Race in front of him, "still selling?"

"I thought Grim was going to sell half but she had to see Zelda. I can't sell all of this now. It's too late in the day. I guess I'm just going to have to eat my losses." he sighed, "Going to the races?"

"Yeah but I'm just going to wing it. I don't trust this hot tip I got."

"That's got to be a first." David said to himself.

"So, Grim stayed with you last night?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well," he lit a cigar, "she didn't come back to the lodging house last night and she did have a lot to drink at the meeting."

"She stayed for a while but then she went to Brooklyn." he said slowly.

"Brooklyn? You mean she went to see Spot?" he took a drag of the cigar, "Forget about her, Davey. You can't compete with Spot Conlon. Listen, I was with this girl for almost three months." he took another drag, "Spot came by the lodging house one night when she was there and they spent the whole night talking. Three days later, she left me for him. Ain't that something?"

"She said that nothing happened."

"I don't believe that for one second. It's Spot. No girl is safe when they get to his lodging house."

"You sure do know how to lift a guy's spirit."

"I'm just telling you what I know."

"Well, I already knew that and I'm done with Grim. She can stay with Spot." he answered.

"Trust me. That's for the best."

"Yeah, for the best." David said quietly.

Race continued to talk about all the girls he lost to Spot which really wasn't helping David forget about his problems. He wasn't sure if Grim was going to go to Brooklyn or to hunt down Spot. David was sure that Spot wouldn't follow Grim all over God's green earth to make sure she was safe. It doesn't matter anyway, he thought. He was done with her and her games. He wishes her the best but that's all he can give her.