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“That’s all you have to say,” I yelled, watching him pull the refrigerator open.
“I appreciate you being honest. I know it wasn’t easy for you, but I don’t have much to say outside of that.”
Marching toward him, I pushed the door shut and stood before the refrigerator, forcing Mack to look at me.
“You begged me to be honest. Penalized me for shutting you out, and now you have nothing to say!”
“Nothing that you want or need to hear right now.”
I thought I knew pain before tonight, but none of it could hold a candle to Mack walking out and then hearing the front door shut. The silence was deafening in the dimly lit living room, so I walked down the hallway and climbed into Cam’s bed.
I wanted so badly to grab my keys and pick her up because it had always been the two of us. The way Mack stormed out felt like it would be again soon. Cam didn’t need to see me like this, so I refrained and cuddled her favorite mermaid pillow instead. I had finally given her the life she deserved. She had a man in her life who adored her, along with a supportive family. Now, it felt like all of that was hanging in the balance.
Tears spilled out, replaying the sharp words and the painful silence that followed Mack’s departure. The sound of the front door closing looped in my head until I got so tired that I drifted to sleep. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when a soft creak of the door signaled Mack's return.
Shortly after his footsteps neared, he stopped in our bedroom first. When he realized I wasn’t there, his presence filled Cam’s room. I could feel his panic until he rounded the corner and saw his girls sleeping peacefully.
“Come get in bed,” Mack urged.
I wanted to question why because my feelings were hurt, but I accepted the hand he offered. As angry as I was, being with Mack was all I wanted, so I shuffled down the hallway, where he was already in our room preparing for bed.
Mack climbed into bed and pulled me closer. The mere touch of his hand sent a warming shiver through me.
Then he apologized, “I’m sorry I walked out,” letting me know he still felt the same, and finally, I could breathe again.
“It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay,” Mack corrected me. “A man doesn’t handle business like that. I asked for the truth, and you gave it to me. Walking out wasn’t the way to respond to that.”
Unsure of what to say next, I didn’t. Hell, I had done enough talking tonight anyway. Instead, I relaxed against Mack and let his breath fan my face.
“I know your heart so well, Sky. Whatever you did, you had a reason. I thought you knew mine, too.” Sitting up, I searched his face anxiously for an explanation. “I don’t give a fuck what you had to do. I could’ve easily found all that shit out if I wanted to, but it didn’t matter to me. This does, and you knowing you can come to me with anything.”
I cleared my throat, trying to mask my smile, but Mack caught me.
“What are you grinning at?” Mack asked.
“Advice Dad gave me.”
“You called Pops?”
My left shoulder hunched because the right one was buried in Mack’s armpit. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
“Clearly, if you went to that nigga.”
“What’s wrong with going to that nigga?”
“You’re not marrying his ass. You were supposed to come to me first.”
“Are we still getting married?”
“Just because you pissed me off doesn’t mean I’m leaving Sky,” Mack explained as if he could read my thoughts. I was used to being nailed to the cross for every mistake, big or small. I guess that’s another reason I feared telling Mack the truth. “I should’ve been there for you. I fucked up, but we’ll figure it out.”
“I got to see first-hand what’s wrong with you,” I sneered, causing him to chuckle.
“I warned you.”
“You took stubbornness to new heights.”
