Nothing like another night to contemplate my obscurity in peace.
When I get back to the sparse dorm room, I’m met with a pang of loneliness. Not only is there no Kayla, but there are no signs of her, either. Only my wedding ring and the hair tie I’ve kept on my wrist since our honeymoon. It’s only been two days, but it feels pointless being here without her. If it weren’t so obvious that they want Hall already, maybe I’d think the sacrifice was worth it.
As it is, I just wish I were home with her.
Not that she’s there, anyway. Kayla flew out to Raleigh with her team this morning. She texted me that promo would keep her busy till ten, but that she’d call if I’m still up.
SEAN
I’ll be lights out already, unfortunately. Watch the fireworks for me.
KAYLA
I’ll do you one better and burn a candle for you.
No, carry a torch for you?
You get it. I miss you. I’m pining over here.
SEAN
Maybe it’s a good thing if I don’t make the team.
More time with you.
KAYLA
Don’t even joke like that! This is your dream. You deserve to live it.
SEAN
Maybe you’re the better dream.
KAYLA
You’re DEFINITELY the best dream. But newsflash, Cap: you can actually have TWO DREAMS! GASP!
SEAN
YOU can have two dreams.
One is enough for me.
KAYLA
You’re enough for me.
SEAN
Night, Boss.
I read over our exchange more times than I should.
I read it again and again over the next day and the next week. Ten days in, I can’t stop scrolling back to this exchange, even as our text thread grows longer and longer with new updates—Lucas’s latest antics, the most recent church potluck, drama over a song Clementine played on the organ at the last game that got complaints from a moms’ group for being too suggestive(“It’s an organ! There are no lyrics! How can music notes be suggestive?”).
Texts about how much Kayla misses me.
But no, it’s this one that keeps pulling me back.
