My mom's hurtful words echo in my head, but I try to squash them and try the techniques Dr. Gallow taught me, breathing in through my mouth and out through my nose.
I won’t lose Clark, I refuse, and I won’t let Mom’s words kill that part in me that wants to fight for my wife. I’m hoping she will come to therapy with me, so she can see the real me, and not just the guy she grew up with.
I hope she can love me.
Chapter 7
Clark – Present Day – Twenty-Four Years Old
I slowly spin my phone in my hand, gently chewing my bottom lip, while confusion fills my mind and I stare at the screen, unsure what to do next.
For two nights in a row, Trick has been home. He’s had dinner with us, put our daughter to bed, and then sat with me on the couch. He is wearing sweats and a tank, his laptop is open, and his bare feet are on the coffee table with his wedding ring in full view while I decompress from the day with crappy TV. We’re acting like an actual couple and I’m pretty sure he’s been sleeping in my bed—or his bed, or is it our bed? I mean we’re married, after all.
I shake my head. The past two mornings, the right side of the bed has been crumpled and slightly warm. I’ve never rolled onto that side in the six years I’ve been forced to call his house home.Both mornings he’s been in the kitchen making breakfast with our daughter, creating the family setting I always wanted. Yet Lavender is wearing that necklace and she’s pregnant.
I groan, overwhelmed and confused.
“Okay, Dr. Bitch is on her break, talk to me,” Belle says as she rushes into the staff room, locking the door behind her. Dr. Bitch is the name we call Dr. Lavish because yeah, she’s a bitch, and despite Trick’s warning the other day, my chore list has doubled.
I swallow hard as I unlock my phone and stare at the picture of Willow and Trick after her first recital with Little Bird’s Ballet, Drew's ballet school, and my heart breaks bit by bit.
“Did you know my brother knows that I know about you two?” I try to deflect, and she snorts, “Yeah, he let it slip after your mom tried to give Nova a key to his house, and he hasn’t spoken to her since.”
“She’s the reason why you two are still under the radar,” I mutter.
It’s something I’ve figured out quite quickly. I don’t speak to her. Heck, I haven’t even spoken to my dad or my brother in years. But my mom has taken it to heart that I cut contact with her. Even before everything, I was pulling away, but she stood back and let the men force a marriage on me and make me live here. Now, she’s clinging onto Nova, it is pathetic what she’s trying to do with my brother.
“I know, and I understand his anger towards your mom, so stop deflecting and talk to me,” she says, and I bite down hard on my bottom lip.
“Mr. Holland called, the divorce papers are ready,” I whisper as I stare at the photo, “So is the custody agreement.”
“Are you sure you want to do this, Clark?” Belle asks gently, and I shake my head as I grip my phone and begin to pace.
“Two days ago, I would have told you hell yes, but now…” I choke, my emotions getting the better of me, and I stop beforemy friend, who is looking at me with concern. “He claimed me, Belle, at a place where everyone knew it was a marriage of convenience. He’s been home for the first time ever, I-I…”
A few tears fall, and I quickly swipe them away and begin to pace again, my mind all over the place.
“As soon as I got home from work the other day, I knew I was going to divorce him. I knew I needed to be the one to pull the plug on this marriage because he felt obligated to me, only to walk through the door and find him with our daughter. For the last two days I’ve had more communication with him than I have in the whole six years we’ve been married.” I croak and pace quicker, but my phone rings, making me jump to a halt, and I swallow hard.
“It’s Trick,” I choke.
“Answer it,” she says.
“He never calls me,” I whisper, and Belle urges, “Answer it, Clark.”
I take a shuddering breath, and I answer it.
“Trick, is Willow okay?” I ask, not knowing why else he would call.
“She’s alright, buttercup, I just wanted to let you know that I’ve got church, so I’ll be missing her practice,” he says softly, and I swallow the lump that is forming and my heart clenches.
He’s never called to tell me he’ll be missing anything where Willow is concerned, it’s normally just a text.
I lock eyes with Belle’s wide ones, and I clear my throat and say, “Okay, I’ll uh, um, Belle will pick her up, I won’t be off in time, but I can bring her back with Drew.”
“Dr. Lavish put more shit on your list, buttercup?” he asks with a bit of a bite, and I widen my eyes at Belle as to say,I told you he’s being weird…
“It’s fine,” I mutter, “I’ll um, I should get there halfway through and –”
