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Finally, he met my eyes, sorrow reflected in his. But just as hope started to flicker, he doused it. “I have to go.”
I stood there rooted to the spot. I was still bleeding from the miscarriage, raw and reeling from the loss of our baby, and now I had to deal with a breakup too? As soon as I heard the front door open, close, and lock, I crumpled to the ground sobbing.
The doorbell rang at seven o’clock the next morning, waking me out of a troubled sleep on the couch. I’d been waiting there for Leo to return. For a brief moment as I woke, all was right with the world. Then the memories washed over me.
Brooke and Lucas were on the other side of the door. Her face fell upon seeing mine. “Oh, Addy, what’s wrong?”
Not having anyone else to confide in, I dumped everything on the newlyweds. Brooke and I sat in the living room while Lucas made us tea. Hoping they could help me make sense of it, I told them all about the events of the night, including Leo’s background in the military and the things he’d said about not deserving me.
Lucas spoke first. “He ever mention having nightmares before last night?”
“Never. But then again, we didn’t share a bed. He said it was because he was a restless sleeper who snored, but now I think he lied as a cover.” He hadn’t seemed surprised by his violent nightmare.
“Did he ever talk about his time in the service?”
“He said he lost people, and his mom told me he changed once he came back. Do you think his deployment is at the root of his nightmares?”
Lucas sighed. “It fits with post-traumatic stress disorder, but without speaking to him and consulting with a psychologist, I couldn’t be certain.”
Brooke squeezed my hand. “Honey, what are you going to do?”
“Go into the office and hope to catch him there.” It was Monday, and he’d been gone all last week. He couldn’t avoid coming in today. “The problem is I have no idea what to say to him.”
Brooke sighed. “It could be he just needs some time to come to terms with a secret he’s been keeping for a long time.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell my best friend we were married, but I’d already dropped two bombshells on her in two days. I’d save the wedding news for another time. Assuming we were even still married later. “I sure hope you’re right.”
Later that morning after a hot shower and assurances to my best friend and her husband I’d be fine, I showed up at the office on time, heading straight to Leo’s office. But he wasn’t there. The warehouse was my next stop where I found Craig.
“Hey, Craig, have you seen Leo this morning?”
“No. Wasn’t aware he was back from Germany yet.”
That wasn’t a good sign.
His expression changed to concern. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, he got home early this morning and must’ve gone straight to his meeting downtown.”
“He’s been burning the candle at both ends, hasn’t he?”
Yes, he had, and hindsight had me wishing I’d let him have a good night’s sleep instead of asking him to spend the night with me. “Yeah.”
I spent the rest of the day waiting on him to come in, but when he hadn’t shown by late afternoon, I called Dominic.
“Hi, Addy.”
“Hey, Nic. You talk to Leo today?”
“Only via text. He said he wouldn’t be in this week. Guessing he remains tied up in Germany?”
What the hell? He hadn’t told his brother he was back in the U.S.? Then again, he hadn’t told Nic about breaking up with me, either. Could mean he simply needed to calm down.
“You still set to fly out next week and interview candidates here?”
“Yeah, sounds good.” Would a week give Leo and me the chance to work things through?
After hanging up with Nic, I dialed Leo’s number. I hadn’t expected him to answer but was grateful when he did. “Hello.”
