AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thanks.”
I sit down at the table with my plate, and he begins to eat in silence. He really is hungry. He’ll feel better after he eats. I’m sure.
I chatter on through dinner about every single subject on earth. I haven’t brought up his dad . . . I don’t know how to, and I don’t want to trigger him.
I just have to be patient; he’ll talk to me about it when he’s ready.
We finish dinner, and I load the dishwasher. “I made you some chocolate pudding.” I smile hopefully.
“Thanks, babe.” He kisses me softly. “I’m just . . . tired. I’m going to go straight to bed.” He kisses me again, his lips lingering over mine. “I’m exhausted.”
“Okay.” I smile, feeling a little better.
He goes to walk away, and I pull him back by the hand. “You know how much I love you, right?”
He nods. “I’ll eat the pudding tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
He trudges up the stairs, and I hear the shower turn on. And for the first time today, a sense of calm falls over me. I think it’s going to be all right.
I wake with a start. Henley is gone.
He seemed to have slept well, while I tossed and turned all night before falling into an exhausted sleep around 3:00 a.m. I didn’t hear him get up and leave because by then I was out like a log.
I think he’s gone to work, but honestly, who knows?
There is one comforting thing, at least. I know that Henley does autopilot like a pro. And if autopilot is what he needs to do for a while, then that’s totally fine.
Keeping busy is probably the best for him at the moment. If he needs to be a workaholic this week, then so be it. I just wish I wasn’t on fucking afternoon shift this week. I’ll swap my shifts or take the week off.
I need to be home for him this week.
I get up and get into the shower. First things first. I’m going to Goodwill to get his father’s things back. I’m going to hide them in my attic, and I know that one day Henley will be grateful that I got them.
Or maybe not . . . but I can’t stand the thought of his family photo albums being thrown into the trash. They are way too valuable; I’ll keep them for myself if he doesn’t want them.
I glance at my watch. “Damn it, Henley.” It’s 2:00 p.m., and I’ve called him twice, and he hasn’t called me back. I can’t imagine the torture going on in his head right now, and I know I need to give him space, but seriously? He can’t even return my call?
Fuck.
He’s gone onto autopilot and is blocking me out. I know it. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach.
A car drives into the street and pulls into Henley’s driveway. Who’s that? I peer through the curtain; the relatives must be turning up.
Maybe he’s been at the funeral home all day today. Yes . . . that’s it. Of course that’s where he is.
I keep spying through my curtains, and to my surprise, Jenny gets out of the car.
What the fuck is she doing here?
I watch as she walks up to his front door and opens it with a key.
She has a key?
Adrenaline surges through my system, and before I can stop myself, I find myself marching over there. I walk in without knocking, “Hello?” I call.
Jenny walks out of his office and exhales heavily when she sees me as if I am a huge inconvenience to her. “Hello, Juliet.”
