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“That man that stood in my kitchen earlier?” Cal turns to look at me. “The one who looked like he was about to go to war with whoever would dare to harm you? That’s not a man that hates you, Belle.” He turns back to his pot of water like he didn’t just drop a bomb on me.
“You two are annoying,” I grumble before getting up and heading to the couch. I need a minute to figure out the thoughts racing through my head.
Kai is hurting? Just the thought of that kills me. I knew Ezra’s disappearance hurt him, but Willa is making it seemlike I’m the cause, and I can’t figure out why. What could I have done to cause him pain? Yes, I went to school and didn’t live the life of a rockstar, but that didn’t need to hurt him. I tried to keep in touch initially, but he would never respond to my texts or answer my calls. If anyone should hurt in this situation, it should be me. It is me. Kai’s anger and silence hurts.
I don’t know how long I sit there, trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces. Long enough for Cal to have finished making the food and for Willa to be standing in front of me, holding out a bowl like it’s a peace offering.
“I’m sorry. It’s just. . . you and Kai are my best friends and you’re both clearly hurting. I wish I knew how to fix it. To go back to how we were,” she says as she takes the spot next to me.
“We can’t. Ezra was part of how we were,” I say softly.
She nods before digging into her mac and cheese.
Cal joins us quietly, turning on the tv and picking a movie. We eat in silence, none of us willing to risk bringing the atmosphere down any further. At some point, the sun rises, and we all go our separate ways.
four
BRAD
“That fucking cunt!”I scream at the door to my house.
I pace the length of the hallway, which is maybe five steps, before turning around and doing it again. She really fucked up this time. My steps falter when I feel my phone vibrating in the pocket of my jeans.Shit.
“This is Brad,” I say as I answer.
“I’m well aware of that. Now please enlighten me on why I heard from my wife that your girlfriend was spotted in town when she should be with you,” my bosses cold and angry voice comes through the speaker.
“She has family there —”
“You are supposed to inform me of any trips ahead of time!” he screams before I can finish my sentence. I cower, even though he can’t do anything over the phone. It’s an involuntary reaction my traitorous body makes.
“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll handle Belle,” I say with as much apology in my voice as I can muster.
“You better or I will.”
He ends the call there.
“Fuck!”
She has no idea what she’s done by running off like this, but she’s about to find out.
I look around my apartment, every inch of it reminds me of why I’m doing this. So I pick up my phone and make a call.
“Maine Medical, this is Deidra speaking. How may I direct your call?”
“Patch me through to Regina Foley’s nurse. She’s in the long-term care ward,” I snipe at the woman on the line.
“One moment.”
“Hello again, Mr. Foley,” the voice comes through on the line quickly.
“Martha, is my mother showing any signs today?” I ask the nurse. I call every day and ask her the same question. The stroke that almost took my mother’s life is also preventing her from speaking to me. She’s the person I tell everything to. I don’t know how I’m supposed to be making decisions without her input.
“I’m sorry, but your funding stopped. Until her bill is paid, she won’t be able to attend any therapies.”
“What!” I shout, knowing full well who is responsible. The bastard already stopped paying for her care. “When?”
I hear typing coming through the phone and then, “It looks like it happened last night.”
