Page 3 of No Turning Back
One Month Later
"Are you really not gonna talk to him?" Kate asks as I happily sip my coffee.
"Nope."
"Quinn," she draws out my name like she’s scolding a child.
"What?" I shrug. "He left, okay? I asked him not to, and he screwed my brains out, then left while I was asleep, like the coward he is."
I try to sound indifferent, breezy even. But it hurt. God, ithurt. Waking up alone in that bed, Iknew. No note, no goodbye. Just absence. His missing duffle bag gave me all the answers I needed.
His hundred calls since then? All unanswered. His texts? Left on read. He wanted to leave? Fine.Bye.
Kate sighs. "Are you gonna tell me how you really feel?"
I look away, stare at the blueprints scattered across her dining table. "How’s the extension coming along?"
She gives me a knowing look. "We’re just waiting to get it approved. Aiden’s been like a kid on Halloween."
I laugh, but it’s a hollow sound. One that tastes fake even to me.
The truth is, I’mhurthe left, but also... I feel guilty.
Ever since Markus walked out, life’s been… easy. No more passive-aggressive comments. No more Cheryl, his mother, popping in uninvited for ‘chats’. I haven’t had to walk on eggshells, begging my husband not to go back, terrified that he would.
It’s like when he left, a weight lifted. And Ihatemyself for it.
When Markus and I met eight years ago, we were still in the Army. I knew the stats, saw firsthand what distance did to relationships. And with us? It was a ticking time bomb. Every time he brought up taking things further, I’d push back. Blamed the distance. Blamed his "girl best friend". Blamed his mother’s disapproval.
It wasn’t until I was discharged, until the Army told me I couldn’t serve anymore, that we finally started spending real time together. He stuck by me. Chose me over everything else. And I thought,this is it.
I was fine with him serving overseas. Hell, I was proud of it. But then I wanted to start the adoption process, and he said he wanted to be home for good before we began.
He told me, “After this last tour, I’ll retire.”
And I said, “Okay.”
Then he said, “One more.”
And I understood.
Now it’stwo yearslater. Anotherlast tour. Still childless. Still waiting.
"…loves this house too much to leave," I hear Kate say, pulling me back into the room.
"Yeah," I nod. "This is the house the boys grew up in."
"Has Aiden come up with a name yet?" I ask, pointing to the plans.
She groans. "Well, I axedKitty’s Architecture."
I laugh for real this time. "You’re kidding?"
"Nope. I support Aiden starting his own firm. I even support him building his office on the property, mainly because he promised me a library, but Idraw the lineat naming it like a strip club."
"I think he was trying to name it after you," I tease.
"Well," she smirks, "he can pick something else. I give him full permission."
