Page 17 of Until Tomorrow Comes
“I refused to go back to that house before we left, so this is it.”
I can only nod in response, knowing that was probably very difficult for her to say.
“There’s no point in beating around the bush, Al,” Kat says, crossing her arms and leaning against the doorframe.
His eyes find hers, and she half-heartedly shrugs at Alan. He nods silently, acknowledging the unfortunate truth in her words.
I shift on my feet, unsure of if I should say anything. Alan watches her for a long moment before moving past her, and setting her suitcase down just inside the bedroom door.
The tension in the hallway is heavy, and I feel a bit awkward standing here trying to think of something to say. I want to reassure them both that this stage of “uncomfortable” and “unfamiliar” will eventually pass, but nothing sounds quite right.
My phone’s ringtone echoes through the house, and I’ve never been so happy for the damn thing to ring.
“I’m gonna…” I jab my thumb over my shoulder, awkwardly nodding before I turn to head downstairs.
Blindly, I walk to the kitchen, my thoughts still stuck on Kat and how she was forced to leave her entire life behind.
Leaving your home with nothing more than a couple bags is a feeling I know all too well. The heavy ache that settles after making the decision to walk away is not something I would wish on anyone.
No matter how much they hurt you, physically or emotionally, it still hurts like hell when the life you built with the person you loved, who claimed to love you back, goes up in flames.
I grab my phone off the counter, expecting to see my mothers name. A pit forms in my stomach when I read the name flashing across the caller ID.
Todd Turner
Without thinking twice, I decline the call. Just in case he decides to try again, I silence my phone before setting it back on the counter.
We haven’t spoken in over a year, and that conversation ended with me telling him that I never wanted to see or hear from him again. There is not a single thing he could say that would excuse what he did.
The moment he had sex with my wife was the moment he chose to not have a relationship with me.
7
Kat
“Go on then,” I sigh, stepping further into the bedroom.
The decor is simple, painted pale blue walls with only a mirror hanging above a waist high, light brown dresser. Matching nightstands frame the bed that is draped in a light gray floral comforter.
What makes my new temporary room really perfect though, is the thin framed glass sliding door on the back wall.
Like a magnet pulling me, I gravitate toward the doors and stare out at the waves. When Alan doesn’t say anything right away, I glance over my shoulder at him.
He’s leaning against the bedroom doorframe, regarding me carefully but not speaking. I offer him a small smile before sliding the glass door open and stepping out on the deck.
“Come on, Al, say whatever it is you’re thinking,” I call out over my shoulder while taking in the view from the balcony.
There’s an outdoor wicker couch that sits right next to the door, with a matching table in front of it. On the other side of the couch is another glass sliding door.
Curiosity gets the best of me, and I quickly peek in.
It’s Jackson’s room.
His room is clean and neat, but somewhat plain and basic. There’s a meticulously made bed, a singular oak dresser, and a small leather lounge chair in the corner. While it probably should concern me that my room shares a balcony with a stranger, it doesn’t. Instead I find it oddly comforting.
“You can trust Jack,” Alan states as he sits on the couch, almost as if he heard my thoughts.
I lean forward, resting my elbows on the railing, and chuckle lightly as I study the beach. Sucking in a deep breath of fresh salty air. Knowing my brother, he has something more to say, so I decide to wait, and simply appreciate the gorgeous scene before me.
