Frayed Silk(30)

“Where are Rupert and Henry?” Lola asks Fiona who’s just returned from the bathroom, looking a little happier.

She waves her hand around. “Who knows. Their father dropped them off this morning.”

My brows tug in. “Isn’t he still staying at the hotel, though?”

She rolls her eyes. “Yes, he kept them there overnight. Says he doesn’t trust me with them anymore.” She shrugs. “Whatever that means.”

“Shit, he can’t just do that,” Lola says, turning to me. “Can he?”

Wow. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”

I look over at the playground as everyone starts packing up. I notice Rupert and Henry with Charlie and Sophie over by the trees. The boys look okay, but wouldn’t they want to come over and get a treat? Or say hi to their mom? I shake my head, not knowing the finer details, so it’s pointless to try to understand the situation. I should know that better than anyone.

After handing the Tupperware containers back to everyone, I take the bag of trash over to the dumpster by the side of the school before going to say goodbye to the kids then Fiona and Lola.

“You ladies want to go out? It’s Friday. Let’s shake what our mamas gave us before they get old and saggy …” Fiona brushes some chocolate off her fingers. “Or fat.”

Lola sighs. “While that sounds like fun, I’m pooped. I’ve got some work I still need to catch up on this weekend and having a hangover will make that impossible.”

Fiona’s gaze falls on me. “What about you, Lia? Feel like a bit of fun?” She shakes her ass for good measure.

I smirk. “No can do, sorry. Leo’s going out to dinner with a client tonight, and I have no idea when he’ll be home. It’s too late notice for the sitter.”

She pouts. “You guys suck. Oh well, I’ll just have to grab a bottle of wine on the way home … or three.” She laughs loudly.

We force a laugh, too. “Yeah, just be careful. Call me if you need anything, ‘kay?” I remind her.

She nods. “I’ll be fine. Seriously, I feel free for the first time in years.”

We say goodbye, and I make the short drive home. I’m just pulling into the garage when my phone rings from my bag. I lean over and dig it out, my stomach flipping at the sight of Jared’s name on the screen.

I hit answer and climb out of the car. “Hello?” I say while shutting the door then almost tripping at the sound of his husky voice as I walk inside.

“Hey, Blondie.”

I’m tempted to ask where he’s been, why he didn’t show up on Tuesday, and why he hasn’t gotten back to me until now, but I stop myself because even with the questions begging to be unleashed, he’s not mine to worry about like that.

“How’ve you been? Didn’t see you on Tuesday.” I dump my purse on the counter and walk into the living room, falling back on the couch.

“Yeah, had some shit I had to do, and I wasn’t sure if …” He pauses.

“What?” I ask, probably too quickly.

“Nothing. I just didn’t want to cause you any more trouble. But it seems like I just can’t help myself, not when it comes to you.”

I remain quiet, hardly breathing.

“I know you’re married. I saw it with my own two eyes. But I can’t … you’re kind of all I think about, Dahlia.”

The use of my real name is what jars me the most out of that admission.

“I’m sorry, trouble. I didn’t mean for that to happen, for any of this to happen. But you’ve shown me what it’s like to be wanted again, and as bad as this sounds, it’s a feeling I’ve come to crave. But that doesn’t mean …” I startle as the front door opens and slams closed. I panic, hanging up the phone and turning around just as Leo walks by and I hear him lock himself in his office.

“Fuck,” I whisper, holding a hand to my chest, trying to get my heart rate to slow. What the hell is he doing home?

My gut tightens. Frustration and confusion have me rising from the couch. This is all becoming too much.

I walk down the hall and go to swing open the doors to his office, but he’s locked them. What the …?

“Leo.” I bang my fist on the wood. “What are you doing home?”

He doesn’t answer me, but I hear him curse and something smash on the other side, causing me to jump backward.

I wait a minute then two until I hesitantly knock again. “Is everything okay?” I ask through the door.

“Go away, Dahlia,” he growls.

“No, not until you tell me what’s going on,” I demand. “Are you okay?”

He laughs sardonically but doesn’t answer.

And still, I wait.

“Jesus, just leave me the fuck alone.” His tone quietens.

Tears prick at my eyes as I back away from the doors, not knowing what to do. I scrub my palms over my face and take a deep breath before grabbing my phone and walking upstairs to lay on our bed.

My phone chirps with a text, probably Jared. I contemplate ignoring it, then grab it and look anyway.



Jared: What happened? Call me back.



Me: Leo’s home. I’ll see you on Tuesday.



I drop my phone onto the nightstand and stare off at the wall for a while. He doesn’t write back, and I tell myself to be glad for it. I feel myself creeping closer to the edge of something. Maybe it’s the tentative hold I’ve been keeping on my sanity or on my heart. I don’t know. But whatever it is, it’s dried the tears from my eyes and left me feeling strangely vacant inside. As if my reasons for giving a shit are slowly drying out like the autumn leaves scattering in the wind outside the bedroom window. Just one step, one wrong move, and the remains of my heart might crack and splinter into irreparable fragments.