The Hotel Room: His Broken Vows

Chapter Thirty - Kate

CHAPTER THIRTY

Kate

The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, casting a soft golden glow across the countertops. The house felt quieter today—not tense, just...gentle.

Kate stood at the sink, rinsing dishes from the kids' after-school snacks while the sound of Lily’s voice carried from the living room.

“Mom! Look at my drawing!”

Kate turned just in time to see Lily bounding in, holding a sheet of paper so large it nearly covered her face. The crayon sketch was of the whole family—simple figures holding hands, with the new baby drawn in a tiny bubble inside her belly.

Kate’s breath caught.

“Oh, sweetie.” She knelt down, brushing a strand of Lily’s hair back as she examined the drawing more closely. “This is beautiful. Is this...the baby?”

Lily nodded eagerly, beaming.

“Yup! I gave the baby curly hair like mine. And I made Daddy taller than you. But only a little taller.”

Kate laughed softly, warmth blooming in her chest.

“It’s perfect,” she whispered, pressing a kiss to Lily’s temple.

Before she could say anything else, the sound of Noah’s footsteps on the stairs echoed through the hall.

He appeared in the doorway, his phone tucked away for once, watching them with a thoughtful expression.

“Hey, Mom,” he said, his voice quieter than usual.

Kate’s heart twisted, bracing for the usual teenage walls he’d been putting up lately. But then, to her surprise, he shifted closer, hesitating only for a moment before wrapping his arms around her in a firm, solid hug.

Kate blinked, caught off guard, but melted into the embrace.

“Noah?” she whispered, her voice cracking slightly as she hugged him back, one hand brushing over his shoulder blades.

He didn’t let go right away.

“I love you, Mom,” he mumbled against her shoulder. “I’m sorry for...everything. I know I’ve been kind of a jerk lately.”

Tears welled behind Kate’s eyes, her throat tightening as she whispered, “You haven’t. You’re figuring things out. I love you so much.”

Before she could say more, a smaller body pressed into her other side.

Lily had joined the hug, wrapping her arms as far around both of them as she could manage, her face squished against Kate’s stomach.

“Me too!” Lily exclaimed. “Group hug! I love you, Mommy!”

Kate let out a shaky laugh, holding them both tighter, her heart swelling so full it almost hurt.

For a moment, it didn’t matter how complicated things were with James. It didn’t matter how fragile everything felt.

This was hers .

Her children. Her family.

And in that moment, surrounded by their warmth and love, Kate felt—

Whole.

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Kate stood at the kitchen counter, rinsing a bowl when Leah’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“What’s with your hands?” Leah asked, leaning casually against the doorway, her eyes narrowing.

Kate glanced down, blinking at the smudges of blue and green paint streaked across her fingers and palms.

“Oh,” she said, embarrassed. She turned back to the sink, scrubbing her hands a little too quickly. “I’ve been painting.”

“Painting?” Leah straightened, her tone a mix of curiosity and surprise. “You haven’t painted in years.”

Kate shrugged, still scrubbing. “Yeah, well...I’ve started again. Just something to keep me busy.”

Leah crossed the room, her gaze sharp as she leaned over the sink to get a better look at Kate’s face. “You’re blushing.”

“I am not,” Kate mumbled, avoiding her sister’s eyes.

Leah smirked. “You totally are. What’s going on, Katie? You’ve been sneaking off somewhere with paint all over you. Don’t tell me you’re suddenly hiding secrets like we’re teenagers again.”

Kate sighed, drying her hands with a dish towel. “Come on,” she said softly, nodding toward the back door.

Leah raised an eyebrow but followed her outside.

They crossed the garden, the late afternoon sun casting warm golden light over the shed at the far end. As they approached, Kate hesitated, her hands twisting nervously.

James had done so much work to make the space hers. She felt protective of it, of what it represented, and of the vulnerable pieces of herself she had poured onto the canvases inside.

Still, she pushed the door open, stepping aside to let Leah in first.

Leah walked in and stopped, her eyes widening as she took in the space.

“Wow,” she said softly, turning in a slow circle. The sunlight streamed through the large window, spilling across the tidy shelves of paints and brushes, the blank canvases stacked neatly in the corner, and the easel standing proudly in the center of the room.

“James did all this?” Leah asked, glancing at her sister with raised eyebrows.

Kate nodded, her cheeks warm. “Yeah. He...he wanted me to have a space to paint. A space just for me.”

Leah turned to her, her expression unreadable for a moment. Then, with a small smile, she said, “That’s...really sweet.”

Kate didn’t respond, her throat tightening.

Leah’s gaze drifted to the canvases propped against the wall, the edges of some faintly smeared with color. “Are those yours?”

Kate hesitated. “They’re not finished.”

Leah looked at her, her voice gentle. “Can I see?”

With a shaky breath, Kate nodded, crossing the room to pick up one of the canvases. It was one of the first she had started after James finished the studio—a chaotic swirl of reds and blacks, streaked with jagged lines of white and gray.

“I was working through some things,” Kate said quietly, holding it out.

Leah studied the painting, her brows furrowing. “Kate,” she murmured, her voice soft but heavy with emotion. “This is...it’s powerful. Angry. Sad. But beautiful.”

Kate swallowed hard, her hands trembling slightly as she set the canvas aside and picked up another. This one was newer, softer—a blend of blues and greens, a streak of yellow light cutting through the center.

“This one,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper, “is what I was feeling after...after James held me the other night. Like...like there was hope again.”

Leah stared at the painting, her lips parting slightly, her eyes glistening.

“You’ve always had a gift, Katie,” she said, her voice thick. “Even back in high school, your paintings were incredible. But this? This is something else. This is...it’s you.”

Kate’s chest tightened, and she blinked back tears as she carefully leaned the canvas back against the wall.

Leah stepped forward, resting her hands on Kate’s shoulders, her voice firm but full of warmth. “I’m so proud of you,” she said. “For finding this again. For letting yourself have something that’s just yours.”

Kate let out a shaky laugh, the tears slipping down her cheeks now. “I’m scared, Leah,” she admitted, her voice breaking. “I don’t know if I can forgive him. And even if I do, what does that say about me? What kind of person goes back to a man who cheats on her?”

Leah’s expression softened, and she pulled Kate into a hug. “Katie, cheat ed —past tense—right?” she asked gently.

Kate let out a small, tearful laugh. “Definitely.”

Leah stepped back slightly, brushing a tear from Kate’s cheek. “Then that’s all that matters. You’ll figure it out. And whatever you decide, I’ve got your back.”

Kate hesitated, then gave a weak smile. “It’s so obvious now,” she said, a hint of bitterness creeping into her tone. “I could tell something weird was going on with him. He’s such a terrible liar.”

Leah raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a small smile. “Honestly, that’s one of his best qualities.”

Kate laughed through her tears, the sound rough but genuine.

Leah squeezed her shoulders, her voice soft but sure. “You’re going to be okay, Katie. No matter what. You’re stronger than you think.”

Kate nodded, but the ache in her chest lingered, raw and insistent. Tears welled up again, spilling down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Leah didn’t hesitate. She pulled Kate into another hug, tighter this time, her arms firm and steady, grounding her.

“It’s okay,” Leah murmured, her voice soft against Kate’s hair. “Let it out.”

Kate let herself sink into the embrace, her tears falling freely now as she clung to her sister.

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“Mom?” Noah’s voice startled her. She turned from the kitchen counter to find him standing in the doorway, his hands shoved into his hoodie pockets. He looked hesitant, like he was debating whether to stay or retreat.

“Hey, Noah,” Kate said softly, drying her hands with a dish towel. “What’s up?”

He hesitated, then stepped inside, leaning against the counter. His dark eyes—so much like James’s—avoided hers.

“It’s…nothing,” he muttered. But the way he lingered told her it wasn’t nothing.

Kate crossed her arms, leaning back against the counter to face him. “You can talk to me, you know,” she said gently. “Whatever it is.”

He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze dropping to the floor. “It’s just...about Dad.”

Her stomach tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. “Okay,” she said slowly. “What about him?”

Noah sighed, raking a hand through his hair. “I don’t get it,” he said, his voice low. “How you can still...be around him after what he did.”

Kate’s heart ached at the raw confusion in his tone. She had hoped to shield him from the worst of it, but that door had already been opened. There was no going back now.

“It’s complicated,” she said carefully, choosing her words. “Your dad and I...we’ve been through a lot together. And what he did—” She paused, her voice catching. “It broke something between us. Something I don’t know if we can ever fully fix.”

Noah frowned, his jaw tightening. “So why even try? Why not just...be done with it?”

Kate sighed, stepping closer to him. “Because, Noah, there’s more to it than just what happened. Your dad and I built this life together. We’ve loved each other for a long time. And even though he hurt me...he’s been trying. He’s doing everything he can to make things right.”

Noah’s expression twisted, a mix of anger and uncertainty. “But does that really make up for it? For cheating on you? Doesn’t that...I don’t know...make him a bad person?”

Kate swallowed hard, her chest tightening. “It doesn’t excuse what he did,” she said softly. “But it doesn’t erase the good parts of him either. Your dad made a terrible mistake. A selfish, hurtful mistake. But he’s not a bad person, Noah. He’s a flawed person—just like all of us.”

Noah was quiet for a long moment, his brows furrowed. “I just...I thought you and Dad were...different. Like, unbreakable.”

Kate’s heart clenched, and she reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “We’re not perfect,” she said gently. “No one is. But what matters is that we’re trying. Trying to figure out what our future looks like, trying to be there for you and Lily. And I know this has been hard on you.”

Noah’s shoulders slumped slightly, his tough exterior cracking. “It just...sucks, you know?” he muttered. “You and Dad were supposed to be, like, the example. The people who had it all together.”

Kate gave him a sad smile. “I know. And I’m sorry if we let you down. But Noah, love is messy. Relationships are messy. What your dad and I have been through—it’s not something I’d wish on anyone. But it doesn’t mean we don’t care about each other. Or about you and Lily.”

He glanced up at her, his eyes uncertain. “Do you still love him?”

The question hit harder than she expected. Kate hesitated, her thoughts spinning. “Yes,” she admitted finally, her voice soft. “I do. But love isn’t always enough. Trust, respect...those things matter too. And we’re still working on all of that.”

Noah nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor again. “I guess I get it,” he said after a long pause. “Kinda.”

Kate smiled faintly, squeezing his arm. “That’s all I ask, Noah. Just give us time. And try to understand that no one’s perfect—not even your parents.”

He gave a small, reluctant smile. “You’re, like, slightly closer to perfect than Dad.”

Kate laughed softly, ruffling his hair. “Thanks, I think.”