Chapter Seventeen
Caliana
A MONTH HAS passed since Darren’s parents walked into the hospital I worked at and spewed all their vile lies and hatred for me.
Dr. Stevenson has been doing a full investigation into their claims and I have yet to hear anything back from him.
I’m trying really hard not to call him on a daily basis to ask him where things stand, but it’s harder than almost anything else I’ve ever had to do in my life.
I want to go back to work and help patients who walk through the door of the emergency department for various reasons.
Working there as a nurse gave me a purpose in life.
I can be a great mom to Bryce and Rory, giving them everything they need, but helping others is what truly made me feel alive.
Hearing someone thank you for giving them your time, attention, and care in their most vulnerable times made me feel like I was fulfilling a greater need.
Now, I get up every day and do the same things.
I cook, clean, take care of the kids, and try to make memories with them.
It’s routine and I’m starting to become bored.
My SUV was totaled by the insurance company.
They took in all the damage Carly did and decided it wasn’t worth repairing.
Caleb and Kreed dealt with it before Kreed and Luca took me out to choose a different vehicle to buy.
I got a good deal from the insurance company and I was able to put down a down payment on a new SUV for the kids and I.
I like the new SUV and all the things that come in it to make it safer for my kids, but I really wanted to keep my old one with all the memories we’d made over the years.
Especially anything involving Darren. Those are memories I’ll hold in my heart forever but I won’t be able to physically have a reminder of them any longer.
Carly took that from me. She tried to hurt my kids and stole something precious from me.
I hope she pays for the rest of her life and doesn’t get a single second of rest.
The stalker has left several more things on the porch of Kreed’s house since the day my SUV was damaged.
It’s mainly pictures of my past and present.
Caleb’s face is always crossed out with an X.
Whoever this is really doesn’t like him.
Part of me feels like it’s Darren because there were times over the years he said how much he hated my relationship with the guys.
He didn’t want me as close to them as I was.
I know Darren died, but the things left at times are things he would often gift me for one reason or another.
Especially the rose petals. Darren always gave me roses and never remembered how much I hate them.
Darren and the guys are home from their second deployment.
Caleb and Kreed have gone home to visit their family since it’s been over a year since they’ve seen them.
I haven’t seen Darren in over a year. They’ve been deployed and the calls and emails were sporadic at best. I’ve moved to a house on base and it’s hard making friends with anyone else on base.
My time is spent at school, taking care of Bryce, and doing homework or working in the house.
I don’t have time to sit around and hang out with others on base because whatever spare time I do have is spent with my young son.
While I wish I had friends here, it’s just not possible.
Not only because of my lack of time but because it’s so hard for me to meet new people.
Darren’s still sleeping when I wake up and make him breakfast while taking care of Bryce.
The guys got in late last night and Darren went right to bed.
He barely said a word to me and he didn’t look at Bryce once.
There were no words spoken between us and my heart cracked because this is new.
Darren has never treated me this way no matter what’s goin on in his life.
He always treats me with respect and the love of a friend.
Last night it was as if Darren was looking right through me and seeing something else.
Or someone else. For the first time since we got together, I wonder if he’s cheating on me with someone he truly wants to be with and simply not saying anything because of Bryce and his sense of responsibility.
Because I don’t know what happened while they were gone, I have no clue how to approach Darren.
I can’t help him work through whatever is going on in his head.
Caleb and Kreed are the only ones who can.
As I’m cooking an omelet and homefries for Darren’s breakfast, there’s a brief knock on the door before it opens.
Turning to see who’s coming in the house, I find Kreed and Caleb.
They’re dressed in casual clothes and looking better than ever before.
Both men have put on weight and added muscle to their already toned bodies.
I can see the changes in Caleb more than Kreed though.
Maybe it’s because I’ve spent more time memorizing everything about Caleb and not Kreed.
“Caleb! Kreed!” I call out, excitement filling my voice as I race to my best friends and accept their hugs. “I didn’t think I’d see you on this leave. I figured you’d both spend all of your time in Benton Falls.”
Caleb wraps his arms around me tighter than normal and lifts me off my feet.
He spins me around as I laugh and press my face against his neck to assure myself he’s really here.
Kreed soon takes me from his arms and gives me a bear hug.
I feel as if I’m suffocating because he’s holding me so tight.
Kreed doesn’t usually do this so I know shit must have gotten bad when they were gone.
“What the fuck is goin’ on out here?” Darren growls out, his voice low and menacing as he enters the kitchen and I scramble out of Kreed’s arms. “Always got my wife in your arms. I’m sure you already gave her a hug, Caleb.”
“I did. Caliana is our best friend and we’ve missed her. What the fuck is your problem, Darren? We’ve always hugged her and you’ve never once said anythin’ about it before. At least to us,” Caleb says as I get back to work cooking Darren’s breakfast while starting the coffee.
“The problem is she’s my wife, Caleb. You touch her as if she’s a single woman.
Cali, you sure as fuck don’t push them away either.
You let them touch you knowin’ you have a husband and young son.
Is that what you want Bryce seein’? You want him watchin’ you act like a slut who allows any guy she meets to put his hands on her?
” Darren questions me as pain fills me and racks my heart even more from his hurtful words.
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now, Darren?
” Kreed questions him, his voice low so Bryce doesn’t hear the fight going on in the kitchen while he plays in the living room where I can see him.
“’Lil Bit is our best friend. We’ve known her longer than you have.
Caleb and I know she’s your wife. We were at your weddin’.
That doesn’t mean we’re gonna change how we treat her.
That line is never crossed by any of us, Darren.
You know this and are just bein’ an asshole because you’re a prick. I don’t know what Cali sees in you.”
Kreed usually doesn’t go off on Darren like that. He’s pissed because I see the veins in his neck standing out and pulsating with every beat of his frantic heartbeat. Caleb remains silent but doesn’t leave the kitchen. If anything, he moves a little closer to me in a protective stance.
“You got anythin’ to say about this, Doll?” Darren asks me, his voice full of mocking rage as I turn to face my husband.
“I’m sorry, Darren. I won’t let them hug me anymore. I’ve got your breakfast here,” I tell him, trying to keep the peace even though it’s a lie about the guys hugging me. I’ll just be more careful about things.
“Bring it to the livin’ room,” Darren says, leaving the kitchen as Kreed and Caleb remain with me.
“What the fuck, Cali? Have you been cleanin’ the house at all?
There’s fuckin’ toys all over the place.
Bryce doesn’t move around like that already.
What the fuck do you do that you can’t take care of the house and your son? ”
Yeah, that’s new. Darren has never called Bryce my son.
It’s always been our son. Kreed and Caleb share a look and I know they’re having one of their silent conversations.
This entire situation with Darren this morning is a first and I don’t know how to handle it while keeping the peace between the three of them.
I’ve never had to play referee before when it comes to my best friends and husband.
Kreed usually plays that role in the friendship.
“Our families are comin’ here. They want to see you and Bryce and didn’t want us makin’ the trip there.
I’ll take the douche canoe his breakfast. You get somethin’ to eat, Reina.
It seems like you haven’t been eatin’ like you should,” Caleb says, taking the plate of food and cup of coffee when I’m done preparing everything. “Missed you, Reina.”