Chapter 41 #2
I hold my baby tightly against me, as if he’s the only thing keeping me grounded, rocking us gently back and forth. For the next ten minutes, we let ourselves cry—mourning the loss of the man who once meant everything to us, and the life we now have to imagine without him.
I’ve counted three flying-foxes so far, gliding through the sky with slow, majestic movements, as if they’re creatures from another world.
I’m lying on my garden bench with an almost empty bottle of Shiraz dangling from my hand, staring up at the blanket of stars above.
They sparkle like scattered glitter, shimmering so brightly that my hazy vision makes them seem as if they’re blinking at me.
As soon as Zac went down for the night, all I wanted was to sit on my bench, surrounded by my plants, gazing up at the sky and breathing in the cool night air.
After the day I’d had—Adrian’s confession, the countless betrayals, him leaving for good, I needed somewhere to quietly fall apart and think on my own.
The bottle of wine I found in the kitchen cupboard was simply a bonus.
Now that I’m only a few sips away from finishing the entire bottle, everything feels quieter, lighter—even the sound of my phone buzzing is more of a soft hum than an intrusion, a soothing sensation that makes my eyes instantly close.
My phone buzzes again, and this time my eyes snap open. Slowly, unsteadily, I push myself into a sitting position, and slip my phone out from the pocket of my hoodie. Kaden’s name flashes across my screen, and I notice there’s already a missed call from him.
I tap to answer.
“Hellooo, you!” I slur.
“Hello to you too,” he chuckles. “You sound happy and relaxed.”
“Oh, my dear friend. I am anything but.” I hiccup, a soft giggle slipping from my throat.
“Hope, are you drunk right now?” he asks, his tone laced with amusement, and something else.
“I don’t know, you tell me?”
“How much have you had to drink?”
I raise the Shiraz in front of me, narrowing my eyes as I peer inside. “Almost a whole bottle of red wine.”
There’s a long pause on the other end of the line, and for a good solid minute, I think he’s hung up. Then I hear shuffling on his side, followed by a heavy sigh.
“What’s going on. Hope? What’s got you polishing off an entire bottle of wine on your own?”
I don’t know if it’s the sound of his concerned voice or the fact that Adrian has managed to obliterate my heart once again, but a choked sob escapes me, and soon, I’m crying fully into the phone.
“Woah, what the hell? Hope, sweetheart. What’s going on?”
I try to force the words out, to tell him what I’d just discovered today, but they catch in my throat, struggling to break free. Only gasps and muffled whimpers escape my lips.
“Stay where you are. I’m coming to you.” Those are the last words I hear before the call cuts out.
Ten minutes later, I hear the doorbell echo from inside, jolting me from my seat. I stumble towards the sliding door on unsteady legs, hurrying to get inside before the sound wakes Zac from his sleep.
When I open the front door, I find Kaden standing on my porch, a deep frown etched across his face as his gaze takes me in. He’s dressed in a black hoodie and matching tracksuit pants, his white shoes stark against the darkness.
He steps towards me, and the moment he does, I throw my arms around his neck, the now-empty bottle of Shiraz clutched tightly in one hand. His arms catch me instantly, pressing me flush against him as if afraid to let me go, afraid I might fall.
Suddenly, his strong, steady arms lift me off the ground, carrying me inside, and he closes the door with his foot behind us. My face buries into the crook of his neck, and I breathe him in, his intoxicating scent already soothing something deep within me.
He gently sets me down on the kitchen island, taking the bottle from my hand and carefully tossing it into the recycling bin. His warm hands find me again, resting them softly on my knees as he looks at me with worried eyes.
“Talk to me, sweetheart. What’s got you so upset tonight?” he asks gently, his callous fingers tenderly massaging my knees in soothing strokes.
It takes me a few minutes to finally speak—to finally open up.
But when I do, I make sure to leave nothing out.
I tell him about Adrian’s visit, his confession of countless affairs, the argument that followed, Zac stepping in to defend me and declaring he never wants to see his father again, and Adrian walking out of our lives for good.
The words pour from me like a fountain—chaotic, rushed—but I manage to get everything out.
By the time I’m finished, I’m spent, but also slightly relieved to have gotten it all off my chest.
“I’m so sorry, angel,” he whispers softly, brushing loose strands of hair from my face with his fingers. “He’s a despicable man who was never worthy of you and Zac. I know it’s hard to believe now, but in time, you’ll see you’re far better off without him.”
It takes every ounce of energy I have to nod, my eyes growing heavy with exhaustion, and I struggle to keep myself upright.
Kaden senses my tiredness, leaving only to grab a bottle of water and a packet of Advil from the drawer, which he hands over to me.
Once I have them in my palm, he lifts me off the island, my arm instinctively looping around his neck, as he carries me to my room.
Sitting me on the edge of the bed, he takes the items from my hands and places them on the bedside table, then slips off my shoes and sets them neatly beside the bed. He pulls back the covers and pats the mattress, signalling for me to lie down—and I do.
“Try and get some rest, okay,” he whispers softly. “We’ll talk some more tomorrow, when your mind is little clearer.”
I exhale a long, weary breath. “That’s probably a good idea.” A yawn escapes my mouth as I tuck my hand beneath my pillow. “I’m sorry for dumping all my issues on you tonight. I just… don’t have anyone else to talk to.”
“Didn’t I tell you? You have nothing to apologise for. I’m your friend, Hope. You’re meant to dump your issues on me—that’s what friends are for,” he says, flashing a playful wink.
I let out a small, tired chuckle.
“You can always talk to me about anything,” he continues. “Big or small, I’ll always listen. And if you just need a shoulder to cry on, know you can always lean on mine. I’ll do my best to help lift you back up.”
I offer him a grateful smile and slowly raise my hand to cup his cheek. He instantly leans into my touch, briefly closing his eyes.
“Can you stay for a little while? I don’t want to be alone right now.”
A slow smile spreads across his face as he leans over to switch off the lamp. I roll onto my other side, my back now facing him, but I can feel him watching me through the dark as he perches on the edge of the bed.
After a few minutes of lying restlessly on the bed, I turn my head to glance at him.
“Kaden?”
“Yes, angel?”
“Would it be okay if you just hold me for a bit?”
He doesn’t reply, but I hear movement behind me and the soft sound of his shoes being slipped off. Moments later, the mattress dips and I feel him slide under the covers with me, his arm slowly encircling my torso.
“Is this okay?” he whispers, his warm breath brushing my neck.
I nod silently, and he tightens his hold around me as my eyes slowly drift shut. We lie entwined on the bed, his warmth easing every knot of tension in my body, until sleep finally pulls me under.
When I wake, morning has arrived as if no time has passed at all. And with the space beside me now empty and cold, my first thought upon waking is that, despite the trials of yesterday, I’ve just experienced one of the most peaceful sleeps of my life.