Outburst

Alyssa pulled the covers up to Macy’s chin and brushed some hair from her daughter’s face. It was nice to see her sleeping so peacefully. She kissed Macy’s forehead, then left the room, closing the door behind her.

“Is she asleep?” Luke paused the show he was watching and looked her way.

Alyssa nodded. “Finally.”

Relief flooded his face. “Thanks for coming over. I think it really helped her having you here.”

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She forced a smile. Certainly not at home with Chad.

“Don’t feel like you have to stay.” 

“I don’t mind. I’ll get the dishes.”

Luke rose. “I got them while you were in there.”

“Oh. Well, I can do laundry. I saw a pile in the—”

Her phone rang. It was Chad. She pressed ignore.

“Are you going to get that?” Luke asked.

She shook her head. “I’m going to do some laundry.”

He arched a brow. “Are you sure? I think you’d need some rest, too.”

“No, I just need to keep busy.” She hurried past him before he could press the matter further.

Her phone rang again. It was Chad again. She pressed ignore again.

Couldn’t he take a clue? What part of her needing space was so difficult to understand?

A text came through—from Chad, of course.

Chad: We need to talk.

Alyssa: No we don’t.

Chad: It’s about Alex.

Alyssa froze. Had they found him? Was he okay? Why did he know, but she didn’t? Because he was at the house, and she wasn’t?

Alyssa: What? Tell me.

Chad: Not over text.

He was seriously the most annoying man on the planet. Not only a cheating, lying jerk, but irritating and grating too.

Alyssa: Just tell me.

Chad: Call me. Or come home.

Alyssa: Grow up.

Chad: This is too important for a text.

Alyssa: Then why are you texting me?

Chad: Because you won’t answer your phone!

She wanted to throw her phone at him, but more importantly, she needed to know what was going on with Alex. 

Chad: Well? 

Alyssa stared at the screen. She didn’t want to talk to him, but it looked like she had no choice.

Fury tore through her. Why was she the one who’d left the house? He was the lying cheater. He should be the one to leave their home.

Alyssa: I’m heading home, but you’d better pack while you wait.

Chad: What?

Alyssa: You’re the one that deserves to leave. Not me. See you in a few.

She stuffed the phone in her pocket, ignoring the notification about another incoming text, and headed back into the living room.

“Is everything okay?” Luke asked. 

Alyssa shook her head. “No, it’s not, but don’t say anything to Macy. She needs to just focus on getting better.”

“Of course. Is there news about Alex?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on yet. I have to head home. Can you tell Macy to call me if she needs anything?”

“Sure. Do you need anything?”

An honest husband. Her son back safely. Macy’s pregnancy to go well. “No, but thanks, Luke.”

He got up and gave her a hug. “It’ll all work out. Alex will come back with a wild story and Macy will be fine. I’ll see to that.”

Alyssa returned the embrace and then gave him a weak smile. “Thank you.”

“Let me know if I can do anything.”

“Just take care of Macy.”

“I will.”

Alyssa gathered her things and headed home. Her mind went over the texting conversation again and again, making her gut churn the whole time. The only good that came from it was that she realized Chad needed to get out of the house. Not her.

She pulled into the driveway, grabbed her bags, and stormed to the door. Once inside, she found Chad and Zoey in the front room, staring at books and papers spread over the coffee table. 

It shook her to her core seeing Zoey there. Now that she didn’t trust her husband, the two of them together didn’t sit right. 

Zoey looked up. “Hi, Alyssa. We’re just—”

“I need you to leave now, Zoey.” Alyssa dropped her bags on the floor.

Zoey’s expression twisted in confusion. “I was going to—”

“Please. I just need to talk to Chad. Alone.”

“Okay.” She turned and looked at Chad. “I’ll let you know if I hear anything else.”

Alyssa’s stomach churned. Zoey would let Chad know if she heard anything? 

“Thanks.” Chad eyed Alyssa. 

“Just go, please.” Alyssa struggled to keep her voice steady.

Nobody spoke as Zoey put on her coat and grabbed her purse. She left without a word, closing the door softly behind her.

“Was that really necessary?” Chad asked. “You were pretty rude to her. What did she do?”

Alyssa glared at him. It was too bad looks couldn’t kill. “You don’t get to talk.”

He rose and took a couple steps toward her. “I don’t? How am I going to fill you in on Alex?”

“I don’t know… How about over text?”

“Alyssa, please.” He reached for her hand, but she yanked it away and backed up. 

“Just leave.”

“We need to talk—about us and Alex.”

She folded her arms and shook her head. “I can call Nick and find out what’s going on with Alex. Go.”

He didn’t budge. “We need to talk.”

“I need space!”

“Why were you rude to Zoey? She didn’t do anything to you. She’s just as worried about Alex as we are.”

“You’d know.”

His mouth fell open. “What?”

“Well, you’re here alone with her.” Alyssa sniffed the air. “Smells like you two ate together. I know you didn’t cook.”

Chad’s lips turned white as they formed into a line. “Are you accusing me of something?”

“I don’t know! All I know is I can’t trust you anymore.”

“She’s Alex’s girlfriend! The mother of our granddaughter. We practically raised her along with Valerie. Really, Alyssa. What kind of a person do you think I am?”

“How would I know? I don’t know you. I thought I did, but I don’t.”

Chad opened his mouth, then closed it. “I get that you need space to process what I told you. I’m more than willing to give it to you. But how can you even think that I would… that anything would… that… Zoey! I think of her as one of our kids, Alyssa. We both do.”

Tears blurred her vision. “I don’t know what to think anymore. All I know is that I can’t trust you. You not only betrayed me, you kept it from me for who knows how long?”

“It was more than ten years ago. I haven’t thought about it in ages. It’s not like I’ve been purposefully keeping it from you. It’s out of my mind. Lydia means nothing to me. Nothing!”

“Don’t ever use her name around me! Just get out of my sight.”

He took a deep breath. “Would you like to know about Alex?”

“Did they find him?” she demanded.

“No, they—”

“Then I don’t want to know. Go.”

He held her gaze. “They found one of his shirts—bloody.”

Alyssa stumbled backward. “What?”

“Nick recognized the shirt. It’s his.”

“H-how much blood?”

“A lot, whatever that means. I haven’t seen anything.”

She gasped for air. “But they still don’t know where he is?”

Chad shook his head. “That is my main concern. Alyssa, we can’t face this alone. We need each other right now.”

She snapped her attention toward him. “I can’t trust you! Don’t you get that? Get out of the house!”

He shook his head. “I said I’d give you space and I will, but I’m not leaving you.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I’ll sleep in my office downstairs. You can have all the space you want, but at the same time, I’ll be right there when you’re ready to talk.”

Anger tore through her. “You’re refusing to leave?”

“I’m refusing to give up on us. I love you more than life itself, and I’m going to fight for everything we’ve built together.”

She stared at him, too enraged to speak, then she marched upstairs to get as far away from him as she could.