“I’m sorry, Katie,” Luke said, his hand resting on the door to the bathroom where Kate had gone to hide. As though hiding was even possible.
There was nothing but silence now. No water running, no throwing things, no talking.
They’d been there before. Many times. Sometimes in reversed positions, with him locking himself up and her begging to be let in. That was just something they did. Something she did a lot as a way to cope with the difficulties of her job.
But he recognized his error this time.
He shouldn’t have mentioned the letters. Heck, he shouldn’t have looked inside those boxes in the first place.
But he had no way of knowing the letters would reveal such unbearable things. How could he have known?
“Katie, baby. Let me in.”
Nothing.
Turning around, he slumped his body against the closed door, and let himself drop to a sitting position. He knew they could be here for hours.
“I was an ass. I shouldn’t have mentioned those letters. I’m sorry.”
This time he thought he heard her sigh, but he wasn’t sure.
“I can’t even imagine the pressure you’re under with work. I get it. I’m sooo sorry, but I can’t travel back in time.”
His thump on the door made it vibrate.
“I love you, Katie. But it’s not my fault those letters exist. Can you please open the door?”
Nothing. Not a word. Not a sigh.
Bringing his hands to cover his face, he spoke aloud to himself. “I’m such an ass sometimes. I really shouldn’t have pushed you to look into your parents’ old case. You already have too much on your plate. I don’t understand how you deal with me and my countless—”
He fell backward, his head landing on the tiled floor before he could finish his sentence. “Ow!” he yelped.
“Oh no!” Kate said, dropping to her knees next to him. “Are you okay?”
He smiled at her, even though he had no doubt he’d get a bump out of this.
“I’m sorry, Kate.”
“It’s not your fault,” she said before leaning down to kiss him. She slid her hand underneath his head then lifted it right back up, as though checking for blood.
“I just… I just needed to shut the world away for a minute. Are you really okay? Should we go to the hospital to have your head checked out?”
“I’ll be fine, Kate,” he said before sitting back up and hugging her. “But let me in from time to time, okay? I’m on your team.”