MICHAEL
The second that I insert the key into Kate's apartment door, I know that it is a lost cause. She isn't here, and she isn't coming back here. She probably went to a god damn hotel again. Fucking hell, we just argued about this. It seems like a cruel and unusual twist of fate that we would resolve a problem and then have our resolution tested so soon after.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I whip it out, desperate to hear her voice. But it's not Kate, it's never Kate when I want it to be. It's fucking Luke, and I'm not dealing with him right now. He seems to be having trouble accepting the fact that I'm done, that I'm over looking for answers.
I toss my phone onto Kate's coffee table, collapsing onto her couch. Tonight took a turn for the disastrous entirely too quickly for my liking. My phone rattles against the wooden coffee table again and I nearly lose my temper. I snatch it up, sliding my finger across the green arrow and drawing in a deep breath to tell Luke to fuck off.
"What the fuck do you want?" I snap angrily.
"Are you ever not an asshole?" He sighs exasperatedly.
"What do you want?" I say again.
"This is actually about what you want," he says hotly.
"Fuck off, Luke, I'm not in the mood for your mind games."
"Kate is in my apartment."
"She what?" I sit up, immediately alert. "What the fuck did you do to her?" I shout.
"Oh my god." I can hear him rolling his eyes. "I didn't do anything to her. Other than pick her up from the city, where she was mysteriously alone and freezing." His judgmental tone nearly sends me over the edge but I can't even be that mad because he's not wrong.
"Can I... should I come get her?" I ask. What has my life come to that I'm asking Luke for relationship advice with Kate?
"I don't know, I don't think she wants you to. I just wanted you to know where she was."
"I'm not just leaving her with you," I say hotly, my voice raising.
"I'm not going to do anything, Michael, she's exhausted and I think she's getting sick. Let her decide when she wants to talk to you."
"I... fine. Why did you call me anyway?"
"I told you, so you know where she is."
"Why do you care if I worry?"
"I've told you Michael, I'm not the bad guy you've always thought I was."
"Whatever," I huff. "Make her call me when... when she's ready to come home."
"I'm not going to make her do anything," he huffs.
"Fuck off, Luke!" I yell. There is silence on the other line. "Sorry," I mumble.
"It's fine. Hey, don't tell her I called you," he says uncomfortably.
"Okay." There is silence again. "Um. Thanks," I tell him.
"It's nothing."
"I'm going to hang up now," I say awkwardly.
"Cool."
I toss my phone on the coffee table again, uncomfortable with the thought of Luke trying to help me.
It seems like I can't take two steps around Kate without colossally fucking something up. And now what? I sit here and wait for her to come back and forgive me? What if she doesn't? She might this time, if I'm lucky, but what about the next time? If I keep doing this, eventually she won't come back.
