Starting Over

Chapter 67- Back to Leesburg

It’s been the longest twelve hours of my life. Luke’s a complete wreck. I had to call his publicist and make sure everything for the week was cancelled. That meant no CMT Artist of the Year and no Coyote’s Acoustic Concert in Louisville. I’ve had to book a flight for Luke and I for first thing in the morning. Tia’s keeping the all of the kids, but Megan is on her way here right now and she’s going to help her get the kids on a flight to Albany tomorrow evening. Our bags are packed with everything we could possible need. I even had Luke’s suit boxed with my dress for the funeral and ready for Megan to ship overnight to Leesburg so we don’t have to risk them being ruined. It’s midnight and there’s no chance of either me or Luke getting any sleep tonight, but I know we need to at least try.

“Luke, you need to try and get some sleep,” I encouraged my husband.

“I can’t,” Luke said as he just sat in the chair looking out the window.

“I know you feel that way. I do too, but babe we have to try,” I said as I grabbed his hands and lead him to the bed, “Just try. Please. For me?”

“I’ll try,” Luke said as tears glistened as they flowed steadily down his cheeks and he laid back resting his head on the pillow.

“I love you,” I said as I pulled my husband into my arms.

“I love you,” Luke said as he lightly kissed my forehead.

Nothing else was said between the two of us until the alarm went off on my phone letting me know that we needed to get up. We may have dozed off for a maximum of ten minutes total the entire time. We got up, ready, and were out the door as soon as Megan arrived. She had drove almost all night to be here before we left. I had arranged for a car to take us to the airport and it arrived thirty minutes early, which was great. The flight to Albany was okay and Luke’s dad was there to pick us up.

“How’s Luke holding up?” Tommy asked me as Luke had stepped into the bathroom.

“He’s not really. I’m really worried about him. I’ve never seen Luke cry so much,” I told my father-in-law.

“He’ll come around as soon as he sees the kids. But how are you?” Tommy questioned me.

“I’m okay. I’ll be okay,” I informed him.

“Don’t feed me that. Tell me the truth,” Tommy stated.

“I’m heart-broken. I want to completely break, but I know Luke needs me to be strong right now,” I said to him.

“Sweetheart, you just need to be real with Luke more than anything,” Tommy said as Luke came out of the restroom.

I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and took off to the restroom myself. I heard Luke asking his dad what was wrong with me just before the door closed behind me. I felt like I was in there forever before I resurfaced. Luke and Tommy were standing side by side waiting for me. Luke had turned his hat around to the front and had his sunglasses on, but I could tell just by his posture he was staring at the floor. He looked rough and I’m actually surprised that he was holding up so well for now.

“Are you okay?” Luke asked me as I wrapped my arm around his waist and he wrapped his around my shoulder.

“I think so. I guess everything is just getting to me,” I answered him.

“As long as you’re not pregnant. That’s the last thing we need right now,” Luke said causing me to stop without warning causing him to stumble, “What is it?”

“Luke, no. Just no,” I said as tears started flowing down my cheeks. I knew now was not the time for us to start bringing a child into the world. I knew that there was no way I would be able to deal with the stress in my life and maintain a healthy pregnancy.