Monday January 3rd 2022
"You still make me smile, even if you're the reason why I'm sad."
Kacie had been keeping a close eye on Cody for the past three hours.
He hadn't drank in a while. Instead, he used his time to have staring contests with his wallet outside.
People would ring the doorbell. Come inside, wave a hand in his face. He would not look up. He would keep his eyes on that same wallet for hours, until he was ready to ask Kacie if she wanted to come to the batting cages with him, or how her day was.
Kacie wasn't mad. She couldn't be. She understood if his mind was so fixed on that torn up leather wallet that he tore out of his closet from years ago, it must've meant something to him. Especially after all he'd been through.
Kacie was preparing to go back to work. Once Cody's situation started to escalate she decided to take a break to be with him, but this past Winter Cody had insisted on her going back to work and doing what she loved, which was to teach.
And if it weren't for Kacie teaching her and Cody wouldn't have met.
Cody glanced into the kitchen, noticing Kacie's beautiful brown sunny curls that cascaded down her back as he searched for the time.
She had been focused on something, staring at her computer as she typed calmly until the phone rang. Cody watched as Kacie left the kitchen and answered, saying a few words before flashing her pageant smile and mesmerizing laugh.
That laugh. That smile. Those eyes.
Everything that Cody fell for in the beginning was still there, and he found even more.
As Kacie's eyes met his, Cody immediately shot his eyes towards the kitchen clock, realizing it was already 2 o'clock.
He had been looking at his wallet, praying, and hoping for a miracle for hours.
Inside the wallet was $200. The exact amount of money that Cody had given to Corey 3 Februarys ago after he was caught cheating in UNO and forced to pay up.
He thought maybe if he laid the money there he'd know God was there. Or Corey was there. Or someone. Someone to give him a hint that he was doing something right.
But nothing came.
It was something stupid of him to think that the wallet would just magically open itself and the money would dissolve into thin air.
But Cody couldn't let go.
