Lynx: A Callie Torres Story

27

"Callie I think we need to take a break."

"We need to take a break?

Jada nodded. "Yeah, I think it would be a good idea."

Callie crossed the entire kitchen to stand in front of her. "Why do we need to take a break Jada?" she questioned.

Jada shrugged. "I've been feeling odd this last couple days," she answered honestly. "I don't know why or what's causing me to feel like this."

Jada never thought she would see the defeated side of Callie. Callie, the hot, fiery, and sexy woman she had fallen in love with was standing before her simply dumbfounded.

"I would just like to know where I'm not on the same page of this relationship," she shot back. "I feel like I'm being blindsided so hard here."

"I know," Jada replied quietly. "I just feel like I'm walking on eggshells around you. I-"

"What have I done to make you feel like that?"

"You haven't done anything to me," she answered. "I don't know why I feel like this."

"I know why," Callie spat back. "It's because I let you decide if I continue to be Lynx or not."

"Callie, it's not that."

"What is it then?"

"I can't decide that for you baby. And I think I just need a break to get my head back together. That's such a huge decision to be thrown on me, one I know that I can't make."

"Jada, we're equal in this relationship in everything. Including Lynx. You have a say in that. And if you don't want me to be Lynx then I won't. I couldn't imagine how you feel when I have to go do Lynx stuff and that's why I want you in this decision. I'm prepared to give up Lynx for you. I'll do it in a heartbeat."

"I can't do that-"

"I told myself that I would give up Lynx for a relationship if I felt it was right. I can't be Lynx forever. And I know you are my soulmate. Lynx isn't."

"Callie, how do you know that?"

Callie simply looked at her and broke down. "What did I do wrong?" she asked as she tried her hardest to hide the tears.

"You didn't do anything wrong Callie. You've been the best partner I could ever ask for."

"You're really going to do this to me?" Callie questioned quietly. "You're going to break my heart again Jada?"

"I don't want to break up," Jada was quick to respond. "I want to take a break. A month or two. I need to get my head together because I can't ask you to give up that much of your life for me."

Callie sat down hard on one of the barstools. "I'm going to go pack my things," Jada said quietly.

She hoped Callie didn't hear her sobbing as she packed up the things she needed from their bedroom. Jada decided she was going to leave most of her things for when she came back and grabbed just the basics and a ton of clothes to wear over the next month. Jada herself didn't know why she was doing this. And explaining it to Callie was the hardest part. She felt horrible. Horrible that Callie was most likely sitting downstairs wondering what she'd done to cause this. But it wasn't Callie. Jada knew she was the problem. She couldn't handle some of the big steps they had been taking. She couldn't decide Callie's life for her. And she knew if she tried, no matter what the decision was, she'd be feeling guilty and beating herself up over it for a long time. But this decision to take a break felt like the right one. And she could not explain it for the life of her to Callie.

Callie was still in the same spot. She had her head in her arms and Jada could visibly see her shaking. "Calliope."

"Jada, what am I supposed to do during this break?" she asked quietly, her voice barely audible from all the sobbing. "I can't live without you."

"You keep being you, Callie. You're amazing. And don't let this make you feel any less amazing than you are, okay?"

"I can't lose you. I can't do this again."

"You're not going to lose me baby. I promise. I will come back. You have my word."

"I thought I had your word when I put that ring on your finger but I guess I was wrong."

That one stung a lot but Jada had no right or energy to fight her on that. "I need to get myself figured out."

Jada set down her bags and wrapped her arms around her fiancée. "I love you Callie. I'll let you know how I'm doing." She took off Callie's necklace and gave it back to her. When she went to remove her own, Callie stopped her.

"Keep it."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "It'll take care of you."

Jada grabbed everything and headed for the front door. "I love you Calliope Torres."

And the last thing she saw before closing the door was a completely broken Callie.