Katrina's life is at a crossroads after learning about her husband's infidelity she serves him divorce papers. Will it be finalized or will he win her heart back? Time isn't on his side and the man that want to shoot their his isn't either. Katrina...
Maybe it was the chocolate raspberry pie he had shipped from Houston and waiting on her in the fridge. Or the late-night conversation that took place in the kitchen with their fingertips lingering on warm mugs that were reminiscent of how things used to be. Or maybe it was waking up in her old bed. The cotton enveloped her skin in a cocoon of comfort and warmth. She stretched out the fumes of slumber that fell heavy on her last night, halting her plans to drive back to her new home in the dead of night.
Katrina slowly opened her eyes to the streams of light canvassing the room's bone and raw pine tones. Farmhouse luxury was the phrase she used when the interior designer asked her what she envisioned from the house which was a blank slate at the time. Five months of calibration and deliberation rewarded her with the place she sat in now. The house she poured her love and soul in. Hard work and research that was meant to create a space that was a haven from the outside world. A place of peace for her, the man she loved, and the future children then would one day bring into the world.
She sat up, the man's dress shirt falling off her shoulder. She pulled the bonnet off her head letting out a silent yawn. Clive's head popped up at the end of the bed and she gave him a pleasing smile.
"Hey, boy." She croaked, sleep-kissing her tone as she reached for her cell on the nightstand.
Those two words ignited the pooch and he rose to his paws, shook his muscular body, and trotted to her side of the bed. She gently patted his broad head as she checked the notifications on her phone; a reminder for an upcoming doctor's appointment with her OB/GYN, a motivational morning quote, and three text messages.
She read the first one.
Imani
I would've came and got you
Katrina chuckled knowing it was true but she didn't want to have her friend leave the comfort of her own home because she was too tired to drive.
She texted back, "It's all good. About to go home now, though," and hit send.
Katrina quickly read the next two messages while walking down the stairs with Clive trotting ahead of her. Both were from the same person but one was last night and the other just over an hour ago.
Keir
Glad you found him.
Just before going to sleep she let him know that she found Clive without informing him that the dog was never missing, to begin with.
Keir
Woke up thinking about you. Good morning.
She smiled at those words as she entered the kitchen drowned in sunlight. She texted back, "Good morning to you too"
An uneasiness started to grow in the pit of her stomach as she rummaged around the kitchen falling quickly into the routine of her weekend mornings from the past life—the life of a happy wife; refilling the pooch's water bowl, dropping food in his other bowl and pulling a mug from the cabinet as she studied the contents of the tea draw—still stocked with all her faves.
After filling the teapot with water and placing it on the stove she leaned against the counter watching Clive eat and thought pensively. She thought about the last couple of months of her life; finding Terrence cheating, filing for divorce, moving to a new place, finding out she was pregnant, going on sabbatical, and going on a date with another man. It was all a lot. Too much change. She wished for simpler times.
Clive trotted to the side door and she automatically knew what he wanted. She let him out to relieve himself and retrieved the crying teapot from the stove. As the steam billowed from the mug a thought formed in her mind.
It could be easy again. She stirred the honey into the tea remembering her conversation with Terrence last night in the same room she now stood in. He assured her that the affair was a one-time thing and it was over. He was going to therapy and working on himself. He even said he'd go to marriage counseling, rebuild their relationship and regain their trust. If he was willing to put the work in then shouldn't she be able to give him the chance to fix things? Where was the harm in giving him one chance?
Will you be able to trust him?
The question blazed in her mind. A two-lettered answer quickly came to her mind. She raised the mug to her lips and blew the steam away from the tea and wondered if she owed it to her unborn child to try and work things out with their dad. Could she? She sipped the tea hoping the leaves of earl grey would give her the answers she needed.
Katrina heard the front door open and her eyebrows knitted as she lowered the mug and swallowed the warm liquid. She glanced at the microwave checking the time. It was 9:25 Terrence never came back that early from golfing. He must be doing things differently now. She lifted the mug to her lips and before she could take another sip her eyes met the person who'd entered the house.
"What are you doing here?"
Who do you think asked that question?
Why do you think Katrina is having doubts about her choices and decisions?
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