Fine lines

Chapter 29

Tates barely spoke to me in 2 days. I don't blame her for being a little absent, after the sight I saw with her I'm not surprised. Eight months? Is that all it takes for some people? After so long of being in a marriage and even worse, someone dying? It's only been a year and half since her Mom died and I can tell she struggles with it everyday. But her Dad doesn't seem to mind at all, how it makes Tate feel, what it's doing to her and god only knows if her Mother were here what it might do to her. I wish she was still here because some times I don't know what to do or how to comfort her properly. Is she better off alone with her thoughts? Or does she want the company? She's been sleeping on and off in my room for two days and I go in and out all the time, every time she falls asleep I leave her to have the bed to herself, other times I'll sleep with her. I've tried getting her to eat something more than an apple but she won't budge, so I'm down in the kitchen making dinner while she's asleep. I asked the boys to make themselves scarce for the night so she come down out of bed comfortably and not have to worry about all them around. I also don't like cooking when I have a bunch of people around, I prefer to be in the kitchen. Alone.

I couldn't decide what would be easier to eat so I just made something light instead. I'm completely in the zone when my phone vibrates on the counter.

(T) Where are you? Are you home?

Sent 5:55pm

(Wyatt) Downstairs in the kitchen, we have the house to ourselves if you wanted to come downstairs?

Sent 5:55pm

I sit my phone back down to go back to my pan on the stove and after a few minutes Tate slowly makes her way down. Wearing a long white sleeve and grey gym shorts I can't help but notice no matter how dressed down she is she always looks so good.

"Hey pretty girl" She gives me a little smile and sits down at the counter across from me.

"What are you making?" She leans in looking over at the ingredients I have laid out and then back up at me.

"Grilled lemon chicken, do you want some?" She nods "That's good, I thought I was going to have to eat it all myself" I try to joke but she doesn't really budge. I let it go and keep doing what I'm doing and so I don't ruin dinner.

"Could I ask a favour?" She speaks quietly.

"Of course you can"

"I want to go get the rest of my things from my old room at Dads house, I don't know if he'll be there or not but I'd rather you come with me just to help grab everything faster"

"When do you want to do that?"

"Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow being Monday he might be at the rink with any luck and we can do it before training. I'll take it all to my grandparents so at least if I need to go back and forth to get something I can"

I keep chopping my vegetables as she talks to me and I look up at her every now and then but she's just looking either down or to the side. I keep the conversation to a minimum for her sake because the last thing she needs is fifty questions from me and the last thing I want is to make her more upset. "We can do that T, you can keep anything here too if you want to" I offer her a drink out of the fridge and she takes it, slowly sipping and looking at her phone every now and then. I can't help but notice every time it vibrates she looks disappointed.

"You okay?"

She sighs. "Yeah, every now and then Ivy just goes on a no touching my phone policy and doesn't answer messages or calls unless it's an emergency and generally it's because she's busy with finals but finals aren't on and I can't help and think it's her mental health. I don't like being here and not being able to do anything or at least see she is okay"