Indisputably Yours

27.

Sienna

The ride home from the restaurant was suffocatingly silent with the weight of unspoken words hanging heavy in the air between us, and I didn't try to quell it because, honestly, I didn't know what to say.

Every glance I stole at Tristan revealed the tight set of his jaw and the furrow of his brow, a clear indication of his simmering bitterness.

At some point, I just gave up and stared out the window, wondering if I should've just shut up instead. But it was the truth, wasn't it? Maybe it might have sounded a little selfish knowing what he had been through but these were feelings I couldn't deny forever.

The thought of starting a real family with Tristan appealed to me in ways that it shouldn't have. He would make a great father if he ever decided to give himself a chance. I knew he would.

As we finally pulled up to the house, Phillip, our reliable driver, opened my door with a polite nod. Stepping out onto the gravel driveway, I couldn't shake the unease that gripped me. When I took a few steps forward and noticed Tristan wasn't coming along, I stopped and turned. He remained seated in the car, his gaze fixed ahead.

"A-aren't you coming?" I willed myself to ask.

"I'm going back to the office to get some work done," his voice was devoid of its usual warmness, the words clipped and distant.

My throat felt tight. I swallowed. "Tristan, if it's about what happened, I—"

"It's fine, Sienna." He cut me gruffly, finally turning to look at me. "Just don't wait up, I might be late."

My heart sank at his abrupt dismissal. It was clear he was trying to avoid me, this was his defense mechanism. I wanted to reach out, to bridge the chasm that had seemingly grown between us during the car ride, but his stony demeanor left me rooted to the spot.

Phillip offered a sympathetic nod as he shut the door and took to the driver's seat and as the sound of the car engine faded into the distance, I was left standing alone on the doorstep, the weight of his unspoken frustrations heavy on my shoulders.

There was a rift between us that needed to be addressed, but for now, I could only watch in silence as he retreated into the dusk.

***

When night came, I couldn't sleep. I was ensnared in a restless state, unable to find solace in the sanctuary of sleep so I retreated to the living room and stayed awake in the dimly lit space, waiting for Tristan to return.

We needed to talk about this. Running away was never the solution. But as the minutes stretched into hours, the silence of the house seemed to grow heavier and so did the ache in my heart.

Nestled into the plush armchair, I wrapped myself in a blanket, its soft fabric a feeble barrier against the chill that seemed to seep into my bones.

Time continued to stretch endlessly in the silence of the night, each passing minute a painful reminder of Tristan's absence. I missed him. I wanted him back. I needed him here. I listened intently for the sound of his return, my heart racing with anticipation at the thought of his familiar presence and scent filling the empty spaces of the house.

The clock ticking sound taunted me. How long more did I have to wait? Was he not coming back home to me?

When the elevator finally chimed and heavy footsteps approached, I jolted from the edge of sleep and turned.

There he was, standing in the doorway, his silhouette outlined against the soft glow of the foyer light, his expression inscrutable in the dimness.

"Why are you still awake?" His rough voice cut through the silence like a blade, laden with exhaustion and a hint of curiosity.