Don't let go: Joel Miller x OC

That Man Isn't Capable of Love

A couple of days later...

She had wanted to say something. To tell him what was on her mind. To scream it at him in fact but... was there any point? She thought he knew... he did know, she could tell by the ashamed look on his face as realisation hit when she shoved at him... yet the situation from the other night went undiscussed.

Her emotions bubbled within her gut, slowly boiling away. Why was he being like this? Why so cold and distant? Had she done something for him to act this way?.. Whatever was going on, it was turning him into another person.... This wasn't the same man she fell in love with...

They had barely spoken a word to each other. In fact, the only time they had conversed was when it was in regards to Lily or if it was a question that only needed a one word answer... but even then it was tension surrounding them was palpable.

Ava's nights had been more restless and disturbed than usual. Her mind endlessly spiralling in search of the answers as she tossed and turned between tending to Lily. Why was he being this way?

She trudged into the kitchen as per her usual routine, stopping at the basin of the sink and pouring herself a glass of cool water. Joel was already slumped down in one of the kitchen chairs at the table, mug steaming in front of him. He appeared just as disheveled as she did... not that it was surprising considering he had opted to sleep on the couch the past few nights...

He discreetly glanced up at her as she entered the room, eyes flickering briefly over her form before refocusing back onto the table cloth beneath his hands - that was about all he offered with regards to acknowledging her presence. The whole atmosphere of the house painful; as if it was two uncomfortable strangers that just so happened to share a house...and a kid.

She could hear the electricity coursing through the walls as she stared out into the back yard, not that her vision was focusing on anything in particular, her mind too preoccupied on the thickness of the air around her. The blonde collapsed her lungs into a heavy sigh, fingers restlessly tapping against the metal of the bowl as she remained hovering by the sink. The unwelcome silence becoming unbearable as she made the decision to speak first... it was very much apparent that he clearly had no intention in initiating any sort of conversation with her, "Can you wake Lily up in a bit?"

Her question was met with a simple grunt as she watched him take another swig from his mug. God, she could feel her temper rising...

She took a step forward to further explain her reasoning, trying to remain calm. "I've got a shift at the shop..."

His half full mug was placed back onto the table. He glanced up beneath his brows at the sound of her voice, his focus trained to an invisible spot ahead of him rather than on her. His tone flat as he finally grumbled a response, "I've got somewhere to be at two."

Ava pinched her brows at his words... Of course he did... It was his fucking day off, he didn't have to be anywhere... "Well, I'm working 'til four so you'll have to take her with you..."

She was met with no response. She clenched and unclenched her jaw at his unbearable attitude. She couldn't help but question his planned outing, "Where are you going?"

Joel's whole body stiffened at her question, shoulders squaring taut. He wetted his lips as he stalled her, making eye contact with her for the first time that day, "What?"

"I said, where are you going?" Her tone a little more direct and abrupt than the first time.

He swallowed dryly, turning his attention to refocus on the random spot on the wall ahead. Anything to not look at her in the eye, "None of your concern..."