BLEACHED (COMPLETED)

142: the article

Lavender sighs for the hundredth time, wanting to catch the attention of Heather who has been playing with Myra for the past hour while she demands Lavender to fold the new clothes she's bought for the little bouncy baby girl.

The baby giggles as Heather tickles her from the baby mat she's lying on on the floor, hardly minding that her mother isn't holding her.

"These are a lot." Lavender whine as she glances off to the countless shopping bags behind her. "Why did you get so much?"

"Why wouldn't I? I've always wanted to buy girl baby clothes for so long. Plus, I got carried away, that's all." She chuckles as she grins down at Myra who smiles back. "By the way, did you talk to Domen? Isn't he meeting Evette today?"

"Well, he already met her this morning. He started texting me and suddenly stopped, hasn't responded since." Lavender frowns as she glances down at the shirt she is folding. "I tried calling a few times but... He wasn't answering or would just say he's busy."

Heather frowns at this as she fixes Myra's little hat, knowing too well what could be going on with Domen.

"Well, he maybe-". Heather stops mid sentence as she looks up and spots her son walk past the corridor, clearly just coming from work now that it's seven in the evening.

A few minutes before dinner.

"Speak of the devil, he's just passed by." Heather points to the corridor, getting Lavender to glance over her shoulders almost instantly. She gets up from her spot and clenches her jaw as she stares at the now empty corridor. "Don't act like you don't want to ask. I'd be curious too. Go."

Lavender nods her head slightly and doesn't waste a second hesitating as she speeds off into the corridor, knowing too well he's gone straight into their bedroom.

Meanwhile, Domen sighs as he runs a hand through his hair while stepping into the empty room, a bit relieved Lavender wasn't in there yet.

He drags his feet towards the bed and throws himself onto it, taking out a deep breath as he stares up at the ceiling, wondering how the hell he'd tell Lavender what had happened without getting her upset or raising up the trust issues.

Why... Why did she do that...?

"Domen." Domen sits up almost in an instant the minute he's well aware he's heard Lavender call him. His wide eyes turn towards the door where she catches his worried expression as he moves on his spot that his sitting on.

"Oh... Did you miss me?" Domen tries his hardest to pull on a smile but Lavender only frowns and walks from the door and towards him, getting him to clench hold of the beddings. "Come on, at least say something."

He watches as she takes a seat beside him and crosses her arms on her chest, dropping his gaze down to her laps instead.

"You practically ignored me all day. Why? What happened?" She asks as she reaches her hand down to his thigh and gives it a slight squeeze while glancing up to his eyes. "I felt scared, that maybe things didn't go as you thought they would."

Domen frowns as he looks away and down to her hand on his thigh, feeling the slight guilt and fear of her finding out fill his stomach.

"It didn't, she didn't end the engagement just then, said I should think about it. But that's all." He shrugs as he glances back Lavender who clearly isn't convinced for a second. "I promise, that's all that happened."

"Okay, I'll believe you." Lavender smiles as she sits up and sighs glancing around the room. "Did she say anything about me...? S-should I consider her a friend... As we were?... Though it's obvious that if she's refusing to end it... She hates me."