Divided Heart

Chapter 3

The doorbell's sharp chime cut through Amara's morning routine. Teddy was still asleep, a peaceful tableau of contentment. Wrapping a towel around her, she hurried to answer the door.

"Hey May," Rahn stood in the doorway, his presence a jarring intrusion into her tranquil morning.

The last person she expected to see, he offered a smile that felt both familiar and foreign. A surge of emotions washed over her. Anger, confusion, and a flicker of something she hadn't acknowledged in a while. Why was he here? And the why the hell was he calling her that?

"Rahn," she managed, her voice flat.

"Can we talk inside?" he asked, stepping closer.

"No," she replied, her tone firm. "I have company."

His smile faltered, replaced by a look of understanding. "Just a few minutes," he pleaded. "It's important."

Reluctantly, she stepped aside. "Be quick," she warned, closing the door behind him.

Rahn's presence was a tangible weight in the apartment. He looked around, his gaze lingering on the intimate space they once shared. It didn't look the same as he remembered it. The memory of their time together was a ghost in the room.

"I need to tell you something," he began, his voice low.

Amara braced herself, her arms crossed defensively. "I'm listening."

"Niki and I are separating," he said, his words hanging heavy in the air.

A cold wave of disbelief washed over Amara. She felt a strange mix of anger and pity. With a bomb like that she had a sleuth of questions formulating in her head. But asking questions meant she cared, and she didn't want him thinking that.

"I don't care," she said flatly.

Rahn's face fell. "Okay. I just...I needed to tell you."

Amara's anger was simmering beneath the surface. What was his goal showing up unannounced? They hadn't shared a private moment in almost three years. They weren't familiar with one another anymore. They were nothing, just childhood neighbors.

"You think telling me about your marital problems is going to change anything between us?"

Her voice threatened to rise from his audaciousness. Rahn reached out to touch her arm, but she pulled away.

"Don't," she said, her voice trembling. "Just go."

Rahn hesitated, his eyes filled with regret. He turned and left, the door closing softly behind him. Amara leaned against the wall, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

The encounter had stirred up emotions she thought she had buried deep. She had seen Rahn at family functions and passing by but never alone on her doorstep with so much desperation. She returned to the bedroom, finding Teddy still asleep. The sight of him brought a sense of calm. She had Teddy all to herself this weekend and nothing was going to sour it for her. As she slipped back into bed, she pulled the covers over them both, hoping to escape the chaos of the outside world, named Rahn.