Unspoken Truths

• chapter 6 •

Karen drove aimlessly for what felt like hours, the city lights blurring into streaks as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, the tension in her body refusing to ease even as she put more distance between herself and the house. Drew's house. That's what it felt like now—not hers. Not anymore.

She didn't know where she was headed, only that she couldn't stay there, trapped in that suffocating environment with Drew's betrayal lingering like a shadow in every corner. Her thoughts raced, the weight of everything pressing down on her chest until it became hard to breathe.

After a while, she found herself on a familiar street—Dorinda's. Karen hadn't planned on coming here, but her heart had led her to the one place she knew she could find solace. Dorinda had always been her rock, her sister in every sense of the word. If anyone could understand what she was going through, it would be her.

Karen pulled up in front of Dorinda's house, the porch light casting a soft glow over the front steps. She sat in the car for a moment, staring at the house, feeling a mix of hesitation and exhaustion. Could she really do this? Could she really walk up to Dorinda's door and admit that her life—her marriage—was falling apart?

She took a deep breath, wiping at her eyes, and stepped out of the car. Before she could second-guess herself, she made her way up the steps and knocked lightly on the door. It wasn't long before she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and then the door swung open.

"Karen?" Dorinda's voice was soft but full of surprise. She quickly took in her sister's tear-streaked face and the heavy bags under her eyes. "Girl, what's going on? Are you okay?"

Karen shook her head, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I had to leave, D. I couldn't... I couldn't stay."

Dorinda stepped aside and immediately pulled her into a warm hug, holding her tight as Karen's walls began to crumble. She felt herself start to shake, the tears finally escaping as she buried her face in Dorinda's shoulder.

"Come inside," Dorinda whispered, guiding her sister into the house and gently closing the door behind them. She led Karen into the living room, where they both sank onto the couch. Dorinda kept her arm around Karen, waiting patiently as the tears slowly subsided.

When Karen finally lifted her head, she wiped at her face, trying to regain some composure. "I didn't know where else to go."

"You know you can always come here," Dorinda said softly. "Now tell me what's going on. Why did you leave?"

Karen let out a long, shaky breath. "It's Drew... it's everything. He... he had a daughter, D. A whole daughter that he's kept a secret for sixteen years."

Dorinda's eyes widened in shock. "What? Sixteen years?"

Karen nodded, her throat tight. "Yeah. Zara—she's his daughter from an affair. And he never told me, Dorinda. Not once in all these years."

Dorinda's mouth dropped open, and she sat back, absorbing the gravity of what Karen was saying. "Oh my God, Karen... I don't even know what to say."

"Neither do I," Karen said bitterly. "I've been walking around that house like a ghost, pretending to hold it together, but I can't anymore. I can't look at him without feeling betrayed, and I can't look at Zara without being reminded of what he did."

Dorinda took Karen's hand, squeezing it gently. "You've been carrying all this by yourself? You should've come to me sooner, sis. You can't go through something like this alone."

Karen shook her head. "I didn't know what to do. Part of me didn't want to admit it—to admit that Drew could do something like this. We've been married for forty years, D. How do you even begin to process something like this?"

Dorinda sighed deeply, her heart breaking for her sister. "I don't have all the answers, but I do know one thing—you don't have to figure this out tonight. You don't have to make any decisions right now."

Karen looked at her, her eyes filled with pain. "I don't know if I can go back, Dorinda. I don't know if I can forgive him for this."

"I understand," Dorinda said, her voice soft but firm. "But you don't have to decide that tonight either. Take some time. Clear your head. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need."

Karen nodded, grateful for Dorinda's unwavering support. "Thank you. I just... I just need some space."

Dorinda smiled gently. "You got it. Come on, let's get you settled."

She stood up and led Karen to the guest room, where Karen could finally take a moment to breathe. As she sat on the edge of the bed, the weight of everything began to sink in even more, but for the first time in days, she didn't feel completely alone.

Dorinda lingered in the doorway for a moment. "I'll be right down the hall if you need anything. Just get some rest tonight. We'll talk more in the morning."

Karen nodded, managing a small, tired smile. "Thanks, D."

As Dorinda left and closed the door softly behind her, Karen lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The tears had stopped, but the ache in her chest remained. She didn't know what the future held—whether she could ever forgive Drew, whether their marriage could survive this—but for now, she was exactly where she needed to be. With her sister. Away from the storm.

For the first time in a long while, she felt a sliver of peace.