Unspoken Truths

• chapter 7 •

The next morning, Karen woke to the soft glow of the sun peeking through the curtains of Dorinda's guest room. For a moment, she didn't know where she was, the events of the previous night still blurry in her mind. But as she sat up and glanced around the room, it all came crashing back. The argument with Drew. Leaving. Coming to Dorinda's house.

She sighed deeply and rubbed her hands over her face, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on her. Despite the rest, her body felt heavy, like she was carrying the burden of everything that had been left unresolved.

A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts.

"Karen? You awake?" Dorinda's voice was soft and cautious.

Karen cleared her throat, trying to sound more put together than she felt. "Yeah, I'm up."

Dorinda opened the door slowly, a gentle smile on her face. "I made some breakfast. You hungry?"

Karen managed a small smile. "I could eat."

"Good, because I wasn't taking no for an answer." Dorinda grinned, walking into the room and sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. "You look a little better this morning. How are you feeling?"

Karen shrugged, pulling the blankets around her a little tighter. "I don't know. I guess... I just feel numb. It still doesn't seem real, you know?"

Dorinda nodded, her eyes filled with understanding. "I can't imagine what you're going through. But we'll get through it together. You're not alone in this."

"I know," Karen said softly, grateful for her sister's unwavering support. "I just... I don't know how to face it. How to face him."

"You don't have to figure all that out right now," Dorinda reminded her. "Take it one step at a time. Right now, let's focus on getting you some food and getting through the day."

Karen nodded, but even as she tried to focus on the simple task of breakfast, her mind was already racing with thoughts of what came next. She followed Dorinda into the kitchen, where the smell of bacon and pancakes filled the air.

"Sit down, sis," Dorinda said, setting a plate in front of her. "Eat first, then we'll talk."

Karen took a small bite of the pancakes, though her appetite was nowhere to be found. She poked at the food, her mind drifting back to Drew. She wondered how he was doing—if he'd noticed how empty the house felt without her there. She wondered if Zara had asked about her or if the tension between them had boiled over even further since she left.

"Karen, you're barely eating," Dorinda said softly, taking a seat across from her. "What's on your mind?"

Karen set her fork down and sighed. "I don't even know where to begin, D. I can't get the image of Zara out of my head. It's not her fault—none of this is—but every time I look at her, I see Drew's betrayal. And it's killing me."

Dorinda reached across the table, resting her hand on Karen's. "I get it. She's a reminder of everything that went wrong. But she's also just a kid, caught in the middle of all this. It's not her fault, but it doesn't make your pain any less real."

Karen's eyes filled with tears, and she quickly blinked them away. "I don't know how to separate the two. How do I look at her without thinking about what he did?"

Dorinda squeezed her hand. "It's going to take time, Karen. This isn't something you can fix overnight. But you have to give yourself grace. You don't have to have all the answers right now. It's okay to be hurt and angry. It's okay to take space for yourself."

Karen nodded, though she still felt lost in the middle of it all. "And Drew... I don't know how to even begin to talk to him again. Every time I think about what he did, I just want to scream."

"That's normal," Dorinda said gently. "You have every right to be angry. But you're going to have to talk to him eventually. Not for his sake, but for yours. Holding all this in will only make it worse."

Karen let out a shaky breath. "I just don't know if I'm ready to face him."

Dorinda leaned back in her chair, her eyes filled with compassion. "You don't have to go back just yet. Take the time you need. But when you're ready, you'll know."

Karen stared down at her plate, her stomach churning with uncertainty. She knew Dorinda was right—she couldn't avoid Drew forever—but the thought of facing him, of confronting the betrayal head-on, felt impossible.

"I'll stay here a little while longer," Karen said softly. "I just... I need to clear my head."

"Of course," Dorinda said, standing up and wrapping her arms around her sister. "You stay as long as you need. This is your home too."

Karen held onto Dorinda for a long moment, grateful for her sister's warmth and understanding. But even as she found comfort in Dorinda's arms, she knew that eventually, she would have to face Drew—and the future of their marriage.

When the time came, she just hoped she would be strong enough.

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