Damaged Hearts

Chapter 33

Nicole

I barely slept, tossing and turning as thoughts of the night spiraled in my mind. The words Zach and I shared, the anger in our voices. It was mostly mine. I'd blown up at him for doing what needed to be done, and now, looking back, I realize how wrong I was.

I sit on the couch, nursing a cup of ginger tea, my stomach a little queasy today but I don't think it's the baby, it's the stress and emotions mixing together.

Zach went in to work at 5 this morning. I think. I can't even remember when he left. He didn't say anything to me. No good morning. No quick kiss goodbye. Just...left.

He's pissed, and I don't blame him. I see how my anger toward him was misplaced. He was just trying to protect Landon. To do the right thing, his job. And I gave him hell for it.

I hear footsteps come down the stairs. Slow. It's Landon, and he looks like hell. No surprise.

"Sit," I say with a tight voice.

He slumps into the chair across from me, his expression a mix of regret and defiance. He opens his mouth, but I cut him off before he can say a word.

"Do you have any idea what you put me through last night? What the hell were you thinking, Landon?"

He opens his mouth, his eyes flickering, "I wasn't—"

"No. You weren't thinking, that's the problem," I snap. "I trusted you. And you lied to me. You said it was a sleepover. A couple friends, nothing big. But it wasn't. It was a party full of older kids doing a whole lot of dumb shit. And you got caught up in it."

His shoulders slump. I know he feels guilty. I know he's not proud of what he did, I can see it, but I can't just give him a slap on the wrist. I can't.

I exhale, trying to reign in my emotions. I know he's not a little kid anymore, but it still stings to see him act out like this.

"You're grounded for three weeks, no phone, no friends, no going out. Nothing."

"3 weeks!?"

"Of your dad was here, he'd make it 3 months. You wanna take that instead?" I raise my eyebrows.

He sighs heavily, the fight drained out of him. "Fine," he mutters, standing up slowly and walks up to his room.

•••

The entire day goes by pretty slowly. I picked up Audra around lunch and she told me all about her sleepover, no drinking, boys, loud music or drugs involved for her, thank god.

Landon was in his room all day, hungover of course but feeling better now this evening. He came down to the couch for a little and then after dinner went back to his room.

When I hear the front door open, my heart quickens. I tell Audra to go up to her room. Because I have a lot to apologize for.

Zach looks tired, but there's something else there too. Frustration. Anger. It's like a wall between us, and I can feel it even before he says a word.

"Hi," I say quietly, my voice coming out almost like a question.

He doesn't respond right away. He heads straight for the fridge, opening a beer.

"How was your day?" I ask, he shrugs.

"You?" He forces out, like he really didn't have a desire to ask but felt like he had to.

"I grounded Landon for 3 weeks."

"Oh so...he is allowed to be punished?"

"Zach..."