A Bond Never Broken

Chapter 41

It started after the honeymoon. The fights, the headaches, the yelling, the nights I spent alone in bed.. it all started a month after the honeymoon. I don't know what it is that's making Luke come home distant and aggravated each night. He won't even let me talk to him about what's been going on. He'll come home and eat dinner with us, I'll put the kids to bed, and the I'll try to talk to him and he'd just completely shut me out. "Nothing Caroline, just a stressful day in the studio, that's all." Is what he'd say. Yet, I know that's not true because this has been going on for a month now.

"Luke, will you please just tell me what's going on?" I pressed.

He stood over the kitchen sink, taking periodic sips of his beer. "There's nothing going on Caroline. We've been over this many times."

I slammed my knife down onto the cutting board, sending potato slices to land on the counter top. "Obviously there is, Luke. You don't just come home from the studio every day for three weeks straight with a pissy attitude, not to mention you ignore the kids like they're invisible. So don't you dare tell me nothing's going on when I know damn well there is."

It was silent for a moment before Luke looked up and stared at me. I looked at him, his eyes were glazed over and glossy from the alcohol he'd consumed, his hair was an array and his scruff unkept... he was a mess.

"Don't you dare tell me I'm a bad father," He growled.

"I never said that Luke, but quite frankly, you have been one for the past month. The kids have even noticed it! You've missed most all of Bo's baseball games, you haven't hunted with Til in forever, and you never took Tate on the fishing trip you promised him you would. Do you know how much I had to console Tate's cries because he was upset he didn't get to go fishing with daddy? Or or how I had to arrange for my brother to take Til hunting? And even assure Bo that his Dad still loved him?"

Luke didn't speak, I clenched my fist.

"No, of course you don't know because you weren't there, dammit. I've basically been a single parent!" I yelled, anger and hurt cursing through my veins.

Luke didn't say anything, he just took a swig of his Miller Lite. And then another. And then another. I watched the man I love drink himself away. Each gulp was like a piece of him was diminishing.  Sip by sip, bit by bit.  I inhaled sharply and ignored the stray tear slipping down my cheeks. Glancing down at my wedding band, I slowly spun it around my finger. I felt tired, tired of doing this. 

"Luke..." I said hoarsely. "If you can't put forth the effort to at least talk to me, I don't want to put forth the effort to try and coax it out of you."

I sniffled and wiped the tears pooling in my eyes away. My heart was close to shattering and couldn't take all of this. 

"I can't do this anymore...I'll pack the kids' and I's bags and we'll be on our way." 

I turned on my heel and hollered up the stairs, trying to regain as much composure as I could. "Kids, pack your bags. We're going to MeMaw's!" 

I heard the hustle and bustle of the kids moving around upstairs, mad dashing back and forth. I took the time to gather all of Ava's things. It's hard to believe she had turned one last month. That was about the last happy time we had had as a family. A big gathering had occurred with friends and family. Then that next week Luke began to start his mood change.

All of the kids piled into the car, wondering why we were going to MeMaw's. I knew Til knew something was wrong, I could tell by the look on his face.  I went inside to grab all of our luggage, placing it in the back of the car. I then went inside to find Luke standing in the same stop. He hadn't moved an inch. I walked into the kitchen and shut the burner on the stove off. I looked at Luke to see if he'd say something, anything.... but he didn't. My heart collapsed, shattering into tiny shards of glass. 

And that's how I left him, with a broken soul, with no idea where I'd turn next, with dinner still searing in the pan.

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ANND THAT'S A WRAP! Yep, I know, big plot twist. And yes, there will be a sequel. But, before that, I will be starting a new book called Temporarily Yours. I'll post that soon and then eventually start to periodically post chapters of the sequel.

IN THE COMMENTS: What are your thoughts on this chapter and the BOOK. What things could I improve? What would you like to see happen in the sequel?