The End Where I Begin (Book Four of the Glen Power Series)

Chapter 31

The walk back from Danny's feels completely different to the walk there. The heavy feeling in my heart has been completely lifted. I'm surprised at how good I feel about this whole thing. I'm walking with a new sense of purpose. I'm no longer looking for a lost cause. I'm looking for the way forward.

Glen has gone. He isn't coming back. In all honesty, it's probably the best move he could make. It saves him any more heartache. And that takes the pressure off of me. I no longer have to walk on eggshells, worrying about when my next attack with take place. Even though since the last one, I haven't actually had one.

Maybe my body knows the decision I've made. And it's silence is it's approval.

As I open the door, my eyes immediately land on him. The worry etched on his face is deep, along with the sleep that he's clearly deprived himself of in order to wait for me. How long was I at Danny's for anyway? It can't have been long enough for Mark to wake up. But then again, I have heard him get up and go for a drink in the middle of the night in the past...

I can't imagine what he could have thought. Waking up that early in the morning to see my bedroom door open. And when he popped his head in, the bed was empty. And the house was silent. He must have freaked out. I'm surprised the text was so calm.

But coming home to him feels strange. Not bad. Just...strange.

He finally looks up and I see the relief wash over him. He gets up to come and hug me. But to my disappointment, he stops halfway. The logical part of him must kick in, telling him that it isn't okay to come running over to me after everything we've discussed in the past few days. I wish that for once, he wouldn't listen to that part of him. Just come and take me in his arms. Telling me that he loves me and will never let me go. I need to hear that from him right now...

“You're back.” I can hear him hold back the happiness in that statement, and it makes my heart flutter. I nod, trying to to focus on his nervous quirk as he controls himself. “What made you leave?”

“I went to look for Glen.”

“Oh.” The word is heavy with emotion. Sadness. Curiosity. Anger. Concern. “Did you find him?”

“Sort of.” The look of confusion in his eyes is so adorable.

“I don't understand...”

“He's gone.”

The words hang in the air between us as he tries to come to grips with what I've said. I still don't think he understands the severity of what I've just said...

“Gone where?”

“Away. Far away from me. And you. And his life as he knows it. We're over. It's done.”

The colour drains from Mark's face as the realisation sets in. The confusion changes to panic. He takes a cautious step forward, fighting his obvious urges to comfort me the way he usually does.

“Are...are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He takes another step forward and I smile at him. “I'm fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Sweetheart...your marriage just ended. That's not okay.”

“But Mark, it is. It's fine. I'm okay.”

He shakes his head as he moves slowly closer.

“This is shock, sweetheart. You're going into shock. It will hit you in a bit.”

“It's not going to hit me. There's nothing to get hit by. I'm fine.”

He's stood right in front of me now. God, he smells so good...