Married To Fire

Chapter 48: Unclear Answers

A couple hours later Shelby sees the door open, standing at the top of the stairs, Raelyn hugging her leg. Braden closing the door behind him. He goes up the stairs without saying anything and heads into the bedroom, grabbing his duffel bag.

"We going on vacation daddy?" Raelyn asks climbing on the bed.

"No sweetheart," he smiles.

"You go back to work?"

"Yeah I have to. You'll have to stay with mommy."

"Why are you going back to work?" Shelby walks in.

"Raelyn can you go play please..." he smiles at her.

The little girl looks at Braden and even though he is smiling she knows something is wrong. Raelyn pouts a little climbing off the bed and goes towards her room, Braden and Raelyn usually playing when he gets home from work.

"Shelby do you want me to stay?"

"Do you want to stay?" Shelby sits down.

"Of course I do. I love you Shelby and I don't want this to end. I'm sorry I've been a horrible husband," he says.

"You haven't been a horrible husband," she laughs softly.

"Well according to Luke I've just been treating you like a wife and not paying attention to you."

"I am your wife..."

"I know you are and I'm the luckiest man in the world."

"You haven't done anything wrong and I wasn't expecting anything different from you. You have been amazing.."

"Then what's going on Shelby?"

"I don't know. I don't know how to explain it."

"Well try please."

"You and I," Shelby starts, "we are perfect. We were perfect right from the beginning and everything has been so easy and amazing for us. It's like it's almost too perfect," she sighs, realizing how stupid that sounds. "Cole and I went through a lot together and it's a different connection."

They make eye contact as Braden slides his hand on her neck, leaning in and kissing her passionately.

"Braden..." Shelby pulls back and turns away.

Laughing a little, Braden pulls away and stands back up--walking to the bathroom to grab his toothbrush.

"Please don't leave.." she says leaning against the doorframe.

"Then tell me to stay."

"I can't," a few tears running down her cheeks.

Swallowing hard, Braden nods grabbing his toothbrush. He walks past her and finishes packing.

"Will you stay...I can go."

"No all of Rae's stuff is here."

"So stay with her..."

"How about this? I'll sleep on the couch."

"Braden no..."

"Then what the hell do you want from me?"

"I don't know!" she screams loudly.

Raelyn walks back in.

"Hi sweetie," Shelby says wiping her eyes and lifting her up.

"Mommy can we go play?"

"Yeah sweetie. What do you want to play?"

"Can we play barbies?"

"Mhm. Can you go get them from the box and put them on your bed and get them dressed?"

"Okay mommy!" Raelyn smiles, running off.

"So what...what are you doing?"

"You don't want to make this work?" Braden asks.

"I don't know. I can't give you an answer to that right now."

"Okay then," Braden nods, grabbing his bag. He kisses her forehead and walks out.

"Mommy did daddy go to work?"

"Yeah sweetie. Daddy works really hard he's very good at his job."

Raelyn smiles.