Wherever You Are

Eighteen: Divorce

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"Charlotte...?" Luke hesitated, his eyes wider than I've ever seen them before. "Charlotte, you're back! Cindy, Cleff, it's Charlotte!" he shouted behind him, smiling over at me as I gave him a lopsided look. It was almost as if he was looking at me like nothing happened the day I ran off, like he hadn't cheated on me...

"Charlotte?" I heard my dad question, almost like he was asking Luke if that is what he meant to begin with. Coming out of the kitchen with my mom, they both came over to the door smiling harder than I've ever seen before. "Charlotte!" he exclaimed, before looking up to Jack behind me and turning his head in confusion. "Who's this?" he asked, as my mom came out from behind him and looked as well.

"This is Jack, mom and dad. You know Jack," I said, looking back to him.

"Jack Nethers?" my mom said in disbelief, making me turn to her and nod as well.

"His letters were real, mom. He came back to town, and after an... argument with Luke I went to go see him," I replied, Luke's eyes darting to me as he seemed to suddenly remember that night more clearly.

"You went to go see him? That's all? Just visit? Are you sure you didn't have any alternate motive?" my mom asked, pushing her way in front of my dad and Luke and coming over to see me better. Shaking my head, I knew what she was talking about but I didn't mention it.

"No, I just went to go see him. That's all, I know I should have told you where I was, but I was just so upset..." I drifted, glaring over at Luke who didn't make any more eye contact with me.

"Oh, well it's all okay now, you're home and that's all that matters," my mom smiled, looking to Jack and smiling as well. "I barely recognized you. Last time I saw you, you were most definitely looking different," she admitted, making it clear that now she seemed to like him better merely from how he dressed.

"Still the same Jack though," he replied, making me nod in agreement.

"Well come in, come in. We're just waiting for Jane and then we were going to start the day," my mom said back, motioning for us to come in like offered, as her, my dad, and Luke all stepped aside.

"I was so worried you wouldn't be home for Christmas! I had gotten you the cutest presents," my mom told with a zing, grabbing my hand and rushing me over to the living room where a tall, fake Christmas tree was placed beside the couch. It was decorated with what it came with, nothing unique, nothing special, just the bare basics. Nodding to my mom as I looked under the tree at the presents, I wasn't excited one bit about what they held, but tried to look as pleased as possible.

"I'm sure I'll love them," I lied, even though that necklace she had bought me earlier was, for once, a win. Reaching up to feel Jack's necklace hanging from my neck instead of my mother's, I looked back to him by the door with Luke and my dad. He stood like he belonged, not anxious at all, yet comfortable as he listened to my dad go on about the homes new interior.

Taking a deep breath, I knew what I needed to do before anything else and went over to Luke.

"Can I talk to you?" I whispered to him, making him turn to me as my dad brought Jack over to the kitchen. I could overhear him talk about the new cabinets and the table; the same tour he brought Luke and I on. Nodding, Luke followed me upstairs to a free bedroom where we would be alone to talk.

"You need to leave," I told him immediately once I closed the door behind me. Sitting down on the side of the bed and looking over to me confused, he didn't understand.

"What? We don't leave until after the holidays, I don't get what you're saying..." he drifted, standing up from the bed and looking over at me.

"Luke, there is no more we. What happened that night at Jane's..." I hesitated, trying not to think about it much more than needed. "I'm done. I'm filing for a divorce, that's why you need to leave. I don't care if you take the house, or the car, or all my belongings at home, you just need to leave," I told quick, looking down at the flooring as tears welled in my eyes. 

I wasn't sad about the divorce, even if it was something I never thought would happen to me, but I was sad that I had made so many wrong choices after Jack left... which eventually led to Luke.

Staring at me with his mouth a gap, I knew he was going to yell. I could sense it deep inside of him, starting any minute he would scream out, possibly even lash. He wasn't an abusive husband, but he did have a bad temper.

"Is this because of that Jack guy?" he spat out, brushing through his brown hair in frustration. "I don't even know who he is, but he is not the man for you, Charlotte!" he ended with a slam of his fist to the wooden nightstand behind him.

"Luke, calm down. It's not because of Jack, he didn't do anything... this is all your fault! You cheated on me!" I said back, not nearly as loud as him. Scoffing, he sat back down onto the bed and shook his head.

"I was drunk Charlotte. Okay? Is that what you wanted to hear? I was drunk! For Christ's sake, people make mistakes when they're drunk!" he said, his face red with anger after he finished.

"Are you drunk now?" I wondered, making him look to me and shake his head. "Then why is Jane expected to be coming over today? She has never spent holidays with us before, but suddenly now it's like she's part of the family. You can't tell me it was just the alcohol talking when you cheated on me, you like Jane and you know it," I ended, going over to the door and grabbing the handle.

"We aren't done talking, Charlotte!" Luke yelled, getting up from the bed and coming over to me. Pushing him away, I opened the door and left the room fast.

"I'm done, Luke," I told as he came out of the room next, about to yell something back until he saw Jack coming up the stairs.

"Jane's here and we're going to be eating dinner," Jack said, coming over to me and looking to Luke. "Better go check up on that girlfriend of yours downstairs, she seems pretty needy," he told him, making Luke scoff and leave in a rush. Smiling, I looked up to Jack and giggled at what he said. Today was going to be a long day...