God & Sinner

9. The Calm Before the Storm

Kayla was still the most beautiful soul on the planet, even if she had grown cold. Luke Dalton really wanted to believe that, and he continued to love her, knowing that if he really stopped to think about it then he was taken back to the day he fell for her like it was yesterday. Yet things were not as perfect now as they had been before, and he wondered if they would ever be again. It wasn't like she was the only one walking away from the marriage they shared, because the truth was that he had his own issues. Maybe his love for her prevailed, and maybe he could continue seeing her as she had been once, but there was still the blame. The damage was already considerable, and even though she was that same wide eyed sophomore girl to him, he wasn't sure if it would ever be enough.

The holidays were fast approaching, and it was time to go shopping for Cassie's presents. Just thinking about it made him feel sick, knowing that he only had one child now. This would be their first year without Jerry, and the hole that he left in their lives didn't help mend the rift that tore through the family. Yet it was how things were, a simple truth that meant no malice by existing, and Luke Dalton accepted it without thought as he followed after his wife. He walked a few paces behind her because he knew that she couldn't stand to look at him, and he was glad that they were almost finished.

One last stop before they could leave the mall and go their separate ways. The silence continued as they got into a line at the food court, and they only spoke to place their orders. Then they paid, found the table furthest from everyone else, and began to eat their dinner. They both worked hard to find somewhere they could put their eyes—anything to avoid looking at one another. Yet Kayla didn't like what she saw, so she stared at her lap instead as she took a drink.

"That's disgusting. Someone ought to say something, there are children here." She grumbled, a hollowness to her voice. Luke Dalton scanned the room, curious, to find what she was referencing, but it wasn't until she looked again that he became aware. There were two men at a different table, sitting close together and holding hands as they whispered into each other's ears affectionately. He thought he heard the blonde one call his partner James, but he wasn't sure, and after a moment they shared a kiss.

"Fucking queers," he agreed with a shake of his head. The distraction didn't last long before the couple got up and disappeared, leaving Luke Dalton and his wife alone with their baggage once again. The quiet was painful, and he wished they didn't have to return to it. It was nice to hear her voice, even if was just to complain about a pair of strangers. "Maybe we could do something different this year. Let's leave. We can both take off work, and when Cassie goes on winter break we'll fly somewhere warm."

"Are you stupid? I have an event that will last throughout the entire holiday, I'm not just going to take off. But please, feel free to go, she's already going to be missing her brother, I'm sure Cassie can handle her father leaving too." Kayla felt no shame when she spoke.

"Damn it, I'm only trying to make things better, you don't have to be such a miserable bitch all the time." They were not the same, and unlike her he did feel a little guilty from what he'd said—even if she did deserve it. "I'm sorry."

"I'm going home, you can call a cab." She seemed unmoved by his insult, and she got up to throw away the considerable amount of food that was left on the tray. He thought that she probably didn't care one way or another if he followed, so he stayed in his seat as he watched her disappear into the evening. When she was gone he let out a frustrated sigh and went to stand by the bathrooms, searching through his phone for a suitable friend to call—one who wouldn't ask too many prying questions about his marriage.