Help Me Remember (COMPLETED)

Chapter 17

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Chapter 17

Happy

When the door closed behind Mara, it felt like the tiny click echoed throughout the room.

And in those moments, I could not help but watch Zach's furious expression die down into a blank mask.

Why did Mara have to say something like that and leave the two of us in this awkward position?

I gnawed on my bottom lip as I watched Zach anxiously. For a while, he was unmoving. But even I could not think of anything to break the silence. It took time for him to turn to me and it was difficult to stare directly into those unreadable blue eyes.

And his words? They dropped like a bomb in the echoing stillness.

"Are you really that unhappy with me?" the question was carefully paired with an indifferent tone and a masked expression. But I even I knew better.

I opened my mouth to explain myself but those eyes flashed a warning at me.

"Don't" he practically commanded, "Don't answer that question, damn it."

My husband turned away from me with those parting words. And this time, when the door shut behind him, it wasn't a click but a resounding slam. I flinched.

And even if I didn't admit it, I felt raw after that. Like my heart understood the scene that my mind cannot fully grasp in its current state. Those words hurt. Every step he took away from me hurt. 

Him leaving felt like a rejection.

But I was scared to chase after him.

And if he brushed me off?

It would be an even bigger rejection and I knew i woudn't be able to take that.

When the door opened again, I was sitting in bed. My heartrate picked up at the thought of Zach but then quickly deflated when our housekeeper peeked into the room.

Susan's smile was motherly warm, "Dinner's ready, dear." I nodded absently and followed her out of the room.

So we headed down to the empty dining room and I glanced around.

I turned back to Susan, "Where's Zach?"

"Hm, dear? Zach had an emergency meeting with the board. He was called about an hour ago."

Her back was to me as she fixed the pot so I wasn't able to read her facial expression when she answered. But to me that sounded like a lie. Zach was wearing a V-neck shirt and dark blue jeans and he didn't even come up to the room to change into his corporate clothes?

So when I finished eating, I stayed in the living room to wait for him. But a few minutes became an hour, one became two, and two became three and I guess I didn't bother to count after that.

"It's past midnight, dear. I'm sure Zach is just fine. And I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to find his pregnant wife waiting up at this hour."

Happy. That word again.

I lifted my eyes to Susan's reassuring gaze and decided her words were as genuine as they could get.

I didn't want to admit I was worried, "Do his meetings normally go on until past midnight?"