Mrs. Independent: Part Two

Chapter Six: 12AM Doorbell

Chapter Six: 12AM Doorbell

When my family announced they were leaving, I had trouble showing my happiness. It wasn't really my siblings, but more my Mom. I was ready for her to go.
I waited until the kids receded up to their bedrooms, and then I left Josh downstairs and went up for a shower. I just needed a few minutes of solitary.
Ever since I told Mom how I felt, everyone has been giving me weird looks.
Even Josh, who seems like he's bothered by something.
Like, really bothered.
I just needed to be alone for a minute.
I rinse the rest of the soap off my body and step out of the shower, wrapping my towel around me.
I tie one into my hair and remove the towel from my body to dry off fully, and then I grab the pajamas I laid out, which consists of grey sweatpants and a black long sleeve shirt. Along with that, I got a pair of white panties.
I towel dry my hair and then brush it, pulling on my clothes.
I hang up the two towels, brush my teeth, and then walk into the bedroom.
Josh is laying on the bed in his jeans and t-shirt with his arms behind his head, staring blankly at the ceiling.
I hesitate by the door to the bathroom for a moment, and then I inch further into the room and sit down on my side of the bed.
He doesn't say a word. He doesn't even look in my direction.
Anxious, I pick at my nail polish and I'm brought back to last night and that huge fight. The worst fight we have ever had.
Suddenly, he rolls over, propping his head up with his hand.
I glance at him and he looks conflicted, as if he wants to say something but he doesn't know if he should.
"Just say it." I whisper. "Please."
He studies me for a moment and then pushes himself into an upright position.
The next words that leave his mouth make my stomach drop.
"Do you want a divorce?"
My eyes lock with his. He's sitting on the bed, far enough away that he would have to reach to touch me, and he looks tense. Uncomfortable.
"Do you want a divorce?" I reply quietly, trying to hide the shake in my hands by resting them flat on my thighs.
"I asked you first." He says.
My mouth opens and closes a couple of times.
"No." I say.
His body visibly relaxes and he leans forward, dropping his head into the blankets.
"What? Is that not the answer you were hoping for?" I ask nervously.
He sits up quickly.
"No, no, I-" he cuts off and he looks frustrated. "We woke up this morning and we, we hardly spoke and then the next thing I know the whole family is over and you're not really touching me and we always sit next to each other and you didn't sit next to me. And then you're asking me why I didn't tell you the kids hate spending Christmas at your parents' houses, and then you're walking away without even speaking to me and telling your Mom that you think nobody would give a shit if you died, and Katherine-" he cuts off, pressing his fist to his mouth. "You own me, okay? You are everything to me, and I know I was a dick last night and I should have told you that the kids struggle with holidays and I'm sorry, I am, but if you died..." he starts shaking his head, looking up at the ceiling. "If you died, I don't know what I would do. I can't even think about it. And all day every time your phone goes off I've been trying to see who you're texting so I can see if you're making plans to leave me or something. And this is going to sound weak and pathetic, but don't leave me. Please don't leave me. I don't want to live without you. You are my purpose."
I find myself crawling over to him and I gently tug off his shirt. It hits the floor somewhere near the hamper, and I reach for the buckle of his jeans, undoing them. He stands up and he looks upset and frustrated and he throws his jeans across the room and I lift up the covers with my heart aching at the sight of him upset. He slips under the covers next to me and I reach out for him. He locks his arms around my waist and his head rests against my chest with my ear over my heart, and I reach down and tangle my fingers in his hair.
The entire house is silent for a couple of minutes.
"Look at me." I whisper finally.
He lifts his head up to look at me. I place both of my hands on his cheeks, looking right into his eyes.
"I, Katherine Amelia Elwood, promised to stay by your side forever and always. For better and for worse, in sickness and in health, til' death do us part. You, Joshua Noah Elwood, are mine. Forever. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not upset about last night anymore, okay? We both took that fight way out of context and it got way out of hand. I'm not angry that you didn't tell me about the kids. I know why you didn't tell me. I just, I needed that nudge. I needed to know that me telling my Mom to stop treating me so horribly wasn't just for me. I didn't want to hurt the kids." I take a deep breath. "I love you, my handsome man. I'm not going anywhere."
He buries his head in my arm, pulling me as close to him as he can get.
"I love you, too." He mumbles. "You pinky promise you're not going to leave me for another man?"
"I pinkie promise." I nod. He draws his head back and raises his pinkie, linking it with mine.
After a moment he pulls back, looking into my eyes.
"I want to make another pact."
"Another pact?" I repeat. "Of what?"
"When you left me last night..." he shakes his head. "It hurt. It hurt so much. I was scared you were going to leave forever. I kept checking the bank to see if you were withdrawing money to catch a flight to London. I was scared. You were crying and driving and I didn't know where you were or if you were hurt or if you were coming back. And that...that can't happen again, Katherine. It can't. It didn't only hurt me. It hurt the kids. I want to make a pact that, no matter how bad it gets, no matter how hard it is, we don't leave in the middle of a fight. Ever."
My mind drifts back to last night and I think about how horribly I had to get out of the house.
I felt like I was going to start screaming and ripping out my hair if I didn't get a moment to breathe.
But when I think about how much he begged. The tears. The heartbreak on the kids face.
I know I need to agree to the pact.
I can't hurt him or the kids like that again.
And if it was switched...well, I can't even imagine that pain.
"Okay." I murmur. "I promise."
We link our pinkie's again, and then he hides his face in my chest.
"I love you, Katherine."
I run my fingers through his hair gently.
"I love you too, Joshua."
We fall into a comfortable silence, and his warmth combined with a fresh shower and clean sheets start to lull me to sleep.
And just as I'm about to fall asleep, the doorbell rings.
Josh groans, holding me tighter.
"Ignore it." He mumbles.
"I'll get it!" I hear Emma call from down the hall.
I look at the time on the cable box and see it's well after midnight.
And somebody rang the doorbell.
And my ten year old daughter is going to get it.
Josh sits up just as I do and walks over to his jeans on the floor.
I push open the bedroom door and rush downstairs just as Emma reaches for the doorknob.
"Don't open that door Emma Elwood." I scold. "It's after midnight and you're ten years old. You don't open the door to anybody after nine at night."
What if it's a mass murderer?
I unlock the deadbolt just as Josh starts coming downstairs and pull open the door.
A man stands there with a slight scruff on his face, blue eyes, unruly brown hair, and glasses on the bridge of his nose.
He's wearing skinny jeans and a grey tight long sleeve shirt. His hands are in his pockets.
I feel my heart launch into my throat.
I swallow and force his name out of my mouth.
"Ryan."

_______

Yeetttt
~Sam