Ending Link (Link Dane 2)

TWENTY-FIVE

TWENTY-FIVE

Link came out the bedroom fully dressed and had not glanced in my direction at all as he was gathering his stuff. He grabbed his keys. His phone. His jacket, that I had taken off him last night in a frenzy to get him naked.

I watched him with my cold phone screen pressed again my lips. I had already sent Lexie a text message, waiting for her to come with Joy. If this day didn't call for a girls' day, I didn't know what did.

Link sat on the bar stool right in front of me, putting on his shoe whilst making a great deal out of ignoring me. I reached over for him but he moved just in time before I could touch him.

I dropped my hand. "Are you really ignoring me?" I asked him, confused and baffled at his behaviour.

"Are you really leaving me?" He shot back, turning his back to me.

I frowned at him. "I'm not leaving you Link. We're still together."

He turned around faster than I seen him do ever. "Are we together?" He shot back, walking back towards me. I stepped back, not a fan of this Link. At all. "People who are together make decisions together. People who have kids together make decisions together. It seems like you're making all the decisions for us."

"Link, listen to me-"

"You're lucky I'm not taking you to court for taking my kid from me again."

The room seemed to rock.

It was like he physically punched me as I reared back from his words. Did he just say that?

The pain that shot up my heart made me breathless. Bile rose up my throat. The mere thought the possibility of Joy being taken away from me made me sick.

"You don't mean that." I whispered up at him. I couldn't stop the tears as they pooled in my eyes, turning my vision blurry. I blinked a few times, letting them streak down my face.

"Damn sure I do. And that's my decision."

I took in a large breath, trying my best to stop the panic that was creeping up inside me. The thundering of my heart was deafening in my ears, my brain crying for the loud noise to stop.

"I wanted to be a family!" Link almost yelled out. "I wanted to be your family, don't you get it Orianna? I love you and that wasn't enough for you. I would do everything for you but you decide to just leave whenever the fuck it suits you? Well fuck you Ori, fuck you for ending my life."

I clasped the front of my shirt, hoping it would anchor me. Keep me in this moment. "I'm not ending you Link."

He stared back at me with his own shining eyes. "Feels like you are." He said back hoarsely.

He stormed out the door.

My knees buckled from under me and I slowly sank down to them, ignoring the pain in my thigh. I dropped my head down as big, tears streamed down my face. A whimper escaped from me, followed by a sob until I couldn't hold it back anymore.

***

Lexie found me still on the ground. I had gone still from all the crying, losing my ability to pull it together. It was like a blanket fell over me, making me void of any emotions as I drained the last bit of it. I could feel an impounding headache coming through with all the crying I had just gone through.

Lexie rushed to my side and picked me up just as fast. I stumbled against the kitchen counter, gathering my balance before I fell again.

I glanced down and saw Joy peering up at me with her brown eyes. She shot me her wobbly crooked smile, unsure of what to do or say.