The dent in our vows

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David's Pov

Seeing the worn-out version of Stella standing on my doorstep made my stomach twist uncomfortably. "Stacey...What are—what are you doing here?" I asked in a hushed tone.

"I'm sure Tanner already told you I came by looking for you. That was because I had to see you desperately." She explained, stepping forward.

My brows furrowed. "Why, what's wrong?"

"It's about Stacey."

Hearing that name made panic shoot through me. I dry-swallowed. "What about her... Is she alright?"

"It's been over four years now since Stacey—" her speech suddenly halted when Dawn yelled from inside the house.

"Baby, who's at the door?!"

Shit.

"I'm not sure this is the right place to have this conversation," Stella said, retreating backward. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come."

"No, wait." I held her hand before she could walk away from me. "Please tell me what's wrong?"

"David?!" Dawn called again when I didn't give a reply.

"It's nothing, my love!" I managed a yell, holding on to Stella, eager to know why she was back, desperate to know why she looked for me, why she was here. "Just someone who needs directions!"

I didn't wait for her reply. I stepped out fully and locked the door.

"David, I have to go," Stella persisted, trying to wriggle her hand away but I didn't let her.  "You can't just leave like this without telling me what you came here to say."

"I'll explain everything. Just meet me at Mr. Miller's old cabin tomorrow morning."

Goosebumps shot out of my skin and I had no idea when I let her go. That was the place where Stacey had first given herself to me, the place we'd both promised to be together forever—I didn't want to go back there. Never

"Stella i—" she was out of my sight and racing towards the gate before I could get my words out, and as luck would have it, Dawn choose that moment to open the door and walk out.

"Who was that David?" She asked me, staring at Stella's receding figure.

It was hard to swallow. It was hard to do anything. My mind was in disarray, trying very hard to comprehend the whole shit happening to me. "She got lost." I lied, pulling her close. "Let's go inside before you catch a cold."

She nodded. "I want hot chocolate, make me a cup?"

I feigned a smile, feeling like the world's biggest asshole for lying to my wife without remorse. "Anything for you. Come on."

***

That night I'd done little sleeping. My mind ran a mile a minute, thinking of possible reasons why Stella would want to talk to me about Stacey. When I did manage to get some sleep, I'd jerked up from a nightmare, smothered in sweat, breathing heavily.

I sat up and put my head in my hand as I tried to calm my palpitating heart and erratic breathing. 

What the hell was that?