Forlot: Thunder Will Come Down - Book Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Four

Caleb's seat scraped the glistening, concrete floor as he scooted back. He pushed up his glasses. "Be right back. I have to visit the restroom." He stood and walked past the kids.

Alex stretched out her little hands and successfully got Caleb's hand. "Daddy!"

He faced the two infants and wiggled his hand free. He did not smile. This was not like him. He always flashes a sweet smile at the children. How can you not smile at our cute, curious kids? The more that I stared at Caleb, the more that I realized that something was absolutely wrong with him. He looked horrible. Sleepy. He looked perfectly fine until now. He reminded me of a zombie.

Caleb was white like a ghost. Huge bags were drooping under his eyes. His eyelids were lowered. His poor eyes were a bit red as if he had not slept for days - or was on something. His only medication is for his anxiety. They are small, white pills. He refuses to swallow pills, so he crushes them and sprinkles the pieces on a small scoop of food. He eats ice cream most of the time because the freezer is jam-packed with all kinds. We thank our kids and their puppy eyes.

Was Caleb exhausted because we argued? No. It is rare - and a bit strange - but he gets into a heated argument once in a while. It always involves personal things, like anxiety or abuse. If anyone trash-talks about me or any other person whom he cares about, he will put them in their place - unless that it is Ava or my cousins.

Our argument only lasted for around a couple minutes. Why did he look like a wreck?

Or maybe it was because of that very argument. Maybe Caleb was upset that he snapped at me or I snapped at him. Or both.

Caleb patted Alex's head. "I will return before you even know it, hon. Daddy needs to go before he wets himself and embarrasses us."

Alex and Tamara bounced up and down. They hollered in unison. "Love Daddy!"

He patted Tamara's head. "Love you too."

Before I could speak, he turned back around and raced out of the room. My gut told me that he did not need to visit the bathroom. I was about to follow him. I pushed back my chair and stood. I was startled when someone grabbed my arm.

"Leaving this party so soon, Cindy? Do not tell me that you were leaving your kids alone."

I jerked away and faced the individual. "Oh, Mary Sue. I knew that it was you."

"Hey. That rhymes," Mary Sue pointed out. "Hey. How did you know that it was me?"

"Your voice is distinctive."

"Awe. Thanks. Anti-Caleb said that my voice is angelic. He admires whatever I say."

"Anti-Caleb?"

Anti-Caleb walked over with two drinks in his hands. A huge grin was on his face. "I have been looking all over for you. I thought that you ditched me."

Mary Sue playfully slapped his face.

His grin dropped. "What was that for?"

She took a drink and sipped. "You should know by now that I would not desert you - unless that I wrote a note, saying that I was. But I cannot imagine my life without you."

He grabbed her hand and rubbed his nose on hers. "So glad that I almost took over Forlot. I would have never met you had I not."

Mary Sue and Anti-Caleb are a couple. Not surprising.

"So you guys are an item now," I finally piped in. "I am happy for you...I think."

"We have a lot in common," Mary Sue said. "We loathe real worlders."

"And fictional characters acting like the real worlders," Anti-Caleb added.

"And governments."

"And wokeness."

"And people believing that men cannot be abused."

"And dictators."

"And Mary Sues."

I pointed to Anti-Caleb. "You were a dictator."

"Not anymore."

I pointed to Mary Sue. "And your name is Mary Sue."

"I am not a Mary Sue anymore."

My phone suddenly rang.

"Excuse me." I grabbed the phone and answered. Then I raised it to my ear. "Caleb?"