KATE
I wake up before even my alarm, making sure to be up before Michael so that he doesn’t try to reel me in with any of his tricks. Fancy breakfasts and grand gestures don’t make up for lying.
It is difficult, but I try not to let my mind wander with all the possibilities of why Michael could have erased that message without telling me. I have enough faith in him to not jump to conclusions, but I worry. Why? Why wouldn’t he tell me? And who is Emily Allen, really?
I sit on the couch, waiting for Michael to wake up. When he finally does, his eyes go wide at the sight of me waiting for him.
“G-good morning,” he stutters, still half asleep.
“Good morning,” I say shortly.
“You came to bed with me last night.” His random sentence breaks my icy composure for a second.
“What?”
“You came to bed with me,” he says again, sadly.
“So?”
“I’m just reminding you, because I know you’re mad. You still love me, I think.”
“Michael,” I sigh, rubbing my temples. It is so damn hard not to fall into his unintentional pity trap. “We really need to talk.”
“I know,” he says, sitting on the chair across from the couch, regarding me with wary eyes. He is quiet, and I know it’s on me to start this conversation.
“Why did she call?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I didn’t speak to her,” he says.
“Why did you erase the message?” I ask.
“Kate, I… I don’t know, I panicked. I haven’t heard her voice in so long, and it… it scared me, the thought of all of that coming back.”
“All of what?” I ask, curiosity piqued.
“All of… that, just the stuff from my past,” he avoids the question. I am about to call him on it, but I refrain. He must tell me these things in his own time.
“Should I call her back?” I ask.
“No, hell no,” he says sternly.
“Why not? Why don’t you want me talking to her?”
“Because, Kate! She’s just… you’re not… just no, okay? No!”
“Are you afraid of what she’ll say to me?” I challenge, leaning forward. “What does she know that I don’t, Michael?”
