Chapter 8-4
596 Words
The inside of my house is clean. The room to the babies’ door is closed and I can’t bring myself to go inside. Not yet. Anna is the one who brought me home.
“Do you need me to stay?” Anna asks, gently placing a hand on my shoulder and hugging me from behind.
I turn and give Anna a big hug. “No, darlin’, go home to your family.”
“Will you come to Sunday dinner?”
“I’ll be there.”
Anna squeezes me before she lets me go, and I watch her leave. My lungs freeze. It isn’t until I can no longer see her car in the drive, I collapse on the couch. I reach for the curtain string and let the curtains fall closed as fresh tears slip down my cheeks.
“Get a grip, Indy,” I say aloud. “You’re okay. Everything happens for a reason. It wasn’t their time,” I whisper to myself. My entire body feels numb as I repeat the words and try to convince myself of this truth. I don’t want to fall into despair. I refuse. My mind winds back to the time before I lost the twins. A white image against a black screen. Two peas in a warm womb that were supposed to keep them safe. I know this journey I’m about to take, and I’m pissed my mind wants to go there again. I wipe my face roughly and sit up straight before bending forward and letting go a series of deep breaths. My phone alerts me to a text. It’s Kai, of all people.
Kai: I talked to Sawyer and Finn. Are you okay?
India: Yes, thank you.
I don’t say anything else, and a few moments later another text comes in.
Kai: You still there?
India: Yes.
Kai: You’re not going to ask me, are you?
India: Ask you what?
Kai: I spoke to my office. I plan to visit Beauville.
India: WTF! Why?
What would even make this man think that I’d ever want to see him again? There’s no reason for us to talk or see each other.
Kai: Wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.
India: I’m shocked.
Kai: Why?
India: What’s in Beauville that you need to come here?
Kai: You’re in Beauville. I’m coming to see you.
India: Again, why?
I stare at my phone for what feels like forever, waiting for a reply.
Nothing ever comes.
India: Kai, u still there?
No response.
What the hell does he mean he’s coming to Beauville? Why? Frustrated, I pull up Finn’s number and hit call.
“Glad you made it safely home, sweetheart.”
“Don’t sweetheart me, Finnegan Gaines. Tell me why the shrink thinks he’s coming to Beauville?” I yell.
“Honey, calm down.”
“Don’t tell me to calm down, Finn. What the f**k?”
“Sawyer talked to him, and Kai said he wanted to continue the sessions. He explained the misunderstanding and we all think it will do you some good.”
“What about what I think?”
“Baby,” Finn says in a gentle voice. It’s the same voice he’d used when whispering in my ear during s*x. It’s a voice meant to calm and coax. But it’s not working on me. Not today. “We love you is all.”
“Love me less, got it!?”
“No, you don’t get it. We’re all broken. The three of us will get through this together.”
I sit back against the couch and start kicking off my shoes. “Finn, we need to straighten things out in our own way.”
“Stop pushing us away. Sawyer and I will be back in Beauville soon. We’re wrapping this job up in the next couple of days.”
“I’m not gonna argue, Finn. Call Kai and tell him to stay his a*s in South Korea.” I end the call knowing they won’t listen.
Great.
Kai is coming to Beauville.
- Writer
