Coming Home-(Complete)

Myra- Next Day

The weight of Hallie's words lingered in my mind. Did I really make up this entire situation? What if my staying did work out? Then what about moving? Our new life? It was not easy, but it was ours. Mason. Oh, Mason. These couple of weeks of knowing him made me feel so many things. Maybe I can come back for him? Maybe meeting him was a stepping-stone for greater things in life? Hallie messaged my phone, asking if I wanted to watch a movie with her while Caleb worked from the office.

Ah, what the hell. I thought. Life is already crazy. At their house, they chose to watch an innuendo-filled chick-flick with humor that would go over the little one's head. It was a surprisingly great time.

The door unlocked. Caleb entered. He did a double-take at the couch. In shock that I was there.

"What is this?" He questioned, equally perplexed and angry.

"We are watching a movie. Care to join?" A random shred of confidence shined through my words.

"Myra, my office. Now." He closed the door behind me. "What the hell is this?"

"Spending time with my daughter and her step-mother."

He ran his fingers through his hair. I had never once seen him angry or flustered before. Suddenly, I became timid again. He began pacing back and forth.

"I just thought-."

"Thought what, exactly?" He kept his voice low enough that eavesdropping would be near-impossible. "That you could prance right back in my life? This is already hard enough as it is. Did you ever once think about consider how stressful this is for me? I've already screwed up both relationships and got both of you pregnant. I can't get rid of you. No. You try so hard to hide in another state and only bring the kid around one month per year. Hiding. That's what you do now." He was worked up now.

"I just. I did not want to be here anymore." It was all I could say before he finally broke into a rapid rage.

"Hiding! That is what you are doing! Stop hiding from everything! You can tune the world around you out but think of the long-term damage. It is not about you! What happened to you? 'Miss Peppy'. Now you stay silent in the dark. Only coming out when it matters." The words became more bitter with each breath. It felt as if a knife was being stabbed into her chest. "So, what if people look at you? So, what if plans change? There is so much going for you, but you refuse to accept the joy of it.

Tears burned my eyes. Who was this man? Hallie's story the other day finally sunk in. He truly was different. I managed to mumble "It's- it's not that simple. I just can't!"

"Bullshit!" He almost shouted as his fist slammed onto the desk. "You always said yourself, 'enjoy the little wonders.' Know what I think? It is all in your head." He tapped his fingers to his forehead as he stared me down in disgust. Every inch of me hurt. My insides twisted and turned. Maybe he was right. He wasn't- or was he? She wanted so badly to live normally. To not wear the mask. If it was so "easy" to, she would have already. Even through his rant, he still managed to continue. "Maybe you were not the star-performer, or the best socializer, but you were always there for us! What happened!?"

I could not hold back anymore. "What do you want from me!" The tears finally poured down my face. They stung.

"Oh, don't play the victim with me!" His eyes rolled. Back in the day, he would have helped me close when I cried. Now every inch of me filled with rage. He knew that I despised being called a "victim". This moment was his fault. I was not trying to be anyone.

"Tell me, now!" I knocked a picture frame off his desk. "What do you want from me!? Tell me now before I take my daughter and leave for good." The emphasis on my daughter caught his attention.

"If you had not chickened out, she would be our daughter. This-," he gestured around the room, "-this would be ours had you not run away from the make-believe demons in your head. That's all that it is. It is all in your head."

It took every last nerve to not walk away right then. Every memory, every reason that I left, flooded my mind. Now she was thankful for disappearing. I saw the streetlights flicker on through the window. This fight was at least an hour long. I wiped away the tears. We stood in pure stillness for several minutes. Realizing. Disbelieving what occurred.

I forced a fake smile while gaining confidence from within. I straightened up. "Any final comment before I take Makayla home now?"

"You wouldn't dare" Caleb's eyes went huge.

It did not sound like me speaking, but it was without a doubt. "She may be your daughter too, but if this is what you have become, she and I both do not need to be around." I walked out of the office. Hallie still sat on the couch. She seemed terrified like she did not know where she should be.

"Hallie, I'm sorry. Thank you for everything. I thought it over, we are leaving first thing in the morning."

"But-," Hallie was interrupted by Caleb slamming the office door shut, marching up the stairs, then slamming the bedroom door behind him.

"Hallie" I did my best to remain calm. "I am so sorry for everything. I do hope he is not like this when the baby comes. If he is. Leave. It's not worth the battle. I appreciate your hospitality and finally clearing things up, but we need to go."

Makayla stood at the top of the stairs, wearing her nightgown and rubbing tired eyes. "Mommy, what's going on?" I walked up to her. "Sweetie, we are packing your bags, alright? We are going home."