Coming Home-(Complete)

Hallie -The Next Day

The next morning Hallie entered the kitchen to find the two talking about dance class and life at the kitchen table.

"Good morning!" They chimed together. In Hallie's eyes, Makayla was the child she would love to have. Her freckled face lit up whenever she smiled. It accented her cherry-red bob perfectly. Even though she was the age of constantly asking "why", her bubbly personality made up for it.

Caleb got up, then went up to his wife. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before asking how she had slept.

"OK. I suppose." She stated flatly. He gave a half-hearted grin before turning back to his daughter. A knot filled her heart. She started to pull ingredients to make breakfast. Her husband seemed more and more distant since the pregnancy announcement. Life appeared great but they were young still. People change.

After a few moments, she set the bowl of pancake batter down. "Makayla, honey. Do you mind if I talk to your dad alone, please?" She looked up with a huge smile then nodded her head with exaggeration. With a little hop off the chair, she went to the living room.

Caleb got up from the table to get closer. Before he could take a single step, Hallie raised the whisk at his face, then at the chair he just rose from. Very sternly she demanded, "Sit."

Caleb's face went pale.

"I want answers." She was never stern. The rush of emotions filled her with instant regret, but she knew this needed to happen. "It just doesn't make sense to me. All I want to know is why. I feel bad you know-"

"Hallie-," he tried to break her rant.

Ignoring his attempt to stop her, she continued, "You two were high school sweethearts. What? Middle school throughout all of high school? That's rare." She grabbed the bowl of batter again, then whisked some more, while facing Caleb, "You have a beautiful daughter. From my understanding, there is no real reason that you two aren't in this position. Why me? Why not her?"

In a very defensive manner, he stood up from the chair. "Just stop!" His volume increased. "Just stop bringing it up!" Right before he turned the corner, Hallie whispered, "you do still love her."