How Could You Know - Luke Morrow

Part Four

"Do you think Frankie will do it?" I asked Luke as we walked back to the car.

"I seriously hope not, if they get found out he will get dishonourably discharged as well as locked up for a while. It wouldn't be in his best interests." Luke shrugged and opened the car door for me. As he walked around to the driver's seat, he got a phone call. He didn't get in the car until he got off the phone. I squinted at him but he didn't elaborate on who called him so I didn't push.

The drive back to Frankie's was silent, I kept rubbing my eyes to at least try to look like I hadn't been crying and when we pulled up Cassie's car was gone.

"Hey, I gotta go somewhere I'll be back soon, can you let Frankie know?" I nodded at him and got out of the car, I watched as he took off down the road and walked back into Frankie's house.

"Where's he off to?" Frankie asked as soon as I walked through the door. I shrugged.

"Not a clue, he didn't tell me." He nodded and we sat down on the couch together as we waited for the rest of the party to start. "So what are we even actually doing tonight?"

"BBQ and drinks, Luke and I are headed off to base day after tomorrow, so my parents want to give me a proper goodbye, even though I'm not leaving for another week." I nodded along with him.

"What did you say to Cassie?"

"I told her I couldn't do it because I didn't know how my girlfriend would feel about me having a wife." My face lit up, he finally got together with Riley, he had only been going on about her for years. I pulled him in for a tight hug as the front door opened. Luke walked in a smile on his face and it seemed to get bigger when he saw us. An unknown number flashed across the screen of my new phone and I picked it up.

"Hello Calliope speaking."

"Callie! You'll never guess what just happened. Luke and I are getting married! Tomorrow, I want you to be my maid of honour." My face fell after hearing why Cassie called me.

"I'm sorry Cass, I cant." I hung up before she could try to argue with me. A knot formed in my stomach as I looked up at Luke's still smiling face as he spoke with Frankie. A tear slipped out of my eye and I shook my head at Frankie, Luke seemed to be in his own little world, and I felt like mine had just fallen down around me. I shouldn't care, he could marry whoever he wanted to, under whatever circumstances.

I stood up from the couch glancing at Frankie and Luke before I took off out the front door. I Couldn't stand there and pretend to be happy for Luke and Cassie, they weren't even doing it for love and it was going to backfire for them. I couldn't stand by and watch two of my best friends possibly get thrown into prison just because the health care system sucks. Just because Cassie needed money. I couldn't do it.

On my walk home I thought about everything. I thought about the way Luke and I used to be. I thought about what pushed me to become an addict. I thought about how close Luke and I had been at the cemetery and how safe and loved I felt in that moment with Luke on one side of me and my mom on the other side. By the time I got home tears were streaming down my face but my head had never been clearer.

I could understand why they were doing it, or at least why Cassie was doing it. I didn't know what was in it for Luke though. I got back home, ignored Camille and flopped face first onto my bed. I couldn't do this anymore. I felt like my whole life was spiralling again. Seeing Luke again sure didn't help me. I thought about the number I used to always call and picked up my phone. I typed in the number but hesitated. I didn't want to go back down this path. I threw my phone onto the bed and just about run downstairs to my sister.

"I need your help." I puff out as I try to catch my breath.

"Help with what Cal?"

"I nearly called him. Somehow, I was able to stop before I did." She got up from the couch and walked over to my shaky figure. She pulled me into her small body and held me as my body shook.

"What was the trigger?"

"Luke," I took a shaky quick breath. "He and Cassie," Another breath. "Are getting married." Camille gasped as I took another breath. "Tomorrow." Tears streamed down my face and Camille only held me as I sobbed. She rubbed my back in small soothing circles and tried anything she could think of to sooth me.

"I told you, I got you." She lead me over to the couch where she helped me sit down as I covered my face with my hands, my tears hitting my thighs.

"I shouldn't have let him back in." I wailed. "He took me to go and see mom before." I started to calm myself down as I thought about my mom, it felt like she was right here with me. "He said that he spent a whole day looking for her grave when Frankie told him. Camie, how do I stay mad at someone who does that when he absolutely didn't have to?"

"You don't need to stay mad at him, you don't even need to be mad at Cassie, you know why she's doing it. Have you thought about why Luke is doing it? Maybe he has a good reason too." I shook my head at her. The tears having stopped.

"He blew up at Cassie when she asked Frankie to marry her for the Health insurance. His dad is a retired MP. He wouldn't do this to just wrought the system. He's apparently too straight cut now to do anything outside of the law. So maybe he does have some feelings for Cassie. I don't know."