It All Started With a Diary

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"When you forgive, you in no way change the past - but you sure do change the future." —Bernard Meltzer

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Chapter 74
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I was going to scream if one of them didn't talk.

I went and retrieved Susie, who was just as distraught with mascara smears and puffy red eyes, out of her bed. I told her that Kade wanted to talk about everything, and insisted that both of them hear one another out. It worked. She cleared her face of any leftover makeup, and was now in front of us in the living room.

I wasn't sure how long it'd been now. Either party was silent, waiting for the other to make the first move.

I felt like a referee, ready to break it up any second. Kade was clenching my hand for dear life, and I never let my own leave his knee in support.

Oh, fuck it.

"So," I cleared my throat as I motioned between the both of them. Neither of them looked at one another. "You two have a lot to talk about." My eyes bounced between the two. "Would either of you like to..." I trailed off as Susie nodded her head.

Her eyes met Kade's, whose own were on our hands. "I'm sorry," she rushed out. "I-I know that I've never said those words before, not directly. I'm sorry for—"

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I glanced at Kade, whose expression was stone cold. Susie looked taken aback, her throat bobbing as she swallowed.

"I didn't..." she uncrossed her legs to lean forward, clasping her shaky hands tightly together. "I didn't want you to blame yourself. I know that you already do it enough about how everything went down, and I didn't want to add that to it."

"I've been angry for years," he paused to inhale a shaky patch of air. "For years, I've put it out on you. Why did you let me? Why didn't you say something?"

Susie tilted her head, outstretching a hand. Kade jerked away, his eyes never meeting hers. Susie flinched back, but nodded. They weren't that far along yet.

"Kade," she whispered. "If that was the only thing that I could save you from, then I would take the blame, and all that anger, all over again. Without hesitation. As much as it hurt, I loved you more than you hated me."

Kade dawned on her words, still doubtful. His jaw ticked by the second as he considered what to say.

"I want to hear it from you," he stated with a steady tone. "All of it."

He released my hand, instead tightening his fingers around the armrest. His eyes jumped over to me. "I don't want to hurt your hand." I nodded. His knuckles turned ghost white in a matter of seconds as he gripped the leather.

Susie cleared her throat, then took a sip from her tea I made earlier to settle my own nerves. "Where should I start?"

"I don't care," he responded with a frosty tone. I glanced over at him, and he sighed then looked to me with a nod.

"Well," she drew out a breath longer than necessary. "I met William when we were in college. He was charismatic, a gentlemen, kind, everything I wanted in a man. I didn't care about his wealth, or any of that. I loved him, and I thought that he loved me too. Maybe he did, but something just...changed in him over the years."