For Them, We Must

I'll fix you.

Three days later

Oakley quietly made her way back to the main bedroom, exhaustion seeping through her bones. She almost ran into Tate though, coming out of the room.

"Hey," Oakley said. "Where are you going?"

"Hey," Tate closed the door behind him. "I uh...think I wanna sleep in my room tonight."

"Are you sure?" Oakley asked, a series of nerves tickling her voice.

"Yeah," Tate nodded. "I'm okay...now. And uh, it is a little crowded with all of us even though Dad's not in there."

"Okay," Oakley ran her hand up and down Tate's arm. "If you're sure."

"I am," Tate smiled. "Goodnight."

"Night buddy," Oakley watched him walk down the hallway to his room and go inside.

Oakley slowly opened the door and looked inside to see Lee and Evelyn already asleep. She stopped short of going in though. Without Tate, Oakley didn't have anyone to talk to in the room. The past two nights had been her and Tate sitting in the chairs and whispering about any and everything.

It turns out, by some grace of God, none of the kids actually saw Oakley fire the gun. Tate had pulled the twins close and they were all looking down when it had happened. So Oakley and Tate had talked a little about it, but the twins had no idea what happened.

Oakley didn't know why it was easier to talk with Tate than Kayce about it. Tate held no judgment, there was no history with him. He also didn't feel like Oakley needed to be pushed.

Oakley watched Evelyn's and Lee's chest rise and fall with their breaths. She slowly closed the door again and stood out in the hallway. Quietly, Oakley made her way down to the living room where she figured Kayce might be. Her guess was right.

Kayce was sitting in one of the armchairs, a whiskey glass in his hand as he looked at the flames flickering from the fireplace. Oakley and Kayce hadn't spoken in three days. They had existed around each other, for the kids, but the two hadn't said a word to one another since their fight.

Oakley walked into the room, around the couch. She could feel Kayce's eyes on her as she sat down by the warm fire. She was still a good ten feet from Kayce though. Oakley's eyes moved from the ground over to where Kayce sat. He was staring at her, but hadn't moved a muscle.

For the past three days, Oakley had tried to unpack some of the emotions she was feeling. There had been a lot of tears but there was also rage inside her. And that terrified her.

How that man got into their property and into the house so that Oakley was forced to shoot, was something that ate at her daily. Why Kayce had left her, and their children, made her look at him differently.

Kayce taking a sip of his drink brought Oakley back to the present. His glass was empty now, as Kayce sat it on the table next to him.

"Tate went back to his room tonight," Oakley mustered out.

Kayce nodded.

"I'll move to Lee's," He said.

So that's where Kayce had slept the past few nights. Oakley would be lying if she said she hadn't wondered. She knew he would wait until he thought they were all asleep and then come into the bathroom at night.

"I haven't changed those sheets in a while," Oakley said.

"S'fine," Kayce stood up and walked back around the couch. "Just there until the sun is up."

Oakley's eyes followed him as he went into the kitchen. She heard him place his glass in the sink before he turned the lights off and walked back out. Kayce stopped at the back of the couch facing Oakley.