URIAH

Resisting

Chapter 13

I feel the wet pillow on my cheek. I turn on my back, my eyes still closed, and I stretch out on the bed. I feel nothing but cold cotton and icy satin. I pull the sheets under my hand and close my hand with force.

I open my eyes slowly as I'm greeted by the sun. I look around to find any sign of him, but nothing has changed since last night. His suit is here, but his pants are not. His words are here, but he's not.

I cannot fathom that he would believe, for even a second, that I would have enjoyed that. I understand why he'd be intimidated by a man like Cristian, but I didn't think he was that weak. I know he's cannot be that weak. Maybe some things have changed with him. Maybe he isn't as detached from his father's death on this trip as I thought he was. Or, maybe I'm fooling myself into thinking that his grief is causing this behaviour and that jealousy isn't in fact one of Nathan's personality traits. I don't know how I'd be able to handle that.

I push myself in a sitting position. I notice a paper with Nathan's handwriting on it on our nightstand. I take the paper and read.

I've already packed everything and I've chosen clothes out for you. We'll be waiting for you in the lobby for breakfast. Come down when you're ready.

He didn't sign it. He knew that he didn't have to. At first read, I'm pissed at his nonchalant attitude. But as I read it over and over, I realize how hard it must have been for him to write this. I understand. As I always seem to. 

I make my way out of bed with difficulty when my phone rings. I go for it reluctantly.

"Hi, Mom!" I'm happy to hear her voice. It's been too long.

"Baby, how are you?"

I hesitate before deciding on telling her the truth.

"It was great until a few hours ago. Nathan and I had a huge fight, and he didn't sleep in the hotel room last night."

"Honey. What happened?"

I'm kind of embarrassed to tell her.

"You know our mission info is confidential, but I had to get something from someone and the safest way to get him to give it to us was for him to want to give it to us. I seduced him and he was being stubborn, so I kissed him and then I knocked him out. Nathan saw the kissing, but not me beating him unconscious, and he ignored my calls. I did the whole mission alone. Then he ignored me, accused me of cheating and liking it and we said mean things and then he left."

She sighs. I hear someone else's sigh as well. Oh, my God. Is my mom on speaker? Is my dad there?

"Mom, you're on speaker aren't you?"

"Hi, hun," my dad says embarassed.

"Hi."

"What were the mean things you said?"

Since none of the words have left my mind, I quote her our conversation word for word.

"I think you handled everything great," my dad encourages. I laugh. I shouldn't be laughing at having bested someone I love, but my dad always has my back and I love him for that.

My mom chuckles. "You did, Sam. You stood up for yourself, but you said some things that hurt someone you love. This has to get fixed. You can't continue these missions while hating each other. The only reason it worked the first time was because you cared for and protected each other."

I thank them for their advice and for listening before I hang up and rush to get the day started, reluctantly. I look on the sofa and spot the clothes Nathan picked out for me. The exact same clothes I had planned for today. I guessed he did listen to me when I was talking about my outfits. I was mostly talking to myself anyway. I wasn't expecting him to pay attention.