Written in Chance

~ 6

Chapter 6 |

Michael's Pov

Kyela carried Kees on her hip as she followed behind the real estate agent in the empty new house.

"And out here, we have the luscious backyard perfect for family get-togethers whether that be barbecues or birthday parties for your little ones," the agent said.

Kyela nodded and looked around outside the door. She stepped out and crossed the lanai, looking over the outdoor kitchen while the sun shined down on her through the skylight. I was too engulfed in staring at her to notice the real estate agent standing right in front of me. She smiled brightly and waved her hand a little, and I snapped back into reality.

"Do you guys want to look around some more?" She said, much too excited.

I nodded. "I want to give her some time," I said.

The woman nodded and scurried off to somewhere else in the house, and I walked up behind Kyela. She turned around immediately and rolled her eyes.

"Stop creeping up on me," she snapped.

I cautiously took a step back, and she sighed.

"Well, do you like it?" I asked her.

She looked down at the floor and crunched a leaf under her shoe. "Yeah, I like it, but you set me up," she said.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Set you up? How?"

She chuckled sarcastically, "I told you I wasn't ready for all of this yet, and you already have a house picked out? I'm thinking this is gonna take months, maybe even a year before we picked a house together and then moved in. I mean, what are you trying to do, Michael?"

I gulped dryly and ran my hands over my face. "I'm just trying to start over and have you close to me again. Kye, you have to understand... It's killing me being away from you like this," I told her. 

She bit her lip and took a deep breath, "Were you thinking that way when you tried to kill me?" 

I opened my mouth to say something when I heard the familiar sound of heels clicking against the floor. The door leading into the house opened, and the real estate agent popped her head out. 

"Did you have enough time to think?" she asked nicely.

I nodded and offered a small smile. A phone started to ring, and we both looked at Kyela at the same time. She pulled her phone out, and an embarrased expression washed over her face. She looked at the real estate agent with a sheepish smile. "I have to take this, I'll be right back," she said. I watched her walk away into the house, then I turned my attention back to the real estate agent.

"I guess we have extra details to discuss?"

Kyela's Pov

I walked into the house with Kees on my hip as he sucked on his fingers. I picked up the phone and sighed. 

"Hello?" I answered.

Someone cleared their throat. "Hey, Kye, it's Colby," he responded.

I instantly felt a lump in my throat, but I tried to ignore it. "Hey Colby, I didn't think you'd actually call," I admitted. Frankly, I hoped he wouldn't. I wasn't in the mood for catching up.

"Have I ever lied to you?" He chuckled, and I felt something flutter in the pit of my stomach. 

I wanted to groan, but I held it in for the sake of him being on the other end of the line. "I guess not," I said lowly.

"Now, I called because I had this grand idea while I was driving to my mother's house... I was thinking I could take you Zuma because I know how much you used to love the food," he suggested, "If your husband is okay with that, of course."

I bit the inside of my cheek and looked outside the door and watched Michael talk to the real estate agent before I looked away and nodded as if he could see me. 

"That sounds great actually. I haven't had it in years, so we can definitely do that," I said.

"Nice! How about tomorrow at seven?" he asked.

I agreed and took a deep breath after hanging up the phone. Kees laid his head on my shoulder, and I kissed the top of his head as I rocked him back and forth hoping he would fall asleep.

• • •

"Would you like an extra bowl of soup while you wait?" the waitress asked me, and I shook my head politely before she walked away. I stirred my straw around in my soda absentmindedly.

"So... Kyela, how long have you been married?" Colby asked me.

I looked at him, and he smiled at me.

"It's been about two months now," I said.

He chuckled under his breath, "Again, congratulations."

I gripped my spoon in my hand and looked away. I tried to chuckle like he did, but it came out as more of a grunt. "Don't patronize me, Colby," I said.

His face stiffened, and he sighed, "Sorry, sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm just so... Confused."

I cocked an eyebrow and took a deep breath. "Confused about what?"

He took a deep breath and looked around the restaurant. "You just... Just disappeared, and you're back all of a sudden, and you're acting like it's normal, and I'm trying to too. I can't wrap my head around this at all, Kyela. It's been seven years," he blurted.

I bit the inside of my cheek and thought to myself. What kind of explanation did I owe him? Well, a pretty good one. He's about the only man that I'd ever known that hadn't mistreated me in any way in the entirety of our relationship. I was having trouble figuring out if Michael changed my life in a good way or bad way. 

"I was kidnapped, Colby," I said. I leaned back in my chair, and he stared at me expressionlessly. "Do you want to know how I met my husband or something? It was random luck. I was in the right place at the right time, and he saved me, and we began something." The lie was just getting deeper and deeper. Maybe I was just trying to convince myself of something. I had gotten tangled up in so much, I couldn't tell my own lies from the truth.

"So it's real?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" 

He held his mouth open and chuckled after a few seconds, "I said is your marriage real?"

I scoffed, "Well, we just bought a house down the street from my mother's for our son and our kid on the way... So, you stop by and tell me what you think." I folded my arms over my chest and looked around the room. He hadn't responded, so I figured that conversation was over, and I could finally put that guilt behind me. "So, what happened to the studio?" I asked.

His eyes lit up. "I quit about a year and a half after you left, and I think they shut it down, but I didn't keep up with them much after that. I moved to Atlanta anyway and started my own, and I have a few teams up there. They do competitions and stuff like that," he said.

I smiled. "Good for you," I complimented.

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Anybody suspicious about Colby? You think he'll still be coming around? I hope you don't think Kyela's going to betray Michael 🐸☕