Perfectly Imperfect [Book 2] ~ {A TBNRfrags Fanfic}

Chapter 5

The next day, Preston went out for a bit. Caroline mentioned it when we met up for Starbucks.

"He's probably just meeting up with some friends." I respond, taking a sip of my caramel frappucino.

"What friends?" She asks.

"Nathan, Paige, and maybe a few others." I reply.

"Don't they live in Cali?"

"I know that Nate, Dylan, and Ryan have their own place here. I think Paige was visiting."

"How're you and Paige?" Caroline asks, obviously recounting how she dated Preston for a while.

"I haven't even talked with her. She's not my problem anymore." I blatantly respond.

"Fair enough." She responds, picking up her phone and scrolling through it for a few minutes. "We should do this." She says, putting her phone in my face.

"Dress our babies up as Mickey and Minnie?"

"Yes! Wouldn't it be the cutest Halloween idea?" Caroline responds, taking her phone back.

"It would be pretty cute." I agree.

"Let's do it!! Wait till our husbands see this!" Caroline squeals, and I smile, rolling my eyes.
~
Preston didn't come home that night.

He texted me, telling me that he was over at Nate's.

"Mommy, I can't sleep." Carter says from the door. I look up from my phone to see my son hugging his favorite blue blanket and rubbing his tired eyes.

I pat the spot next to me. "Come here, honey." He does as told and gets under the covers, snuggling into my body. I wrap my arms around him and kiss the top of his head. "Feel better?"

"Yeah, thanks mommy... where's daddy?" He asks.

"He's out with some friends. I think he was planning on having a sleepover there too, so it's just us and your sisters here tonight." I respond.

"Okay." He replies, and falls asleep shortly after. I smile, hugging my son as I drift into sleep as well.
~
I called Nate the next day, asking him if Preston stayed over.

"Nope. He wasn't here last night." Nate responds.

I sigh deeply. "Oh well. Thanks anyways."

"Hey, listen. I'm sorry. I don't know what he's been up to, but if something's ever bothering you, you know that I'm here." Nate says.

"Thanks, Nate." I respond, hanging up shortly after.

Did I ever mention who Nate was? He's one of Preston's long-time best friends, and being married to Preston for eight or so years, I've gotten to know him.

Anyways, I did my usual motherly duties throughout the days, and that's how it went for a while. Preston was out more and more, later and later, while I took care of the children and uploaded YouTube videos, which was the primary source of income due to Preston's absence. Even his YouTube has been affected, as well as his fans. They've even started to reach out to me about Preston's whereabouts and when he would return to YouTube, which I have no answer for.
~

A week later, the first thing I do is set Alanna in her playpen, so I can budget meals for the week. After an hour or so, I smile in satisfaction and set it to the side, deciding to check up on my husband. I knock once, no answer; then twice, and same result. I slowly open the door to see the computers turned off, and my husband nowhere in sight.

He didn't tell me that he would be out.... again...

I frown, closing the door and walking back into the kitchen, where I make a coffee for myself and wait for the kids to get out of school. As 3:30 eventually rolls around, I put Alanna in her stroller, grab my wallet, phone, and keys, and walk to the bus stop. As soon as my children get off the bus, they smile so big it looks like their grins will fall off. I warmly smile back as I am enveloped in hugs.

"Hey, you two! How was your day?"

"You won't believe what happened!" Ashton says, telling me about how this one kid spilled glue all over himself. I laugh as Ashton tells me the story, while in the back of my head I wish that my husband was here to enjoy this family moment.

~

The sound of the front door opening immediately gets me off of the couch. It is well past midnight, as I waited for my husband.

"Where were you?!" I madly say, arms crossed as I hug my robe tightly to my body.

"I was out." He responds, taking off his shoes and making himself a coffee.

"Out, where?" I question, following him into the kitchen.

"Does it really matter?" Preston asks, putting the creamer in his freshly brewed coffee.

"Yes, it does. I'm your wife, and I deserve to know what you're doing or what your plans are, so I can plan accordingly. Ashton was thirty minutes late to her soccer practice because I had to take Carter to religion class and find someone to take care of Alanna, all by myself."

"Well, that's not my fault." He says, taking a sip of his coffee.

"It is one hundred percent your fault, Preston!" I argue, starting to get angry.

"Woah, woah, woah. Calm down, honey. I'm sorry. Nate called me out last minute to help him around the house." Preston responds.

I sigh, rubbing my temples. "We could have avoided this whole argument if you would have just told me that." However, even though my heart believes him, my thoughts start to cloud my vision.

"I'm sorry, Cait. It won't happen again." He says, kissing the top of my forehead.

Something doesn't feel right.

~

The next day, when Preston starts recording and I send the kids (except Alanna) off to school, I call Nathan (again). However, Nathan doesn't pick up. Instead, it is a feminine voice.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is Nate there?" I ask, wondering who is on the other end.

"Yeah, he's just finishing up recording. Can I ask who's calling?"

"Caitlin Arsement."

"Oh, Caitlin! I'm Paige." Immediately, my blood starts to run cold. "Nate's told me all about you-speaking of the devil-" It sounds as if someone has grabbed the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Nate."

"Caitlin! What can I do for you?" He cheerily asks.

"I was wondering... Did Preston come over at all yesterday?" I ask.

"Nope. Yesterday, Paige and I went to her cousin's soccer game two hours away." He responds.

"Oh, okay. Thanks." I reply, questions forming in my head.

"What did he do this time?" Nate asks.

"Nothing, nothing. Don't worry about it. I gotta go, so..."

"Alright, bye." Nate says.

"Bye." I hang up.