Again

Chapter 44

"Mom," Zac spoke as he closed the door.  He saw his mother reach the living room couch and take a seat.  He sighed before he made his way over to her and sat down on one of the armchairs across from where his mother was, "What was that?" he asked.

Diana was quiet for a moment, taking her son in.  She couldn't remember the last time they'd had a private conversation, "I heard someone calling your name outside so I checked to see if your car was here.  I looked through the window but I didn't see it, so I just stepped outside to take a glance around in case you'd parked somewhere out of sight," she trailed off, "I wasn't spying on you."

Zac was immediately suspicious of her last statement, but thought better than to make a comment about it.  

"I saw you talking to Kayla, though," Diana continued as she straightened out her body.  The immediate change in her tone caught Zac off guard, "What was that about?"

Zac shifted in his seat, figuring out the best way to explain to his mother how he'd made his way to Kayla's front yard.

"Kate and I had a, somewhat disturbing, conversation earlier," He admitted, "So I left to go for a walk for a little bit just to get out and clear my mind.  I honestly don't know how or why I ended up coming this way.  Talking to Kayla was a coincidence.  I guess she'd just pulled in when I was walking by.  That's all," he finished.

"What happened with Kate?" his mother asked, genuine concern in her voice.

"Not one thing in particular," Zac answered.  They sat quietly, Diana waiting for her son to finish explaining, while Zac contemplated how much more he would decide to share with her.

'Screw it,' Zac thought to himself, 'she's going to find out eventually.'   He took another deep breath before he continued, "We're thinking about doing counselling," he began.  Diana immediately softened her body language, "But she wants to do it alone first, before we try going together.  She said while we do that, she thinks it's probably best if she moves out."  As soon as the words left his mouth, the enormity of them hit him.  He felt his chest rise and fall quickly as he tried to gather the thoughts that were flooding his brain.   Apparently, he'd made a decision he now needed to share with Kate.

They both remained quiet, Zac questioning whether or not the decision to share the news with his mother was the right one or not.

"Are you okay?" Diana asked quietly as she reached out for her son's hand.  The gesture caught Zac by surprise and without even thinking, he pulled it away.  He watched Diana react to his actions before he spoke.

"I don't know," He answered honestly, "I don't think either of us are really okay right now.  That's probably why she wants some space.  But I think we're making the best decisions we can for our marriage.  Whatever happens I suppose is what's meant to happen."  He looked at his mother, the spinning wheels inside her head almost visible to him, "What?" he finally asked.

"Does this have anything to do with...." she trailed off.

"Kayla?" Zac asked, bewhildered.  Diana didn't answer, "No mom, Jesus, not everything in my life revolves around Kayla.  Nothing in my life does.  I get it, maybe at some point they did, but I've gotten over that.  I didn't really have a choice.  Why are you choosing to hold on to some petty drama from ten years ago?" he could hear the anger and frustration in his own voice.

"I'm not choosing, Zac.  I just don't want to make any mistakes, I don't want things to get worse between us.  That's why I went over there---"

"You went to Kayla's house?!" he asked as he rose to his feet.  He stepped behind the chair he'd just been occupying and held on tightly to the back, "Why?!  What reason could you possibly have to go over there?"