Why Should It Matter?

17. Apologies

Tapping her nail along the edge of the phone, I'm upset, more or less disappointed, but no...

Does this mean, we can meet up to chat about this? he pursed his lips, knowing he was pressing his luck.

Lindsey... she sent, shaking her head as she did so.

Okay. So, no... I get it. And I will talk to her.

I don't want you to just talk to her, she mentioned. I want you to apologize to her. She deserves to know the truth after all these years and I don't want any qualms to worry about. We owe it to her.

I understand.

If it were another way ~ I'd talk to her, myself, but if it were up to her she'd probably get a restraining order.

He sent the laughing face, knowing that would be the truth; his wife never wanted anything from either of them. An explanation would be the very last thing she wanted.

Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it this time, he basically concluded. I don't want this one thing to hinder your mood about us.

She stared at the message, his words genuinely hitting her once again.

"Obviously, you guys made up?" Karen asked, prideful of her own actions. "You've been texting for twenty minutes."

"You my keeper now?" the blonde smirked.

"Nope, just teasing as I do... But really, does it feel better chatting than fighting?" she asked.

"Of course it does," she nodded very calmly.

"Good," she stood up and came near. "I'll take Lily out for a bit---she's been here a long time."

"Okay, thanks---" she lifted the dog to hand her over.

Did they tell you when you're allowed to leave? he asked, wanting to be there that day.

Tomorrow. I cannot wait to go home.

I bet, it's been a rough few days, I'd assume, he replied.

Yeah, it was an emergency, but I really do feel fine now. I just wanna leave this box of bacteria.

Chuckling on his end, he didn't know really what to say, but he sent her smiley face---slipping his phone into his pocket right after.

...

Walking through the door of his home, Lindsey was met by an empty place once again.

But coursing through his veins, it was not only dread, but definitely a slight nervousness.

He'd never been straight with his wife of his affair and in doing so twenty years too late, he feared the absolute worse. He quickly recalled death was probably his future, so honestly couldn't think what could have been worse.

All of the sudden his phone started ringing, forcing him out of his internal thoughts.

Pulling it out of his pocket, he saw that it was his son. "Hey, what's up?"

"Hey..." he then spaced. "Are you home?"

"Yeah, something wrong?" he questioned.

"No, no---I'm fine. But are you alone? I just wanna chat."

Sighing, "Yeah, I'm home---your mom took your sisters out," he replied.

"I know---she asked me to go. I said, no."

"What--"

"I'll be over soon," he assured, cutting his father off and hanging up.

He took the phone away from his ear and looked down at the now black screen, "Okay..." he lingered.