Page 29 of All That She Needs

"Something bad happened, didn't it? Do you need me to go there?" He offered, "I'll call Uber right now."

"There's no need..." I paused, then changed my mind. Dennis would cheer me up. After the kids go to school, I would be all alone as today is Sandy's day off. I would drive myself crazy with my thoughts, and I needed Dennis to distract me. "Okay. Come over, please."

After we hung up, I went downstairs, wanting to see my kids before they left for school. I caught them just in time as they were about to get into the car. Brody was already waiting with his hand on the door handle. Kayden gave me a sad smile and nodded, but he said nothing. Chloe, however, ran straight to me as soon as she noticed me, wrapping her slender arms around my middle and resting her head on my chest. My heart swelled and broke at the same time. I held on to her tight, as if she were my lifeline.

"We'll get through this, Mom. Love you," she whispered.

Oh, God. I could feel the tears welling up again. I was too choked up to speak, but I managed to whisper back, "Love you more."

I watched the car speed away, my hand pressed against my chest as my eyes filled with tears. Today marked the day their dad started living separately from us, and tomorrow, I will go to the attorney's office to make the divorce official.

My guilt consumed me as I walked back to the house. I wasn't innocent in this—I knew that. I kept silent when I should have spoken, did nothing when I should have acted. I cowardly let things unravel until they broke us apart.

The house was quiet as I stepped in and closed the door behind me, and the silence felt heavier than usual, like it was pressing in from all sides. I looked around, trying to imagine the place without Aiden in it. The thought was almost unreal, and it hurt so much. Things would never be the same. Standing there, I wondered if I should distract myself with some work in the garden or if it was time to pack Aiden's things. I decided I better wait for Dennis before I packed, as I wasn't sure I would make it without crying. Gardening seemed to be the best option for now.

Almost an hour later, Dennis burst through the double doors to the garden from the main house, his eyes frantic as he scanned the area for me. The security at the front gate must have let him in, and I could imagine him rushing through the empty house, searching every room before finally remembering to check the garden.

"Dammit, Asha!" He panted; his hands flew to his hips as he cast me a frustrated glare. "I searched everywhere for you. You didn't even answer your phone!"

I was squatting on the wet ground, tending to my sunflower, and looked up to glare at him. "I'm working in a garden. I can't carry my phone around!"

He tiptoed toward me, moving carefully. Must be terrified to dirty his Ferragamo shoes—even though the stonepath was perfectly clean. Then he leaned in to check my face. "How are you? You look awful. Did you wear sunscreen? Where's that hideous pink straw hat you always wear? You know you'll age faster if you're exposed to the sun this long." He leaned in further, his finger pointed at my eyes. "I can already see some lines there..."

I sighed. Dennis. Sometimes, I just didn't know what to do with him.

"Go inside and make yourself a drink or something." I waved a hand to shoo him away. "I need to finish this first."

"Should I make something for you too?" he asked. "Something strong enough to take the edge off?"

I raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to be annoyed or amused. "Are you offering me to get drunk in the middle of the day?"

"Why not? You deserve a break," he said, wagging his eyebrows. "I can whip up something refreshing. Just say the word."

I considered it for a moment. "Aiden has a stash of something strong in the top cabinet, just next to the fridge."

Dennis clapped his hands and gave a little jump. "Fantastic! You keep working, and don't take too long, okay? Or I'll finish it all by myself." He flashed a mischievous grin before skipping his way back to the house.

I worked in the garden for another hour, and when I went back inside, Dennis was barefoot, lounging in the living room with a glass of something suspicious in his hand. A bottle sat in a bucket of ice on the coffee table. He was reading on his phone but sat up the moment he saw me.

"What took you so long?" His brows shot up. "Your face is completely burned—you look like a tomato."

I ignored him and headed toward the stairs. "We're going to my bedroom. I'm showering first, and you can start packing Aiden's stuff. The boxes are already there. I'll join you after."

Dennis jumped up and followed. "Packing?" He looked confused.

"Yes. I'm kicking him out as of this morning."

He quickly trailed behind me. "Am I hearing this right? You're really kicking him out?"

"Surprised I finally grew a spine?"

"Well..." he caught up to me, falling in step beside me. "Yeah." I glared at him. Both his hands shot up in surrender. "I honestly already gave up trying to convince you that his lying, cheating, gorgeous ass doesn't deserve you. I thought you're going to spend the rest of your life crying in the dark alone while he revels in the joy of another woman's pu–"

"Don't say it." I grunted, cutting him off, stomping off to my bedroom.

"Okay... sorry." Then he sat in the armchair by the window and silently watched me drifting around in my bedroom, collecting a change of clothes before he asked, "Are you okay, though?"

I sighed and told him the truth. I didn't have the energy to keep up appearances anymore. "I'm not, obviously."

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