Page 33 of Broken Vows

That night,I hear Jeremy come in late from work. His footsteps pause at the bottom of the stairs. Hours have passed since Lilly left, and the only sounds I’ve heard are the dull hum of the TV and the occasional distant car.

“Lex?” he calls softly. “You awake?”

“Yeah.”

He comes up, stopping in my doorway. In the dim light, he looks younger somehow. More like the boy who used to climb through my window in high school.

“You need anything?” He asks.

I shake my head, “No, I’m okay.”

Another pause, heavy with things unsaid.

“Night.”

“Night.”

I listen to him go back downstairs. My hand drifts to my slight bump, to this tiny life that’s somehow brought us closer even as everything else fell apart.

Before I drift off, my phone buzzes with a text from Lilly:

Lilly

Can’t wait for this weekend. It’ll be good to keep you busy.

I spendthe morning in the soon to be nursery–Jeremy’s old office–looking at the walls and trying to imagine colors. Sage green maybe, or that soft yellow Lilly suggested. Something neutral, something calm.

A box in the corner still holds some of Jeremy’s things–old work manuals, some photos from his training days. I should pack them up for him, but I sit on the floor, sifting through memories.

There’s a photo I don’t remember–Jeremy at some work function, paper plate of food in hand. The front door opens downstairs, startling me. Heavy footsteps–Jeremy’s home early.

“Lex?”

“Up here!”

He appears in the doorway, still in his work clothes, holding a paper bag that smells like our favorite Chinese place.

“Thought we could do lunch instead of dinner. Alex showed up, after all, so I took an early break.”

He spots the photo in my hand, and something shifts in his expression.

“Found this in your old work stuff,” I say, holding it up. “When was this?”

“Company picnic, I think.” He takes the photo, glances at it, then sets it aside too quickly. “You want to eat up here? Start planning this room?”

I let him change the subject, let him spread out the takeout containers on the floor like we’re having a picnic. My phone buzzes with a text from Lilly:

Lilly

Still on for painting this weekend? Picked up some samples I think you’ll love.

Me

Sure!

Chapter Twenty-One

The sizzleof egg wash hitting the counter makes me jump. I wipe it up quickly with a paper towel, trying to focus on the task at hand. My stomach growls at the smell of seasoned breadcrumbs–apparently the baby likes the idea of my dinner choice. The sound of Jeremy’s key in the lock startles me. He’s early.

---