Free At Last, Untouchable Now

t hours in the kitchen, putting together a feast and

eeing the unanswered messages she s

are you coming home? Wer

ll stuck in

ssible, will you m

ge sat ther

t as she thought about texting him again

ere's something I w

through Natalie. She sprang out of her s

y something about

er hopeful in a way she hadn't felt in years. May

e warmed up the meal again, thi

sound of her son's happy laught

but smile as she hur

re just gettin

her way. He rushed past Natalie a

o catch him. "You haven't had dinn

notice her waiting by the door. He b

There's something I

voice stung more than

rced herself to smile. "I made all your favorites

I'm not

ped short, turning to face her, a

t to take it to Ella tomorro

la

ucas' first love, the woma

rd the stairs, ready to ask more, but Colin had already disapp

ho had hoped to slip away quietly. "You've known about this for a wh

anymore, Julissa Rowe let out

re and ran into Cole a couple of times. They seemed to cli

eady herself as the truth settled in. "So he didn't stay

e home after class, but Miss Wheeler picked him up s

e glanced at Natalie, her exp

, and she spoke before she could stop herself. "W

ed in a gentle voice, "He ju

gesture. Her voice was thin, nearly

uch and let herself sink into the cushions, feeli

on her own. He was just a kid, with no way t

alie's mind-only Lucas co

been growing closer to Lucas' old flame while she remained completely in

in thought, until the familiar sound

ed as the day must have made him. He dro

dy to help him settle in. Tonight, she coul

cross the table. His wife's quiet figure caught his

or all this food? Di

help him with the coat, Lucas h

had dinner,

ad dinner with Ella, but the words stayed trapped

since they were kids. It made sens

ay i

n their anniversary, Lucas plac

it. We've put thi

print stared back from th

g filled her ears. The world seemed

me Lucas had talked abou

s the same-divorce. He'd toss out the word like it meant nothing, and sh

ie convinced herself that if she kept loving him enough, on

ized she'd been c

ed as she reach

ady. "I won't leave you with nothing. The money I gave you is yours to keep. B

osening around the pen. She place

, desperate for a sign of kindnes

softness was left in Lucas' eye

to use our son to ge

pt through Natalie, fre

e she managed to speak, her voice thin

"You really think you can play the same game forever? You use

g to form the words. "That's not true. I

he curl of smoke softening his expression into something unreadable

en them, masking th

herself to speak. "All right. Let's end thi