Oh, ominous place spellbound and unchildproofed
My least favorite shelter bear alone
Compatriots in face they'd cringe if I told you
Our best back pocket secret
Our bond full blown
I have barely taken a sip of my coffee, heading over to the desk to work at budget stuff and shopping lists when I hear the intro notes of (Oh god, cheese) a slow song I love (Wunderkind, okay shoot me already the Chronicles of Narnia has an amazing soundtrack) playing over the sound system. Caleb is dialing it louder and louder and then he takes me in his arms and we have a waltz through the great room, him beginning with room for Jesus and by the time the song ends I figure if I take one more step closer I will have walked right through him and out the other side.
At the end he gets to his knees.
I'm so sorry, Bridget.
Which one of them threatened to kill you?
How many names did you want to hear? But that's not why I'm apologizing. Their words bounce off, I knew after I left you that I had crossed a line.
(He puts it so mildly. As if he conducted an impolite joke instead of a violent attack.)
A line, I repeat.
I broke all of my promises, Bridget. Again.
You did. She never trusted you anyway so it's okay. I let him off the hook. He can't actually do any further damage and this is the saddest part of our relationship, divided equally into two distinct time periods. Her and I. The child and the woman. And while I stand here I realize he can't even tell us apart.
And that's what scares them, and suddenly it scares me.
Lochlan comes in then, startling when he sees Caleb on his knees, arms wrapped around my waist.
Go, he says abruptly, but I don't know if he means me or Cale. Caleb leaves and I watch Lochlan for a correction that never comes, mercifully.
He hurt you again? He's not allowed near you anymore.
I'm fine.
Right. Lochlan laughs with such a bitter edge I begin to bleed.
At the end he gets to his knees.
I'm so sorry, Bridget.
Which one of them threatened to kill you?
How many names did you want to hear? But that's not why I'm apologizing. Their words bounce off, I knew after I left you that I had crossed a line.
(He puts it so mildly. As if he conducted an impolite joke instead of a violent attack.)
A line, I repeat.
I broke all of my promises, Bridget. Again.
You did. She never trusted you anyway so it's okay. I let him off the hook. He can't actually do any further damage and this is the saddest part of our relationship, divided equally into two distinct time periods. Her and I. The child and the woman. And while I stand here I realize he can't even tell us apart.
And that's what scares them, and suddenly it scares me.
Lochlan comes in then, startling when he sees Caleb on his knees, arms wrapped around my waist.
Go, he says abruptly, but I don't know if he means me or Cale. Caleb leaves and I watch Lochlan for a correction that never comes, mercifully.
He hurt you again? He's not allowed near you anymore.
I'm fine.
Right. Lochlan laughs with such a bitter edge I begin to bleed.