by Jenika Snow
“The police need to be called, Chloe.” Dominic’s tone brokered no argument.
Oh God. This night was getting worse. “Look, I know they should be called, but I don’t want to be dragged through this mess any more than I already have. You know as well as I that if the police arrest him there will be all sorts of legalities that involve me as well.” She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist. She just wanted to be held. She wanted to forget about this night and move forward. “Please, Uncle Dominic. Please, can we forget about it?” All but pleading, she prayed he listened to her.
Chloe kept her head down and when she felt Dominic’s hand on her shoulder, she lifted her head and stared at him. Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
“They are going to wonder why he has a black eye and is leaving.” She could tell by the way he spoke that he wasn’t going to tell anyone. Maybe Jake did need to get arrested and maybe her parents did need to know, but she couldn’t go through that right now, didn’t even want to think about it.
“He leaves in the morning.”
“Believe me, he isn’t going to want to stay anyway.” They were silent for several minutes and didn’t advance toward the house. When Dominic finally breathed out and stepped back, he ran his hand through his cropped hair.
“Okay, I won’t say anything, but I'm only doing this because you asked. This goes against my better judgment, but I don’t want to see you hurting any more than you already are.” Nodding, she wouldn’t have had it any other way. She would find something to tell her parents.
“And, Chloe?”
“Yes?”
“If I find out he has put his hands on you again, I’ll hunt him down and kill him.”
Shivering at the intensity of Dominic’s words, she knew he meant what he said.
Chapter Five
The following morning Jake had woke up on the lawn chair, half his face swollen. When Chloe had seen him she knew right away his memory of the night before was intact. She thought he might have looked regretful, even sorry, but a deep hatred had been reflected back at her. When her parents had seen what happened, he had at least been smart enough not to be honest about how he acquired the injury. When he had expressed his desire to go home, her parents had been more than willing to drive him back, most likely worrying a lawsuit would result from his injury.
They hadn’t bothered asking her if she was okay with leaving, just told her to pack her bags and meet them in the front. She refused to go, didn’t want to be in the car with any of them. When she had told them this, they looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Of course they told her she would just be a burden to Clara and Dominic—that they didn’t want to have to watch over a kid.
Thankfully, Uncle Dominic had been there, smoothing away their ruffled feathers and telling them there was no problem with her staying at the cottage. Without even a backward glance, they left.
That had been several hours ago and still Chloe didn’t know how to feel. The whole situation was surreal. How could she ever find it in herself to trust another guy? Jake had turned into a monster in only one day. After two years of being with him, she had to find out the hard way who he truly was.
What she needed to do was go for a run around the lake, clear her head and try and put things in perspective. She had too much anger and energy to just sit around and wallow. She also didn’t want to be around her Aunt Clara. It seemed Clara wasn’t too happy about Chloe staying. Although she hadn’t said as much, actions spoke louder than words.
Changing into a set of running shoes, Chloe grabbed a few bottles of water and set off to get rid of the feelings inside of her. She knew a nice long run was exactly what she needed. She needed to let everything fall away so that her mind was open and free again. She had other things to worry about, like school starting in the fall. Running harder, she let her surroundings encompass her and focused only on what was in front of her.
****
The sun was setting by the time Chloe made it back to the cottage. Covered in sweat, she was exhausted, but also felt euphoric. When she stopped by the back door she could hear shouting and cursing from the open window. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, and meant to go inside instead of listening to an obvious fight. She knew walking away would have been the smart thing to do, but her aunt and uncle’s argument caught her attention and she felt her feet cemented to the ground.
“It’s always about you, Dom. When are you going to start thinking about me?” Her aunt’s voice was raised high and filled with anger.
“Calm down, Clara. The way you’re acting is childish.” Dominic’s voice was steady. Although he kept his cool, Chloe could tell he was pissed by the clipped words he spoke.
“Childish? Ha!” Chloe heard cupboards slam shut. “This is why our relationship is shit, Dom. This is why I’ve gone elsewhere for what I need.”
“No, our relationship is shit because you’re a selfish bitch, Clara. You went off and fucked someone else because all you care about is yourself. You gave no consideration for anyone else.”
Chloe covered her mouth with her hand as she heard her aunt and uncle's private conversation. She felt like a voyeur, but still she couldn’t move.
“Would you have even told me if I hadn’t caught you in the act?” Dominic laughed roughly. “No, you wouldn’t.”
“If you're so miserable why did you stay?”
“I didn’t want to give up, Clara, but as the years waned on I found myself not caring.” Everything was silent for several moments. “I thought we could work it out. How wrong I was.”
“This isn’t working, hasn’t been for a long time and we both know it.” Clara’s voice raised an octave higher.
“You’re right. I can’t keep holding onto something that isn’t there.”
“I wish I'd never wasted all these years with you. Look at what it's gotten me!” More slamming of drawers and cupboards preceded her aunt’s harsh words.
Chloe didn’t move as she heard the front door open and slam shut. The sound of a car starting and peeling out of the driveway had her wincing. Now was not the time to go inside, not when either her aunt or uncle were in there, not after everything she just heard.
As the car drove off and the sound became more and more distant, Chloe turned to leave. Just when she went to leave, she heard the back door open and close. Tensing, she dreaded turning and seeing who stood behind her. If it was her aunt, Clara would have fire behind her eyes and a temper that would knock Chloe back a few steps. Uncle Dominic was able to hide his emotions. He held things in, concealed them behind a mask of cool and collected composure. Chloe feared his reaction most because he was like the calm before a storm.
Bracing herself, she turned and stared into her uncle’s blue eyes. He appeared calm, as if he hadn’t just had a fight with his wife, as if she hadn’t just left him. Neither one of them spoke for several minutes. Chloe started to feel the tension in the air. Awkwardness didn’t even begin to describe the situation.
She hadn’t responded.
She wasn’t going to lie, and not because she knew Dominic would be able to know it. Chloe didn’t feel right lying to him, not even about this.
“I was standing out here for about ten minutes.” Not a lie, but also not the whole truth.
He nodded almost absently and turned his attention to the setting sun. “This was a long time in coming.” It was like he was speaking to himself as he kept his attention on the horizon. “I wish you hadn’t been subjected to that, but your aunt isn’t known for her subtleness.”
Chloe moved over to where he sat and took a seat beside him. “I’m sorry.” Is that even the right thing to say? “Maybe I should just go home.” How could she stay here after all this? He appeared fine, but Chloe knew that even if he wasn’t upset about the outcome of his marriage, he still had to be upset over the situation in general. Who wouldn’t be?
“No, I don’t want you to leave.” He turned and smiled at her. “You have nothing to
be sorry about. I’m just sorry you had to be here when the shit finally hit the fan. I know this has to be awkward for you. Believe me when I say our marriage was in the hole a long time ago.”
It was none of Chloe’s business, but she loved his honesty and wanted him to feel like he could tell her anything. So, against her better judgment, she asked. “If things were this bad why did you guys stay together for so long?” His heavy exhale made her instantly regret what she said. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business."
“No, it’s alright. I think I stayed so long because I thought things would be different. I thought I could make our relationship work out when it was already damaged.” He chuckled humorlessly.
When no one else was there for her, he was, and so she needed to be that shoulder for him to lean on if he needed that. “I’m sorry she…” How to phrase it?
“Cheated on me?” She turned to look at him and felt some of the tension leave when he patted her knee. “It’s okay, sweetie, I don’t mind talking about it. We're both adults and it isn’t like you didn’t hear her say it anyway.” Breathing out wearily, he leaned back in the chair and ran a hand over his jaw. “Let’s just put it this way, after that, things were never the same. No matter how much I wanted to put it behind me, I couldn’t.”
They stayed silent a while longer, but it wasn’t uncomfortable silence. Chloe didn’t know what to say, but knew that right now nothing needed to be said.
When the sun had finally set she made her way inside and washed up. Chloe wished there was something she could do to make things different for Dominic, wished she could wipe away that look of disappointment off his face when he thought she wasn’t looking. Would things ever be the same? She had a feeling they wouldn’t.
Chapter Six
The next couple of weeks were tense around the cottage. Although she tried to make it not so, she knew Dominic was also trying. It was just a difficult situation that made everything awkward, no matter how hard they tried to ease the tension. Meals were eaten in silence, and when either of them did strike up a conversation, it was short.
When Dominic got the divorce papers in the mail, both of them knew Clara had planned this, had known that the relationship was over long before the fight had taken place. She had watched him sign those papers, his writing quick and angry. How she longed to comfort him, but she knew it wouldn’t be welcome, especially not right now.
There was a lot of turmoil behind her uncle’s eyes, and Chloe desperately wished she could ease it from him. The idea of going back home was sounding better and better Chloe knew that Dominic needed time to himself, but every time she brought it up he dismissed it and told her that he loved having her at the cabin, that her company was much needed.
As they sat at the dinner table, the only sound was the silverware clanging against the china. She glanced up as she brought her fork to her mouth and watched Dominic chew tersely, his focus on the table. She went through the motions of chewing and swallowing, trying to push her worries, fears and the uncomfortable feeling surrounding her away. She reached for her glass, brought it to her mouth, and took a long drink.
“So…Today really turned out to be beautiful.”
“Yes, it did.” He didn’t raise his eyes to her when he responded. She set the glass on the table along with her fork.
“I was thinking about going back home.” He did look at her then. “I wouldn’t expect you to drive me back or anything. There's a bus leaving at the end of the week in town.” He carefully set his fork down and leaned back. She shifted in her seat uneasily, acutely aware of the thick tension. “I just think now isn’t the best time for me to be here. Things are just…weird. I hate to put it like that, but I want to be honest.”
“You hate being here?” His voice was calm and neutral but she knew not to be fooled.
“I don’t hate being here. I just hate this weirdness between us. It isn’t anyone’s fault. I know things are bad right now, and I just think maybe you need some time to yourself. I feel like a burden.”
When he ran a hand through his short, dark hair and breathed out, she felt guilt that she opened her mouth. Here she was, making things more stressful when he already had enough on his plate.
“Are you done eating, Chloe?”
She glanced down at her plate, a little shocked at the abrupt change of topic. “Yeah.” Grabbing her plate, she was going to take it to the sink and rinse when Dominic was right in front of her holding his hand out for it. She looked up at him, surprised. She hadn’t even heard his chair slide across the floor when he got up.
As he took their dishes to the sink, she watched him. The plain white tee he wore stretched across the wide, muscular expanse of his back. The sinew and tendons were easily discernable beneath the thin material and she couldn’t help the warmth that blossomed inside of her. She scowled at where her thoughts were heading. Chloe shook her head, hoping to clear it.
“Join me outside and watch the sun set?”
She nodded and followed him out the back door. The sun was already started to dip below the horizon, the pinks, yellows and oranges meshing together to create a cacophony of colors that painted everything a shade of happiness. The air was thick and hot, but the beauty of her surroundings helped to stifle the uncomfortable feeling the heat created. They both sat around the fire pit and Chloe stared at the cold, black ash. She remembered when everyone sat around it just a few short weeks ago, the flames between them, laughter ringing loud. Now it was just the two of them.
Chloe looked up and saw Dominic watching her. “Hi.” Trying to make light, Chloe smiled. Dominic smiled back but it didn’t seem to reach his eyes.
“I’ve been an ass, Chloe. I’m really sorry.”
“What? You haven’t been an ass.” He nodded before she even finished. “After everything that has happened I wouldn’t expect you to be all happy and cheerful.”
“You want something to drink?” Again, she found it slightly odd that he kept changing the subject so swiftly. After she nodded, he got up and went in the house. He was gone for only a few minutes, and when he came back out he had a beer bottle in one hand and a glass of lemonade in the other. Of course he handed her the lemonade. She scowled, and took the offered glass. “I wouldn’t mind a beer.” When he chuckled she glanced at him.
“You’re only eighteen.” He sat back in his seat and took a long drink from his bottle. “Isn’t the legal drinking age twenty-one?” He was teasing her, she could tell.
“Oh come on. Like you never had a beer before you were twenty-one?” Raising a brow, she watched him over the rim of her glass.
“No, I did, and it had me doing a lot of stupid things.”
“I’m sure drinking at any age will have you doing a lot of stupid things.” They both started laughing. Chloe was happy to feel the tension leaving.
As the night progressed and the conversation continued, Chloe was finally feeling like her old self again around Uncle Dominic.
“Come here, Chloe. Sit next to me.”
She made her way over to him and sat beside him. They hadn’t started a fire and the only thing that made any kind of light was the silvery moon above them.
“The sky is so clear tonight. I bet you could count every star.” She elbowed him in the side. He made a mock grunt and grinned down at her. “I remember when you were a little girl and you used to tell me you were going to count every single star in the sky. Do you remember that?”
“Yeah.” Chloe rested her head against the back of the chair. She stared at the twinkling, bright stars. “I actually tried one time, but the next thing I remembered was waking up the next morning.” They both laughed and she turned to look at him. He stared at her intently and Chloe could see the way his jaw worked under his skin, a light dusting of stubble across it. She wondered what he was thinking about to have a look so brooding and almost haunted. How she wished she had the courage to reach across the distance that separated them and run her finger between his eyes, smoothing away the sma
ll crease that was there.
Chloe turned her attention away from Dominic and looked back at the stars. It wouldn’t do any good thinking those things. She needed to push away the emotions that threatened to consume her. He was her Uncle Dominic, the man that had always shown her strength and compassion. “I’m really glad I came to the cabin. Even though everything happened the way it did.” She changed the subject quickly. Chloe didn’t want to think about Jake and what happened, but it was a sure fire way to steer her thoughts on to other things.
“You know you really are a wonderful man and if Clara can’t see that, aunt or not, good riddance. You have always been there for me when no one else was, not even my parents.” He didn’t speak and she worried she might have said something wrong or overstepped her bounds. She tore of gaze from the stars and looked over at him.
“I can’t even begin to say how much that means to me to hear you say that.” He stood and caught her in a tight embrace.
Chloe couldn’t help but let herself fall into the hug. He was so strong that she knew he could make every bad thing disappear. He smelled like the wilderness that surrounded them and she inhaled deep. She wanted to imprint that scent in her brain so that she would always have it to look upon even when he wasn’t near.
“I love you, Chloe.”
“I love you too.” He pulled her back slightly so they were staring at each other. She couldn’t help the arousal that slammed into her, couldn’t help the desire to press her lips against his.
“No. I really love you.” Voice low, he almost murmured the words under his breath.
He was so close all she would have to do was lean in and she could kiss him. Dropping her eyes down to his lips, she ached to do just that. “I really love you too.” When she glanced back up she saw that he too was staring at her lips. The expression he held could have been interpreted a million different ways: arousal, fear, indifference, all of those filtering across his face in rapid succession.