Chapter 68

The rest of the week went by so slowly it felt like everything was in slow motion. The days dragged on; the evenings were just as bad, but the nights were the worst. My dreams quickly became nightmares; I woke up most nights. Sleep became a rarity as my mind played repeatedly the last few months and the possibilities of what Brax could have done. I knew the only way to stop the nightmares was to get the truth from Brax so I messaged him asking if we could meet after I finished work on Friday. He quickly agreed.

As I finished work and arrived home Brax was sitting on my doorstep waiting for me. I knew how hard this was going to be, but I needed to know everything. I invited him in, and we sat opposite each other in my living room.

“Thank you for asking me to come around.” Brax started.

I held up my hand to stop him, I didn’t have the energy to drag this out. I wanted my answers and then for him to go.

“I just need you to answer some questions and then go. I need you to understand, this is not me opening the door, this is not us getting back together and it certainly doesn’t mean there is even a chance of a future. I just need answers to questions I am now ready to ask.”

He swallowed hard and nodded.

“How long before my birthday did your ex show up?”

“I’m not sure about 3 weeks.”

He started rambling again and I held my hand up to stop him.

“I just need straight answers and nothing more. If you can’t give me at least that then you may as well leave now.”

“I’m sorry, carry on.”

“How quickly after her return did you first see her?”

“A couple of days after she messaged me saying she was back in town.”

“How quickly after that did you know you still had feelings for her?”

He shifted in his seat and there was a change in his expression. I had to press him further to answer the question.

“I knew when I saw her, my feelings were still there just buried deep, and they came to the surface.”

“During that three-week period, how many times did you meet her?”

He shook his head, “Leah.”

I pressed him again and gave him one final chance before making him leave.

“I’m not sure maybe a handful of times.”

“How many of those did something happen between you?”

He took a deep breath; I knew this was going to be the bit that hurt the most for the next few questions.

“A couple towards the end.”

“How did you end up in bed with her on my birthday?”

“I did honestly mix the weeks up. My head was messed up with her being here and I misjudged everything. I met her for a few drinks, we reminisced about when we were together, and it brought the feelings more to the surface and before I knew it, we were in bed together.”

“Why did you not message me back at all even to just let me know you were alright?”

“She had muted my phone; I didn’t realise until the next morning when I checked my phone. I saw all your messages and the missed calls and then I saw your social media posts about the night out.”

“But you still didn’t message me back?”

“I wanted to, but I lost my temper at Laura for silencing my phone. We were too busy arguing over that, and I walked out to cool off and that’s when you called but she had my phone.”

I shook my head; I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“One more question. When she messaged you saying she was back in town, did you even tell her you were seeing someone?”

“Yes, she didn’t care.”

“And yet you still met her. Did you even give me a thought at all during any of this?”

“Leah, of course I did. I love you.”

“I need you to go. We are done Brax; I just hope she was worth losing me over.”

I stayed on the sofa while he walked out. The second I heard the door latch close, tears burst from me. I had no idea how I had kept it together enough to make it through that. I got my closure and the answers I needed to be able to try and close that chapter of my life.