Chapter 2 Kris

Kris laid in bed, eyes wide, staring at the ceiling. She never experienced that type of dream before. It felt so real. Reaching mindlessly to the nightstand, she grabbed her vape, taking a long drag and holding it in. She exhaled, letting her shoulders drop and her eyes close. She thought about the events as they played out in her dream. She was giving a tattoo. It was a beautiful design she made specifically for Elena. They kept locking eyes, making it too hard for her to concentrate.

"Fuck," she groaned aloud. She hadn't thought about Elena in months. Why now did she start to have such vivid dreams?

It had been two years since she left. Almost a year since her divorce from Liz was finalized. She told herself it was for the best. That she would never look back. Never give in to either of them again. She did it for herself. At least, that's what she told herself over and over again. So why now? Was it because of the friend suggestion on social media? Or the fact she kept tabs on Liz? Or maybe the fight she had with Chloe the night before?

She hated conflict, and the last thing she wanted was a fight. Kris had been dating this woman since she left Elena and Liz. Things were perfect. They were friends for years, and when life got tough at home, she had someone to turn to for advice and understanding. Their friendship eventually blossomed into more over time, and she left to pursue this new relationship. But lately, things haven't felt right, and they kept bickering about little stuff that previously never mattered, like how to make the bed or fold the towels or if dishes should be left in the sink overnight.

Kris was carefree and didn't give a shit about how the towels were folded or which way the toilet paper faced on the roll. She just wanted an easy, simple life with someone without drama. That's why she left her marriage. Things got hard, and everyone was stressed. They talked and tried to work t out. They talked and talked and talk. A lot. She felt thats all they did was talk. She wanted someone to desire her the way she desired them. And that contact and connection was lost over time. She felt alone at home. She hated the feeling of loneliness. It drove her into a deep, unabiding depression she couldn't shake.

Pushing the negative thoughts out of her mind, she rolled out of bed, determined to start her day better than it ended the night before. She could hear Chloe talking to Ben and Natalie.

Ben was Kris' son. He was tall and lanky with scraggly brown hair and piercing green eyes like his mom. His beard unkempt and covered most of his face and neck. Natalie was average height, blonde, and blue-eyed like Chloe. She was going to college the next town over and was preparing to leave for the day. Kris heard Ben ask Natalie to get a ride to school. Since he hadn't passed his driving test quite yet, he couldn't drive himself, and he missed the school bus again. Chloe was telling them to be home for dinner tonight and was being ignored, as usual. The door shut, harder than needed to be in the middle of Chloe telling them both to have a good day. Kris eard the exasperated sigh all the way from the front of the small house. The walls were paper thin, and everyone could hear each other easily between the rooms.

Kris felt bad for her, despite the arguments they were having recently. She wasn't a bad mother, but teenage children were difficult on the best of days. Natalie was 4 years older than Ben and technically a young adult. She recently moved back in after a bad breakup.

Close and Kris enjoyed having the house to themselves for the most part before Natalie moved back in. Ben kept himself busy with games and his friends. He got rides from his father's side of the family and barely asked for anything. He was a good kid, but Kris worried for him. He barely communicated with her anymore and wasn't the happy go lucky child she remembered. She blamed her last marriage for that and his ever changing hormones.

Chloe quietly opened the bedroom door to not disturb Kris. The room was dark, and she turned to gently close the door. Kris' lips widened in a mischievous grin as she tip toed behind Chloe.

Grabbing Chloe's sides, Kris let out a gleeful roar in her ear. Chloe jumped and spun quickly around, locking eyes with her assailant, face red from the momentary heart attack she just experienced.

"Ahhhgh!" she shrieked. "Stop that! You about scared the bejesus outta me!"

Chloe slapped Kris' arm playfully once she realized she wasn't in any sort of danger. Kris couldn't help the giggle from leaving her lips as she pulled her in for a kiss.

Chloe was a southern through and through. Her accent was deep, and her personality was sweet and innocent at first, but don't get on her bad side; she'll attempt to strip you down and make you wish you were anywhere else. She was the definition of a southern belle: long blonde hair, blue eyes, and a round plump face. Unlike Kris, her complexion was pale. She avoided the sun at all costs. Her white shirt hid the ample curves and weight she gained over the years. Chloe was taller than Kris by nearly four inches, and she liked to use it to her advantage most times.

"Honey," she pushed Kris back a little, wrinkling her nose a bit, "You know I love a good morning kiss, but dayumn, what did you eat last night?"

Kris took an involuntary step back as pain wracked her face. Her heart dropped from her chest into her gut. The feeling of rejection surfacing like an angry ravenous demon from the depths, knawing at her brain. She covered her mouth to hide the smell and muttered a sorry before racing to the bathroom to take care of whatever offensive odor caused such a reaction from her fiancé.