All Chapters of A Spark in The Ashes of Our Vows: Chapter 11 - Chapter 19

The fluorescent lights flicker overhead as I push my salad around the plastic container. Jack sits across from me, his presence both comforting and electrifying in the cramped break room. I've been wanting to ask him about his wife for weeks, but the words catch in my throat each time. Today feels different somehow. I take a deep breath. "Jack, can I ask you something personal?" He looks up, curiosity dancing in his eyes. "Of course, Sam. What's on your mind?" I hesitate, then forge ahead. "I was wondering about your wife. We haven't really talked much about her." Jack leans back in his chair, a shadow passing over his face. He's quiet for a long moment, and I worry I've overstepped. But then he speaks, his voice low and tinged with regret. "Ah, Sarah. Where to begin?" He runs a hand through his wavy blond hair. "I suppose you could say we're more roommates than spouses these days." My heart aches at the pain in his voice. I want to reach out, to comfort him, but I hold back. "

The truck cab is a sanctuary, the world outside reduced to a blur of shadows and starlight. Jack's presence next to me is a living fire, his breath intermingling with mine as our foreheads touch. I can feel the steady drum of his heart against my chest, a rhythm that seems to synchronize with my own. The scent of his aftershave is intoxicating, a woodsy tang that stirs something primal within me. It’s this secrecy, this stolen time away from judging eyes, that charges the air between us with an electricity that buzzes beneath my skin. "Sam," he whispers, his voice a velvet caress, "I've never felt like this." "Neither have I," I confess, feeling the weight of words that carry far more than just attraction. They carry years of longing, of dreams deferred. We lean closer, and the world narrows down to the space between our lips, a breath apart. The hunger in his eyes mirrors my own—a craving no amount of caution can quell. Our lips are about to meet, a kiss poised to seal this secret

The wheels of my suitcase grind against the gravel as I make my way to Angela's front door, the weight in my chest mirroring the heft of the bag I'm dragging behind me. The sky is a dusky gray, like the color of the ocean during a storm, and it seems fitting—my life, too, is caught in a tempest. I pause for a moment, taking in the quaint porch with its hanging pots of cheerful petunias swaying gently in the wind. Relief washes over me in an unexpected wave, mingling with the profound sadness that has taken up residence in my heart. My fingers hesitate on the doorknob, slick with perspiration despite the evening chill. This threshold marks the border between my past and my uncertain future. With a deep breath meant to steel my nerves, I push the door open and step into the warmth of Angela's house. It's unfamiliar—this isn't the home I've known for years—but there's something about the soft glow of the lamps and the faint scent of jasmine in the air that whispers of new beginnings. "

I sit across from Angela in the crowded coffee shop, watching as she squeezes her mug and brings it to her lips. Around us, the sun fills the room with too much light, pressing in through the floor-to-ceiling windows until I feel like I’m suffocating. I keep tapping my fingers on the edge of the table, waiting for the right words to come. Angela sets her mug down, leaving a crimson lipstick stain against the white ceramic, and I take a deep breath. "I've done everything for Victoria," I say, finally. "Every sacrifice, every late night, every tear." I keep my eyes on Angela, trying to ignore the loud clatter of dishes and the voices that mingle around us. She reaches across the table and puts her hand on mine. “I just don’t understand. It has always been me in her corner. I’m the only one who ever fought for that child. I took a crash course in family court, and had to push Alex to do everything he did. I walked him through it all step by step. He would have never been a ‘father’ if i

We sit at the dining table, watching the candle flicker like the last ember of a dying fire. Jack shifts, clears the finalized divorce papers, and sets them aside with the care of a surgeon. The edges of the documents are sharp, like the words and arguments that led us here, but his hands are steady. I pass him the salt, and our fingers brush, a soft collision that neither of us acknowledges. "We're free now," he says, his voice steady and clear. The words should be a relief, a declaration of independence, but they cling to the air like smoke. "Finally, a fresh start," I reply, echoing his calm. My fingers tap on the plate, a nervous metronome keeping time with my thoughts. Jack nods, a solemn agreement, and I see his eyes flicker to the papers before settling back on his food. We eat in quiet rhythm, words and glances punctuating the meal like stops and starts on a broken line. The room is a mix of shadows and warmth, the dim light casting our reflections against the walls. I look a