Broken Hearts (Light in the Dark 5)

There’s another knock on the door, and I open it to let Xander in.

“All right, what do you need me to do?” he asks. “Your text just said you needed help. I have to say, I’m happy to see you’re standing upright. I was worried you got drunk and fell in the bathtub or something.”

“Yes, because that’s likely to happen.” I look at him like he’s crazy.

“Well, there was the time freshman year of college where you drank too much and streaked across the front lawn, so anything is possible.”

“That did not happen,” I defend.

Cade looks at me steadily. “Just because you don’t remember it, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”

I glare at my best friends. “Fucking liars, the both of you.”

“Then explain the fact I still have a scar from where you bit me when I tackled you so we could get you back to the dorms?” Cade holds out his forearm, pointing to the faint outline where it does in fact look like the imprint of someone’s teeth.

“I didn’t do that,” I say adamantly.

“Whatever you want to believe,” Xander sing-songs. He claps his hands together. “Seriously, though, what do we need to do? I don’t know how long I can leave a pregnant Thea with Xael. She might tape her to the wall or something. Xael’s teething really bad and it’s been hell.”

“It’s time to take apart the nursery,” I say.

Cade and Xander look at each other before looking at me. “Are you sure?” Cade asks.

“Abso-fucking-lutely. It’s doing nothing but torturing the both of us. It’s time for it to go.”

“Let’s get to it then.” Xander heads into the room, followed by Cade.

We start by clearing out the dresser drawers. I keep a few clothes and a couple blankets but set everything else is set aside to donate, since Xander and Thea don’t need it.

Shocker, they found out they’re having another girl. Nova and I didn’t even go to their reveal party. Don’t get me wrong, we’re happy for our friends to have a baby, but it’s hard to be around all the happiness when we feel so down.

We tackle the crib next, and it’s as much of a fucking beast to take down as it was to put up.

With the three of us, at least there’s no blood shed this time.

We carry the chair out of the room and set it by the front door, piling the remains of the crib beside it, and the clothes and blankets. There’s a local thrift shop that offers pick up so I’m going to let them come get it.

I roll up the rug and it gets added to the pile.

By the time everything is out of the room we’ve been at it for a couple of hours.

My body is damp with sweat and so are the other guys.

I stand in the middle of the room, my hands on my hips, taking in the emptiness.

It’s as bad as it was before with all his stuff, especially with Nova’s mural glaring at me.

I know I’m going to have to do something with the room, turn it into something else, before I have any chance of getting Nova back here and feeling okay.

“I need a beer,” Cade declares, breaking the silence.

“Me too,” I agree with a sigh.

“Me three,” Xander pipes in.

I stifle a laugh. “I thought the she-beast wouldn’t let you drink when she’s pregnant?”

“What she doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Xander argues.