Anxiety zips through my body as I walk back into the apartment just in time for my mother to enter the room. She scrunches her nose, shaking her head. “Go straight to the shower, do not sit on anything.”
“I wasn’t going to,” I tell her as I take long sip from a bottle of water. “Where have you been?” I know she’s been out all day and more importantly not seeing any shopping bags in the living room means she actually wasn’t at Bergdorf Goodman.
“Out.” She frowns as she slides her gloves off her hands. “I didn’t realize you were the parent here.” She raises an eyebrow.
“It was just a question.” I shrug, not in the mood to deal with my mother’s attitude. I start walking through the apartment towards the guest room where I’m staying when she stops me. “When is the last time you left the house?”
“I don’t know.” I turn around and give her a shrug.
“You should go out and get some fresh air.”
“I got plenty of fresh air on your terrace.”
“I’m serious, Bennett. You can’t stay cooped up inside. You have to get out and live your life.”
I don’t say anything. I just stare at this woman who clearly has never ha
d her heart broken, if she thinks I’m in any mood to be around a bunch of people. “You done?”
She shakes her head and crosses her hands across her chest. “She wouldn’t want this for you.”
I snort. “And you know anything about what Olivia wants.” I walk away not wanting to entertain my mother’s thoughts about the woman she basically treated like shit. “As a matter of fact,” I turn around, “if by the grace of God or divine intervention, Olivia does take me back, you need to deal with whatever issue it is you have with her, because I’m tired of you treating her the way you do. That ends and I mean it, Mother.”
She lets out a small puff of air and nods. “I know.”
I’m shocked by her response and the fact that she’s not putting up a fight. “Okay. Well. Good.” I nod. “Olivia will probably never take me back, but…” I shrug. “At least I know you’ll make an effort. Thank you.”
I turn again, heading down the hall when she calls after me. I turn and she gives me a smile. “You fight for that girl, Bennett. What you two have is special. You do whatever you can to hold onto it. Fight for it. And when you get it back, protect it.” Her eyes are hard yet I see so much wisdom in them, like she has firsthand experience.
I can only nod at her words. “I have an appointment at the hospital. They’re going to run some tests. It’s my last follow-up, and now that my memory is back they just want to make sure everything looks good.”
“Of course. Shall I come with you?”
“No.” I rub a hand behind my neck as I turn around, surprised to see my mother had followed me. “I’ll be fine, but thank you.” She presses a hand to my cheek and gives me a smile.
“Give her some time, Bennett.”
“She’s had six months, Mom,” I sigh as the weight of that time apart beats down on me “Either she wants me or she doesn’t.”
“Your scans look great, B.” I nod at Wren as he jots something down on his clipboard. “The swelling is completely gone.” He points to the photo scan of my brain.
“Great, I definitely feel better. Physically. The rest of my life is a fucking mess, but at least I’m alive.” I do my best to sound optimistic, but to be honest, it hadn’t felt all that great to be alive the last week. I lean over, resting my forearms against my knees. “Has Alyssa talked to her?”
He pulls his glasses from his face and slides them across his desk before pressing his hands to his face. “No.” He shakes his head. “Olivia has asked for space.”
“So no one knows how she is?” I ask. She’s by herself, and I was hoping Alyssa would at least be checking in on her.
“Have you talked to her?”
“I called her a few times after that first day, but she’s not answering.” It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve seen or spoken to Olivia and I’m growing more restless by the day. Olivia and I had spoken with our lawyers during our week of bliss that we no longer wanted a divorce, but I was anticipating a call any day that Olivia had decided to put things in motion again. As sticky as it is, I’m sure we will be in for a fuck ton of red tape after calling it off once, but I fully expect to be served again within the month.
My beard has grown in slightly, making it fuller and less stubble, and my hair is a little longer as well. This isn’t a look I usually go for but showering is about all I have the energy for, especially after I put away half a bottle of whiskey.
I’m coming to accept the fact that Olivia and I have gone through too much. Too much has happened that we may never come back from. Our marriage can’t withstand everything we’ve put it through.
Love really isn’t enough.
The door opens, interrupting my thoughts and I fully expected a nurse or another doctor to be on the other side, but what I don’t expect is my wife. My eyes rake over her and despite the fact that she looks unbelievably gorgeous in jeans and a bomber jacket, I can see the sadness in her eyes. I’d never known Olivia to not wear mascara when she went out, and yet her lashes are bare and the area around her eyes looks red. She bites down on her bottom lip gently and my cock immediately takes notice. Arousal spikes in my veins and she must notice because she lets her lip go and gasps quietly.