Etching Our Way (Broken Tracks 1)

I make it to Nate’s office after a slow drive into the city and wait a few minutes in the reception area before he calls me into his office and I tell him what I want.

“Let me get this right, all you want is your half of what’s in your joint savings account?”

I nod. “And my studio. I don’t want him to be able to touch it.”

“What about a house sale?” Nate asks, looking up from the papers.

“We rented, the savings was to buy a house in a few years,” I explain.

“I see.” He makes a few more notes before looking up at me. “Well, I can’t foresee there being an issue with any of this, unless he decides to be difficult of course. You have no debts or kids which makes this so much easier.” I wince at the reminder of what we never had. “All I need you to do is read these over and sign where I’ve placed the sticky labels.”

He smiles as he slides the papers over his desk to me, making me smile back. “Thanks.”

The room is doused in silence as I read over the documents, but it’s broken by his chuckle when I pull a pen out of my purse.

“Still have that old thing?”

I look down at the silver, ballpoint pen I’ve had since college and nod. “Same casing, yeah.”

“You used to carry that everywhere with you and doodle whenever you had a spare minute.” He stares at me fondly. “Do you remember that time when you said you needed to draw something and it couldn’t wait? You had no paper so you made Tris…” He trails off, looking guilty.

“You’re allowed to talk about him, Nate, I won’t break.”

Only that’s the farthest from the truth, my heart hurts at the mention of his name. It isn’t a name I hear often, but when I do, it still feels like I’m being poked in a fresh wound.

He looks over me cautiously before clearing his throat and pasting another smile on his face. “You picked up his shirt and started drawing on his back like your life depended on it. I’ll never forget you swatting at him and telling him to stay still.”

“Tris, stay still for another minute,” I admonish him.

“Sunshine, we’ve been in this position for twenty minutes now. My back’s hurting,” he moans.

I swat at his ass. “You don’t complain when I’m in this position.”

He snorts and I giggle at the playful, disgusted expression on Nate’s face. “Whoa, TMI, guys!”

“I didn’t let him wash that off for three days until I’d copied it onto paper,” I state, lost in the memory.

Silence wraps around us as he watches me sign the last few lines, both of us scared to say another word about the past.

“There, all done,” I say, sliding the papers back over to him.

He watches me carefully before shaking his head and reading over them. “Looks like you’ve covered everything.”

A quick look at my watch shows I’ve been here for two hours already. “Great. I should get going, I have a floor to help varnish.”

He raises a brow at me. “You’re into DIY now?”

I chuckle. “Only at my studio. I’ve already spent way over my budget on furniture and supplies, so Mom and I are doing the painting ourselves to keep the costs down.”

He nods. “Smart. Everyone I know would’ve hired someone to come in and do it all for them.”

I stand, picking up my purse off the floor beside me. “That’s because everyone you know has the money to do that.”

He shrugs. “I guess you’re right, but I think it’s admirable you’re doing it on your own.”

On your own. His words sting but I try not to show it, offering him a small smile. “My mom would swat you upside the head if she heard you saying that, taking away her part in getting the studio ready.”

“Well then I take that back. I admire you and your mom, for doing it all by yourselves.”