Bereft - Jennifer Foor Page 0,34

I did once I got out of bed was attempt to contact my daughter. By now she’d had time to think about what I’d told her. I hoped she’d talk to me, but was disappointed when the call was sent to her voicemail.

“Baby, it’s Daddy. I get that you’re mad. Trust me, I hate myself for what I’ve done. The truth is, I need you. I’ve hit rock bottom, and you’re all I have left. Please call me back. I’d really like to hear your voice, even if you’re calling to tell me off again.”

I hung up the phone and immediately dialed Rachel. I just wanted to hear her voice. Lucky for me, I got her voicemail too. “This is Rachel Lewis. Please leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

I listened for the beep and hesitated. What did I say to her after last night. She’d pretty much sent me packing for a lifetime of misery. How was I to even approach her without some kind of caution? To make matters worse, I knew she’d screwed around with someone else to pay me back. It was immature, but I couldn’t blame her. I knew what it was like to act on impulse. She was vulnerable, and at the right moment he’d be able to take advantage of it. He’d probably been hitting on her for months, just waiting for the right time to make his move.

I wasn’t sure how old the guy was, but it was obvious he was still in his twenties. I’d been through a lot in my life, but never experienced this type of jealousy before. I couldn’t compete – another reason which made it easier to relate to my distraught wife. She’d probably picked this guy on purpose, knowing if I ever found out it would be like a kick in the balls.

By nine-thirty I was on my way into work. I’d keep busy on work-orders, and try my best to make it through the day without leaving early. I had enough time accrued to take a few personal days, but didn’t want to do it if I didn’t have to.

Once inside, I locked my office door, taking a seat behind my desk. On it was a picture of my family, the three of us. We were all smiling, but what made the moment perfect was that Rachel and I were looking deeply into each other’s eyes. The photographer hadn’t told us to do it. It happened accidentally and she’d captured it. It was my favorite picture of us, and I’d had it on my desk since the very day we picked them up.

Back then things were easy. Rachel and I talked to each other. We came home every night and shared meals together. Our weekends were filled with adventures. Back then we were full-time parents. We had a mutual reason to work as a team. Things were different since Stephanie went off to college. The house was quiet, and my new hours had taken a toll on our relationship. I knew she was tired by the time I got home, but I’d felt like she was neglecting me. Why couldn’t she wake up if I was in the mood? Was she tired of being with me? Did she stop missing me?

I suppose it was way too late to try to and fix what was broken. Still, my mind wouldn’t let me stop wondering. I felt like if she’d give me a chance I could convince her to take me back, even though I think I knew it was a long shot. She’d made sure of it when she gave her body to another.

I tried to focus on my workload, first by checking my messages from the previous day.

The first one was from Kyla. “Hey, it’s me. I’m just checking in. I know you said to leave you alone, but there’s no reason we can’t be friends. I miss you, Grayson. Call me back.”

The next six messages were work calls, then two more followed from Kyla again. I hated she’d gotten the direct number to my office. To be honest, I hated her. If she hadn’t come onto me, this would have never happened. I wouldn’t have thought about her inappropriately, and I certainly wouldn’t have made a move. I was a good man; a perfect husband, and I’d thrown it away so recklessly.

I considered calling some of our mutual friends to check on her, but I knew