coffee pot which is lukewarm. After a cup of coffee, warmed in the microwave, I decide not to be upset with Cade until I know why he left without a word.
Going to the front door, I pull on my new thermal boots, coat and gloves and head outside. Wow, what a sight. I can’t wait to make a snowman!
Two minutes later, Cade and Jake pull up outside with an older couple in the back.
“Morning Rona,” Jake says, climbing out of the truck.
“Hi Jake, Cade,” I say, wondering why Cade won’t make eye contact with me.
“Morning,” Cade replies, still not looking at me.
“This is Susan and Bill Grady from a few doors down. Their power line has come down, so we brought them over here for breakfast, then I’m going to take them back and fix the generator for them.... they’re my grandparents on my mother’s side.” Jake tells me.
“Hi, you must be Jake’s friend.” Susan walks over to shake my hand.
“Yes, she is.” Cade agrees, still not looking at me.
I’m not sure whether I want to scream, cry or kick him right now.
“Hi Susan, Bill, it’s nice to meet you both. Why don’t we go inside it’s warmer in there.”
Back inside we hang our coats up and before I can get Cade on his own, he’s in the kitchen pouring everyone coffee. Except me!
Not knowing what the hell is going on, since Cade said that he wasn’t fighting what was happening between us anymore, yet here he is completely ignoring me after the most amazing afternoon of my life. I can understand him not wanting to tell them about us, because of his daughters. They were Janice’s parents, but that was no reason to ignore me. Is he ashamed of me? If this is how he’s going to react every time Susan and Bill visit, then I’m not staying. In fact I feel used and decide to go and pack. I can’t stay, not like this.
Cade is chatting away to everyone in the kitchen, while I just stand outside the group feeling like an intruder. I can feel tears approaching, so needing to get out of there quickly, “If you’ll excuse me, I have something to do.” I turn towards the stairs.
“Why don’t you take Susan with you? I’m sure she can help.” Bill offers.
Turning to look at everyone as I reach the stairs, I glare at Cade, “No, that’s fine, I prefer to pack alone.” It’s the first sign of something in Cade that I’ve seen this morning, and it looks like fear flickers in his eyes.
Continuing upstairs I hear Jake call out to me. I know the tears are seconds away so I keep going up to my room, ignoring them. As soon as I get there, I shut the door and lock it for the first time since being here. Sliding down the door frame in tears, I put my head on my knees and cry my heart out.
After what feels like hours, but is probably about twenty minutes, I manage to get up off the floor and go to wash my face.
Feeling completely drained and used, I lie on the bed wondering what the hell has happened between now and yesterday.
Hearing someone knocking on the door, I ignore it, even when I realize it’s Jake outside. A while later I hear the door again. Looking at the clock I’ve been locked in my room for about an hour. This time it’s Cade and I start to ignore him too.
“Rona, open the door please. You need to eat.”
Then a minute later, “Rona love, please open the door, we need to talk.”
Hearing him call me ‘love’ makes me see red. I climb off the bed, charging to the door and yank it open.
“Don’t call me love; you lost that right this morning. If you don’t mind I’ll stay tonight and leave tomorrow.” I look at Cade with the tears coming back and falling down my face.
“God, I’m sorry.” Cade looks rather pale and red around the eyes.
“Sorry for fucking me?” Cade winces. “Sorry for leaving my bed while I was asleep, sorry for ignoring me, sorry for being ashamed of me or sorry for making me feel used?”
Sitting down on the sofa by the window, Cade puts his face in his hands. He looks up at me, with tears on his face, “I’m sorry for how I acted this morning, from leaving you in bed, which I only did because it was so early. I’m sorry for how