Chapter 13: Jason Returns

“Why can’t you remember to wear shoes? Next time you do this, I’ll…”

His voice suddenly stopped.

He saw me.

For a split second, the world seemed to pause. His eyes met mine, and I saw the ghost of our old life flicker there, then vanish.

This was the first time we’d seen each other since the divorce.

It felt surreal—like running into an ex at your hometown diner, all those shared memories condensed into a single, awkward heartbeat.

By all rights, I should have greeted him.

I hesitated, unsure if a smile or a nod was the right move. The rules had changed, and I was still learning how to play the new game.

I turned and nodded at him lightly.

Just enough to be polite, not enough to invite conversation. Three years apart, and the distance between us had only grown.

After three years, Derek still looked just as I remembered.

Tall, broad-shouldered, his hair a little longer than before, with just a touch of gray at the temples. If anything, he seemed more sure of himself—like a man who’d finally gotten what he wanted.

Only now, his eyes were less cold and more gentle.

There was a softness there, a regret maybe, or just relief that the hard part was over.

He nodded, looked away, and draped the coat over Lillian’s shoulders.

The gesture was practiced and intimate. For a brief moment, I was the outsider in my own home.

“You two talk. I’ll go handle some work.”

His words were an easy out. He disappeared into the next room, leaving Lillian and me alone, the air charged with old tension.

Lillian came up to me, holding my arm affectionately.

She linked her arm through mine, like we were kids again sneaking out for ice cream. Her touch was warm, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that she wanted something from me.

“I was really afraid you wouldn’t come back! Tomorrow is the wedding dress fitting, will you come with me?”

Her voice was hopeful, but there was a hint of calculation behind her smile. She always knew how to make a plea sound like a gift.

I pulled my arm away, expressionless. “I have something to do tomorrow.”

I kept my tone flat, unwilling to be swept up in her drama. My boundaries were finally firm, and I intended to keep them.

Lillian pouted. “Is it important?”

She’d always been good at turning disappointment into guilt, her lower lip jutting out just enough to remind me of every childhood fight.

“Yeah, very important.”

I didn’t elaborate, and she didn’t press further. The silence between us was heavy, loaded with everything we’d never said.

She thought for a moment. “Then let’s move it to the day after tomorrow. Finish your business tomorrow and come back…”

She was already planning ways to work around me, to draw me back into her orbit.

“I’m not staying at home!” I interrupted her. “Tell Mom and Dad I’m busy these days, I won’t be coming home!”

I said it firmly, no room for argument. The look on her face was a mixture of surprise and disappointment.

With that, I pulled my suitcase and left without looking back.

The house felt smaller than ever, and I needed air. The crunch of gravel under my boots was the only sound as I walked away, each step lighter than the last.