Chapter 14 - EVERYTHING AUDRA NEVER SAIDAfter Caleb slept, Grant asked Audra to walk outside hospital.
Cold evening.
He stood under parking structure lights.
“Was this first time?”
Audra did not answer.
Grant felt dread.
“Audra.”
“No.”
One word.
His face changed.
“How long?”
“Grant—”
“How long?”
“Years.”
He stepped backward.
“Years?”
“Not like this.”
“What does that mean?”
Audra began crying.
Then everything came.
Christmas gifts.
Blood-family photographs.
Necklace.
Camille.
Comments.
Brunch.
Beatrice saying Caleb wasn’t real son.
Threats that Audra would cost Grant company.
The time she packed.
The calls she almost made.
Grant listened.
He did not interrupt after first minute.
When she finished, his eyes were red.
“Why?”
Audra wiped tears.
“Because every time you came home, you looked exhausted.”
“That isn’t answer.”
“I didn’t want you choosing between us.”
Grant stared.
“You were my wife.”
His voice broke.
“He was my son.”
“There was never supposed to be a choice.”
Audra looked down.
“I thought I was helping.”
“You were protecting them.”
She flinched.
Grant immediately regretted tone.
“No.”
He softened.
“I’m sorry.”
He sat on concrete bench.
“I should’ve seen.”
“You weren’t here.”
“I should’ve been.”
“You were working for us.”
Grant laughed bitterly.
“For what?”
He looked around.
“I built everything so you’d be safe in a house where my mother locked my son behind a wall.”
Audra sat beside.
Neither spoke.
Then Grant said:
“I’m not going back there.”
Audra looked.
“What?”
“Not to live.”
“Grant.”
“No.”
“I don’t know what happens with company.”
“Trust.”
“Anything.”
“But Caleb will never sleep under that roof again.”
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Audra realized he meant it.
And for first time in years, she let herself believe he might choose them openly.
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