The Strongest Stone

Chapter Thirteen

I resisted the urge to go next door, to stop Lucas from whatever it was he was doing. I had been the one who sent him away. He was hurting, and while I was to, I had also been the cause of it too. I walked up to my parents bedroom and sat on the bed.

Despite everything else falling apart around me, they had taken care of us. I grabbed at the blanket on my parents bed and willed the tears away, but they would not desist.

"Thank you... but I'm scared I'm going to fail you both." I mumbled as I slid off the bed and on to the floor. This time there was no Lucas to embrace me. I was on my own.

I fell asleep on the couch. I couldn't bring myself to sleep in the bed Lucas and I had been sharing. Our time as a couple had been fleeting, but our friendship hadn't. Losing him the first time had been like losing an arm... this time I felt like I had lobotomised myself.

I woke up to Ana shaking me. "Lucas is here. He wants to see the kids."

I opened my eyes, it was morning I could hear the birds chirping outside, and the sunlight was peeping through the closed blinds. I sat up and nodded.

Ana ran upstairs, while I walked over to the front door. Lucas wouldn't look at me in fact he turned away from me in an attempt to break contact, but it was fruitless.

"I'm leaving." He mumbled. "I want to say goodbye."

"Okay." I whispered, my voice was meek because in my head I was begging him to stay. Telling him I had made an awful mistake. I hoped he would look at me, and see my thoughts permeating in my eyes, but he didn't look at me and I couldn't say it.

Cassie, alfie and Tom came down the stairs in their Pajamas. The younger two ran for Lucas, who had knelt on the ground. He spoke to them softly and explained that he had to go away for a while. They didn't understand, and with all the innocence of young children they showed it in the only way they knew how. Cassie ran away crying, closely followed by Alfie. Tom asked why, and Lucas said nothing. Ana placed a hand on Tom's shoulder and led him away, back upstairs.

"My second in charge at work is going to take care of the house while its on the market I picked her up last night to organise everything. Same with the shop." Lucas whispered. "I'm leaving today."

My heart dropped. He was selling the house and the music store?

"Are you not coming home?" I whispered softly, already knowing the answer.

For the first time since he had arrived Lucas looked at me, or through me. I could see the pain in his eyes, it mirrored the dark shadow that was cast over my heart.

"I was home." he replied, his voice was almost cold.

A tear rolled down my cheek, followed by another and another until tears were falling like torrential rain. "I never meant for you to leave forever... I thought we could..." Lucas held his hand up to stop me from speaking.

"Pick up where we left off after we've been separated for a few years, after you pushed me out the door and broke up with me? After you let me feel true love only to rip it away from me because you couldn't believe that I was happy here with you." He stopped and looked away, down at the porch away from me. "You were able to push me away Charlotte... you don't get to choose when you can pull me back in again."

"Lucas..." I whispered, I wanted to reach out and touch him, but he seemed to sense my attempt to make contact and took a step back.

"Goodbye Charlotte."

He turned and walked away, down the steps and next door. I walked down the hallway to my bedroom. Lucas' things were still in my room. I grabbed an empty box from the closet and began to fill it. He was right, I had pushed him away, now I had to live with the consequences. Once I was done I walked down into the living room with the box.