My Safe Place to Land

Chapter 24

Patrick's POV:

I woke up with a pounding headache. I started to feel around me but I knew I was naked. I opened my eyes and saw Ellen's caramel hair on my face. 'Oh no', I thought to myself, 'I didn't'. I looked around the room and I realized that I was in my own house. I took off the covers that were partially covering me. I had to wake up Ellen in the process of that because she sat up. She realized she was naked too. She quickly grabbed the bedsheets and tried to cover herself. "Oh stop. It's not like I've seen it before", I said. She chuckled back at me. "So what happened last night?", I asked.

"What didn't happen?", she responded.

"Oh no. Jillian!", I said out loud. I couldn't find any of my clothes in the room so I just ran out of the room. I ran to her room and opened the door but she wasn't in there. I ran to the twins and Talula's room but they weren't there either. I ran downstairs and found a note on the fridge door. I picked it up and read it, "Patrick, I'm not fighting anymore. The kids and I are moving back home to Maine. I'll be back in forth throughout the next few weeks to pick up all of our stuff but I'm done fighting for my love for you. Sober or not, I'm done.". My grip on the note loosened and it fell on the floor. I heard Ellen's footsteps come down. I turned around to face her and my face said it all. "Oh no. She didn't", she said. I nodded my head and hugged Ellen. "I'm so sorry, Patrick. It's all my fault. I feel terrib-", she said but I interrupted her.

"No, Ellen. This is what I wanted. I wanted her gone. Thank you!", I said hugging her very tightly.

Ellen's POV:

I got out of bed to go help Patrick find his family but before I could leave the bedroom, I felt my stomach turn. I clenched my gut and ran to the bathroom. Everything I drank and ate last night came up. I flushed the toilet and grabbed mouthwash, swished it around my mouth, and then I helped Patrick. I went downstairs and the second my foot hit the floor Patrick looked at me and his face said it all. "Oh no. She didn't", I said. But Patrick nodded his head back at me. I was suspecting him to get angry at me, but instead, he hugged me. "I'm so sorry, Patrick. It's all my fault. I feel terrib-", I tried saying but he interrupted me.

"No, Ellen. This is what I wanted. I wanted her gone. Thank you!, he said hugging me very tightly that I felt my back crack. I always knew he wanted to leave Jillian but I didn't know that he was serious. I wrapped my arms around him tightly. He pulled away and said, "Come on! Let's go celebrate! Let's go on a hike!". I laughed and thought he was crazy.

"Really?", I asked looking deep into his eyes.

"Yes! Come on, let's go!", he said grabbing my hand.

"Wait.", I said. "Look at us.".

Patrick laughed, "Right, maybe we should go get dressed.".

"Yeah. That sounds like a plan", he said turning around and we went upstairs. While getting dressed, I felt like I was going to throw up again. I thought to myself, 'I never feel this sick after a night out drinking. What could be making me this sick?' I pushed that thought to the back of my head and I continued to get ready.

After we got changed we left the house and we went on our celebration hike.