Second No More, a novel

Chapter 27 - Boulder

"When did you get that?" I ask.

"Jack dropped it off last night with Huck. When he couldn't get a hold of us, he took some initiative and hand-delivered it. Huck gave it to me when I went to tell him that we'd be gone for a few hours," he says as he turns on the car, and pulls out of the ranch.

"He seriously deserves a raise."

"Already working on it, woman." Daniel smiles cheekily.

For two hours we drive. I keep asking Daniel questions, but he avoids answering them, and I'm growing paranoid.

Why do we need to go into the city?

I get my answer as we pull up in front of his parents' house. My stomach sinks. I hate it here. The last time I was here was the night our marriage imploded and forced us to wake up from the carefully constructed lie we spent years building together. I left in tears, believing my marriage was over. I guess, in a way, that's still true. The marriage we had is over. Now we're working toward a new marriage. Hopefully, a much better one.

I look directly at Daniel. He's already looking at me with understanding.

"Do you trust me?" he asks.

"Yes," I say without hesitation. "I trust you."

"Good," he says, pressing a kiss to my wrist. "I know I left you alone in our marriage before. You aren't alone anymore. It's you and me. We do this together."

We're in this together, I think to myself.

We get out of the car, and Daniel grabs my hand. His demeanor instantly changes to his business persona, and I know he's not leaving until all of his terms are met. He doesn't even bother knocking before entering the house, pulling me alongside him.

Our footsteps echo throughout the foyer as he leads me to the living room. I step around Daniel, taking in the room. I'm not surprised to see Daniel's mother and Abigail are already here, sitting on the sofa. I am surprised to see my mother, though. Aside from a few family dinners early in Daniel's and my marriage, my parents rarely ever came here.

"I'm glad you could be here on such short notice," Daniel says coldly.

"Oh, Daniel," Abigail says, standing and taking a step toward us. "I'm so glad you called. Wait...what is she doing here?"

"By she, you mean my wife?" he says, wrapping his hand around my hip and pulling me into him.

"Daniel, there's no reason to continue the charade with her. I'm divorced and you have the divorce papers. Just sign them so we can finally be--"

"Stop talking," he says sternly. "I have questions and you're going to answer them. Every. Single.One. If I so much as suspect you're lying, I will press charges. That ring on your finger that you've been holding onto for months, Abigail? Is considered grand theft, sweetheart."

Our entire marriage, he'd call her that with adoration. But that's not the emotion behind it this time. No. He says it as if it were acid on his tongue and he can't wait to spit it out and hit his intended target.

"D-D-Daniel?" Abigail pleads.

"Do you understand?" he asks.

"Daniel, this is no way to talk to the mother of your child and your future wife," his mother pipes in, standing and taking her place beside Abigail, the daughter-in-law she always wanted but the daughter-in-law she isn't going to get.

"What's the meaning of all this, Charlotte?" my mother finally steps in. I can only imagine what's running through her head. I haven't spoken to her since before I left for the ranch and now she's witnessing another woman claiming to be pregnant with Daniel's child.