A Secret Service [NOW PUBLISHED]

Chapter 23 -"She can't just show up and do this to us!"

She was working on an essay an hour later when the door opened and her father stepped in. He paused in the doorway.

"Maggie cleaned," Carter said.

Her father gave a tired nod and dropped his keys into the bowl. Carter studied his face, noticing lines that seemed to have appeared overnight. He was dressed in slacks and a button down shirt, his arm still resting in a sling. She pushed her mess of papers aside, allowing him access to the couch. A fraction of his weariness eased from his face as he joined her, dragging one hand down his jaw.

"You're dressed up."

"I stopped by the office," he said.

The pit of Carter's stomach dropped out but she forced her features to remain impassive.

"When do you go back to full time?"

"Next week. They will put me on desk duty, dealing with forgery cases."

"Was that the only place you went?" she asked, studying the tension in her shoulders.

Her father shifted and ran a hand along his cropped hair.

"No," he said.

Carter stared intently at the edge of the beige couch, picking at a spot that was fraying.

"You saw her?" she asked.

"Yes."

They were both silent. The moment stretched on until it felt as if they had been sitting there for hours.

"Why?" Carter asked.

Her father let out a tired sigh. She looked up at him, seeing exhaustion in every line on his face and a look of deep sorrow in his blue eyes.

"She's wants me to sign the divorce papers."

The words hit Carter like a blow to the stomach. She stared, stunned.

"What do you mean sign the divorce papers? What divorce papers? You guys were divorced a long time ago."

"Sarge," her father said, his tone weary.

"Are you tell me this entire time you've still been married? She's always been connected to us?" She stood, attempting to fight the anger that was threatening to drown her. "Did you think she would come back?"

"Carter..."

"You lied to me!"

Her father looked up at her. In his eyes Carter saw a grief that hadn't been there in a long time.   

"I hoped." He dropped his head.  "I thought one day she would come back to her senses and come back to us.  I thought that up to the moment she laid the divorce papers in front of me. Clearly, it was a mistake to hope."

"Well, your hope was for nothing," she snarled. "She's just the same as she always was. Just as heartless. Just sign the damn papers and end this."  

Carter stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door. Plagued by riotous thoughts, she walked without knowing where she was headed.

The world blurred around her. Eventually she found herself at an empty playground and sank into one of the swings. She bent her head into her hands, her thoughts crashing against her chaotic emotions.

She pulled out her phone.

"Hello?" a deep voice said.

Words choked Carter, hot anger blinding her vision.

"Carter?" Donovan said.

"He never signed the divorce papers," she said, biting back the hurt.

Donovan said nothing for a long moment.