Consciousness creeps up on Danny Walsh early Sunday morning, and even before he's really awake, dread seeps into his bones. It's the day after the party, the day after he caught his wife kissing her lady friend in his home.
"Do you wanna talk?" Perrie's voice is soft and hoarse behind Danny when he closes and locks the sliding doors to the yard. He sighs in an attempt to get rid of the nervous agitation coursing through his body, and turns around.
Perrie feels beat, and knows she looks it. She stands by the sink, leaning against it, her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes are swollen and her face is blotchy.
"I don't know what to say, Perrie. What do you want me to say?" Danny stands a few feet away from her. Perrie shrugs and looks at the floor.
"I'm sorry," she whispers.
"What the hell were you even thinking?" Danny's voice is tight, a loud whisper in the bright kitchen. Perrie shakes her head. Tears come again and she wipes them away roughly. Danny takes a few steps until he's right in front of her.
"Look at me. What were you thinking?"
"I... I didn't... I didn't think anything."
" No, you didn't. You didn't think about your children, how it would be for them if they found their mother suddenly kissing some woman in her bedroom. Any of them could have walked in on you, do you realize that?"
Perrie stares at him, her mouth open and tears run down her face in steady streams.
"I'm sorry."
"Are you? Are you sorry?"
Danny grabs her now, and Perrie gasps and cowers as his fingers dig into her arms. He shakes her a little, willing her to look at him, and her fingers grasp his sweater.
"I have never seen anyone with this little respect for their family, Perrie Edwards. Never. What you have done is the lowest thing anyone could do and I never expected, I've never thought..."
He lets her go then, confused and shocked at his own aggression, and rubs his hands over her arms whispering apologies. Then he turns to walk away.
"Danny! Don't go, please, let's just..."
"We'll talk tomorrow."
Danny keeps his eyes closed and listens closely to the sounds of the house. The room is dark, the curtains are still drawn, but he can tell it must be time to get up. He's alone in the bed and hears voices in the hallway, Perrie and Naomi, but he can't make out what they're saying. He waits until the sounds die down, then gets up. He's barely slept a few hours and his clothes are in a messy pile on the floor. He picks them up and goes into the bathroom.
Danny knows today is going to be difficult. He knows there's going to be a talk. He knows it's going to be a pain to go to church and face some of the people they saw last night. He knows his mother knows something's up. Danny knows a lot of things, and right now, he wishes he didn't.
Perrie knocks on the door and calls out, but there's no answer. She hears the shower running when she steps into the room, and takes the moment to breathe deeply in and out. She opens the curtains and makes the bed. The shower turns off and Danny's electrical toothbrush is buzzing.
Perrie's heartbeat is erratic, her hands sweaty. She hasn't slept much, it was cold on the couch and she was worried the kids would find her. She's made good use of her time though; the house is tidy, she's dressed for church, and all the kids have already eaten their breakfast.
