Antidote

Chapter 10.

With people raising hell for just about everything in 2018 I am going to apologize in advance to any religious people that may be offended by parts in this chapter. Also, I know it's been well over two months since I updated and I'm incredibly sorry but don't hate me, please. I'm very fragile lol.

Waking up to see Hayden's face first thing in the morning is something I missed. When we first moved in together he was never there but as time went on I would wake up before him and he would look as peaceful as ever in his sleep. Much like how he looks this morning. I enjoy waking up before him for the sole reason that I like to watch him sleep. Not in a psychotic stalkerish type of way, but when he's still asleep by the morning it means he's not being taunted by horrific nightmares and he's getting well-deserved rest.

Instead of holding onto me or a pillow like he usually would when he's asleep, Naomi is wrapped in his arms keeping a little distance between me and Hayden. I have no idea when she got here or why she's in here but the sight is heartwarming.

I rise from the bed to get my phone and I snap a picture of the two of them then quietly pad into the bathroom. Unwilling to face Hayden with morning breath and not having one here of my own I use Hayden's toothbrush as I freshen up. I use water to comb through my hair attempting to fix the matted state that it's in. The closet is off of the bathroom, and it's ridiculously large. It's about the size of the bedroom in my apartment. Who needs this much closet space anyway?

I stalk around the closet looking at all of Hayden's black clothes, some old, some new with tags still on them. I've never seen Hayden go shopping for himself—scratch that, I've never seen him go shopping at all. Does Mrs. Sutter do his clothes shopping too?

I can't believe there are things I still don't know about Hayden  Whether big or small, I want to know everything there is to know about him.

I stop in my tracks when I see female clothing. Is this stuff supposed to be mine? Has this been in there since he moved into the house?

First the computer and study and now the clothes, I can see Hayden was never going to give me up. He was holding out hope that we would be together again that he made a space for me everywhere in the house he had built for us. He left everything in a way where we could continue where we left off. It would be almost as if I never left.

I change from Hayden's t-shirt to one of the slips in the drawer from what is my side of the closet then wrap myself in the matching robe. As I stand in the doorway of the bathroom eyeing Hayden and Naomi, who are still fast asleep, I can't help the feelings that have come over me. I don't want to leave, especially now that Hayden and I are trying this relationship thing again. My flight leaves in the afternoon and I left the hotel yesterday not having repacked my bag which forces me to leave much earlier than I want to.

I go over to Hayden's side of the bed climbing onto the bed behind his still body, "Baby," I whisper wanting to only wake him. I press my lips to his exposed skin, kissing him multiple times in between my talking. "Hayden, wake up."

He stirs but doesn't move from his position as he's trapped between me and his daughter. I sit up on the bed giving him space to move. He lies on his back one arm still stuck beneath his daughter's head. "Hi, good morning."

"Morning." His voice thick from sleep.

"I have to leave soon to go back to my hotel and repack."

"Let me take you to the airport."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."

His free hand comes up to my face forcing the loose strands of my hair behind my ear, "Never, Alice, you know that."