Once In A Lifetime • Link Neal

twelve.

She sat on the small sofa in Link's shared office, her hands in her lap as she watched him pace around the room. She remained silent, taking in the frantic, frustrated words that escaped the mans mouth. 

"She told me after I told her what happened. Like she knew already, and it wouldn't seem so bad after what I've done." Link said, running his fingers through his hair for the millionth time. Lucy was genuinely dumbstruck with his words, 

"So....She's been..." She began, not even sure if she should finish the sentence. Link shook his head, his eyes crunching shut as though he didn't want to acknowledge the rest of the sentence. 

"She said it's 'cause she never sees me anymore. 'Cause I'm always workin', or doin' a project with Rhett. That-I-It doesn't make it okay!" He shouted, and she jumped slightly at the sudden increase of volume in his tone. "She was goin' to make me feel like a piece of shit husband for kissin' you, once. She's been cheating on me ever since the Tour started!" He was practically yelling now, and Lucy wasn't exactly sure what to do. She had never seen him like this, so angry, and it genuinely frightened her a little bit. "How in the hell does that measure up? How can she be sleepin' with another man, and think that me kissin' you one time measures up? I don't...I don't know what to do, I can't look at her. I can't fucking think about her." His words grew quieter near the end, the scratch in his voice making it's appearance as he stopped in the middle of the room. 

She was silent as she pushed herself up to stand, approaching him slowly. Link was crying now, the tears that rolled down his cheeks dropping down to dot his grey T-shirt. She said nothing as she wrapped her arms around his lean torso, pulling him against her as tight as she could in a secure embrace. He choked out a sob, and the sound seemed to strike her right in the chest. They stood like that a moment, before Link finally wrapped his arms around her shoulders, his heart wrenching sobs simmering down to a sniffle here and there. 

"What am I doin', Lu?" He breathed out. She pulled herself back just enough to look up at him. 

"I don't have a right to be angry at her...Not after what I've done. But I just...I can't help it." 

"It's my fault, too. I should have never...I shouldn't have kissed you back, and I'm sorry." Lucy breathed out, loosening her grip on the man to take a step back. Link was quick to pull her closer, 

"Don't be. I made that choice to follow you inside. And you know what...I don't regret it." He said, gazing down at her with red rimmed eyes. "With or without you in the picture, she would have cheated on me either way. Maybe I'm just an idiot, for not seein' it sooner." She tsked him, 

"You should never have to be on the look out for it." She countered, despite the irony. 

"I knew there was somethin' off with us, though. But I was so busy with everythin' else I didn't question it. I just...Let it be." 

"Why?" She asked, softly. Link let out a deep breath through his nose, gaze lingering along the angles of her face as he thought for a moment. 

"I think we both knew somethin' was comin'. This isn't the first time we've been in this...rut. But I don't think either of us were stupid enough to cheat. We've been growin' apart for years now, like we're goin' through the same routine every day and we never tried to fix it." He breathed out. "So I guess I shouldn't be surprised with what happened." 

Lucy pondered his words for a moment, 

"Do you think you two...fell out of love?" She asked, softly. 

"I think we fell out of love a long time ago." He replied. 

The thought made her sad. From what she could see, Link had a perfectly normal, happy life. His wife was a loving, caring woman, and they've been married for almost two decades now. To think that a love like that can fall apart without warning was truly a dismal thought.