Vow

Chapter 8

It was the next morning. The sunlight gleamed through the windows softly, over the white bedsheets and blankets. The birds were chirping out in the garden. Lana slowly stretched and opened her eyes. She laid there, listening to the birds singing for a few minutes. She reached over for Charles, but not to her surprise, he wasn't there.

She sat up and looked around the room, then sighed. She was sick of this weird energy she felt, and was upset at how she was growing used to his absence. It was Saturday, and she knew he didn't have work today. Then where could he be?

She reached for her phone on the white nightstand, and sent Charles a quick text before getting up and grabbing an outfit out of her dresser.

"Where are you?"  9:53 A.M.

Grabbing a pair of shorts and a black tank top to wear for the day, a towel and her other bath essentials, she headed to the bathroom connected to her bedroom. She turned the shower on, letting the warm water run for a minute. She stripped out of her pajamas, leaving them in a pile on the tiled floor, and stepping into the shower.

When she got out of the shower, she walked back in the room and grabbed her phone to check it. No text from Charles. She grew confused and upset at the same time. Although she thinks it could be nothing, she couldn't help herself from overthinking everything and getting upset.

Lana sat at the edge of the bed, thinking about calling him. She didn't want to seem like a bother, but she knew that she at least deserved an explanation or something to let her know where he was. After having a short debate in her head, she pressed the green "call" icon next to Charles' name, and held the phone to her ear. It rung, but no answer. She sighed, setting the phone down.

"What the hell is he doing?" Lana thought to herself. She walked over to the coffee machine in the kitchen, brewing herself a pot while she anxiously waited for some sort of reply from Charles.

A few hours had passed, and in the meantime, Lana had tried to occupy herself by flipping through the channels on the TV, reading a few chapters of a book, drinking coffee, and checking her phone every couple of minutes in between.

The front door opened, and Lana stood up from the couch and turned her head to see Charles walking in.

"Where were you? You didn't even answer my text." Lana claimed, crossing her arms. It was noon and she felt like she's done nothing besides wait around for Charles. But this isn't the first time she's waited around for him. Usually, he runs inside and hugs Lana, quickly assuring her that he was busy doing something important and how he misses and loves her so much. But, the energy was different today. He wasn't acting like that this time. Instead, he looked tired, and annoyed at being questioned as soon as he walked in the door. He closed the door behind him, walking in a few feet.

"I wasn't checking my phone. Doug asked me to go over and help him with some things, you were still sleeping." Charles sounded bothered and annoyed. He sat down on the couch, while Lana was still standing up with her arms crossed, looking at him.

"You could have at least let me know, instead of not telling me or responding to my texts." She replied.

"Jesus, you never back off, do you?" He snapped.

Lana stopped in her tracks, because Charles had never treated her like that before. She was shocked, and upset.

"Are you serious?" Her eyebrows knit together in anger.

"You don't have to ask me all these questions. I'm sorry for not letting you know. I shouldn't have to tell you every single thing I do." Charles rudely said. He ran his fingers through his brown hair, leaning his elbow on the arm of the couch.

After a few seconds of Lana deciding what to say, clearly surprised at how rude and different Charles was acting, she opened her mouth: "Why the hell are you acting like this? I try my best not to bother you because I never mean to do that. But you're never here anymore, you barely spend time with me. I keep overthinking this shit but you just act so weird and it's bothering me. What are you really doing?" Her eyes held pain in them, and worry.

Usually, Charles is quick to comfort Lana and assure her that everything is okay, but this time, he just grew with more anger. "What? You don't trust me now? Are you serious?" He raised his voice.

"I never said that." She said.

"Yeah, well, I do everything I can to make you happy, and you're just badgering me with questions and acting like you can't trust me." Charles pressed.

Lana shook her head in disbelief and anger, not understanding why Charles was being so rude. She left the room, walking into the bedroom to grab her purse, shoes and car keys. She slipped her phone in her purse, and sat on the edge of the bed while she put her shoes on.

"Where are you going?" Charles asked in annoyance as he sat on the couch watching Lana walk out of the bedroom, past him and towards the front door.

"I'm gonna go on a drive. I'll be back later. I can't believe you right now, and how you're acting." Lana was clearly upset, she just hid it behind her anger. She was really upset, actually. She was already an emotional person, and she regretted saying anything to him in the first place. "Maybe I am just overthinking or overreacting. But he didn't have to be so rude to me. Why the hell is he acting like this?" Lana's thoughts ran through her head as she made her way to the car, tears falling from her eyes.

She didn't even know where she was going, but she eventually decided on driving near the park. To clear her mind, only focusing on the trees and the sound of the wind kissing the grass and leaves on every plant.

Charles sat on the couch, sighing. He was angry, but he cooled down after Lana left. He slowly started to realize that he was just being an asshole, and she didn't do anything. He couldn't even think for himself, or comprehend anything.

His mind started to drift off, and he fell asleep on the couch.