It’s almost midnight and Roman still isn’t home. I’m starting to get a little worried, especially since I haven’t heard from him since almost 7 p.m. It’s not like him to go this long without communication.
I look at Kassie where she’s curled up beside me, her soulful brown eyes on mine. “Where do you think he is, Kassie? I should text him, huh?”
I turn the TV off and pull my phone out.
Me
Hey, beautiful. Getting worried. Thingsgoing okay?
I’m about to set my phone back down when it buzzes in my hand.
Roman
Yeah, I’m sorry. I was about to text you and let you know I’m on my way home.
Me
Be safe. See you soon.
I’m almost asleep on the couch when the front door opens and Roman walks in, looking exhausted and like he’s been crying. “Oh, beautiful. Rough night?”
He nods, stumbling toward the couch and collapsing into my lap. I grunt a little at the impact, but wrap my arms around him and pull him in close to me. He doesn’t say anything, but that’s not unusual. He’s very tight-lipped about the kids he helps, which yeah, understandable. Confidentiality is really important to him.
I don’t need to know the details to cuddle him and make him feel better, though, so it doesn’t really matter.
He sinks deeper into my embrace as I bring a hand to his hair to run my fingers through it. He sniffles, but doesn’t seem like he’s actively crying. “Do you want to go to bed,beautiful?”
He nods, his face brushing my chest. “Yes, please.”
He climbs from my lap and holds his hand out to me, so I grab it and stand before following him down the hall to our room. I close the door behind us, and we strip down in silence before climbing into bed beside each other. As soon as we’re settled, he rolls into me, resting his head on my chest and plastering the rest of his body to mine.
He must have been serious about it being a rough night because within a few minutes, he’s dead asleep, snoring softly. I let my fingers trail along his neck and back as his body grows heavier against mine in his sleep. It’s not long before I’m joining him.
When morning comes and my alarms with it, Roman is up like a shot, sitting straight up. “I have to go to Safe Haven today.”
I blink at him, trying to get my eyes to function. It’s too damn early for him to be so… whatever he is right now. “Okay, beautiful.”
He turns to me. “I’m going to stop and get a kid some clothes first, though, okay?”
He’s never felt the need to tell me when he’s going to buy one of his kids something before, and something about it tickles my brain a bit, but I brush it off. “Sounds good. You know I don’t mind.”
“Yeah,” he mumbles, dropping his eyes. “Yeah, I know.”
I tilt his chin up and plant my lips on his. “Good. I’m gonna get up and get ready for work. Do you want to shower with me?”
He shakes his head. “No. I don’t have time to.”
I scrunch my nose up in confusion. Doesn’t have time to? It’s not like there’s a time limit on going to the group home. But sometimes he gets like this. Single-minded focus on his job is part of what makes him so fucking good at it. I nod. “Alright, beautiful.”
He seems a little lost in his own world, but I try to brush off the anxiety about the situation and get out of bed. It’s not like he’s given me any reason not to trust him. Hell, we’ve been back together for almost three years now. There’s not a single reason for me to be freaking out. But I still can’t help the small bit of nervousness that’s currently taking up residence in my stomach.
When I’m done in the shower, I don’t expect the house to be empty, but it is. He’s already gone? He didn’t even say goodbye.
I don’t know what’s going on and my mind is spinning. Why did he just leave like that? It honestly fucks me up a bit… It feels similar to the last time he took off without a word, even though I know that’s not the case. I can’t stop my mind from spiraling, though. Why was he acting so strange last night?
He’s not leaving me, right?
No. He wouldn’t do that.
