Chapter 4 - THE FIRST BOUNDARY DAMIAN SHOULD HAVE SET MONTHS AGO
Damian canceled the wedding venue the next morning.
He did not wait until he understood every call.
Celeste had burned Lucas’s photograph.
That was enough to stop planning a marriage.
The venue deposit was partially refundable.
The invitations had not gone out.
There was no dramatic altar abandonment.
Just a painful phone call to a coordinator in Oak Brook and an email confirming cancellation.
Then Damian changed the keypad code on the house.
Celeste had lived there part-time for eight months.
She had drawers upstairs.
Clothes in the closet.
A key.
Damian packed nothing himself.
He arranged a time for Celeste to collect her belongings while his sister Rebecca was present.
Lucas stayed with a friend after school.
Celeste arrived furious.
“You canceled everything?”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t even talk to me.”
“You burned his picture.”
“I lost my temper.”
“You told him his mother was dead.”
“She may as well be.”
Damian stared.
“That’s not your decision.”
Celeste looked away.
Damian continued.
“And you have been talking to Natalie.”
Her jaw tightened.
“You don’t know what those calls were.”
“Then tell me.”
“I was protecting Lucas.”
“From what?”
“From a woman who walked away.”
Damian felt anger rise.
He kept his voice low.
“Natalie entered treatment.”
“And then?”
“You tell me. Apparently you know.”
Celeste grabbed a sweater from the couch.
“She wasn’t stable.”
“Who decided that?”
“She did.”
“Did she tell you never to contact me?”
Celeste stopped.
That was the first real crack.
Damian saw it.
“She did, didn’t she?”
“No.”
He waited.
Celeste corrected herself.
“She said she wasn’t ready to speak directly.”
“When?”
“At first.”
“At first.”
Celeste looked toward Rebecca.
His sister stood silently near the foyer.
Damian continued.
“What changed?”
Nothing.
“When did she ask to speak to Lucas?”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
“Damian.”
“When?”
“Months ago.”
Rebecca inhaled sharply.
Damian felt physically sick.
“How many months?”
Celeste did not answer.
He stepped back.
Not toward her.
Away.
Because suddenly distance was the only thing keeping his voice under control.
“Take your things.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No.”
Damian looked directly at her.
“I made the mistake when I let you decide what information I could handle.”
Celeste’s face hardened.
“You asked me to.”
May you like
That sentence followed Damian long after she left.
Because she was not entirely wrong.
