Page 70 of In Every Lifetime
Sarah
It had been one week since Montana. One week of being home, processing the trauma, and replacing everything that was taken—and one week since I had seen Fai. One week since I had spoken to him. He hadn’t reached out to me; I hadn’t reached out to him. I wasn’t even sure why I hadn’t.
A part of me wanted him to make the first move, to initiate the hard conversation we needed to have. But I was also dreading that very conversation. I knew he loved me, but he had loved me when he pushed for the divorce. He’d loved me when I signed the papers. He’d loved me when it all blew up.
So here I was, not calling him but anxious because we weren’t speaking.
I would call him.
Tomorrow.
I sighed deeply and splashed water on my face, washing away the cleanser. What I hadn’t expected, after only being near Fai for a few days, was how hard it would be to go back to sleeping alone. I had grown accustomed to his weight, his warmth next to me. I was doing my best to return to my routine to try and getsolid sleep again. I would wash my face, do my skincare, make a cup of tea, and read by the fireplace until I went to bed.
I went through my routine slowly, taking my time with each step, hoping it would help me wind down—though it hadn’t proven successful in the past week. I had spent the last seven days putting my life back together, hoping to get into the rhythm of things again. My appointments were back on schedule, my research restarted. I had gotten my hair re-braided into box braids. I’d even gotten a massage… yet nothing was working.
It felt as if something was missing. Someone.
Fai.
I groaned, finishing my routine and all but stomping into the kitchen to pull out my herbal teas as water boiled in the kettle.
The sound of the front door unlocking stole my attention. It was late for Jackie or Will to stop by, but not unheard of. Jackie had spent several days this past week with Fai. From what she said, the two were slowly rebuilding their friendship. I wouldn’t have been shocked if she was with Fai tonight, leaving Will home alone.
“Is that you, Will?” I called, dropping a tea bag into the mug I had grabbed.
No one answered, but he must have gotten in okay, as the door closed with a click. I wasn’t shocked by the silence. Will had never been much of a talker. It was why he and Jackie worked so well—hell, it was why he and I were good friends. I was literally paid to talk and listen. I was rather good at it.
“William,” I mused, leaving the kettle to boil and walking toward the living room, “a hello would be…”
My voice was stolen away when I saw Fai’s shoes by the front door. They were his Converse, the pair he’d had since college. I was shocked the damned things were still in one piece, but he had always refused to give them up, saying it was a waste to toss them.
“Fai?” I called, turning into the living room.
He stood facing away from me, dressed in a hoodie and his favorite jean jacket. The hood was pulled over his head, and his hands were stuffed in his pockets.
I steadied my racing heart, not ready for our inevitable conversation. But no matter the outcome, maybe I would finally be able to sleep. I placed my hand on his forearm, urging him to face me.
But it wasn’t Fai.
My heart stopped. I dropped my hand and stepped away as Gabriel looked down at me.
“Hey, Sarah,” he mused, his hands still in his pockets. “I hope it’s okay that I let myself in. I still have my key.”
I couldn’t process what was happening or what he was saying. How the hell was he in my living room?
“Gabriel?” I whispered, retreating slowly.
Gabriel raised a brow, looking confused. “Why are you calling me by my brother’s name?”
“W-what?” I asked, tripping over the coffee table as I continued to back away.
“It’s me, Sarah,” he explained. His hands finally left his pockets, and he raised them in front of him as if to placate me. “It’s Fai. Faizal. Your husband.”
That’s when I saw it.. Gabriel was wearing Fai’s clothes, his shoes, his favorite jacket—the damned jacket Fai had left on the windowsill when we ran. I had thought he took our belongings to cover his tracks, but this was much more sinister.
I had a sneaking suspicion that if I looked out the window, I would see Fai’s truck parked on the street—the very truck Gabriel had stolen. My mind flashed through what I needed to do and say to get away from Gabriel while staying alive.
I took a steadying breath, trying to calm my nerves. I could do this. “Sorry… Fai,” I murmured, stopping my retreat. “I’m abit frazzled. Tired, too. I haven’t slept well since I… since we got back.”
