C.A.K.E novel Chapter 21

After hanging up with Casper, Arden spends another few minutes in the solitude of the bedroom. This end of the house is used a few times out of the year when her extended family comes to stay for holidays. It's not likely that she will be found here. But on the off chance that someone wanders in, Arden is in no mood to explain the reason she's sitting alone in a dark room.

She heads back downstairs to where the twins are sprawled on the sofa. The slight elevation in their voices suggests that an argument is in the works.

Before things can escalate, Ardi positions herself between the two. They're a lot less prone to fight when she's around. And tonight, she knows neither is ready to be on her bad side. Sure enough, they settle on giving each other a couple of sideways glances without another word.

By the time the others have had enough of the humid night air, Arden and the twins are asleep on the large sectional. She's lying lengthwise on the attached chaise lounge with the children strewn across her like overgrown rag dolls.

Teagan is cuddled into the crook of her mother's arm with her head nestled against Ardi's chest. Rowan is resting his shock of red hair on Arden's stomach. Her arm is tucked across his shoulders. His mouth is half-open and he's holding onto her like a security blanket.

“Look at them,” Diane whispers from somewhere behind them. “They still want to be wherever their mother is. Elliott wouldn’t even let me drop him off at school at that age.”

“As I recall mom, you wanted to drop me off at school while singing Material Girl at the top of your lungs,” Elliott adds.

“Will you two quiet down,” John says, shushing them both. “You’ll wake them up.”

John and Diane say their goodnights to everyone. Arden hears their voices recede down the hallway as her father walks them out front. As Adam and his wife, Perry, head upstairs for the night, she listens for her husband’s movement.

Elliott stands at the edge of the sofa near Ardi's feet. She can feel his presence in front of her. There's a shift in the glow from the floor lamp across the room when he steps in its path. Still brooding over his sarcastic tone with her at dinner, she allows him to believe that she's still asleep.

Truth is, she's been sitting here with her eyes closed, trying to shut down her mind. It’s not working. So she's made herself content with the soft sounds of her kids snoring and the comfort of their closeness. Elliott could leave them like this all night.

She doesn't mind their occupation of her personal space. If she were ready to speak with him, she would save him the trouble of trying to wake the twins.

He gives Ro and Tea a gentle nudge, trying his best not to bother Arden. The kids open their eyes and glance up at him like they haven't the slightest inkling as to who he is, and snuggle further into their mother's warmth. Eli tries one more time to rouse the twins.

"Rowan," he whispers. "Wake up."

"Ugh, Dad." The boy grumbles and turns away from him. "Go away."

"Come on, get up guys." He attempts to move Tea, who also groans and ignores his whispered requests. "I don't want to wake your mother."

He might as well be talking to the throw pillows because these two shall not be moved. Rather than continue to listen to his futile attempts at keeping his voice low enough not to disturb her, yet stern enough for the kids, she decides to grant him the privilege of her words.

"It's all right, Elliott." Arden opens her eyes and focuses on him like a hawk sussing out her prey. "Leave them alone."

"Sorry." He gives her an apologetic smile which disappears in seconds. The irritation in her demeanor must be apparent. Instead of meeting her eyes, he glances down at his feet. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't sleeping," she admits. Arden runs her hand over Rowan's hair and gives Teagan's cheek a kiss. "Just resting my eyes."

Elliott takes a seat on the edge of the sofa and places his hand on her leg. She pulls away from his touch, crossing her feet one over the other as far from him as possible.

"Rowan, Teagan, could you give us a minute, please?" he asks the kids.

Arden gently nudges them. “Go on.”

The two make it apparent they're not thrilled about leaving her side with a few mumbled complaints. But they still get up to do as their father asked, saying goodnight to both their parents. They head upstairs to the couple of bedrooms that are reserved for the nights when a walk over hot coals is more favorable than the drive back to Birmingham.

Once the twins have disappeared from the room, Arden and Elliott sit in silence. They spend several minutes avoiding each other's gaze.

"Did I do something?" When her answer doesn't come right away, he questions her again. "Arden?"

"A ladybug landed on you tonight." Her statement is even-toned and measured.

"What?" Hard lines form above his brow as he meets her eyes.

To her, it seems that she just explained so much about his behavior in a few words. His seeming confusion insults her even further.

She pulls herself upright on the sofa, sliding back against the cushions and farther from him.

"You killed it."

"And I've never killed a bug before, Arden?" He shrugs. The irritation flames in his tone. "So what?"

It would be ludicrous for her to be upset with him because he squashed a ladybug. It wasn't the act, it was the motivation behind it. One of the supposed good luck bugs has landed on him before, and he's simply let it fly away, or introduced it to some other surface away from his skin. This is deeper than his cruelty to the insect kingdom tonight.

"You're letting her affect you."

"She had us both arrested." He turns and shifts one of his legs up onto the chaise with her so they're facing each other. "I don't have the right to be angry?"

"Yes, Elliott." Her frustration with him begins to exhaust her voice, making it sound strained. "Be angry. But don't lose yourself in it."

"Melinda was the first name on your shit list this morning." He throws his hands into the air and then lets them thump against his legs. "I say two words about suing her crazy ass, you jump down my throat. Make up your mind."

His tone and exasperated movements are signs of a growing irritation that he's never shown in his interaction with her. What occurred today has gotten to him on a deeper level, and is slowly edging out the gentle patience that made her fall for him.

They've had differences of opinion on many occasions, both can get rather passionate about their positions. But their current discourse doesn't seem to be on the same track as those before it.

"My issue is not with her. It's with you―."

"As usual," he interjects with a sarcastic smirk.

Her hands curl into fists. As she takes a deep breath, she spreads her fingers and shakes them, resisting that same urge from earlier in the evening. If he keeps talking, she might have to pop him dead in his mouth.

"Elliott." She mutters his name through gritted teeth. "I am trying to have a conversation with you. Could you be a little less of a smart ass?"

He shoots from his spot and strides across the room. When he comes back he tosses a pen and notepad onto her lap. Then he stands above her with his arms crossed in front of him. She glances at the stationery and glares up at Eli.

"Why don't you write down exactly who you want me to be today, and I'll get right on that."

She springs to her feet, knocking the pad and pen to the floor, and gets within an eyelash of his face. The heat radiating off her is enough to ignite the entire house. He looks down at her, making the most of his slight height advantage over his barefoot wife.

"I am so sick of your shit tonight," she spits at him.

"The feeling’s mutual," he retorts, matching her elevated tone.

Before she can unleash every combination of curse words that she can fathom, someone clears their throat behind them.