A Chance at Destiny (16 page)

Destiny blushed at the thought of Tyler undressing her again. “I like it too. When you undress me.”

No longer able to stand it. He reached up and pulled her mouth to his. His tongue gently played with hers. Then he sucked her lips. He needed more. Once she was undressed he stripped away all his clothes and lay over her body.

“Tyler, condom.” Destiny reminded him. He grabbed a condom out of his suitcase and slid it on and then into heaven. His Destiny was heaven. She felt so amazing wrapped around him. He didn’t know how or when but he would have to repair the pieces of her broken heart. For he knew that he was picking up the pieces of her entire life not simply an indiscretion with Cindi.

The next two days were more of the same. They spent hours locked in their rooms with assigned activities. They ate and then team building and communication activities. Destiny felt closer to Tyler than she had ever felt before. On the ride back to Bradford, his phone buzzed. Tyler was sleep so Destiny grabbed it. It was a picture message from a strange number but Destiny recognized the person in the picture. Cindi in a provocative pose. The message read
: You can run and you can hide but I will have you.

Destiny placed the phone in Tyler’s lap. Talk about a reality check. This was just a reminder of their agreement. It could be no more than that. When Tyler opened his eyes and saw the picture he shook his head and turned it off. He could see the shades closing on his marriage.
Dammit Cindi
.

Tyler had done all he could to block her. Now this was a new number and more trashy pictures.  He made it a point to tell her to stop calling , texting ,and talking to him. But she was getting more aggressive. He felt Destiny shift her weight away from him.

The next few weeks were agonizing for both Tyler and Destiny. They both moved in synchronized avoidance.  He watched as she got on the bus each morning headed toward campus. Her class was an hour earlier than his. Even though he offered every morning to take Destiny to class. She politely declined. Her explanation was that she needed to know how to survive without him. But she would ride from time to time with Maria to class. That pissed Tyler off. He didn't want his wife on a bus. He wanted her with him. In his truck. He wanted to drop her off each morning  and watch her go into her first class.

Because their classes were now at such different times they didn't talk as much. Tyler spent his time working both jobs- the lab and the garage. Destiny went to the library to work and study. She learned that there was a bus that ran right after her shift at the library. She had her schedule adjusted so she could make it to the bus stop each night before the bus arrived. 

All the other couples were back to their routine. Maria and Markos would visit on the weekends. All the couples would go to Annie and Jessup’s once a month. Tyler and Destiny would make sure to be kind and cordial to one another.

Being rude was never an issue. Tyler almost wished his wife would scream at him, throw things at him, slap him, hit him. But no. She was always kind. Always polite. The house was always clean.

Tyler had slept on the sofa since their return from the couple’s retreat. He tried to get in the bed the first night. But the uncomfortable tension pulsated between the two of them. So he decided to sleep on the sofa. It was for the best.
Just to give her time and prove my love for her
. He’d reminded himself.

On Saturdays, he noticed she'd stopped wearing her normal short shorts that he loved. Now each Saturday morning she would throw on a pair of leggings and a big T-shirt, hiding all her body from him. The only time he caught a glimpse of her body was when he accidentally walked in on her dressing in the bedroom. After that, she locked the door when she was dressing.

Tyler was feeling defeated. He was really losing her. After work, he began taking the long way home. He needed to think.

Destiny knew she was being ridiculous. But she had to make sure she kept her distance. When they returned the first night, Tyler tried to sleep in the bed with her. But she knew that would lead to more sex. The heat of his body which seemed to be a magnet for her. No matter how hard she tried, she could feel the pull between them.

To protect them and their agreement, Destiny decided that she needed to cover herself more. She made sure to not dress in her little shorts she cleaned in each week. She had no doubt Tyler loved to see her hips and butt in those little shorts. She also knew that she could feel his glare when she wore them .Nope. No more of that.

When he walked in on her getting dressed his ice blue eyes roamed and caressed her so  much her hands were trembling. She had to tell her feet not to move. She decided that locking the door was the best way to avoid that situation again.

It was well after midnight; Tyler laid on the sofa staring at the ceiling. He needed to do something.....anything. He couldn't let his wife go. She was slipping away. So he threw his legs over the side of the sofa grabbed a piece of paper and began to write.

Dear Destiny,

It’s late and you’re sleeping. I will cut to the chase. The truth is I miss you. I wish I could walk in a wrap my arms around you and beg you to forgive me. When we began this agreement, I had no idea I would love you this much. I know that we hadn’t planned to be in love. But I am. I love you Destiny Duggan- You're My Wife. I want us to be forever. I know I hurt you and I know I messed up really bad but I want to make it up. Please give me a chance to fix this. I know I can. I really wish I could take it back. I just want my wife- my friend back.

I'm sorry. Sorry for so many things. I should have told you sooner that I loved you. I think even loved you on our wedding day. I love the way you take care of me even when I don't realize I need to be taken care of. I love the way you have committed to making sure we both have a better life. I understand you hate me now but I still love you.

I hope that one day you can forgive me. Please forgive me.  I am truly sorry.

Your husband,

Tyler Duggan

The next morning, Destiny did her normal morning routine. She walked over to the coffee pot and started the coffee for Tyler. She knew her husband needed coffee to function early in the morning. She grabbed a piece of toast and microwaved a slice of turkey bacon. As she was putting her books and notes for the day in her backpack, she saw the note scribbled on the counter from Tyler.

She read the note. Tears filled her eyes. He loved her.....he loved her. He'd never told her that he loved her. Destiny didn't know how to feel about this. She loved him too. But she was scared. Maybe, she thought, he only loved her because she was angry with him.

Before leaving she turned the paper over and scribbled:

I don't hate you. 

She walked out the door.

Tyler woke to the smell of coffee. He was tired. He spent most of the night tossing and turning. He sat on the edge of the sofa, his hair closing around his face.  He stood up and stumbled to the coffee pot. He knew Destiny was gone already. Her backpack was gone, and the coffee was already finished. It was still warm. Tyler poured his coffee and turned to see his note was still on the counter top. But there was Destiny's words in beautiful script flashing at him. She doesn’t hate me.  Tyler smiled to himself. She doesn’t hate me.  That meant there was hope.

Tyler spent most of his class time focusing on how to prove to his wife that he had enough love for the both of them. By the end of class he had a plan.

When  class was over Destiny went to the library for work. Work moved by really fast. After work she was walking toward the bus stop when she saw Darren. “Hello
misses
Duggan. So nice to see you.” His tone was a bit sarcastic mixed with a little arrogance.

“Hey Darren.” She was polite. No  need to be ugly.

“How is the mister?” Darren asked. She hated it when he talked about Tyler. She looked at Darren , in all his athletic form. He was a beautiful specimen of a man but she wasn't attracted to him. She didn't get the sensual feeling she felt around Tyler. She wondered of  Cindi had told Darren exactly what happened with Tyler.

Since his confession and talking to Markos, Tyler made it a point to have all conversations with Cindi in his wife’s presence. He left his phone lying about and he'd taken the code off so Destiny could check it anytime just like his friend suggested. And, out of curiosity, Destiny had checked it from time to time while he was in the restroom.

“My husband is fine.” She may be angry with him but she would never let Darren know that.

“Good to know. Riding the bus?” He noted the bus stop sign above her head. She nodded. “Tsk.Tsk. Where is the great husband? I'd never let my pretty wife ride the bus.”

Destiny chose not to answer. The bus was arriving, and she didn’t feel like having this conversation with anyone least of all Darren. When the doors opened she entered and sat down.

When the time came for Destiny to enter her apartment she shared with husband she froze at the door. She wondered if he found her note. She didn’t hate Tyler. She’d wanted him to know that much.

She didn’t know what she felt for him. Sure she loved him. But she’d love anyone who’d lived with her, helped her escape their little gossip filled town, right? All the tension was getting to her. She should forgive him but she was afraid. Afraid of what? She had to think about it. It was everything. All the changes and all the expectations. What if he changed his mind about their agreement. What if he was only using her? What  if...just what if? She'd spent her life waiting for someone to love her enough to stay and fight for her but instead she'd been abandoned. First by her dad, then her mom and then simply uninvited from her sister, her niece, and nephew’s life. It was too much to try to expect anything other than abandonment and hurt. Destiny had tried to be open and vulnerable but Dasha had taught her a hard but necessary life lesson.

The sun was shining at the start of March. It was unusually sunny. Destiny had to remove her lightweight jacket to walk to the bus stop. Her classes were going really well. But her marriage was a different issue. She and Tyler still had not spoken more than the customary pleasantries of roommates in almost two months. He was always home right after work. He would send her a text when he left class and arrived at work; He even offered to bring dinner home a few times. But Destiny knew their budget didn’t allow for that so she always politely declined.

Tyler loved the feeling of walking into his cozy home
. His home.
He thought to himself. Not a trailer. Not his dad’s but his own. Well not technically. He realized Annie and Jeb had only loaned the place to them till they graduated but he it felt like his home. He welcomed the smell of something spicy coking as he walked into the small apartment.

He walked in earlier than his normal time. There was a water mane break on campus so the lab didn’t have water. The lab manager, a grad student, called the professor, and they were required to close early. Tyler was ready to go home. He missed his wife like crazy. He wanted a chance to talk to her. Lately, when he got home it was usually so late she was in the room sitting in the bed studying. His dinner was always sitting wrapped neatly in the microwave.

He felt like such a chauvinist but he loved how she always thought of him and took care of him. It was wonderful to have someone always thinking about your needs. His laundry was always neat clean and put away. The apartment was always so tidy. She seemed to getting along just fine without him. It really annoyed him that she didn’t seem to be missing him as much as he was missing her. She seemed to be functioning just fine.

Tyler paused as he entered the kitchen and opened the oven to see what was cooking. He could hear the shower running. She must have put the casserole in before she showered. Tyler went to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. When he stood he heard muffled scream.

“Sorry.” He walked over to a startled Destiny.

She didn’t speak for a moment. “You’re home?”

He looked closer. In his effort to calm her he hadn’t taken notice of what she was wearing. Or not wearing. Her hair was wet or not wet but it had something in it that made it smell like coconut and vanilla. She was wearing One of Tyler's old band t-shirts. Her legs were bare. Very bare. Tyler hadn’t seen his wife's bare legs in many many weeks. She shifted from one foot to the next. All he could do was drink in the sight of her until he noticed she was clearing her throat.