The Return Home

Part 18

I had picked Ava up from school an hour earlier than usual and drove home. I gave her the rest of the day to play and not worry about any chores and sternly told her to stay out off the barn.

"Why?" She asked innocently.

"Because I saw a snake and I need you out off the way to get it." I lied as she was happy with that answer. "Help yourself to something to eat, I'll be in as soon as I am done."

Ava jumped out off the car and ran to the house as I stared at the barn. Lee had brought Dustin back while I was out and I battled with confronting him or not.

I got out off the ute and walked up to Dustin.

"Hey." He greeted me as he moved some loose hay.

I snatched the pitchfork off him and slammed it into the hay.

"What's wrong?" He asked me, unaware of why I was angry. I gripped the handle to the pitchfork and took a deep breathe.

"Who's Stephanie?"

I watched as his face told me his answer. It told a whole story, starting at surprise to regret, finishing at sorry.

I shook my head. I was mad, but I wasn't exactly sure if I was aiming it at Dustin or myself.

"I believe she is your fiancée back home?" I asked another question and then another. "Why didn't you tell me about her?"

"She is my fiancée." Dustin finally spoke.

"I know. I had a brief chat with her today." I gripped the handle even tighter. "You left your phone in my car. Why didn't you tell me you were in a relationship? A serious one too! You're getting married!" I tried not to yell, but if I didn't I could feel the threat of tears coming.

"You lied to me."

"No!" Dustin tried defending himself. "I didn't. I never told you."

"Yet everything has caught up to you. You cheated on your fiancée with me. Stephanie knows. I didn't know you were engaged!" I snapped. I looked Dustin over. "You're not Dustin. You're not that twelve year old boy. I don't know who you are."

"I'm not a kid any more, Nora." Dustin said to me.

"Don't. You don't get to call me that." I warned him.

"What do you want me to say? I never expected you to be on the end of this driveway when I drove up. I never expected to see you again."

"Yet you came back to town! Here you are. So, why did you come back?" I pursed my lips together, one hand on my hip, the other still on the pitchfork.

"What do you want me to say?" Dustin asked again. "Do you want me to tell you that I was only using you for sex? Do you want me to say that I regret it? Or that I don't have any feelings for you? Because none of that is true."

I snarled at him. "You could have told me that you are about to get married!"

"I was going to. Honestly, I was, but I got too caught up. In you and even Ava and here. Then one thing lead to another and I didn't know how to tell you."

I glared at Dustin. He looked defeated. "So what am I? Just a hometown fling? A country fuck?" I half laughed at him.

"No!" Dustin snapped at me.

"You have no right to be angry!" I screamed at him. "I do! I'm angry with you for deceiving me, I'm angry at myself for allowing it." I couldn't believe I said that. I wasn't just angry, I was in pain as well.

"I'm sorry." Dustin shook his head. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I did want to tell you. I just didn't know how to."

"You men are all the same!" I scoffed at him. "Anything for a woman to care for them and then you crush them."

How did I let it get this far? When were the strings attached?

"Nora -"

"NO!" I yelled. "Nora is gone. She is dead."

I tried to control my breathing, not letting the tears come. "Just go."

"Where?"

"Home. Go back home to your fancy house, your job, your luxuries, your fiancée."

"Do you want me to leave?"

I glared at him. Was he seriously that thick headed. "Yes!" I growled. "And don't ever come back. You are not welcome here. If I ever see you on my property I won't call the police, I'll be getting my rifle." I turned on my heel and walked out off the barn.

I didn't want to hear excuses. Because than I would start making them too. I went in to the house and started doing dinner. A nice early dinner with Ava and I will help with her homework, and put everything back in to a normal routine.