16:41
Caleb kissed my neck.
I gave him a fake smile.
He pulled back slightly.
“Sweetheart… is everything okay?”
“I don’t know.”
Caleb frowned.
“Can we talk about it?”
“No. I’m not talking to you.”
Caleb stepped back and rubbed his forehead.
“Sweetheart, if I did something—please, just tell me. We’ll figure it out.”
“I don’t want to.”
I grabbed my things and headed for the door.
“Baby, where are you going?” — Caleb touched my elbow.
I turned around, stunned.
“Again? You want to hit me again?” — I burst into tears.
Caleb instantly pulled his hand away.
“Sweetheart, sweetheart, I’m sorry—please, I didn’t mean to. I didn’t—”
“Please forgive me.”
I walked out.

18:01
“Sweetheart, I’m worried. Please let me know when you’re free — I’ll come pick you up.”
The phone beeped.
Message sent.
Caleb paces around.
Biting his nails.
“Tea, sir?”
“No.”
“Wait—”
He rushes up to Sebastian.
“Do you know what’s going on with Nazokat?”
He nervously chews on his thumbnail — a bad habit from childhood.
Then immediately stops himself.
Sebastian shrugs.
“Can’t say, sir. Haven’t noticed anything unusual.”
“Got it.”
Caleb pats him on the shoulder.

18:30
Caleb is smoking.
“Damn it… why isn’t she answering?”
The tremor is back.
He’s getting anxious.
Biting his nails again.
The smoke comes out, promising relief — but it doesn’t deliver.
He’s visibly losing it.
“Hey… where did she go? Maybe she’s cheating on you?”
Caleb shakes his head nervously.
God, he wants drugs so badly.
He needs to stop the tremor.
He smokes one cigarette after another.
“No… no, she’s not like that. She wouldn’t do that.”
“I don’t know… she left pretty fast. And did you see how she was dressed? Who was she dressing up for?”
Caleb starts pacing back and forth.
“No. No, she’s not like that. She’s not that kind of person.”
“Mmm… sure. If you say so… Remember Angela? We trusted her too…”
Caleb curses.
His hand almost reaches into his pocket.
“Come on, let’s just go check. See who she’s with.”
He pulls himself back.
“She said she’s with the girls. I trust her.”
“Well… if you say so… although…”
Caleb shakes his head again.
The tremor gets worse.
“What?!” — he snaps.
“Well… last time she smelled like a man’s cologne. And she never explained where she was.”
Caleb takes a drag.
“It doesn’t matter. If she says it’s nothing — then it’s nothing.”
“Suit yourself…”
Caleb starts hitting his temples.
Old habits begin to crawl back up:
violence
cruelty
drugs
alcohol
women
All of it pulling him back in.
He leans against a tree.
“No… no. I’m not that person anymore. I changed for her. I’m not that man anymore.”
“Yeah… sure…”
“Maybe call Derek?”
Caleb goes silent.
The voice smiles — a crack forming. Good.
“Derek always knows where to get what we need.”
Caleb shakes his head.
“No. No, I can’t let her down.
I’m not that man anymore.”
The voice shifts tactics.
“Come on, Caleb… you’re not on her level. She’s perfect. You’ll never reach her — not with all that shit in your past. If she finds out the truth, she’ll never accept you the way you are.”
Caleb lights another cigarette.
Rubs his forehead again.
“You know it yourself… she’s an angel… you’re right… she wouldn’t cheat… she’s pure… charity… family… children… and the way she fucks…”
“Shut up! Don’t you dare talk about her!” — Caleb snaps, breaking a branch in fury.
“Shut up. You’re not worthy of even speaking about her.”
“…Just like you, my dear. After all… I am you.”
22:15
I came back drunk.
Ready for war.
Hold on, baby. — Hades.
I spat.
And went upstairs.
Caleb was sitting on the bed.
He jumped up immediately.
“Sweetheart—”
I gave him a full-on bitch look.
“What do you want?”
Caleb froze.
“Sweetheart…” — he rubbed his forehead — “I don’t understand… I really don’t understand what’s going on.”
“What, you gonna hit me again?”
Caleb stared, confused.
“What? What are you talking about? Sweetheart, why would you say that?”
And I broke down crying.
At first, the plan was to mess with Caleb —
some dumb, typical girl game.
But I was tired.
I was done playing roles.
“Caleb, I’m tired of this constant war, damn it!
I’ve been tense since 10 a.m. just to tell you I’m going out with the girls tonight.
Or when I go to the office.
When I have sessions.
When Nate and I go out together.
When.
When.
Damn it, every single move I make.
I’m so sick of this, Caleb!
I don’t want to walk on eggshells anymore — I’m done with this!”
“Sweetheart—” he reached for me.
“Back off, back off!”
I started crying even harder.
“I’m so done with this, Caleb!
I always have to think — what happens if I do this or that?
Will Caleb lose it?
Will it cause problems?”
Caleb dropped to his knees.
“Sweetheart… angel…
please… I’m begging you…”
“I’m done with this, Caleb, I’m done!
I’m tired.
I’m a good woman! I’ve never cheated.
I don’t flirt, I don’t stare — I’ve never given you a reason, not even a hint that I could cheat.
Or even look at other men!”
“Sweetheart, I’m begging you—”
Caleb was crying, tears pouring down.
“I’m done with this, Caleb!
I’m not here to manage your insecurity!”
Look at the way she talks to you. Put her in her place. — his father’s voice.
Caleb shook his head.
His body started trembling.
He sees it.
The voice.
His father.
The pattern.
Old patterns are breaking apart.
Caleb dropped to the floor —
like a child — almost relieved, almost breaking.
He started crying, staring upward.
“Thank God…”
I grimaced.
Well, that didn’t take long, did it? So what — back to the routine? Shirt on, and off to our favorite place? Come on, baby, I’ll call Sam myself—
— Hades grabbed the phone.
“Wait. Don’t celebrate yet.”
Caleb jumped up.
“Angel…
angel, I see it now.”
Hades twirled a finger at his temple.
Yeah… completely lost it.
“I see it, sweetheart.”
Caleb, wired, pacing from corner to corner.
I grimaced.
“Caleb?!”
“Oh— sorry, sorry, angel, I’ll explain.
Now, now—”
He was so overwhelmed he couldn’t even speak.
I realized this wasn’t the moment.
And just went downstairs to have tea with Logan.
Caleb looked at her.
She’s leaving.
Stop her. She’s leaving.
Caleb raised a finger to his lips.
“No… no…”
His eyes were shining, darting like a madman’s.
“No.
No.”
He started jumping with joy.
“No, no, no!”
He shouted, spinning around himself in excitement.
Phone rings.
“Mom.”
“Son? Is everything okay?” — Jess got scared, wondering if he’d started using again.
Damn, why is everyone so tense? It’s just a little powder that makes us feel fucking better, right?
Caleb waved it off.
“Mom, I got it. I got it, Mom, I got it.”
And he threw the phone away.
He kept jumping, trying to survive the intensity of his own joy.
“I got it…
I got it…” — quieter now.
“I got it.”
4:21
Caleb is smoking like a madman.
Still worked up.
Can’t sleep.
He got it.
God… he got it.
So that’s what she had been writing about.
That’s what she meant.
Caleb dropped to his knees, kissing the ground.
“I got it, baby…
I got it…
Oh my God…”
Tears of release poured out of him.
His father separated from him.
The shell just came out and deflated.
Caleb froze.
He had never seen anything like it.
Never.
Your girlfriend sees this all the time… but she’s crazy. What, you’re crazy now too?
Caleb shook his head.
“Get out.
You too.”
He started waving his hands in the air, frantic.
“Yes… yes…
You too.
You too — get out.”
“What the hell are you talking about? You’re insane. Go have a drink.”
Caleb shook his head, eyes blazing.
“No.
No, no, no.
I got it. I got all of it.”
And the voice left.
Caleb’s grandfather came out too, like another shell.
Caleb started throwing up.
Spirits leaving him one after another.
Finally, the darkness stood in front of him.
“You won’t make it.
She won’t love you like this — a rag.
She loves Caleb the winner.
She loves Caleb the psycho.
She loves Caleb with the growl.
And you?
Look at you.”
Caleb wiped his lower lip.
Straightened up.
“Bye.”
The darkness, furious, tried to straighten up.
But two shields stood there — always there.
Caleb smiled.
He knew who it was.
His mother.
His grandmother.
And of course… his beloved.

Caleb suddenly came to.
“My love… my love…”
He had to tell her everything.
He had to tell her he had finally seen it.
He had finally understood what she meant.
To separate from his father.
To start noticing where he copies him.
He did it.
He actually did it.
He had to tell her everything.
She’d be proud of him.
But first—
Caleb ran toward the estate.
Dialed the number.
Father.
“Caleb?”
“Dad.”
The old tone came back instantly.
“What do you want?”
“I don’t forgive you.
You’re not seeing Mom again.”
A crack in the line —
his father crushing the phone in rage.
“You little piece of shit! You—”
Caleb threw the phone away.
He got it.
He got it.
He got everything.
“Oh God…
Oh God… I got it…”

6:15
“My love… my love…
Please…”
His beloved was asleep.
Caleb is too worked up — he can’t wait.
“Sweetheart—” he touches me.
Then Caleb pauses, frowning slightly.
“Kitten…”
“Mmm? What is it?”
I reach for a kiss.
Then remember I’m angry.
And slap him.
“Get away from me, you bastard.
You horrible, awful, nasty Caleb.”
“Sweetheart—”
Caleb drops to his knees again.
“Forgive me… my angel… my angel…
My kitten…”
I start crying.
“What do you want?!”
8:16
“Is that true?”
Caleb nodded.
“Hm.”
“So you got it?”
“Mm-hm.”
“Can I touch you?”
He pointed at my hands.
I pulled away.
“No.”
Caleb raised his hands.
“Alright. Your call.”
I licked my lips.
My body started to ache for him.
Caleb really did get it…
and here he is, on his knees…
with those eyes…
and those muscles…
God…
I kept pretending to be mad for a couple more minutes — just to teach him a lesson.
I lifted my chin.
“Listen here, important ass—”
Caleb bit his lip, trying not to laugh.
I froze.
“I’m not some little hamster! I’m a grown woman, I—I—”
But Caleb was already turning red, holding back laughter.
I hit him and burst out laughing.
“You asshole!”
“I’m a grown woman, not some chipmunk!”
“Of course, sweetheart, of course.”
“Don’t start playing alpha here.”
Caleb straightened up.
I swallowed.
Even on his knees, he’s twice my size.
I got serious.
“Caleb, I mean it. Stop. You can be jealous, fine — but don’t cross the line.”
I looked down.
“Baby… you need to choose. Either you accept me as I am, or you don’t.”
“I love my boys. They need me.”
“Caleb…”
I led him to the window.
In the garden, a huge table had been set.
Kids running around like crazy.
Important asses all over the yard, dressed in whatever —
those who had work put on suits, the rest in pajamas and robes.
No one’s stressing.
“See?”
Caleb softened and kissed me gently.
“Kitten…”
He stroked my face.
“You’re a healer.”
I smiled and thought about my boys —
they need a home.
They need a family.
I thought about the shit they came from…
how lost they were, how miserable…
“Caleb… my dear…
you remember?
You used to be just like that too.”
Breakfast
“I’m gonna jump in the shower.”
Caleb pleaded:
“Angel, please… get some rest.”
He blushed.
“I’m sorry… really, I’m sorry I woke you.”
I beamed.
“I guess it was an emergency… but don’t do that again.”
Caleb smiled.
He kissed my forehead.
“Get some rest, bunny.”
I lowered my eyes…
hesitated a little.
Caleb smiled.
“Kitten?”
I got so shy I blushed from head to toe.
“Sweetheart… do you want me to stay?”
I played with my fingers.
Caleb lifted my chin
and kissed me gently.
My knees went weak.
He kissed me again…
then grabbed my waist and squeezed.
I let out a small cry.
Caleb started growling into my ear…
And I realized —
I wasn’t mad at all anymore.

Garden
Breakfast, with all the chatter, slowly turned into lunch.
I’m sitting on Caleb’s lap.
The whole family is here.
Logan got time off from practice.
Roman got leave from the barracks for the weekend.
The twins are practically riding Nate —
they won’t get off their dad.
Philip is on my lap.
Caleb is eating with one hand,
with the other he’s holding Lily,
and Claudia is sitting on his shoulders.
Both girls swear they’re going to marry Caleb when they grow up.
The politicians, true to themselves, are sitting around in their underwear.
I turn red.
Oh my God…
Hollywood, the military, even the doctors —
all sitting around in briefs and underwear.
“Guys, at least put something on, there are kids here!”
They don’t care.
The table is overflowing with food.
Everything everyone loves.
The list keeps growing every day.
The fridges are packed to the brim.
Rare, exotic dishes for the aesthetes.
Pizza and fresh juice for me and Nate.
Caleb, as always — porridge and black coffee.
Kids are eating with their hands.
The guys are covered in children.
Kids everywhere —
on laps, on shoulders, on heads —
barefoot, with their bare legs right up on the table,
some of them literally sitting on the table.
Everyone’s talking.
Politicians telling stories.
I’m laughing.
Nate asks them to tone it down a little —
because politicians say things exactly as they are,
and some of it kids probably shouldn’t hear.
I burst out laughing.
I’m having so much fun.
I’m so happy.
The dogs have completely lost all shame.
Jews, Arabs, Turks, and Latvians —
everyone’s feeding those shameless bears.
The cowboys are talking about their horses.
I turn to kiss Caleb—
and get slapped.
“Ow!”
Claudia slapped me.
“He’s mine, lady.”
We all look at each other for a second—
and then burst out laughing.