Forty Seven

"You're staring." Clive said, a smile playing on his lips. "I hope I don't burn the eggs."

David blushed. "Sorry, I just can't help myself." He said, laughing. "You're just so cute."

Clive shook his head, but he couldn't hide his grin. "You're impossible." He said, giving David a playful shove. "But you can still look. I'm all yours you know. "

David's heart fluttered at Clive's words. "And you're all mine." He said, his eyes shining with love. "Now let's get this breakfast ready before it's lunchtime."

They worked together in companionable silence, and soon breakfast was ready. They sat down at the kitchen table, and dug into their food. It was a simple meal, but it tasted like the best thing they'd ever eaten, because they were together.

After they finished eating, they cleared the dishes and then sat on the couch, cuddled up close.

"You know mom was acting strange yesterday. Do you know why?" 

David's face turned pale at that. Making Clive to ask him what was wrong. " You and my mother know something I don't?"

" Clive I have something to say to you. " David looked down. " Please forgive me."

A feeling of dread settled in Clive's stomach. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" He said, his voice gentle. "What is it?"

"Your mother told me something when we were alone yesterday." David began, his voice shaking. "It's not something good."

Clive took a deep breath, bracing himself for the worst. "Just tell me, David. Whatever it is, we'll get through it."

"She told me to tell you the truth." David said, his eyes filling with tears. "I'm so sorry."

Clive sat there, confused. " Tell me the truth? About what?"

" About the fact that I was the one driving the truck that caused the accident that killed Sarah your wife and child she was pregnant with. I killed your family Clive." 

Clive felt like he'd been punched in the gut. His vision went blurry and his head spun. "What?" He managed to choke out, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't understand. What are you saying?"

"It's true." David said, his voice breaking. "I was the one behind the wheel that day. I didn't see the car until it was too late. It was an accident, but I was the one who caused it. And I've been living with the guilt ever since."

"No." Clive said, shaking his head. "No, that can't be true. There must be a mistake! Baby that was a truck driver. You aren't a truck driver now are you?! " 

" No but I was driving one of my worker's truck. I doing a favour for him." David was crying now. " Clive I'm so sorry! Please I don't mean it! Please look at me. Don't hate me." 

" How can I not hate you?! You killed my wife!"

"I know, and I'm so sorry." David said, his voice pleading. "I know there's no excuse for what I did. But please, please don't hate me. I love you so much. I will never stop loving you, please don't stop loving me too even after all this time. I just... I just wanted to be honest with you. I couldn't keep this from you any longer."

Clive was torn. He was angry, of course he was. But he also couldn't help but feel a shred of sympathy for David. He looked into David's eyes and saw nothing but love and remorse. He didn't know what to do. But he had already had his mind made. 

He ran upstairs leaving a crying David that was begging for him to forgive him. He went ahead to take his already packed suitcase. He rushed downstairs and he was about to get to the front door when David grabbed his ankle. He was on his knees now a crying mess. " Where are you going? You promised you wouldn't leave me! Don't leave me Clive! I have no one else. Please don't leave me!"

Clive didn't look at David just chose to kick David's hand away from his ankle. He ran to his car driving off. A crying David ran after the car with all his might. He hit the car trying to get Clive to stop. " Clive! Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" It got to the point that the car had disappeared from view but he still ran. Trying to catch Clive. Trying to apologize to him. Trying to make him see reasons that they were now married that he couldn't just leave him but he was gone. And when this sank in to David he fell on the ground.

David sat on the ground, his heart breaking into a million pieces. He knew he had messed up, big time. He had lost the one person he loved more than anything in the world. And it was all his fault. He had lied, and he had hurt the person he cared about the most. He had broken the trust that had been so hard to earn in the first place. And now, he was alone.

It was at that moment that David knew he had hit rock bottom. He had lost everything that mattered to him. And he didn't know how to move on. He sat there, on the ground,not knowing how he would live his life now without Clive.

After a while, David finally stood up. He was numb, his body and mind exhausted from the day's events. He walked back to his house the house he shared with his husband, his head hanging low. As he walked through the door, he felt like he was walking into a void. He just wanted to lie down and sleep, to forget everything that had happened. But as he looked around the house, he realized that it would never be the same. There would always be a hole where Clive had been. And that hole would never be filled.

David collapsed on the couch, tears streaming down his face.