"What about you then? I need an update of your life." Sophie spoke with an expectant tone to her voice, as though she already had ideas of her own looming.
...that was true, she did. She had direct questions she wanted to ask but knew it was best not to. There were things she had heard that she knew Juliet was keeping from her and Sophie wasn't sure why.
"There isn't much to tell to be honest." Juliet replied and those words screamed 'lies' to Sophie. It wasn't a good enough answer.
"Really?"
"Really." Juliet repeated yet there was such force to her voice that it confirmed everything to Sophie, giving her enough reason to direct the topic face on.
"Why haven't you told me about you and Matt?" Sophie asked and Juliet's now paling face was even obvious to see through the fuzzy screen of their Facetime.
"Wh-what?"
"I know you're not together anymore. Why haven't you told me?"
There was silence for a moment while Juliet didn't say a word and instead just stared into space. She couldn't force herself to speak. No words were leaving her mouth. She just sat there and looked blankly ahead of her into the screen.
"What happened Juliet?" Sophie's voice turned more calming and sympathetic.
"I was going to tell you eventually..." Juliet muttered as her eyes began to tear up once again. This was exactly what she hadn't wanted and it was why she had been avoiding speaking about this to anyone. "I just wasn't ready. I haven't spoken to anyone about it. People know because it's Brighton and the word gets around but I haven't verbally told anyone but my family and kids."
"Did he break up with you?" Sophie asked yet she already guessed the answer.
Juliet looked absolutely broken. How she had managed to keep herself so composed throughout the first half of their conversation, Sophie didn't know.
"Yes... he did. There was a lot to it... it wasn't sudden, it had been a build up."
"Had you been arguing?"
Juliet nodded while looking down at her hands that were now entwining with one another.
"We've been arguing for months now... all revolving the gang and the major involvement Matt has had with it again."
"So he broke up with you over that?" Sophie asked and Juliet could sense her tone getting more and more frustrated. She had anger for Matt but even greater anger that she was across the world and unable to help Juliet, someone she had always seen as her little sister.
"It was a mixture of things but the arguing just became such a huge part of our marriage that I think he... I think he just lost interest in us... he didn't want to put the effort in anymore and found more enjoyment in other people." Juliet muttered causing her voice to break.
"In other women?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Juliet couldn't confirm or deny that point. She had just been putting two and two together yet had never actually approached Matt on the topic. By the time she had figured it out, it was too late, things between them had ended anyway. So instead, she had just been trying to cope with the situation she now found herself in and get over the huge part of her life she had so suddenly lost.
"I just..." Juliet began before shaking her head. "...honestly, I just don't want to talk about this now. I don't want to get upset, I'm sick of it."
This had been the reason Juliet hadn't told Sophie yet... because she wasn't ready. She hadn't felt ready to talk to anyone about it and answer their questions because it just made her upset.
The past few months had been so difficult for her and she had suffered day in and day out with that sudden feeling of loss. A man she had spent so much of her life with was no longer apart of it and everything about that felt wrong.
She had felt lonely, more lonely than she ever had before yet had done everything in her power to push past those emotions. She had her kids and that was what mattered the most. She felt lost without Matt but she could never be alone with her children by her side, supporting her every step of the way.
She hadn't expected any of this but life was a test and this was one she was going to have to battle through.
"Okay... we'll stop talking about it..." Sophie began, her voice soft yet determination suddenly covering her face. "...but just know that I'm getting a flight to England tomorrow and I'm coming to see you."
"Wait...wh-what?" Juliet stumbled her words in complete shock yet she received no answer as the Facetime immediately cut out.
...
to be continued
...
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