Plans Changed
The French press timer beeped.
Four minutes.
Caleb Morrison poured coffee into his mug, watching the dark stream spiral. Tuesday morning in early June, 9:47 a.m. Three hours and forty-three minutes until their flight.
His phone buzzed on the counter.
He picked it up, read the message once, then again.
You’re not coming on the cruise. Taran wants her real family. Rowan’s coming instead. We’ll talk when I get back.
The coffee was still pouring. His hand didn’t shake. Not yet.
He set the phone face down on the granite and finished pouring. The kitchen clock ticked. Outside, a pickup rolled past on their quiet Midwestern cul-de-sac.
On the kitchen table, the cruise documents sat in their plastic sleeve. His handwriting on the Post-it note: Departure 12:30 p.m.
Beneath it, the booking confirmation. Three passengers. Total cost: $11,400.
He picked up the paper, read the amount again, set it down exactly where it had been. The mortgage statement was visible in the mail pile. $2,100 a month. His name only. Sixteen years of payments.
On the wall, the wedding photo. Marbel and Taran in the center. Caleb at the edge of the frame.
He’d never noticed that before.
His phone buzzed again.
I know you’re upset, but Taran needs this. Be understanding.
Caleb deleted the message, opened his laptop, and typed four words into the search bar.
Real estate lawyer near me.
The airline rep answered on the third ring.
“I need to cancel a reservation,” he said. “Caleb Morrison.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, sir. Is everything okay?”
“Change of plans.”
“I see three passengers on this reservation. Are you canceling for everyone or just yourself?”
“Just myself.”
The hold music started. Steel drums. Something tropical.
“Mr. Morrison, unfortunately this is a non-refundable ticket. You’ll lose the $847.”
“I understand.”
He gave them his confirmation number. Crossed out his name on the passenger list.
The cruise line was next. Different hold music. Same tropical instrumentation.
After he hung up, Caleb walked to the home office and opened the filing cabinet. The folders were labeled in his handwriting, color-coded, alphabetized.
He pulled the one marked HOUSE PURCHASE & TAX.
The property deed inside was dated 2007.
Purchased for $187,000.
One name on the title.
The story doesn’t end here –
it continues on the next page.
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