“God, we were so happy then.” She looked at the wedding photos all the smiling faces. “Happily ever after, yeah right.” A couple of the pictures had faded with time. Just went to show the irony of the situation she was in. She thought it was going to be forever. It was supposed to be forever, that’s what they had promised each other. Too bad forever isn’t, well, forever. “Ten years, wasted and gone.” She sighed,
“Mommy, why are you so sad?” Elle came over and leaned against her mother. Anna hugged her daughter and kissed the top of her head,
“I’m sad because daddy’s not around anymore.”
“Because he’s with Elizabeth now.” She said and looked at the photos,
“Yes, because he’s with Elizabeth.”
“Is Elizabeth, going to be my new mom?”
“I don’t know honey.”
“If Elizabeth becomes my new mom, will you go away?” Anna hugged her daughter tightly,
“No, baby, I will always be your mommy, no matter what. No one can ever take me away from you.”
“Good, because I like you as my mom.”
“I love you as my daughter.” She sighed and silently cursed JC for putting them through this. Everyone told her that he would never stay, that he would leave her one day. But she believed in that fairy tale love that she thought she had with him. God she was so in love with him, she was still in love with him, even after everything, she would give anything to have him back in her life.
The phone rang and Anna put Elle back down on the ground and answered it,
“Hello?”
“Hey Anna, it’s Jace.”
“Oh hey.” She said softly,
“I know this is short notice, but I can’t take the kids today.” He said and then Anna heard her voice in the background. Anna closed her eyes and prayed to wake up from this nightmare that was her life. What right did that woman have to take away the man that had been hers for so long? She longed for the words that would make everything okay. Anna wanted him to tell her that Elizabeth wasn’t real and that he was coming back home to stay. She would forgive everything he did, all the lying, the cheating because her life just wasn’t worth living with out him.
“Oh, why? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I just got bogged down with work. You don’t mind do you?”
“Well I really don’t have a choice, now do I?” She said sharply,
“Ann, don’t do this.” Anna got up and walked into the kitchen,
“Don’t do what, Jace? Tell the kids that you’ve changed your mind, again? Come on tell me what I’m not supposed to do?”
“I can’t help it if work piles up on me.”
“I’m sure it’s work on you.” She muttered,
“Ann.” He warned,
“They adore you and haven’t seen you in three weeks. If you don’t want to be their father then why don’t you just say so? I’m sick and tired of dashing that hope in their eyes when you cancel.”
“I want to be their father! I’m just going through a lot of shit.”
“Ooo, yeah and I’m not, my life is just fucking peachy.”
“Come on Anna, I don’t want to fight.”
“I don’t either, but I won’t let you hurt my children.” She said, ‘You’ve already hurt me enough.’ She thought.
“They’re my children too.”
“Then act like it and be responsible.” She shot at him and he was silent.
“Mommy! Who’s on the phone? Is it Uncle Justin or Uncle Joey!?” Elle tugged on her leg and Anna looked down at her daughter,
“No baby, it’s not, they’re coming over tomorrow, why don’t you go draw them some pictures and go check on Charlie for me?”
“Okay Mommy!” She said and ran off. Anna turned her attention back to the phone,
“Justin and Joey are coming over?” JC asked.
“Someone’s gotta be a father to them since you won’t. They come over all the time.”
“Why didn’t you tell Elle that I was on the phone?”
“Because I don’t want you telling her lies, like you’re going to see her soon.”
“I’m trying, Anna, you gotta believe me.”
“I’m sure you are.”
“You shooting me down every chance you get is not helping the situation.”
“Well what do you want me to do?” She said with sobs threatening, “I’m trying the best I can with what you left me with. I am barely keeping my wits together for the children. I don’t have the choice of waltzing in and out of their lives like you do. I don’t get to leave the situation and pretend like it never happened so forgive me for taking it out on you.” JC was silent again for a few minutes,
“Anna…”
“Don’t Jace-”
“Daddy’s on the phone!” Elle cheered happily, tugging on Anna’s pant leg, “I wanna talk to him! Let me talk to him!” She jumped up and down happily, reaching for the phone. Anna sighed,
“Elle wants to talk to you.” She said and reluctantly gave the phone over to the young girl. Anna walked back into the living room as Elle chatted with her father,
“Hi daddy! Are you coming to get us today?” She asked,
“Hi baby, no I’m not coming today. I have to work.”
“With Elizabeth?” She asked,
“Um, yeah.”
“Daddy?” She asked,
“Yeah sweetheart?”
“Mommy’s not happy anymore. You made her happy. Can you come back and make her happy, for just a little while?”
“I can’t make mommy happy.”
“Yes you can, you used too! She cries at night for you daddy. I don’t like hearing mommy cry, help her stop.”
“I wish I could pumpkin, but-”
“No! You just don’t want to! You don’t love us anymore! You love Elizabeth more than us! If you really loved us you’d come back home! I hate you! I hate you!” Elle screamed into the phone and slammed it on the floor. Anna came back into the kitchen at Elle’s screams and the crying child ran into her arms. “Daddy doesn’t love us anymore.” She sobbed and Anna hugged her tightly. She picked up the phone,
“What did you say to her?” She said angrily,
“Nothing, I didn’t say anything.”
“Yeah it sure doesn’t sound like it.” She paused a moment. “I hope she’s worth all of this Jace. I really hope she is.” She sighed, “Just leave us alone.”
“Anna don’t, please!”
“Good bye Jace.” She said, hanging up the phone and letting it drop to the floor. Anna soon followed, holding onto Elle as she sobbed.
It was at that point that Anna realized that things were never going to be same and JC would never be hers again. All she was left with now was the memories of when he was hers.