“Mommy! We’re home!” Katelin heard the door slam and the sound of three pairs of feet running through the house and into the kitchen.

“Hi guys!” she cried, bending down as Aaron ran into her arms. “Did you have fun with Dad?”

“Yeah!” Aaron exclaimed. “Are your tests over?” Katelin stood up and spotted Nick walking into the kitchen. “Yup! All finished. Now why don’t you guys go wash up. Dinner’s almost ready.”

“Daddy?” Brian looked over at his father, who was hovering silently in the doorway. “You eat too?”

“Uh…” Nick glanced in Katelin’s direction, silently questioning with his eyes.

“It’s alright with me,” she told him, turning back to the stove. “They’d love to have you.” I would too.

“Sure, little guy,” Nick told his son with a smile. “Now go wash your hands.”

Katelin sat on the living room floor, wrapping some Christmas presents she had bought earlier in the day. After dinner, Aaron had practically begged his father to play video games with him and then to tuck them all in, so Nick was still upstairs with the kids. A part of Katelin wanted to pretend it was like old times, but another part of her knew that they could never go back. It had been months since Nick had walked out on her. Katelin knew that their life together was way past being over.

“Hey.” Nick walked into the living room, breaking her train of thought. “They’re in bed.”

“Thanks,” Katelin replied, quietly, never once taking her eyes off of what she was doing. “They were really happy that you stayed.”

“No problem,” Nick sat down on the couch in back of her, fighting the urge to reach out and rub her shoulders. “Can we talk about something?”

“About what?” Something in his tone of voice told Katelin she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear.

“Christmas,” Nick began, laying down on the couch. “We haven’t really discussed what we’re gonna do.”

“What do you want to do?” Kate asked, turning around so she could look at him.

“Well, I would love to spend it with them,” he explained. “But, I know that you do too, so I was wondering if maybe I could take them to Brian and Leigh’s on Christmas Eve.”

“Okay,” she replied, slowly. “But I’m going to Brian’s too. Leigh practically begged me. But if you don’t want me too, then…”

“No no!” Nick jumped in quickly. “I mean, of course you should go. They’re your friends too. I just didn’t think you’d be going.”

“Well, I am,” Katelin stood up and put the newly-wrapped presents under the tree. “So, you can either meet us there or, if you want, come to church with us and then we’ll go over there together.”

“Why don’t I come over before church?” Nick suggested. “Then we can all go over together.” They sat in silence for a few minutes, both contemplating over what to say next. Nick knew what he wanted. He just didn’t think that Katelin would go for it. In fact, he was almost positive that she wouldn’t go for it at all.

“So, that takes care of Christmas Eve.” Katelin broke their silence. “But what do we do about Christmas morning?”

“Do you think that maybe I could stay here?” Nick asked, tentatively, missing the completely shocked look that crossed Katelin’s face. “That way they could be with both of us to open up their presents.” He waited patiently for her to say something. Anything. “Please, Kate. I only want to make it easy for them.”

“How the hell does this make it easy on them?” she finally questioned. The kids were finally getting used to the two of them being apart. They weren’t going to be able to do this on every holiday, so why should Christmas be any different? But, then again, she wasn’t sure she wanted to spend Christmas alone. With or without the children, it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas without Nick being there. “Personally, I think it would only confuse them. But you know what, Nick? I guess that this is still your house and I can’t keep you out of here. So, do whatever the hell you want to. You always do anyway.” Before Nick could say anything else, Katelin stood up and walked out of the room.

Nick sat in stunned silence after Katelin had stormed away. He didn’t know what to think. All he wanted to do was to spend the holiday with his kids. His family. Was that so terrible? Maybe he was being too demanding with the time he wanted to spend with them. But then again, he could’ve just asked to take them to his place for the day. He thought that he was making a fair compromise.

The doorbell ringing interrupted his thoughts and he made his way into the foyer wondering who the hell would show up at the house at ten thirty at night. He was not so pleasantly surprised to find out that it was Brendan.

“Nick?!” Brendan was surprised, to say the least, not expecting Katelin’s estranged husband to be answering the door at such a late hour. “Is Kate here?”

“She’s out back.” Nick resisted the urge to slam the door in his face and moved out of the way so that Brendan could come inside. “Kind of late, man. Don’t you think?”

Katelin heard the sound of voices inside and walked into the foyer. “Who are you talking to, Nick?” she asked, before noticing Brendan standing there. “Oh, hey! What are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood,” he explained. “I saw your lights on and decided to stop in and see how your exams went. I hope I’m not interrupting anything?”

Katelin beat Nick to the punch before he could come up with some smart-ass remark. “Oh no. Not at all. Nick was on his way out, anyway.”

“Huh? Oh…right,” Nick stuttered, unable to comprehend the fact that she was basically kicking him out of his own house because another guy had shown up. “Are we settled, then, Kate?”

“I already told you, Nick.” Katelin sighed. “Whatever you want.”

***** ***** *****

Nick threw his car in park and pulled his keys out of the ignition. Leaning his head back on the seat, he closed his eyes and sighed. He was emotionally exhausted. Aside from the fact that she was being so difficult about the whole Christmas situation, it physically hurt him to find out that his wife, granted his estranged one, had just put him second behind another man. Now he knew what she must feel like every single time that she saw him and Beth together.

Beth. Was that her car in front of him? He hadn’t even noticed it when he had first pulled in the driveway. But, indeed, there it sat. He absolutely did not feel like dealing with her right now. He was going to somehow break the news to her that she couldn’t come to Brian’s on Christmas Eve with him. Now that Kate and the kids were coming, it would just be too much. Nick took a deep breath and stepped out of his car, mentally preparing himself for the fight that was about to occur.

“Beth?” He called out to the seemingly empty house. “You here?”

“Upstairs!” He heard her reply. He locked the front door, tossed his keys on the table, and took off up the stairs, two at a time. Walking down the short hallway, he stopped in his bedroom doorway, his mouth dropping open at the sight in front of him. She had gone all out. Candles, incense, lingerie. She hadn’t missed a thing.

“Hey babe,” she greeted, a mischievous grin on her face. “I’ve been waiting for you. Where’ve you been?"

“Uh…” he stuttered. He wasn’t necessarily in the mood for whatever she had planned. But then, the image of Brendan and Katelin popped into his mind. Beth had clearly gone through a lot of trouble to surprise him and he didn’t want to ruin it with the truth of where he was. “I took the kids back to Kate’s and then went to my mom’s for dinner.”

“Well come here.” She beckoned with her finger. “I have plans for you.”

Nick grinned and threw his jacket off as he made his way over to the bed. “You do, do you?”

In the aftermath of the their lovemaking, they lay curled in each other’s arms, absolutely silent before Nick decided that it was now or never. “Beth, about Christmas…”

“Ooh!” She interrupted. “I was hoping you’d bring that up. I saw Brian’s invitation downstairs and was waiting until you had asked me.”

“Well, you see,” he began, not really sure how to phrase this. “You know how Leighanne and Katelin are really good friends. Practically best friends, actually. And, Leigh already went and invited Kate and the kids.” Beth was seething. She knew exactly where this was leading. She couldn’t believe she was about to lose out to that bitch again. “I just don’t think it would be a very good idea if I brought you, baby. I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

“Fine Nick.” Beth jumped up angrily and began grabbing her clothes. “You know what? When you actually do decide that you don’t want to be married to her anymore, let me know. Cause I’m pretty damn sick of this.” She quickly threw her clothes on and stormed out of Nick’s bedroom and out of his house.

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