Tears at the Bottom of a Bottle

Disclaimer: As usual I own no one!

A/N- Thanks to a $20 tag sale computer, I AM BACK! Special thanks to QueenofKaos, for the title!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I'm taking Jessa. This isn't going to work. My baby is NOT going to see you cheat on me.

The whiskey burns my throat. I can't remember the last time I felt this bad.

Jack Daniels, my best friend I thought, staring at my wedding portrait. God, was this really only nineteen months ago?

The TV provides background noise. I could care less about what was on. I just want my demons to leave me alone.

Trish is the love of my life. From the first day I laid eyes on her, I knew she would be mine.

Her eyes, her laugh, her smile, I don't know what attracted me to her. She was too perfect.

Then again, when I think about it, she was far from perfect. Maybe that's why she left, because I treated her like she was perfect when she wasn't.

She smoked. She drank. She cursed.

I loved her imperfections more.

Another sip of whiskey. The more I drink, the better I feel. How can Alcohol be bad for you?

I want to cry. Oh God, how I want to cry.

Dad taught me good men never cry. He told me it was a sign of weakness. My heart's breaking though. Yet, I can't relieve my emotions.

Jessa's first sonogram stares at me. After looking at it for so long, I can see the baby. In this picture, she's barely the size of a peanut.

Why did I have to cheat on my wife? I didn't mean to sleep with her.

Jessa is my princess. Her blue eyes belong to me. My baby girl LOOKS like me. There's no doubt she's mine.

Holding her is an amazing feeling. I can't imagine life without her. I never knew I could love someone so much.

Two days, three hours, seven minutes…

That's how long I've been without my wife.

Trish and I have never been apart. Well, we have been apart, but I've never seen her storm out angry.

I made a mistake. I'm man enough to admit that. I didn't mean for anything to happen.

Why me? How can you go from being so rich to being so poor? I was the luckiest man alive. In the span of one night, I lost everything.

It's hard for me to imagine Jessa and Trish across town in that cold motel room. I know she's in town but I'm afraid to face her.

What I'm about to admit sickens me.

On the night our daughter was born, I cheated on my wife.

Now that I've said it, I feel better.

It was an accident.

After Trish gave birth to Jessa, I was happy. Like any new dad, I was proud of my wife and even prouder of my daughter. Jessa was healthy. She was happy.

My best friend, Amy and I celebrated with a few drinks. She's bisexual, lingering more toward lesbian. We got drunk.

We didn't mean to, we didn't mean to.

At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

Anyway, we ended up in her apartment. One thing led to another.

Then, we slept together.

I woke up in the morning with a horrible hangover. As I realized I had betrayed my wife, I was upset beyond words. She had given me a beautiful baby girl.

I had betrayed her.

Amy and I vowed to never discuss what had happened. It had been a big mistake. We hadn't meant for it to happen.

Amy found Ashley, her girlfriend. I stayed with Trish. Jessa was getting bigger and she was gorgeous.

Then, a few nights ago, Amy showed up at the door.

She was pregnant.

As soon as she left, Trish took Jessa and went away.

Glancing down at my bottle, I realize I am down to my last sip of Whiskey. I'm drunk. That much I could tell.

My pride drains away, much like the bottle of whiskey. Tears fill my eyes.

I was and am never one to cry. Yet, tonight, I feel as if my world is coming to an end. With the way I'm feeling, I know that crying is not a sign of weakness.

It's a sign of strength.

My tears are for Jessa. She is with her mother, in a hotel across town. I don't know if her mom is coming back to me.

My tears are for Amy. Luckily, she still has Ashley. Yet, because of one night, things will never be the same again. Our son is set to be born in two short months. Both his moms and his dad love Dalton Robert Dumas.

I don't wish he didn't exist. His existence makes Amy happy. I have known her for years and the happiest I've ever seen her is during her pregnancy.

Most of all, my tears are for Trish.

She didn't do anything to deserve this. She only gave me her love.

Hot salty tears slip down my face.

All I want is my family back.

THE END