Melinda left the night packing a bag and leaving her wedding band on the
dresser. Jim sat the window in their bedroom the whole night with tears running
down his face, Jim had her wedding ring in his hand, just staring at it. Aiden
walked in the room.
Aiden: Dad?
-Jim turned his face and wiped his
tears.
Jim: Yeah? What's wrong?
Aiden: I'm hungry.
Jim: Ok.
-Jim got
up and took of his necklace and slid Melinda's ring on his necklace hoop and put
it back on.
Jim: What do you want for breakfast?
Aiden: French
Toast.
Jim: Ok.
-Jim made the french toast. He got flashbacks while making
the french toast.
THE FLASHBACK:
-Jim was sitting at the table with
Melinda, Melinda got whip cream on his uniform and he started to smear whip
cream on Melinda, then they started making out.
ANOTHER FLASHBACK:
Jim: I
mean what are we the puppets or the puppet master?
Melinda: Never question
the cosmic laws of french toast.
-Melinda walked away.
Jim: The
what?
End of Flashbacks.
-Jim had tears in his eyes and was not paying
attention.
Aiden: Dad you ok?
Jim: Yeah fine.
-Jim fixed Aiden's
plate.
-Andrea came down.
Andrea: Where's mine?
Jim: Right
here.
-Jim put her plate on the table and the kids ate.
Aiden: Dad your
not eating?
-Jim was staring at the wedding picture of him and
Melinda.
Aiden: DAD?
Jim: Sorry What?
Aiden: Your not going to eat
any?
Jim: No, I'm not hungry.
-The doorbell rang. Jim got up and answered
it. A guy all dressed up was standing at the door. The guy handed Jim a big
envelope.
Jim: What's this?
-The guy didn't answer Jim and walked away to
his car.
-Jim opened the envelope and seen the papers. Tears ran down his
face when he seen what they were. Jim closed the door.
Jim: Aiden watch your
sister I'm gonna go upstairs.
Aiden: Ok.
-Jim went upstairs and
cried.
-Jim was in the bathroom when Aiden walked in. Aiden seen the envelope
on the bed and looked at it. Jim came out of the bathroom.
Aiden: You and mom
are getting a divorce?
-Jim took the papers from him.
Aiden: ARE
YOU?
Jim: I guess so. This is what your mother wants.
Aiden: No you
can't.
Jim: Hey I don't want you worry about this, everything is going to be
ok.
Aiden: No its not.
-Aiden walked out of the room and went into his
bedroom and closed the door..
Jim sat on the bed and looked at the papers.
Melinda had already signed it.
-Melinda came in the house and went up to
Aiden's room.
Melinda: Come on get your stuff ready.
-Melinda got a bag
out for him and packed some clothes.
Aiden: What? I'm not
leaving.
Melinda: Your going with me.
Aiden: NO.
-Aiden ran into Jim's
room.
Aiden: Please don't make me go.
-Jim wiped his tears.
Jim: Go
where?
Aiden: Mom is trying to make me go with her.
Jim: No you don't have
to go.
-Melinda came in the room with Andrea and a few bags in her
hand.
Melinda: Come on Aiden lets go.
Aiden: NO.
Jim: Mel, let them
stay here.
-Melinda grabbed Aiden.
Aiden: NO, I'M STAYING WITH
DAD
-Aiden broke loose from Melinda.
Melinda: HE'S NOT EVEN YOUR REAL
FATHER.
-Jim felt like someone just stabbed him in the heart.
Aiden: YES
HE IS. HE TOLD ME THE WHOLE STORY.
Jim: Aiden, you should go with
her.
-Jim had tears going down his face.
Aiden: No Dad, I don't want
to.
-Melinda grabbed Aiden's hand and went downstairs. Jim looked at the
divorce papers and quickly signed them.
Jim: Wait here. Your not the same
woman I married.
-Melinda grabbed the papers out of his hand.
Aiden: Dad
you didn't sign them did you?
-Jim didn't answer Aiden. Melinda pulled Aiden
out to the car and Melinda put Andrea in her car seat and left. Jim watched as
they drove off with tears in his eyes.
-Faith came by a few hours later.
Faith walked in the house. Faith seen Jim sitting on the couch.
Faith: Hey
where my grandkids at?
Jim (crying): Melinda......has.......them.
-Faith
walked around and seen Jim crying.
Faith: Jim what's wrong?
Jim: I just
lost my wife and kids.
Faith: What?
Jim: Melinda's blaming me for cheating
when I didn't even do anything.
Faith: Oh god.
-Faith hugged
Jim.
Faith: What else happened?
Jim: Her lawy......er dropped....... off
divorce papers. And then Mel........inda came by and picked up the kids,
Aiden....... want to stay with me not Melinda and she threw back at him saying
I......wasn't his re......al fath......er after I heard that I signed the
pa......pers.
-Jim wiped the tears from his eyes.
Faith: Come on stop
crying. I know you and I know you would never cheat. What are you going to
do?
Jim (crying): What can I do?
Faith: How about fight for your
kids.
-Faith hugged Jim.
Faith: Jim your shaking. Stop it. Just calm
down.
-Jim stopped crying.
Faith: Have you ate yet?
Jim: No I'm not
hungry.
Faith: Jim, you have to eat something.
-Faith went into the
kitchen and made Jim soup.
-Jim's beeper started to beep and he threw it
across the floor. Faith watched from the kitchen with a tear falling down her
face.
-Beth's house.
Aiden: I want to go home.
Melinda: We are
home.
Aiden: This is NOT home.
Melinda: Do not raise your voice at me
young man.
-Aiden began to walk away then turned around.
Aiden: You know
Dad was stupid to come back to you.
Melinda: What did you just say?
Aiden:
You didn't deserve a second chance with him.
Melinda: Stop it now.
Aiden:
NO. Dad loves you and all you do is push him away.
Melinda: GO TO YOUR ROOM
NOW!
Aiden: I HATE YOU!
-Aiden went in the bed room and locked the door.
Aiden grabbed his bag and climbed on the desk and climbed out the window. Aiden
called Jim from a pay phone from the gas station. Faith answered the
phone.
Faith: Hello?
Aiden: Grandma? What are you doing there?
Faith:
I'm here with your dad.
Aiden: Can you come and pick me up please.
Faith:
Where's your mom?
Aiden: At Grandma Beth's house.
Faith: Where are you
at?
Aiden: I don't know. I think maybe a few miles away from the house. I'm
at this Gas Station a few miles to Grandma Beth's house.
Faith: Oh my god.
Sweetie, Just stay there I'll be there soon.
Aiden: Please don't call mom and
tell her.
Faith: Ok I won't.
-Aiden hung up the phone.
-Faith grabbed
her purse and keys. Jim was asleep on the couch with a picture of the kids and
him and Melinda in his arms.
-Faith picked up Aiden and took him
home.
-The phone was ringing when Faith walked in. Jim handed her the phone.
Jim hugged Aiden.
Jim: Hey.
Aiden: I'm not going back with mom, please
don't make me.
Jim: Ok I won't.
-Faith picked up the phone.
Faith:
Hello?
Melinda: Faith is that you?
Faith: Yeah. Oh HI Melinda.
Melinda:
Aiden isn't there by any chance is he.
Faith: Yes he's right
here.
Melinda: How did he get there?
Faith: I picked him up.
Melinda:
WHAT?
Faith: He called the house and asked me to pick him up so I
did.
Melinda: Well I'll come by and pick him up than.
Faith: Why doesn't
he just stay here till he's ready to go with you.
Melinda: No, I'll come and
pick him up.
-Faith walked outside with the phone.
Faith: Melinda what is
going on?
Melinda: Jim cheated on me. Didn't he tell you that?
Faith:
Melinda, do you really believe he cheated on you?
Melinda: Yes I
do.
Faith: Whatever. You know what Melinda, my son loves you, he came back
for you when he died giving up his whole life for you. If anyone knows my son
its me and I know he would NEVER cheat on you, he loves you way too much
to even think of doing that. But your just to damn blind to see
that.
Melinda: I........
-Faith hung up the phone and went back
inside.
Jim: Who was that?
Faith: Melinda.
Jim: Oh. What did she
want?
Faith: She wants to pick up Aiden and I told her NO.
Jim: I am going
to court tomorrow and getting custody of my kids.
Faith: I'll go with
you.
Jim: No I need to do this on my own.
-Jim walked away and grabbed a
box from the garage and put all the pictures of him and Melinda in it. Faith
watched Jim as he put the pictures in the box, Jim tried to hold the tears in
but couldn't. Jim looked at the one picture where he and Melinda went on the
cruise on the Claridon.
FLASHBACK: THE CLARIDON
Melinda: I'm
ovulating.
Jim: This could be the best anniversary trip ever.
-Melinda was
looking at the ghosts on the ship.
Jim: Your ghost-dar go ping.
Melinda:
Yep. There could be 1 or 20.
-Jim stared at the picture.
Jim (mumbled):
Happy times.
-Jim grabbed the next picture which was taken at Aiden's Fifth
Birthday Party.
FLASHBACK: AIDEN'S FIFTH BIRTHDAY PARTY.
Jim: I can't
believe he's getting so big now.
Melinda: Yeah I know seems like yesterday he
was a baby.
-Jim had a plate of cake in his hand and fed Melinda some.
Melinda took a finger ful of frosting and smeared it on Jim's face than kissed
him.
-Jim put the picture in the box and took some more down. Jim ran across
the picture from 2 years ago when he and Melinda took the kids to Disney Land in
California. The picture had Jim and Melinda in each other's arms kissing with
them both in funny Micky Mouse hats.
FLASHBACK: DISNEY LAND.
-Melinda was
sitting on the bench with Jim hand in hand as Aiden took Andrea on the merry go
round.
Melinda: Did I ever tell you how much I love you.
Jim: Yeah but I
would love to hear more.
-Jim pulled Melinda in for a kiss and Mickey Mouse
snuck up behind them placing an hat on each of their heads. The photographer
snapped a shot of them.
-Jim put the picture in the box. Jim wiped his tears
away and put the boxes in the garage.
-The next day Jim went to court and got
temporary custody of both kids. Jim went to Beth's to pick up Andrea. Melinda
opened the door.
Melinda: Oh hey. What do you want?
Jim: I'm here to pick
up my daughter.
Melinda: I didn't say you could take her.
Jim: No, but the
courts did.
Melinda: What?
-Jim showed her the paper.
Melinda: Your an
ass.
-Jim went in and got Andrea ready and left.
-6 Months passed Melinda
and Jim's divorce was final. Melinda had the kids on the weekends and Jim had
them during the week. Aiden however took the divorce real hard.
-Melinda
pulled up in her car, it was raining, lightning, and thundering outside.
Jim
opened the door and Melinda came in.
Jim: The kids will be down in a
minute.
Melinda: Ok.
-The kids came downstairs with a bag in there hand.
Jim gave them both a hug.
Jim: I'll see you both Sunday night.
Andrea:
Ok.
-Andrea kissed Jim on the cheek.
Aiden: Bye.
-Aiden walked out side
with his bag and got in the car. Andrea and Melinda walked behind him and got in
the car. Jim went back inside and shut the door. Melinda tried to start her car
but it wouldn't start. Aiden got out of the car and walked back inside and went
upstairs.
Jim: Hey what's wrong
Aiden: The car isn't starting.
-Aiden
went to his room and closed the door.
-Andrea walked in and took of her
jacket.
Andrea: I'm back.
Jim: Ok why don't you go watch some
TV.
-Andrea went and turned on the TV and sat down.
-Melinda was still in
her car trying to start it.
-Jim went out to the car and opened her
door.
Jim: Everything ok?
Melinda: Yeah just fine.
Jim: Pop the hood
up.
-Melinda popped the hood up and a bunch of smoke came out.
Jim: Its
your radiator. Your not going no where tonight.
Melinda: Oh great.
-Jim
was getting wet from the rain.
Jim: Why don't you come inside.
Melinda: No
I'll sit in my car.
Jim: Melinda come on, just come in. You can stay in the
guest room tonight.
Melinda: Ok fine.
