"It's not fucking working Sylvie, it never has, we can't keep doing this." He got up and started pacing. "Maybe if we try counseling again? We can't just give up." Sylvie was upset she could see her marriage falling apart and was helpless to stop it. "Counseling? The first three times didn't help, what makes you think a fourth time will? We need to face it, you need to face it, it's over. I'm going to get a hotel room for a couple of nights until I figure out what to do." Sylvie was crying, he hated to hurt her but he couldn't let his feelings get in the way of what he needed to do. "What about Jackson and Abbie?"
He stopped and stared at her a moment, "We'll work something out for Jacks and I would like to keep seeing Abbie, you know I love her like she was my own." Sylvie nodded her head. "Please don't do this." She begged, tears running down her face. "I'm sorry but we're both miserable and we've been doing this same back and forth for six years, I think it's time." Sylvie went to him; he wrapped her in a hug and kissed her forehead. "I love you but I think we both know we're not in love with each other and I think we've known it all along." Sylvie couldn't say anything, she was speechless but she also knew deep down that he was right.
"Mommy?" Sylvie snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah baby?" Abbie was standing in front of her. "Can I stay with daddy tonight? It's the weekend and I miss him." Sylvie grabbed her hand and pulled her into her lap. "You don't want to stay with mommy and brother?" she asked as she tickled her. Abbie was giggling, "I do but I wanna play with Olivia, she just moved in next door." She was pouting trying to get her way. "Sure, I'll text your dad and let him know." Abbie jumped up, "Yes, thank you mommy."
Sylvie pulled out her phone, "Stop by and grab Abbie, she said she want to stay with you tonight." She hit send. "I'll be there after work, around six." Sylvie responded with a 'thumbs up' emoji and turned sat her phone down. It had always been easy with Abbie's dad, he was always there and never had any drama. Seven years and they had only argued one time; he made co-parenting easy, they had really become friends.
"We're really doing this?" she texted. He had been gone a week and had called once, it was the longest they had gone without talking in the six years they had been married and the only time he had went without talking to their son. "I can't do this right now Sylvie, I'm on shift, you know that, we'll talk later." Sylvie threw her phone across the couch and got up to get dinner started and get Abbie ready for her dad.
Sylvie answered the door and smiled, "Hey." She leaned in and gave him a hug and he kissed her on the cheek. "Abbie's upstairs with Jacks, I'm finishing dinner if you want to stay." She offered hoping he would; she really needed the adult company. "Free food? Of course I'm staying." He laughed. "Can you go up and get them please, dinner is just about done."
He smiled and yelled, "Abigail Marie Dawson get you your butt down here right now." Sylvie shook her head and laughed, "Okay that's one way to do it." Abbie came bounding down the stairs, "Daddy!" she flung herself into his arms and he picked her up. "How's my princess?" Abbie giggled, "Silly daddy I'm not a princess." He gasped, "Since when?" Abbie squirmed to get down, "Since I'm gonna be a cop like you." He laughed, "Are you sure you don't want to be something else? Maybe a paramedic or a doctor?" Abbie shook her head, "Nope, cop just like you."
He looked at Sylvie horrified, "She's made her mind up earlier this week Tonio." Sylvie shrugged. "She's seven, she'll change her mind again, don't worry. Besides Jackson told me he wanted to be a dog when he grows up." Sylvie chuckled as she set the table for dinner. "Baby, go get your brother and bring him down please and wash your hands for dinner." Sylvie asked Abbie and watched her take off up the stairs.
"Is Matt on shift?" Antonio asked. Sylvie nodded and Antonio noted the pained expression on her face. "What's wrong? You guys fighting again?" He hated it when they fought, it upset Abbie and Sylvie and he couldn't stand for either of them to be upset. "He left, I'm pretty sure for good this time. He's looking for an apartment." Antonio moved around the island to give her a hug. "I'm sure he'll be back, he always comes back. Sylvie shook her head, "I don't think I want him too, he's right, we don't work and we never have."
"Do you want me to talk to him?" Sylvie shook her head, "No, last time he was pissed that I talked to you about us. I think it's better if you just let it be." Antonio shrugged, "Fine but you know how I feel about it, you're Abbie's mom and I love you both. I don't want to see you hurt."
"MOM! Jacks won't come downstairs." Sylvie shook her head, looked at Antonio and laughed. "Jacks would play all night if we let him, I'll be right back." Sylvie headed up stairs.
Antonio walked around, he was used to being here, he had been in the house a hundred times over the past couple of years but he still felt uneasy. This was his daughters' home but not his and that always hurt his heart but she was a happy little girl and never knew any different than the life she was living at the moment. Sylvie had found out she was pregnant after they had already split up and he had tried to convince her to try again but he had hurt her and it took a long time for her to trust him again.
He stopped in front of a picture of a smiling happy family and stared, mom, dad, and their two perfect kids, except one didn't look like the others. Abbie was all wild curly brown hair, bright blue eyes, and perfectly tanned skin while the rest of the family was blonde hair and blue eyes. He stared at it another moment and moved on finding a picture of himself and Abbie swinging on a swing when she was about a year old.
He remembered the day; it was the last time he had tried to convince Sylvie to come back to him, he knew she had been dating Matt but he didn't care he wanted his family together. She told him she was pregnant and he knew he had lost her forever. He sighed and heard Sylvie coming down the stairs and turned to smile at her.
"Ready to eat?" she asked smiling leading Jackson down holding his hand. Antonio nodded his head, "Hey buddy!" he greeted the small blonde boy who looked like a clone of his dad. "Oh before I forget, my mom is having a Christmas party and she wanted me to invite you." Antonio remembered as they sat down for dinner. His mom still invited Sylvie to everything; she rarely showed thinking it would be awkward being there with Gabby. She hadn't talked to her in years, the last time being a fight about her dating Matt.
"I don't know, you should just take Abbie, and your girlfriend." Sylvie suggested. Abbie chimed in, "Daddy has a girlfriend?" Antonio laughed, "You and your sister are the only girls I need." Sylvie gave him a funny look. "What? He asked. "Nothing, I just thought you were dating that girl from headquarters, Natalie, right?" Antonio coughed; he didn't know anyone knew about that. "I wouldn't call it dating per say, more like we hung out and how did you hear about that?"
Sylvie smirked, "I know everything." Antonio readjusted in his chair, clearly uncomfortable, "I'm too old to date, I have two grown kids, a grandson, and a job that's chaotic on a good day. Abbie takes up the rest of my energy and time and I'm okay with that." He smiled at Abbie and stuck his tongue out.
Antonio finished eating and sat back in his chair watching the people in front of him, he tried not to let his mind wander there very often but each time Sylvie and Matt broke up he couldn't help but wonder if he could get his family back. He decided long ago he would take any relationship he could have with Sylvie even if it meant being just friends but if Matt was gone, there was hope. But who was he kidding, this wasn't the first time they had split and it probably wasn't the last. He shook the thought from his head and pushed back in his chair to stand. "I'll help clean up then we need to get going." He started clearing the table. "You don't have too, ya'll can go, I got it." Sylvie smiled at him and took the plates from his hands.
"Think about Christmas, I would love to have you there, you're family no matter how you feel, and bring Jacks." He really wanted her to come but knew she would put up a fight, he wished her and Gabby could get past it but Gabby was unwilling to budge. "I will, I promise, text me when your going to drop her off." She said as she gathered Abbie's things and handed them to him.
"Give mommy a kiss and hug." He picked Abbie up and leaned her over to Sylvie. "Love you guys, be careful." Sylvie waved them off as Antonio carried Abbie down the driveway to his truck.