Walking to the ever so familiar green lawn and slightly over grown bushes, hanging over the side on the pavement. Turning into number 419 and waking along the long pathway and knocking on the shiny black door, until a fresh looking Tina arised with damp hair, rosey cheeks and gleaming eyes. 'Mike, hi. You look, um, great' he knew he looked like shit, but now she could see him looking like shit made it all worse. 'Thanks.' Mike looked up to her eyes, 'Where's Ella?' 'Just brushing her teeth, she'll be down in a minute' Tina said while grabbing a small pink bag with Ella written in black bold writing 'here, her things are in there, and a snack for later' Mike quirks an eyebrow, 'I can't provide my daughter with a snack myself?' Tina sighed, 'stop being so petty Michael, I was just trying to help you out, Ella told me you have plans to go to the zoo.' 'No Tina, you're trying to help me out because you think I can't afford to provide for my own daughter' Tina stared at mike, rolled her eyes, turned her back to him and called for Ella. Mike cursed a thousand times over in his head, 'Tina, I'm sorry' Ella came running down the stairs with pigtails and rosey cheeks, the image of her mother, perfect porcelain skin gleaming eyes. 'Save it Mike.' Tina turned to Ella, knelt to her level, and kissed her check 'have fun with daddy, baby' Ella turned to mike, her big brown eyes looking up at him, 'are we still going to the zoo daddy?' 'Of course we are. A promise is a promise right?' A toothless smile appeared on Ella's face, the same mirroring Mikes, with a little more teeth. Ella walked out and stood next to Mikes legs coming up to mid thigh, Mike gently rubbed her head, 'go play on the lawn Els, while I talk to your mummy' Ella nodded and walked to the large lawn. 'Tina, look I didn't mean what I said, I've not slept in a while and I've had this migraine I ju-' 'Stop, I get it, you have a lot on your plate, go enjoy your day with Els' Mike looked up to Tina, his eyes pleading. 'Okay, I'll see you later' Tina nodded and stepped back while gently closing the large black door. Mike walked over to the lawn and picked Ella up from behind, tickling her and smiling as she screams 'daddy' Mike slung her over his shoulder and carried her out of the pathway. 'Daddy, look at the big monkey' Ella giggled into the glass in front of the gorilla cage. 'Thats an enormous monkey' Mike chuckled as he picked Ella up and sat her on his hip. 'Can we see the elephants again daddy?' Ella pleaded. 'Whatever you want bao bei' Mike carried an exhausted Ella back to number 419, walking down Victoria street, the one he knows so well, the one he lived on for 5 years up until 8 months ago when he and Tina separated, and he decided to move out, well Tina kicked him out, Mike thought it was for time to cool off, to give her some time to her self, until one month rolled over, then the next, and when Tina told him she was filing for divorce, about a week ago, he hasn't slept, eaten or functioned since then. He was in a daze. He thought they were finally getting somewhere, she was letting him stay over at the house again, she was letting him be a dad to Ella again, even taking her out together, as a real family, he thought things where going good again. He was wrong, she was just buttering him up, helping Ella trust him enough again to share custody, and then she dropped it on him, that she wanted a divorce over dinner, the dinner he was going to ask her what was happening between them, the dinner he was going to ask her if he could move in with her again. He turned into the path and walked to the large black door, he knocked and waited for Tina to answer, and let himself in, walking straight to Ella's princess room, placing her in her bed. Mike covered Ella with her duvet and kissed her head, 'I love you sweet heart' Mike made his way to Ella's door, to see Tina waiting outside, 'Hi' he whispered. 'How was she?' Tina asked as she turned to walk down the mahogany staircase, Mike following behind. 'Great' Mike chuckled. 'She kept telling me how much she loved the big monkeys, which were actually the gorillas' Tina softly laughed. 'She loved them the last time we took her, remember? She just kept pointing and gurgling. God, that really does feel like forever ago.' Mike nodded. 'Yeah it really does' The both walked to the hallway where Mike hesitated, he didn't know if he was welcome. 'Um, would you like a drink or something to eat?' Tina asked politely. 'I really want to talk to you Tina, over a drink or over something to eat, I don't mind either way. But I really want to talk to you' Mike said staring at the side of Tina's face. Tina hesitated, 'let's talk in the kitchen' Mike followed Tina to the kitchen, she went to the liquor draw and pulled out a bottle of red wine. 'Would you like a scotch? Or anything else?' Tina asked. 'A scotch sounds great' Mike smiled at Tina. Tina arranged the drinks, and placed the scotch in front of Mike, and sat opposite him on the island chair. 'So?' Tina asked waiting for Mike to talk. 'So a divorce Tina?' Mike sighed. 'Where did this even come from? God I was stupid enough to think we were sorting things out with all the night ins and what about last weekend Tina? Was that all just a butter up because that should not of happened if this is what you were planning all along? How long have you been thinking about this Tina? Are you seeing someone new is that it?' Tina's shoulders slumped, she looked down to her wine glass. 'Mike please, I don't know wha-' 'Do not give me this I don't know what to say, shit Tina. I need answers, I can't keep going on like this, I need you to to tell me exactly what's going on' Tina said keeping his eyes on her, 'please Tina' Tina nodded as her eyes began to cloud over, 'it's been 8 months Mike, I felt it was time to file' 'Theres more to this Tina' Mike sighed and took a large gulp of his scotch. 'And all I can come up with, is that there's someone else' Tina stayed quiet, 'Tina please' 'Ok Mike. There's someone! Shoot me, I started dating again, I haven't done anything I shouldn't. This was always going to happen either way' Mike felt his heart pull tight, he couldn't fathom this together in his head, how can Tina be ready to move on already. 'Who is it Tina?' 'Its nothing serious Mike' Tina said keeping her voice calm. 'Nothing serious?' Mike yelled. 'You're throwing away our marriage, our family. Nothing fucking serious at all' 'Dont you dare speak to me like that Michael' Tina said sternly. 'Its probably best you leave, clearly drinking on an empty stomach has done you no favours' she said as she stood up, and walked towards the door. Mike laughed, 'don't make me laugh Tina' He got up, grabbed Tina from behind 'don't try and avoid talking about this Tina. I want to know everything' Mike yelled. 'Lower your voice. Do you want her to wake up, and have to listen to all this?' 'No Tina, I don't, I also don't want her to go through what you went through either, having to grow up being pushed to one parent to the other, you hated it Tina, you used to HATE it. And now you want to give up this easy, put Els through what you went through?' 'Mike, don't you dare' Tina said tears rolling down her face. Mike stood closer to Tina, 'I don't meant to make you cry, I don't want that at all, I just don't understand this Tina, you're my everything, you and Els are everything to me, I don't want to give you both up so easily' he wiped her tears with his thumb. 'I love you Tina so much'