Disclaimer: I don't own Desperate Housewives, clearly, or it's characters. I merely own the ideas within this work. And even those I'm not so sure about.
Where did I go wrong?
Lynette leaned against the doorway, looking into the bedroom that she used to share. There was a list going through her mind. She wanted to go back in time, stop herself from asking for a separation. Or go back to when he was just in the garage apartment, and ask him to move back in.
She needed to do something, to fix it somehow. She didn't want Jane to be the person waking up next to Tom every morning. Unless that's what Tom wants.
Lynette let out a sigh as she thought of every moment in their marriage where she had been too demanding, too pushy, too argumentative. But they did love each other, it was obvious. They had been through so many things together, and made it. For better or for worse, they had gotten through. But now everything seemed hopeless. Now there was another player in the game. Jane.
Did he love her more than he loved Lynette?
She pressed her lips together, allowing her façade of strength to disappear for a moment.
"Lynette!" she heard an all too familiar voice call up the stairs. Her body tensed. She had started to get used to the silence of an empty house. Now that she and Tom weren't together, she frequently had childless nights.
"I'm coming," Lynette calls out as she turns and starts down the stairs. "Where are the kids?"
"Don't be mad…" She hated any time he started with that. "Parker wanted to be dropped at the library to finish some school work, and Jane took Penny shopping."
"She what?" Lynette exclaimed, her face incredulous. "Why did she take Penny shopping?"
Tom had heard that tone of voice many times over the last two decades with Lynette. It was never a good sign. He plastered a fake smile on himself, as if it could convince her that this was a good thing.
"Penny said she needed something for school and Jane volunteered," he shrugged like it was no big deal. It was all a façade though.
"And it never occurred to you that maybe her mother should be the one taking her shopping?" Instead of her father's other woman, she finished in her head.
"I thought it would be a load off of you. You know, make things easier for you. It was a nice gesture."
Lynette couldn't help but shake her head. It wasn't worth fighting over.
She glanced to the living room to see Paige playing on the floor quietly. Looking at her daughter, she can't help but miss how things were. She remembers how excited Tom was when the twins took their first steps, or when Parker spoke for the first time. She remembers the first time that Penny asked for daddy to tuck her in instead. Tom had always been a great dad, and Lynette had no doubt he would continue to be. But it wouldn't be the same.
It was easy for her to remember the day he drove her and the twins' home from the hospital after they were born. They were excited and terrified. Typical new parents.
They never expected things would turn out so bad. They had their whole lives to live, and they expected that it would be with each other. They weren't so naïve to think that it would be a happily ever after – no, they knew there would be fights. Heck, they always fought. But then they came back together.
Maybe they could come back together this time too. Maybe.
A/N - I'm not sure what I think of this. I don't have a clear plot in mind, so I'll probably leave this as is. This is my first fan fiction in years, so be easy on me! :) Do feel free to let me know of any mistakes within this, or let me know of anything I need to improve upon. I love feedback.