Thank you to everybody for the support you gave chapter 1, it was phenomal and so much more than I expected. I really hope you continue to enjoy the story :)
When he drove away from home he had no idea where he was going. He could go to her but if he wanted any chance of keeping his job he needed to stay on Stephanie's good side, well he wasn't on her good side now but he would be lucky to still be alive if he did that. With these thoughts in mind he went to find a hotel to stay in for the night.
Pulling into the parking lot of a hotel he left his things in the car and went inside ringing the bell on the front desk for attention. When a frazzled woman finally appeared in front of him he couldn't even muster a polite smile for her, "I need a room for the night please."
Sitting down she pulled up the reservations, "Single, Double or King? One occupant or two? One night or more?"
"Double, one and who knows. Is it possible to just leave it open ended?"
Beginning the registration process she frowned, "I don't know, I have never done it like that before. I would suggest speaking with a manager tomorrow, they will be in from eight until about seven, but for now I will book you in for one night and then you can change it tomorrow. Can I have some identification and a card to charge please."
Taking his wallet from his back pocket he opened it and pulled out his drivers license and placed that on the counter before he took out a credit card but as he checked that it was the correct one he slipped it back into his wallet and pulled out a different one, if he wanted to get his family back he needed to show Stephanie that he wasn't hiding where he was by using his not-so-secret any more credit card. Sliding both cards across the counter he just wanted to get a room and go to bed, or to the gym.
Twenty minutes later and he had a key card and had managed to find a suitcase that had all of the clothes he needed in and his gym bag and he was on his way to his room. Watching the light until it went green he removed the key from the slot and opened the door, this definitely wasn't home but he was used to living out of hotels so he would survive. Placing his suitcase on the floor he threw his gym bag on the bed and pulled out his gym clothes to change, tonight had been hell and he had a lot of thinking and planning to do.
When the alarm went off at six Stephanie reached her hand out and slammed her fist on it shutting it up, she had had the worst dream last night and had actually dreamt that her husband had cheated on her. Rolling over to cuddle into him to make herself feel better before she got up she just felt emptiness and as her hand touched the sheets they were stone cold. Closing her eyes she slowly opened them again before she sat up and looked around, it was no dream, it was all real.
After realising that yesterday was not a dream being awake was not what she wanted to be right now but she had to get the girls to school and she then had to go to work. Rolling out of bed she padded into the bathroom and turned the shower on.
Fifteen minutes later and she was in the kitchen making herself a protein drink and a cup of coffee because after walking into the gym just before ten she didn't fall into bed until almost two, she wasn't working out all of those four hours, just most of them. She was feeling that workout throughout her entire body but at least if she was feeling stiffness and pain in her limbs it would take her mind off of the pain in her heart. Quickly pushing those thoughts from her mind she focussed on downing her protein drink and then slowly sipping her coffee.
As soon as she finished her coffee she started to boil the kettle for another one but first things first she had to get all of the girls up and ready for school. Walking up the stairs she ran her fingers though her hair, she hoped she didn't look as bad as she felt as she didn't want the girls picking up on what was wrong as she wanted to shield them.
Entering her oldest daughter's room first she smiled at the way she was sprawled across the bed and the covers were nearly on the floor, she had never been one to keep the covers on her even as a baby. Walking over to the bed she gently shook her daughter's shoulder, "Aurora baby, it's time to get up." There was movement and moans before her eyes opened, "I'm going to go and wake your sisters and then I will be back to check on you."
Twenty minutes later and she was sat on Murphy's bed tying her hair back when Vaughn walked into the room and sat on the bed beside her, "Where's your sparkles?"
Finishing with Murphy's hair she turned to her youngest daughter and started to brush her hair, "I forgot to put some on. Do you think Mommy needs some?"
The little girl nodded her head, "You's not Mommy without some."
Unsure if that was an actual insult she finished brushing her hair and then got up placing the brush back on the side, "Well why don't you join your sister in the kitchen and start eating your breakfast and I will go and put some jewellery on."
She waited until the girls were heading downstairs before she went back to her bedroom and opened her jewellery box to put something on. Taking a simple pair of hoop earrings out she put those in her ears and then picked up the necklace that her Mom had taken the girls to buy her and placed that around her neck before she instinctively picked up her wedding rings but as she went to slide them on her finger she stopped, she couldn't wear them knowing what he had done so she put them down again and shut the lid to go and see if the girls were eating their breakfast.
Entering the kitchen she was pleased to see that they were all eating the cereals she had laid out for them, "Do I pass now?"
Vaughn nodded her head, "You pwetty."
Forcing a smile she walked over to her daughter and kissed the top of her head, "Thank you baby girl. So who wants toast?"
After dropping the girls at school Stephanie made her way to work, she really hoped that she could avoid Paul because she really didn't want to deal with him today and especially not at work. Sliding carefully past Paul's office she was glad that he wasn't in his office to see her as she made her way to her office and said a quick hello to her secretary before she opened the door and stepped inside but stopped and turned back to face her, "Jill I don't want to be disturbed by anybody, and I do mean anybody, but you and my Father today please. I have a lot of work to get done and I want to stay focussed and avoid as many distractions as possible."
"Yes Mrs . . . Stephanie, sorry, I can't help but revert back when you give me instructions like that."
Nodding her head she smiled, "It's okay, don't worry." Walking into her office she shut the door firmly to block out distractions but mostly to block out him.
He had set the alarm on his phone for six thirty but he didn't need it, he hadn't actually slept at all because his mind would not shut off. He did feel guilty for what he had done because he did love Stephanie with all of his heart but the other woman was there, she didn't have any expectations of him and it was nice to get away and to be with someone who didn't expect him to be a perfect husband or Father or executive.
Climbing out of bed he needed to shower and dress and make sure that he was wearing his wedding ring before he went to get some breakfast and then spoke to a manager, he was hoping when he spoke to Stephanie later that she would have changed her mind but he had to prepare himself just incase she hadn't.
After breakfast he was stood at the desk waiting for the manager to appear, looking at his watch he didn't have much longer to wait before he needed to leave for work so unless they hurried up he would be leaving without speaking to them. His thoughts were interrupted by the manager, "I'm sorry to keep you, it is surprisingly busy this early in the morning. What is it I can help you with?"
"Last night the person that checked me in said that she couldn't do an open ended reservation and that I needed to speak with a manager so can you do it please? I am currently unsure how long I will be staying so I can't give any sort of dates at all."
Frowning the manager eyed him suspiciously, "Why aren't you sure how long that you are staying for?"
Paul wasn't about to broadcast his business to this stranger so he was going to lie, "I am in town for work and it isn't clear how long that it is going to last."
"Oh. I guess I could do it on a night by night basis. What is your name?"
By the time Paul arrived at work it was late and he knew he couldn't go and talk to his wife so lunchtime would have to do.
When lunchtime arrived he pushed his work aside and got up passing his secretary as he exited making his way to his wife's office. Taking a deep breath he walked in and smiled at her secretary, "Good day Jill." Breezing right by her he ignored her when she said that his wife didn't want any interruptions, he wasn't an interruption he was her husband. Opening the door he stepped inside and shut it behind him before he stood in front of her desk unsure of what to say so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "You're not wearing your wedding rings."
Stopping typing on her laptop mid-word she slowly lifted her head to look at the man stood in front of her noticing immediately the ring on his finger, "And I notice that you have suddenly found the desire to wear yours."
"I'm just proving to the world that I am married and that I want to prove to you that I am not going to give up on us."
"Didn't you give up on us the minute you started sleeping with that whore? Seriously Paul I don't know what you are trying to prove but don't bother."
Moving around the desk he reached out to touch his wife but pulled back when she flinched away, "Stephanie please, I never gave up on you, on us, please don't give up on me. Can I come home tonight?"
Standing up she grabbed her jacket to pull on, "No, not tonight, not tomorrow, not ever. You gave up your rights to a family when you cheated so drop this sweet innocent act and stop bothering me because I am not interested."
Paul sighed, "Stephanie please, the girls need their Father so we need to put our issues aside so they can have a family."
Staring at her husband she felt her blood pressure rising and the steam coming out of her ears, "You did not just say that." Grabbing her purse from the floor she pushed past him and headed for the door to her office needing to get out of there and away from him.
Quickly following Stephanie he grabbed her arm, "Stephanie I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
Pulling her arm free she slowly opened her office door so as not to draw attention from her secretary before she walked out, "I'm going to grab some lunch and will be back in an hour." She didn't even wait for her to answer as she breezed out of the office and away from her husband.
Paul stood there just staring at the back of his wife as she walked out of the room, he didn't know what he was going to do to fix this mess but it looked like it was going to be a lot as it didn't seem like she was in a very forgiving mood.