*RING RING RING* *RING RING RING* *RING RING RING*

Stephanie awoke the sound of her cell phone wearing everything but her top. She fumbled and blinked a few times before answering her call.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you?"

"Paul!"

She jumped up and began looking for her top. "I'm still here. It was a long night and I lost track of—"
"You know what, save it. I don't wanna talk about this over the phone. You need to get your ass home right now." And he ended the call.
"Shit! Fuck!" she cursed quietly. She looked everywhere and found her shirt on the table beside the sofa and pulled it over her head. She went from one corner to another looking everywhere for her shoes.

The noise woke Peter.

"Hey. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. I mean, no. I mean—I need to go. I shouldn't have stayed here this long." She said with regret in her voice. He got up, zipped up his pants and walked over to her. He spotted her shoes and handed them to her.

"Thank you." She said with some relief in her voice. She spotted his shirt and handed it to him. He laughed as he took the shirt and put it on. Peter looked at her with and brushed the hair away from her face. "Just… be careful." He said softly. "I will." She answered and gave him one final kiss. She ran out and hurried home.

When she arrived, Paul was already looking out the window waiting for her to return. He didn't turn around. He heard her come in but he continued to look out the window and Stephanie, filled with shame, slowly walked over to him.

"Paul…"

Paul ignored her with his arms crossed. She placed her head on his shoulder and grasped onto his arm.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, almost crying. Paul looked over at her filled with anger.

"Sorry? You're sorry? Sorry for what? For what, Steph? For leaving your husband so suddenly without an explanation? For leaving me with the kids and having them ask me where their mother is? Sorry for coming home the next morning without ever letting me know where you are and how you're doing? Is that what you're sorry for?"
"No, Paul. That's not… I just… God, I don't know what to even say to you right now!" She exclaimed between each sob. "You know what you can say? You can go to the girls and say 'I'm home'. What you say to me will mean absolutely nothing."

He walked away and Stephanie stood there crying over the mistakes she's made within the past 24 hours. She wiped away her tears and went over to see the girls who were still asleep.

She went to each of their rooms and kissed them on their foreheads.

"Mommy?" her eldest daughter asked as she woke from the kiss.

"Hi, sweetie."

"Are you okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Daddy was worried about you. So were Murphy and Vaughn. Daddy called you a lot but he said maybe your phone wasn't working. Did you see?"
Tears formed and rolled down Stephanie's cheek.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm just happy to see you. I had to go see a friend who was not feeling so good. I'm just so thankful for having the greatest little girls for daughters."

Aurora wiped her mother's tears and hugged her. "We love you, mommy. Forever and ever."

Stephanie kissed her on the head and had an idea.

"You hungry?" she asked with a big smile. Aurora nodded as she yawned. "Well I know your sisters are asleep and daddy had a long night. I think we should make them all breakfast. What do you say?" she suggested. "That's a great idea!" Aurora answered with a smile. "Okay then, you choose today. What should we make for breakfast?"

"Blueberry pancakes." Aurora replied. "You got it. Go get ready. I'll meet you in the kitchen and get the stuff out."

Aurora got out of her bed and Stephanie went to the kitchen to make it up to them for worrying all night.

Everyone was having breakfast but unlike the usual mornings where everyone would talk about their day ahead, it was a rather uncomfortable morning. Paul never once looked at Stephanie and Stephanie kept looking down at her plate barely touching her food. The girls felt uncomfortable and Aurora decided to break the tension.

"Dad, would it be okay if Murphy, Vaughn and I go outside to the pool right now?"

"Yeah, sure. Just make sure Vaughn has her floaters on. I'll come by in a few minutes to check up on you, okay? No fooling around in the water."

"Yes, dad. Thank you." And the girls all went upstairs to change. Paul sat there silently and waited for the girls to leave the house before speaking to his wife.

"Well now since we have some privacy, I think you owe me an explanation." Paul addressed Stephanie without making eye contact.

"Paul, I know you're upset and I can't say that I blame you… but I'm sorry. I lost track of time and it was late." Stephanie lied. Paul looked up and for the first time since that morning, he looked at her. "You lost track of time. You had me calling you all night, knowing I was going to be worried about you. Instead of answering it you decided to ignore my calls. Not giving a fuck about the girls. Forget about me. You didn't bother to think once about what the girls would think. Do you know how many times they came up and asked me where you were? How many times they asked when you're coming home? Have you lost all sense of responsibility? What is going on with you?"

"No, I haven't, Paul—"

"So then, explain to me what this… wait. Have you been drinking again?" Paul suspected. Stephanie scoffed. "No. No, I haven't been drinking." She lied. "You haven't? Because I remember 5 years ago you did the exact same things as you are now. You would be missing all night, ignoring my calls. You'd come home either late at night or early the next morning drunk or hungover smelling like a bar. You swore you'll stop and you did. At least I thought you did." He said with disappointment in his voice. "Oh my, God. Paul I am not drinking!" she said loudly. "Don't sit there and lie to me! Steph… you did it before. It's happening all over again! The late night runs, the ignoring of my calls, the feelings of guilt, the constant crying." Paul explained. "How dare you." She said with fury. "Excuse me?" Paul asked in shock. "You heard me. How dare you. How dare you accuse me of reliving the past when you know it was the darkest years of my life!" she screamed. "I know it was and it looks like you want to relive those dark years again putting yourself and me through hell but you know what? This time it's different." Paul started. "Oh it is, huh? How?" she asked. "Because now you have 3 daughters! Aurora isn't 3 anymore! She knows! You're drinking and she knows now if something isn't right!" Paul lashed out.

Stephanie's jaw dropped. He was right. She sat there motionless thinking about her decisions over the past 24 hours and the impact it brought upon her family, her husband, and her own children.

"If you'll excuse me, I have to go check up on the girls."

Paul got up to leave the dining room but before he did, he stopped and stood next to Stephanie.

"Just remember something. The pain and suffering you caused me 5 years ago is nothing to the pain and suffering you're causing me and the kids now. You decide your fate."

He walked away while Stephanie sat there upset at the accusation he made.