Authors Note- Sorry, I was a little late with the update today, I will ttry to be quicker tomorrow... here you go!
I open the door for Abby as we walk into the restaurant. Bryce has already grabbed a table and is reading through the menu. I need to talk to Abby, but it's difficult to do so with Bryce there. He's always commenting or worrying. He's a great kid, don't get me wrong, but he's growing up too fast. I give Abby the look that we've both sort of learned to understand. I see her turn toward Bryce and tell him to go play one of the video games they have set up near the entrance. After he's a few feet away, I turn to her. She starts to run her hands through her hair. She seemed so down. I was sitting across from her, but I decide to go sit next to her. We have a corner booth, so whatever happens, Bryce can't see us, but we can see him. So hopefully we won't' get too much commentary during dinner. I grab her hand and brush off the few strands of hair from around her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
She started to shake her head yes, but I make her look me in the eyes. She tries to act so tough, yet I know she's falling apart inside. And I can't do anything to stop it, or make it any better. I wish I could.
"It's just . . . It's Richard. He has a better case... And I can't loose Bryce. I just can't."
I squeezed her hand, and she started to look out the window, she was trying to hold her tears. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. She tells me, she confides in me, and then she closes herself up. If I try to do anything more than hold her hand, she's revolt against me. I want to help her so badly. Make all this pain go away for her, and it's so hard to do that when she won't tell me the truth. She hides it so well.
"What happened today?"
I saw her biting her top lip, and then she sighed.
"He has a better case. His wife doesn't work. She stays at home all the time. He has money, a stable home, a good growing environment, two parents, everything."
I watched her take a sip of her soda, and then she moved closer to the wall, away from me.
"And what is your situation in the eyes of the court?"
He added it with a bit of a mock tone at the end, hoping to get something out of her, but it didn't work.
"I'm a single mother with under 25 grand a year, who works over 60 hours a week, including nights. I have bipolar Disease running in my family, and I'm a recovering alcoholic."
He looked at her, giving her a questioning look. All the time they had spent together, never had she mentioned any of this. He didn't want to bring it up. She was destroyed enough for the night.
"And that means?"
She shook her head, almost like she was giving up.
"There's nothing good on my side. His lawyers can make it sound like I can't give him anything and Richard can give him everything. That his damn life is in danger by staying with me. I'm too screwed up to even be given a chance . . . "
I sat up, sort of shown by what she was saying. She had never acted like this before. She was just giving up, and she couldn't do that. I couldn't let her do that.
"Abby, look at me."
I tried to get her to face me, because she wouldn't believe it if I just said it out in the open. I finally managed to meet her chocolate brown eyes, and they were full of so many emotions, they would have demolished me.
"You have the one thing that is most important: love. You love him more than life itself. I know you do. You can't give up. Even if everything seems to be falling apart, I'm here. I"m going to always be there, through the best and the worst. And we're gonna get through this."
I saw the tears start falling down her cheek, and I reached up and wiped them away. She leaned into me, and I put my arm around her, guarding her from the world. I couldn't let anything bad happen to her, or Bryce for that matter. After a while, she looked up at me, giving me a small smile. I smiled back at her, and gave her a quick kiss on her lips.
"Now come on, promise me, no more worries tonight?"
She started to shake her head.
"Only the worries that surround a tenant when she finds out a gang is living next door."
She said the last part lightly, this probably being the least of her problems.
"I volunteered my place . . . "
She took another sip of her soda, and played with the straw.
"But you never volunteered to stay."
I leaned in and whispered into her ear.
"Oh, I thought that was implied already?"
I saw her hand heading for my head and I quickly kissed her, and her hand grazed the side of my face.
"Okay guys, sex and bed go in the same sentence. Not sex and public."
I pulled away from Abby, and she gave me the 'later' look. I also saw her napkin go heading straight for Bryce's head.
"Bryce!"
He stood there with his signature smirk. I watched him sit down, still smiling, and look at us.
"So how was it?"
I looked at Abby, and she looked at me.
"How was what, Bryce?"
He rolled his eyes at us. We both knew the next comment that was going to come out of his mouth.
"Sex."
I threw my head back. This kid was seriously going to be a problem. And he was only ten. What about when he was going to be a teenager?
"You really want to be grounded don't you?"
Abby didn't find his commentary funny anymore.
"Oh come on, Mom . . . "
I felt her lean back into me.
"No, Bryce. It was cute for a while, but now it's getting ridiculous. Another comment out of your mouth and no XBox for two weeks."
I saw him looking at me, and I threw my hands up in defeat. Abby was authority. I was most definitely not getting involved, it could be deadly for me. I heard him mumble something under his breath, but I didn't catch the context. But I knew Abby had. She started to move out of the booth, and she pushed me out to get out herself. I looked at Bryce for some hint of what he said, but he just looked stubbornly at his mom, then a look of remorse passed on his face. I gave Bryce a nasty look, since he probably deserved it.
"Stay here, and don't move."
He had started to get up, and he instantly sat back down. I got up, going after Abby. I saw her go out the doors, and I followed the same route. She stood outside the restaurant leaning against a wall, she was crying. What had Bryce said to her? I walked in closer, but she pushed me away. I tried again, and got the same reaction. I wasn't going to give up. The third time, she finally gave in, and held onto me. She dried off her tears, and pulled herself together.
"What did he say?"
She took a deep breath, and I instantly saw how bad it really must have been.
"That 'dad would never punish him'."
I pulled her hands into mine, aiming to keep her warm.
"Abby, you know he didn't mean it."
I watched her shake her head.
"Yeah. I know. It just... It hurt."
I gave her a quick hug, then started heading back to our table, Abby in tow. Bryce stood up when he saw us, and he instantly came up to Abby, giving her a kiss.
"I'm sorry mom."
I saw her give him a kiss on the forehead.
"Don't worry about it."
He gave her a hug, and they sat down, I followed them, not wanting to interrupt their moment. The food arrived a few minutes later and we kept quiet during dinner. I knew Abby and I shouldn't talk since something might slip out. Bryce had to battle with himself to keep his mouth shut, since near the end of dinner I was trying to make Abby laugh and I was saying some pretty interesting things.
I payed the bill and we started walking home. We were going to take the "L" but the night was too nice, and we decided to walk and check out the Christmas lights in the city. Bryce walked a few feet ahead of us, while we strolled slowly, my arm around her. She seemed to be barely walking, she was so tired. We finally got home, and I ended up leading her straight to the couch, and yelling at Bryce to get ready for bed. I made her a cup of tea in the kitchen, and Bryce walked in to say goodnight.
"I didn't mean what I said to her."
I nodded my head. I knew he didn't. It just came out in a moment of rage.
"It's okay. She knows."
He gave me a slight smile.
"Night."
I watched him begin to walk toward the door.
"Hey, Carter?"
I looked up, and he started to smile.
"Did my request for a baby brother go through last night?"
I pointed my finger toward his room.
"Bed. Now. Before I tell your mother."
He scurried off faster than I had ever seen him run. I started to laugh. It was sort of funny. I finished off Abby's cup of tea and headed into the living room. She had fallen asleep on the sofa, and I didn't have the heart to wake her. I pulled off her shoes and picked her up, heading toward her bedroom. I placed her on the bed, and pulled the comforter over her body, making sure she was warm. I kissed her on the cheek, and turned out the lamp. On my way back to the living room, I grabbed two blankets and some pillows, and made myself comfortable on the sofa. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.
I open the door for Abby as we walk into the restaurant. Bryce has already grabbed a table and is reading through the menu. I need to talk to Abby, but it's difficult to do so with Bryce there. He's always commenting or worrying. He's a great kid, don't get me wrong, but he's growing up too fast. I give Abby the look that we've both sort of learned to understand. I see her turn toward Bryce and tell him to go play one of the video games they have set up near the entrance. After he's a few feet away, I turn to her. She starts to run her hands through her hair. She seemed so down. I was sitting across from her, but I decide to go sit next to her. We have a corner booth, so whatever happens, Bryce can't see us, but we can see him. So hopefully we won't' get too much commentary during dinner. I grab her hand and brush off the few strands of hair from around her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
She started to shake her head yes, but I make her look me in the eyes. She tries to act so tough, yet I know she's falling apart inside. And I can't do anything to stop it, or make it any better. I wish I could.
"It's just . . . It's Richard. He has a better case... And I can't loose Bryce. I just can't."
I squeezed her hand, and she started to look out the window, she was trying to hold her tears. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. She tells me, she confides in me, and then she closes herself up. If I try to do anything more than hold her hand, she's revolt against me. I want to help her so badly. Make all this pain go away for her, and it's so hard to do that when she won't tell me the truth. She hides it so well.
"What happened today?"
I saw her biting her top lip, and then she sighed.
"He has a better case. His wife doesn't work. She stays at home all the time. He has money, a stable home, a good growing environment, two parents, everything."
I watched her take a sip of her soda, and then she moved closer to the wall, away from me.
"And what is your situation in the eyes of the court?"
He added it with a bit of a mock tone at the end, hoping to get something out of her, but it didn't work.
"I'm a single mother with under 25 grand a year, who works over 60 hours a week, including nights. I have bipolar Disease running in my family, and I'm a recovering alcoholic."
He looked at her, giving her a questioning look. All the time they had spent together, never had she mentioned any of this. He didn't want to bring it up. She was destroyed enough for the night.
"And that means?"
She shook her head, almost like she was giving up.
"There's nothing good on my side. His lawyers can make it sound like I can't give him anything and Richard can give him everything. That his damn life is in danger by staying with me. I'm too screwed up to even be given a chance . . . "
I sat up, sort of shown by what she was saying. She had never acted like this before. She was just giving up, and she couldn't do that. I couldn't let her do that.
"Abby, look at me."
I tried to get her to face me, because she wouldn't believe it if I just said it out in the open. I finally managed to meet her chocolate brown eyes, and they were full of so many emotions, they would have demolished me.
"You have the one thing that is most important: love. You love him more than life itself. I know you do. You can't give up. Even if everything seems to be falling apart, I'm here. I"m going to always be there, through the best and the worst. And we're gonna get through this."
I saw the tears start falling down her cheek, and I reached up and wiped them away. She leaned into me, and I put my arm around her, guarding her from the world. I couldn't let anything bad happen to her, or Bryce for that matter. After a while, she looked up at me, giving me a small smile. I smiled back at her, and gave her a quick kiss on her lips.
"Now come on, promise me, no more worries tonight?"
She started to shake her head.
"Only the worries that surround a tenant when she finds out a gang is living next door."
She said the last part lightly, this probably being the least of her problems.
"I volunteered my place . . . "
She took another sip of her soda, and played with the straw.
"But you never volunteered to stay."
I leaned in and whispered into her ear.
"Oh, I thought that was implied already?"
I saw her hand heading for my head and I quickly kissed her, and her hand grazed the side of my face.
"Okay guys, sex and bed go in the same sentence. Not sex and public."
I pulled away from Abby, and she gave me the 'later' look. I also saw her napkin go heading straight for Bryce's head.
"Bryce!"
He stood there with his signature smirk. I watched him sit down, still smiling, and look at us.
"So how was it?"
I looked at Abby, and she looked at me.
"How was what, Bryce?"
He rolled his eyes at us. We both knew the next comment that was going to come out of his mouth.
"Sex."
I threw my head back. This kid was seriously going to be a problem. And he was only ten. What about when he was going to be a teenager?
"You really want to be grounded don't you?"
Abby didn't find his commentary funny anymore.
"Oh come on, Mom . . . "
I felt her lean back into me.
"No, Bryce. It was cute for a while, but now it's getting ridiculous. Another comment out of your mouth and no XBox for two weeks."
I saw him looking at me, and I threw my hands up in defeat. Abby was authority. I was most definitely not getting involved, it could be deadly for me. I heard him mumble something under his breath, but I didn't catch the context. But I knew Abby had. She started to move out of the booth, and she pushed me out to get out herself. I looked at Bryce for some hint of what he said, but he just looked stubbornly at his mom, then a look of remorse passed on his face. I gave Bryce a nasty look, since he probably deserved it.
"Stay here, and don't move."
He had started to get up, and he instantly sat back down. I got up, going after Abby. I saw her go out the doors, and I followed the same route. She stood outside the restaurant leaning against a wall, she was crying. What had Bryce said to her? I walked in closer, but she pushed me away. I tried again, and got the same reaction. I wasn't going to give up. The third time, she finally gave in, and held onto me. She dried off her tears, and pulled herself together.
"What did he say?"
She took a deep breath, and I instantly saw how bad it really must have been.
"That 'dad would never punish him'."
I pulled her hands into mine, aiming to keep her warm.
"Abby, you know he didn't mean it."
I watched her shake her head.
"Yeah. I know. It just... It hurt."
I gave her a quick hug, then started heading back to our table, Abby in tow. Bryce stood up when he saw us, and he instantly came up to Abby, giving her a kiss.
"I'm sorry mom."
I saw her give him a kiss on the forehead.
"Don't worry about it."
He gave her a hug, and they sat down, I followed them, not wanting to interrupt their moment. The food arrived a few minutes later and we kept quiet during dinner. I knew Abby and I shouldn't talk since something might slip out. Bryce had to battle with himself to keep his mouth shut, since near the end of dinner I was trying to make Abby laugh and I was saying some pretty interesting things.
I payed the bill and we started walking home. We were going to take the "L" but the night was too nice, and we decided to walk and check out the Christmas lights in the city. Bryce walked a few feet ahead of us, while we strolled slowly, my arm around her. She seemed to be barely walking, she was so tired. We finally got home, and I ended up leading her straight to the couch, and yelling at Bryce to get ready for bed. I made her a cup of tea in the kitchen, and Bryce walked in to say goodnight.
"I didn't mean what I said to her."
I nodded my head. I knew he didn't. It just came out in a moment of rage.
"It's okay. She knows."
He gave me a slight smile.
"Night."
I watched him begin to walk toward the door.
"Hey, Carter?"
I looked up, and he started to smile.
"Did my request for a baby brother go through last night?"
I pointed my finger toward his room.
"Bed. Now. Before I tell your mother."
He scurried off faster than I had ever seen him run. I started to laugh. It was sort of funny. I finished off Abby's cup of tea and headed into the living room. She had fallen asleep on the sofa, and I didn't have the heart to wake her. I pulled off her shoes and picked her up, heading toward her bedroom. I placed her on the bed, and pulled the comforter over her body, making sure she was warm. I kissed her on the cheek, and turned out the lamp. On my way back to the living room, I grabbed two blankets and some pillows, and made myself comfortable on the sofa. It was going to be a long day tomorrow.