Authors note: Ok, this may not be the best chapter and for that, I'm sorry.
I'll try to do better next time, please stick with me on this, it'll get
better!!
Chapter 9
Breaking the news to the kids was painful to both of them, they had them all come over a couple of days later; Linda cried as they told them, she felt like she had let them down. Vince cried when they had gone and he was on his own in the den, he blamed himself and he knew the kids blamed him too.
Shane wasn't that surprised at his parents' decision, he felt it had been a long time coming and it was probably best for everyone involved. As for Stephanie, she was devastated by their break-up, she was no fool, she knew the past ten years had been painful for both of them, especially her mother, but a little part of her always thought her dad would just snap out of it one day and their marriage would be like it once was. Stephanie stayed behind after Vince and Linda had made their announcement, she wanted to talk with one of them.
Shane and Marissa left with Declan and Paul went back home, Steph had said she'd get her mom or dad to give her a lift back home.
Vince disappeared into his den, without even telling anyone and Linda went upstairs, she had already started packing some of her stuff even though she hadn't found a place to live yet. Her real estate had some places for her to look at and Linda arranged to look at them with him during the week.
Stephanie had followed her mom upstairs and stood leaning against the doorway, watching her mother pack. She had her arms crossed and had a tissue clenched in her hand, due to the crying she had been doing.
"Mom?" Steph said softly.
Linda turned round at the sound of her daughter's voice, she knew how upset Stephanie was about her decision and felt sorry for her.
"Hi baby, you can come in." Linda watched as her daughter came towards her, her eyes were red and puffy and Linda reached out to her. "Come here."
Stephanie went over to her mom, put her arms around her and put her head on her shoulder.
"Is this really what you want mom?" Steph tried to keep her tears in but it was no use, Linda tried to comfort her daughter as she hugged her.
"No Steph, I want my husband to come back, I want my marriage to be what it used to be but it's no good anymore. I've tried Stephanie, I've tried for the past ten years to make this marriage work, for all our sakes but I can't do it anymore, it's killing me."
Steph pulled away from her mom and nodded. "I know you've tried and I know how painful its been for you." She paused. "I guess I just... I just figured you guys would always be together, no matter what."
"I thought that too once but..." Linda shook her head. "I know it's hard for you to accept that your father and I are separating but you're not a child Steph, you do understand why don't you? If there was just the slightest bit of hope then I'd stay and make a go of this and after ten years of hoping and trying, its gone Steph, everything's gone, all the hope has gone and I haven't got enough energy in me to try anymore. I'm sorry I feel like I've let you and Shane down." Linda sat down on the bed.
"Mom, you haven't let us down, we know why you're doing this. It's like you said, Shane and I aren't kids anymore, you can't stay together just for us. You've made your own decision and we respect that, both of us, even me. I know I'm a bit upset right now but I'll come round, it'll just be weird not having you and dad together anymore, that's all."
Stephanie sat down on the bed next o her mom and Linda gently pushed some hair back off Stephanie's face. "I am so proud of you and Shane and I want you to know that I love you two more than anything else in this world, you two are the best things to come out of this marriage and that'll never change."
Stephanie nodded.
"Thank you for understanding why I have to do this Steph." Linda told her daughter.
Stephanie nodded again and gave a small smile. "I love you mom." She said as she gave Linda another hug.
Linda hugged her tightly back, "I love you too sweetheart."
Chapter 9
Breaking the news to the kids was painful to both of them, they had them all come over a couple of days later; Linda cried as they told them, she felt like she had let them down. Vince cried when they had gone and he was on his own in the den, he blamed himself and he knew the kids blamed him too.
Shane wasn't that surprised at his parents' decision, he felt it had been a long time coming and it was probably best for everyone involved. As for Stephanie, she was devastated by their break-up, she was no fool, she knew the past ten years had been painful for both of them, especially her mother, but a little part of her always thought her dad would just snap out of it one day and their marriage would be like it once was. Stephanie stayed behind after Vince and Linda had made their announcement, she wanted to talk with one of them.
Shane and Marissa left with Declan and Paul went back home, Steph had said she'd get her mom or dad to give her a lift back home.
Vince disappeared into his den, without even telling anyone and Linda went upstairs, she had already started packing some of her stuff even though she hadn't found a place to live yet. Her real estate had some places for her to look at and Linda arranged to look at them with him during the week.
Stephanie had followed her mom upstairs and stood leaning against the doorway, watching her mother pack. She had her arms crossed and had a tissue clenched in her hand, due to the crying she had been doing.
"Mom?" Steph said softly.
Linda turned round at the sound of her daughter's voice, she knew how upset Stephanie was about her decision and felt sorry for her.
"Hi baby, you can come in." Linda watched as her daughter came towards her, her eyes were red and puffy and Linda reached out to her. "Come here."
Stephanie went over to her mom, put her arms around her and put her head on her shoulder.
"Is this really what you want mom?" Steph tried to keep her tears in but it was no use, Linda tried to comfort her daughter as she hugged her.
"No Steph, I want my husband to come back, I want my marriage to be what it used to be but it's no good anymore. I've tried Stephanie, I've tried for the past ten years to make this marriage work, for all our sakes but I can't do it anymore, it's killing me."
Steph pulled away from her mom and nodded. "I know you've tried and I know how painful its been for you." She paused. "I guess I just... I just figured you guys would always be together, no matter what."
"I thought that too once but..." Linda shook her head. "I know it's hard for you to accept that your father and I are separating but you're not a child Steph, you do understand why don't you? If there was just the slightest bit of hope then I'd stay and make a go of this and after ten years of hoping and trying, its gone Steph, everything's gone, all the hope has gone and I haven't got enough energy in me to try anymore. I'm sorry I feel like I've let you and Shane down." Linda sat down on the bed.
"Mom, you haven't let us down, we know why you're doing this. It's like you said, Shane and I aren't kids anymore, you can't stay together just for us. You've made your own decision and we respect that, both of us, even me. I know I'm a bit upset right now but I'll come round, it'll just be weird not having you and dad together anymore, that's all."
Stephanie sat down on the bed next o her mom and Linda gently pushed some hair back off Stephanie's face. "I am so proud of you and Shane and I want you to know that I love you two more than anything else in this world, you two are the best things to come out of this marriage and that'll never change."
Stephanie nodded.
"Thank you for understanding why I have to do this Steph." Linda told her daughter.
Stephanie nodded again and gave a small smile. "I love you mom." She said as she gave Linda another hug.
Linda hugged her tightly back, "I love you too sweetheart."