"Hey Erica is your mommy going to bring 2 cakes for your birthday at school?" A little boy, Anthony asked as he stopped and picked up his basketball.
Erica looked over at him. "I don't think so. My mommy isn't home."
"Where is she?"
"I don't know. My daddy said she's real sick and she's not going to be home for a long time."
"So you don't have a mommy anymore?" Sarah, one of Erica's friends who was sitting next to her asked. Erica was sitting there with 4 other little girls.
"I have a mommy."
"Why is your mommy sick?" Anthony put the ball on the floor.
"I don't know." Erica shrugged.
"Did you visit her? Is she ok?"
"Umm.. no I didn't visit her. I haven't seen her for a long time."
"Oh. Maybe your mommy left forever. Like Joseph's daddy."
"My mommy didn't left forever. She's going to come home."
"That's what Joseph's mommy said a long time ago. My mommy said that Joseph's daddy didn't want him anymore." Anthony picked up his ball.
"Anthony come on!" One of the boys screamed. "Stop talking to those stupid girls! They have girl cooties!"
"SHUT UP RALPH! YOU HAVE STUPID UGLY BOY COOTIES!" Erica screamed.
"YEA!" Ally, another one of Erica's friends screamed.
"I don't think your mommy's going to come home Erica. I think your daddy is lying to you. That's sad she makes the bestest cake. I'm gonna go play basketball. Does your daddy make good cake?"
"No my daddy can't cook. He can only make sandwiches and macaroni and cheese and cereal."
"Your daddy should make macaroni and cheese for your birthday." He smiled.
"No. It's not good like my mommy's." Erica shrugged.
"ANTHONY YOU'RE GONNA GET STUPID ERICA GERMS!"
"RALPH I'M GONNA KICK YOU!" Erica got up and ran over to the little boy who was scared and running. Erica stopped and walked back over to her friends.
"I thought you were going to kick him." Ally said sticking her tongue out at Johnny.
"I was but then I didn't want to mess up my hair." Erica smiled. After school Erica walked out of her classroom with some of her friends, Lilly, Ally, and Jessica. "So your mommy is gone forever?" Ally asked grabbing her navy cardigan off of a hook.
"She's not gone forever. Why do people think that?"
"I haven't seen your mommy for a long time." Jessica said walking towards the gate where everyone got picked up. "I used to see your mommy everyday."
"Because she's sick. "
"Your mom makes the bestest food in the world." Jessica smiled.
"I know!" Ally giggled. "It's so yummy!"
"My mommy has a restront."
"I've never eated your mom's food." Lilly said.
"You'll never eat it. Cause she's gone forever." Jessica sighed.
"She's not!" Erica screamed.
"Then why isn't she here?"
"I told you!"
"Erica!" Rachel screamed.
"Is that your mom?" Lilly asked.
"No. But her mommy is pretty too." Jessica smiled.
"Hey girls." Rachel smiled andplanted a kiss on top of Erica's blonde hair. "Where's your brother and Emma?"
"I don't know." Erica shrugged. "Auntie Rachel is mommy gone forever?"
"Hey!" Rachel screamed at a group of laughing boys around Jack. "Jack where is your sling?"
"We used it to throw rocks at those geeks." Jack pointed at a group of boys and laughed, making the rest of the group laugh.
Jessica's mouth dropped. "She didn't answer your question that means it's true!"
"She's like those mean ladies on TV!" Lilly gasped.
"Oh no!" Erica put her hands to her face. "I have no more mommy! What do I do? My daddy doesn't know how to do good hair! I have to go." Erica said sadly walking to Rachel.
"Bye." All the girls said together.
"All of you say sorry!" Rachel glared at all the little boys.
"Sorry." They said in unison.
"It's ok." One of the kids with glasses smiled.
Monica knocked lightly on a brown door before entering. "Hi." She said with a smile and walked over to the couch.
"Hey Monica." John smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Good."
"Great. So a couple days ago I told you to think about your feelings towards your ex. Have you thought about it?"
Monica nodded. "I think that he made a mistake.. A big mistake, but everyone makes mistakes.. Everyone at some point makes a huge mistake and I think that was just a huge mistake that he made..."
"So you forgive him?"
"I do." She nodded. "I know he loved me and really regretted what he did. I know he's really sorry. He's really the sweetest man I know.."
"So do you think you'll be able to move on now? After figuring out your problem... do you think you're ready to move on? Maybe go out with that coach you were talking about?"
"I think I'll be able to move on." She smiled. "But not the coach."
"Who?"
"Someone completely different."
"Who?"
"I'm not going to tell you." She grinned and looked down at her fingers. There was a big silence. She looked back up. "Thank you." She said softly.
"For what?"
"For helping me with all my problems. You are really good you know that?"
"The best." He laughed. "So you're kids birthday is in 2 days."
Monica nodded. "Yea."
"How are you going to feel about missing that?"
"Sad but I guess it's fine.. I guess I should get better and then see them instead of seeing them and having to come back."
"You wanna know what I think?" He smiled.
"I think you're going to say something."
"I think you're ready to leave."
"What?"
"You've shown tremendous growth.. and I think you're ready to go home. Sure it's a little early but I think you'll do fine. See your kids.. I still want you to check in every once in a while. But I think.. I think you're fine.. And you're ready to leave. I want you to see your kids on their birthday. I want you to see them because I know that's the main reason why you've worked so hard."
A huge smile spread across Monica's face. "Are you serious?"
"I'm so serious. I want you out of here by tomorrow night." He smiled. "You have tomorrow's activities to do and then you have to say bye to the girls and before you leave I want you to stop by here."
Monica smiled even bigger.
Jack sat on the couch with his arms crossed staring out the window.
"Jack what are you doing?" Erica asked skipping into the room. She was wearing a pretty pink dress for her birthday.
"Waiting."
"For what?" She hopped up onto the couch and sat next to Jack looking out the window.
"I'm waiting for mommy."
"Why?"
"Because it's our birthday.. mommy has to come home for our birthday. It's our special day. Mommy makes our birthday cake all the time on our birthday."
"Mommy's never coming home again."
Jack was silent and slowly turned his head and looked at Erica. "Yes she is."
"No she's not. Mommy hates us and is never coming again. Mommy's like those mean ladies on TV!"
"No she's not!"
"Yes she is! We're gonna get a new mommy. "
"Stop saying that Erica."
"No. I'm gonna wish for a new mommy."
"You can't do that!"
"Yes I can it's my birthday!"
"But what about mommy?"
"She's gone forever! She hates us! I'm gonna wish for a new mommy!"
"You can't! It's my birthday too Erica!"
"So what? It's my wish!"
"If you wish for a new mommy then mommy is never coming home!"
"Mommy doesn't want to come home."
Jack punched Erica's arm making her scream and cry. "I HATE YOU ERICA!"
Chandler ran into the room and found Erica holding her arm crying. "Honey what happened?" He picked Erica up and kissed her cheek. "What's wrong princess?"
"Jack braked my arm!" Erica cried.
Chandler looked at Jack. "Jack what did you do to your sister?"
"I hit her."
"Why?"
"I hate her!"
"Jack you cannot hate your sister. Say sorry."
"NO!"
"Jack!" Chandler said raising his voice. "Say you're sorry."
"NO!" Jack screamed at Chandler.
"Go to your room." Chandler said sternly.
Without a word Jack turned around and ran up the stairs to his room. He slammed the door shut and jumped onto his bed with tears streaming down his cheeks. He didn't want a new mommy. He only wanted Monica. Nobody else. Just Monica. He missed her and wanted her to come home more then anything. He didn't want to spend his birthday without his mother. "Mommy I miss you." His arm for some reason would start to hurt when he thought about Monica. Jack cried into his pillow. Hewanted to make his birthday wish early.He heard the door open and immediately tried to wipe the tears off his cheeks so whoever came in wouldn't see.
"Jack.." Chandler said softly. "Lets talk."
"NO!"
"You're new favorite word son?"
Jack turned over and faced the wall.
"What happened between you and your sister?"
"I hate Erica."
"I know you said that earlier.. Jack this whole violence thing isn't good. I mean first throwing rocks at geeks and now hitting your sister?"
"I said sorry to Ronny and the other geeks. But I hate Erica!"
"Why?"
"Because."
"Because what?"
"Because Erica's going to wish for a new mommy for our birthday."
"What?"
"I don't want a new mommy!" Jack cried. "Erica said mommy hates us forever and she's never coming home. Why is mommy never coming home?"
"Erica has no idea what she's talking about. I need to talk to your sister, but of course your mom is going to come home. She loves you and your sister more than anything. She'll do anything for you."
"Why is mommy gone so long daddy? Where is she?"
"I told you.. she's sick."
"Mommy's never sick."
"Mommy's been sick for a long time but she never showed anybody because she wanted to be there with you. But she was sick for too long and needed a lot of help. She wants to get help and come home to you and Erica." Chandler said softly.
"Why can't you make her better daddy? Can't you make her chicken noodle soup and make her better?"
"It's a little more complicated then that."
"Mommy is missing our birthday."
"I know."
"Why can't she come for our birthday?"
"Because she's going to get better so she doesn't have to miss anymore birthdays. Just this one birthday."
Jack turned around with red eyes and hugged Chandler. "I don't want a new mommy."
"I don't want you to have a new mommy either kid." He kissed the top of his head and held Jack tighter. He could feel Jack's tears seeping through his shirt. Jack had been trying to be strong for weeks without asking for his mom. "I'm gonna go talk to you sister ok?"
"Ok daddy."
"Why don't you change right now into the clothes Auntie Rachel bought you and I'll see you downstairs."
"Ok." Jack gave him a little smile. He changed into a white tee shirt and put on a blue long sleeved button up shirt, that he didn't button up because it was hard for him to button all the buttons so he was going to wait for Chandler, and changed into some tan slacks. He ran down the stairs and plopped back down on the couch. This time he turned the TV on and didn't even glance out the window. There was a knock at the door. He looked around and saw that Chandler wasn't anywhere near. He didn't even hear him coming. So he jumped off the couch and opened the door.
Thanks so much for the reviews! I hope you liked this chapter. PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks.