All Roads Lead Home

Chapter 4

In quick order, Mike had moved into a 2-bedroom apartment, and filed for divorce. When he and Christine first met, she had been a 9-1-1 dispatcher and was thankfully able to get a job doing that, but she was heartbroken. She wasn't contesting the divorce but she badly wanted her marriage to work out.

The girls were adjusting. Hannah struggled quite a bit, but Katie had always just dealt with anything that was thrown at her. Christine was worried about Hannah, especially once Mike started sticking to an every other weekend visitation with her. That had even shocked Christine, but Mike was adamant. Katie could come and go as she pleased, but she didn't stay with Mike on the off time either, telling Christine that Mike was too busy. And she had also told Christine that he was 'dating' someone and she didn't like Katie or Hannah. On one of his weekends, he was incredibly late picking the girls up, so Christine called his cellphone to see if he was still going to.

"What?" Mike demanded as soon as he answered the phone.

"Its your weekend and the girls were looking forward to seeing you." Christine answered calmly.

"They will just have to live with it. I have plans." Mike told her.

"Did you tell them? They didn't say anything about that and have their bags packed." Christine asked.

"I am a full-grown adult man. I am retired and don't answer to anyone, including my daughters." Mike said.

"Okay. Do you want Hannah next weekend since you're missing your weekend?" Christine offered. Since Katie was an adult, Christine didn't force anything.

"I doubt it." Mike answered.

"We need to discuss Hannah's birthday. Its next month. She'll be fourteen and tells me she wants a nice dinner. It falls on a Saturday and I've already taken it off, but she wants you to be there for it. I thought instead of doing two separate dinners, you could just eat here. Its what Hannah is wanting." Christine told him.

"Whatever." Mike said before hanging up. Now it was up to Christine to disappoint their daughters. She walked into their bedroom and smiled at them. They were sitting on Katie's bed, reading a fashion magazine.

"Girls, I just spoke to Dad. He isn't going to be able to get you this weekend. He has food poisoning." Christine lied.

"That's not surprising." Katie remarked. Christine could see the heartbroken look on Hannah's face. She had always been a daddy's girl and at one point, Mike's relationship with her had been amazing.

"Did you ask him about my birthday? Just a family dinner?" Hannah asked.

"I mentioned it to him, but he didn't confirm coming. Maybe text him later on and ask him?" Christine suggested.

"He probably won't want to. It would be time away from Breanna." Hannah said. She didn't like Mike's girlfriend.

"Hannah, remember what I told you. I know you don't like Breanna and don't like your dad being involved with her, but you have to be polite and respectful." Christine warned.

"He's only with her to get back at you. I don't think he even likes her that much." Katie remarked.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you two give him or her no reason to find fault in your behavior. I get that he is hurting you girls, and he is mad at me, but treat him well. He'll come around. Your dad loves you two more then life itself." Christine said.

"Alright." Katie said.

"It just hurts so bad. We spent so long apart and now he is punishing us for it. We understand what you did, but its not our fault." Hannah remarked with tears in her voice. Christine walked across the room and kissed the top of her head.

"No, sweetie. It isn't." Christine told her before walking back out of the room. She grabbed her cellphone and sent Mike a text.

"You'll thank me later. I told the girls you had food poisoning. They don't need to know you are making the choice not to spend time with them. I get that what I did was bad, but you shouldn't punish the girls. They are innocent. Punish me instead, but not them." Christine sent the text and then took a sip of her hot tea. She didn't even care if she had made Mike mad.