Courtney POV
Mornings are usually easy going in my household; sure it's a little hectic, but it isn't any more different than the average family filled with noise and with that in mind you can tell it's not a normal morning. The house is near silent except for the quiet fussing of Max in his high chair, because as large as this family is we were a damn near perfectly in sync so we knew when something was off. Especially when dad gave each of us a hug well over his usual time and a kiss on the head including the boys who he never kissed out of respect for them being 15 year old boys but today it was obvious he needed it so they didn't complain. It was painfully obvious when we made our way into the kitchen to be met with the smile of our mother which just didn't quite reach her eyes like it did on a normal morning,
"Mom, did you and dad have a discrepancy?" Vaughn questions…he hated to call it a fight he just though it had too much of a finality to it
"Sit and eat and yes we did" my mom nods gesturing to the breakfast bar where we sat wearily
"About?" Cason prods
"I don't need you thinking about this when you're at school or at practice which you all have" she points out turning back to Max
"We're going to worry about it either way" Bryce replies
"Baby and I love that you care so much but for right now I need you to not worry about it understand we'll work it out so hurry up and eat or you'll be late" she replies turning and silently telling us the conversation was over and no longer up for debate.
There aren't many things that my mom and dad argue over that last longer than 5 minutes but this is definitely different my dad had never looked so defeated since I could remember and the muscles in my mom's neck were never that taught…this was bad.
"For the last time guys you don't need to worry about your farther and I, you need to worry about paying attention in school and practice now go" my mom instructs pointing a perfectly manicured nail to the car outside where Sammy and Tony stood waiting for us to climb in.
Finally getting the hint mom just didn't want to talk about it we nod before bidding our goodbyes and promises to do our best in school before turning and heading down the path.
Arriving to school we climb out the car silently and separate as we usual,
"What's up with you guys?" Steph questions glancing over at the boys before returning to look at me
"Nothing" I shrug looking to the entrance of the school before turning to glance at my brothers who are staring at me I know that look in their eye and if I have that same look I can tell you now today won't be a good day…for any of us.
By lunch time I hated any and everyone except for my brother's,
"Sammy, can we just sit on our own today?" I ask as we enter the rowdy lunch room
"Yeah give me a minute" Sammy nods walking off and leaving us with Tony as we move silently through the lunch line
Once we were done Sammy leads us over to a table away from our usual lunch mates,
"So what's up with you guys?" Tony questions once we take our seats and begin to eat silently
"What do you mean" Vaughn questions looking up at Sammy momentarily
"It means that you guys have been in a funk all morning and it isn't getting better in fact I would say it's get worse" Tony replies cocking in eyebrow
"Guess it's one of those days" Bryce shrugs
"No you guys don't have days like this unless you're provoked so spill" Sammy replies
"It's complicated" Cason shrugs
"Well if you guys are going to do this just know you better not get into any fights over whatever it is, or should I call your mom now so she can talk to you?" Tony questions
"Lunch's almost over" Vaughn replies stiffly as he straightens up and stands with his tray as do the rest except me since Bryce took my tray for me
"You're not going to speak either?" Sammy questions glancing down at me as Tony watches the boys we didn't really need security in school but I guess on days like this where we were all close to blowing our tops security guards were necessary
"There's nothing to talk about" I shrug
"You really think so?" Sammy questions
"I know so" I nod standing just as the bell rings Vaughn hugs me to his side as we walk off heading to class
"We need to find out what it's about" Vaughn says halfway through class
"I know, have any ideas?" I ask
"What do they usually disagree on?"
"Her schedule"
"She doesn't have anything coming up"
"Nothing she's told us yet, you know she never tells us unless there's at least an 80% chance it could happen"
"True, we can ask Aunt Tracy"
"What happens when she questions us about why we want to know?"
"Guess we need to make up a story then"
"Definitely"
"Surprise?"
"I guess so we'll talk with the others later, we're going to fix this Courtney"
"I know"
"Know it all" he smiles bumping my shoulder playfully before we both fall silent again
The day came and went as we relayed our plans with the others until it was time for practice leaving us to have no other choice but to acknowledge the presence of the people outside the bubble we'd established,
"So what's up with you and the boys?" Kylie questions as we stretch
"What are you talking about?" I ask
"You know what she's talking about" Jamie glares
"If I did, I wouldn't have asked" I reply
"Or you don't want to answer the question" Maggie notes
"Well if you knew that why would you ask" I reply bitterly as I quickly stand and walk off
I went about practice as I usually did although I fouled more than I usually do I gave the coach nothing to complain about and once I was done I took off joining the guys who were quickly leaving their own practice
"How'd you do?" I ask once we were all safely heading back home
"Hits were a little harder than usual but we were good" Vaughn replies
"More fouls than usual but we were good too" Leo replies
"Me too" I add and they nod before the car falls silent again
Making our way inside we're met with the unusual sight of our dad sitting in the couch with Max in his lap and Ares by his feet,
"Hey dad" I smile pouncing on him making sure not crush Max
"Hey" he chuckles kissing my temple as he hugs me back before I pull away and the boys greet him
"Not that we're not happy to see you and all, but where's mom?" Cason questions
"Your mother got any emergency call a couple hours ago she should be halfway to New York by now" he replies
"For what?" I ask
"I have no idea" he shrugs
"When will she be back?" Levi questions
"In time for Courtney's game on Wednesday" he replies
"She'll be tired" I reply
"She will be" he nods
"Maybe she shouldn't go then" I reply
"She'll go anyway" he smiles, "Go get cleaned up and dinner will be ready by the time you guys are down" he instructs and we nod before turning and heading upstairs with everyone following
Edward POV
Sighing I trudge into my bedroom and shut the door behind me before continuing towards the closet to change into my pajamas before climbing into my empty and cold bed,
"Hi" Bella says answering the phone
"I guess you got there okay"
"Yeah I just made it out of security"
"Okay good…I don't think the kids had a good day today"
"What happened?"
"They kind of collapsed on themselves barely acknowledged the presence of the others at school or at practice"
"They don't listen"
"Did you expect them to?"
"More wishful thinking than anything"
"Max wouldn't go down he kept crying for you"
"I….."
"The summer would've been easier"
"I know that"
"Too much happens during the school year for you to go off like this"
"I know that"
"I feel like you wait until the school year to do these things"
"You know that isn't true"
"Sure seems like it"
"I don't care what it seems like"
"You've got to let that go"
"I've done as much as I'm willing to do"
"You're a mother and a wife first, business woman, actress, and model after….not before"
"I know that"
"So make the sacrifices"
"You're a farther and husband first, OBGYN after….not before, you make some of the sacrifices"
"I'm always here"
"Asleep and too tired to do anything and you're here on circumstances you drop everything as soon as you have to leave. I do it more often because that's what my career requires me to do so you're only there because the hospital is close enough…I can't move my job like you can"
"That's not my fault"
"Never said it was"
"Quit"
"I'm not a house wife, I won't be happy doing just that and you know it"
"You tried it for a week"
"And nearly had a nervous breakdown that's too much time alone in the house doing nothing but watching Max and cooking and doing the occasional cleaning"
"Rose does it"
"No she doesn't, she works out of the house just Alice does and she has to travel almost as much as me"
"You have to compromise"
"Why do I have to do anything?"
"All the problems are on your side"
"Well my side and I are gone"
"You don't mean that"
"Goodnight" she replies in a monotone before the line goes dead
"FUCK" I roar into the night slamming my fist into the bed repeatedly, she didn't tell me she loved me….she never did that before….EVER.