When It Begins Again

1

Jewel stood at the kitchen counter, her eyes glued to her phone screen as she packed Mya's lunch kit.

Jeston hopped down the stairs as he grabbed an apple and placed it to his mouth.

"Sit and eat."

She ordered as she read her itinerary for the day. She had three venue walk throughs with clients and dinner with Kim and Jasmine.

Since her separation, her sister and best friend have really stepped up in her life to make the transition run smoothly especially since babysitters were a no for her.

Jeston sat as he dug into his toast and eggs.

"Mom don't forget my bake sale this weekend. I volunteered to bake the cupcakes."

Jewel looked up at her son, her eyebrow arched.

"Jes when did you volunteer for this?"

"Yesterday."

He confessed as Jewel passed her hand over her face.

"You're with your father this weekend..."

"Dad can't bake cupcakes."

Jeston interjected.

"I can bake them but you'd have to sell them with your dad and you need to ask him. You know he always plans some adventure for you guys."

The words left a bitter taste on her tongue. Even though she knew Carlos was overcompensating for the affair and the separation, it still made her feel like the less fun parent.

The weekend before, he'd taken the kids to an amusement park. The weekend before that to a water park and the surprises kept coming.

He'd bring back sleepy babies on Sunday night and they'd wake up on Monday morning bursting with excitement to tell Jewel all about the fun weekend they'd had with their father.

Jewel stood behind Mya as she brushed her hair into a ponytail and wrapped the end into a bun and pinned it.

"My, you have ballet this evening. Aunty Kim would collect you and Briana after she gets Kharyi."

"Who's coming for me?"

Jeston questioned.

"I am."

Jewel stared at the time on her phone. The doorbell rang as Jeston ran and opened it.

"Good morning!"

Carlos wore a huge grin on his face.

"Daddy!"

Mya exclaimed as she hopped out of her seat and ran towards her father.

Given that both kids had not seen their father last week or the past weekend, she understood their excitement.

He raked his hand through Jeston's curls.

"Dad why would you do that?"

Her son complained as he stared at himself on his phone screen and fixed his curls.

"Because I'm your father. Organize your things so we can head to school."

He placed Mya on her feet as they both raced upstairs.

Carlos turned to her and they both paused, their eyes locked on the other.

It had been four months since Carlos had moved out and him coming over still felt foreign to her.

She'd spent eighteen years with her husband by her side and now she had to unlearn that.

Carlos cleared his throat.