When It Begins Again

2

Carlos stepped out of the car as he knocked on the front door.

His nerves were skyrocketing as he thought about the conversation he needed to have with Jewel.

She answered the door and Carlos took a minute to appreciate the woman in front of him. She wore a white cropped T-shirt and denim mom jeans with white heels that matched her skirt.

In the space of time that Carlos had dropped the kids at school, Jewel had readied herself for work.

"Thanks for coming back."

She said, his eyes focused on the gloss of her lips. What Carlos wouldn't give to be able to hug and kiss her. To feel her near to him, to feel as if she wasn't slipping away day by day.

"Have a seat."

She ordered as Carlos took a seat on the couch and sat opposite from him.

"How was drop off?"

Carlos could sense that Jewel was stalling and his palms became wet. Was this the part where she asked for a divorce.

"It was good."

She nodded.

"I asked you to come back because I'm thinking about selling the house."

Carlos paused.

"W..wh... what?"

A sigh escaped Jewel's lips.

"I know this house holds a lot of memories, good and bad. But all I see when I look around is the woman I allowed into this house that my husband slept with."

Jewel's words were a hard pill to swallow but Carlos knew he had to accept them because they were the truth.

"You never mentioned sleeping with Summer in our home. I never asked, but I think that I deserve to know."

Her eyes met his and Carlos could feel his own eyes filling as he toyed with his fingers.

"I did."

His confession caused her own eyes to fill as she nodded.

"I know I said I wanted the house for the kids to not be as affected by the separation. But now I feel like I'm being affected by the house. I turn and I see Summer, I enter my bedroom and I question if you slept with her on our bed."

Her voice cracked as Carlos shook his head.

"I didn't."

"If you want to stay here and the kids and I move I don't mind."

She gave him the offer and Carlos knew he couldn't live in the house for the exact same reason, it would feel empty without Jewel and the kids.

"I spoke to a realtor and when the house is sold, we can split the funds half and half."

"And where are you thinking of purchasing a new house?"

He questioned because right now he lived ten minutes away from his family so that they could all be close to each other.

But he suspected that if Jewel wanted to move, it wouldn't be in the same neighborhood.

She passed her hand through her hair.

"I want to be closer to Kim and Jasmine."

Those were the words he didn't want to hear. Carlos felt like Jewel moving closer to her family meant that the divorce papers were soon on their way.

He nodded.

"And what does that mean for me and our arrangement?"

Jewel shrugged.