Baby Girls

"You guys are so cute!"

BRADLEY'S POV

Emma and I were fighting so badly, so I took the kids and left while she was sleeping and left a note on the counter that just said, "We'll be back when the bet is over. We just keep fighting. I don't want to lose you."

I didn't know where I was going until I was standing on Jared's doorstep.

Seth opens the door.

"Brad?" he asks. "You look like you've been through hell. Where's Emma?"

I sigh and walk in the house, the twins follow me.

Everyone is here. The twins just start playing on the floor.

"Bradley, what happened?" Jared asks, standing up.

"We got into a fight. We always get into fights now, ever since-"

"Since the bet." Cameron says.

I nod.

Silence.

Seth breaks it first.

"YOU LEFT HER?" he yells. "Are you STUPID? You left her over a BET?"

"No, I left her because we keep fighting!" I snap.

"No, you left her because you keep fighting...BECAUSE OF THE BET!"

"No." I shake my head.

"Hey girls, how about you go play upstairs?" Caitlin smiles, helping them up with their toys.

She shuts them in the guest room and comes downstairs and slaps me, hard.

"Now you listen to me," she seethes. "You two are in love. Your love is stronger than any love I have ever seen! You left her because of a bet. You left her and took her kids." She shoves me so I sit down. "Now, I don't know if Emma's fucking told you this, and I'm thinking not because she told me not to tell you, but the only reason she wouldn't go running to you when she realized she loved you back in high school is A, because she was afraid of being rejected, and B, she was afraid she was going to start relying on you too much, get too used to having you around all the time, only to lose you. That's her worse fear."

"She's had nightmares about it." Cameron cuts in. "You just grabbed the black candle called Emma's worst fear and poured gasoline on it and dropped a match."

"Imagine taking out her heart while she's sleeping." Seth says. "And lighting it on fire with gasoline."

I cringe.

"I would never do that." I mutter.

"Well to fucking late, liar. You already did." Cameron snaps.

"Listen." Jared says. "You can stay here with the kids for as long as you want, but just know I don't support your decision at all."

School has been out for two days and I've already destroyed my life.

I pull out my phone and dial Dad.

EMMA'S POV

The house is awkwardly quiet when I wake up.

There is a lack of children, a lack of my husband's footsteps.

The front door slams, and I get up and wander into the living room.

Mom is here, and Dad, and Bailee and Noah and Gage, and Mr. and Mrs. Scone. Kyra walks in with the kids.

I move for the kitchen, but Gage stands in front of me.

He's pissed about something.

In fact, everyone is, and Gage is recording it, or me.