Starting Over.

Where it all began.

Emma slowly stir's from her deep sleep, warm and comfy wrapped up in the duvet. She slowly stretches out her 41 year old bone's creaking alot more than they did 10 year's ago, oh the joy's of getting older she think's to herself. It's at that moment of stretching out her leg's that her foot touches something next to her and startle's her slightly, she turn's her head to the right and see's a fuzz of dark brown hair on the pillow next to her "oh my god I've done it again" she think's to herself, who the hell can it be this time? she doesn't move anymore for fear of waking up whoever is lying sound asleep next to her. She carefully reaches her left arm out from under the cover a grab's her phone that's on the bedside table. Switching it on she see's it's just after 10am but she also notice's its a Sunday so she hasn't got to hurry to get up for anything in particular. She suddenly does a double take at her phone screen realising the date, it's Sunday July 27th, if she were still married today would of been her 22nd wedding anniversary but with a slight sigh she remember's last year and everything that made it the worst day of her life and a wedding anniversary she wouldn't forget in a hurry. Closing her eyes shes transported back in time in her mind, a time when everything seemed perfect, she was happily married to Craig the love of her life, they had known eachother since they were kid's at school together, they started dating when they were 15 and were inseprable ever since, nothing could ever come between them or so she thought. From the moment they started going out Emma knew this was the man she wanted to marry, raise a family with and grow old with. Craig always said he felt exactly the same way so everything plodded along fine over the year's, they lost their virginity to eachother, their 1st job's they had they made sure that they worked the same hour's in the day so that when they weren't workin they could just be together all the time. They were married at the age of 20 and bought their family home together, a year later James was born then 2 year's later a little baby girl came along who they named Cassie. Everything was just perfect, Emma had everything she could ever want, they all went on family holidays together every summer, trip's to the seaside were great because the kid's could play in sand and paddle in the sea all day which was great in the early year's when money was tight. Then as the years progressed Craig got more promotion's at work so that meant more money coming in to save up for the kid's future. And thats how thing's went along for year's, a perfect routine that Emma was more than happy with. Just for some extra money to bring into the house Emma and her best friend Faye started their own cleaning company, she'd known Faye since her school day's and trusted her with her life, she's the best friend anyone could ever wish for. As the kid's got older and started spending more time out with their friend's Emma hoped it would give her and Craig chance to spend a bit more time together, over the year's working different hour's to eachother they didn't see eachother as much, Emma was fine with this as she knew she still loved Craig and that as the kid's got older it would hopefully get easier to spend time together, how wrong could she have been. Craig alway's seemed to have plan's all the time that just didn't involve her anymore. He was either working more hour's or going to the gym after to work to keep himself in shape, or going out for drink's with his mate's, either way his plans never included her. Over the year's Emma had noticed that she had gained alot of weight. After having 2 kids and driving everywhere all the time, also her and Faye ran their business now rather than doing any physical work anymore, they did all the work in the beggining but as they built the company up and had more people working for them they stepped back to just run the company instead, plus always taking care of the family and putting everyone elses need's before hers she had started to neglect herself a bit, so much so that she had gone up 4 dress sizes in the years that they had been together. She had tried dieting but alway's seemed to give up after only a few month's. She wasn't overly fussed anyway as Craig still alway's said he still loved her on the odd chance they did get to see eachother so that's all that mattered to her, although their sex life had completely gone out the window, 5 year's almost since they last did anything together, she thought maybe this was normal when a couple have been together as long as they have, the novelty wear's off, when they were younger they were at it like rabbit's, so she decided that for their 21st wedding anniversary she was going to make a real effort. Get a new outfit, go and get her hair and nail's done, make a meal, make sure Craig can't find any excuse to be busy and get out of it, everything would be perfect and hopefully end the night in bed together. They would have the house to themselves as James moved out 2 year's ago to live in a shared house with his mate's from university, and Cassie moved out almost a year ago, her and her boyfriend Alex got their own apartment together. So everything was set in place while Craig was at work she got everything ready, the house was immaculate, meal was prepared, she had got her hair and nail's done, got a long black flowy dress on that covered her lump's and bump's but highlighted her cleveage perfectly. Then it was just a matter of waiting for Craig to put in an appearence, she kept rechecking her make up that it was still all in place and hadn't worn off, she kept rechecking the food that it wasn't over cooked, she kept reapplying perfume because she didn't want the smell of food to go on her hair and dress, she had a c.d on quietly playing soppy love song's, light's were turned off and candle's lit, there everything is perfect she thought to herself. She sat down at the table and poured herself a large glass of wine and drank it down in one gulp so she poured another just then she heard the click of a key in the front door, she gave out a sigh of relief knowing Craig was home earlier than usual, thank god he's actually putting in effort an for a change, "oh I hope he enjoy's the meal, I hope he think's I look ok, I wonder if he still fancie's me now im older and fatter that when we 1st met", all these question's were buzzing round in her head that she hadn't noticed Craig standing in the kitchen/dining room doorway looking at her. He's looking as handsome as ever, she still fancies the pant's off him. He's dressed smartly because of working in the office but he's taken off his jacket, loosened his tie a little bit and undone the top button of his shirt. "What's all this" he asks looking confused at her. "It's the surprise I've done for us, this is why I wanted you to come home early from work, to celebrate our anniversary." A slight smile curl's up at the corner's of his mouth. "It look's great, happy anniversary sweetheart" oh the relief he's happy with it. "Happy anniversary to you too, still love you loads" she says with a huge grin. He walk's over to the table and sit's down so she pour's him a glass of wine, just like she did with her 1st glass he gulp's it down in one go so she pour's him another and sit's down just to the right of him. "So how was your day" she ask's him, not particually interested just trying to fill the air with small talk. "Oh you know the usual" he say's with a very dull tone to his voice as if hinting that he really doesn't want to talk about his day at work. So she attempt's to change the subject but before she can he interupt's her. "Emma this is really thoughtful you didn't need to go to all this trouble just for me", with a slight confused look on her face she say's "I didn't do it just for you, I did it for us, we never do anything together anymore so I thought we should make an effort, and especially today of all days." Craig shuffle's his chair a little closer to her and turn's slightly so he's facing her, leaning his elbow's on the table he take's hold of her hand, he's not even noticed or mentioned her nail's, hair or new dress she thinks to herself. He takes a deep breath, "Emma I need to tell you something," again she look's at him with a slight confused look on her face wondering what it could possibly be that he's going to say. "Ok" she says with a deep breath. "Ok just let me tell you everything in one go i really need to get this off my chest and if i don't do it now and tell you everything now I feel like I never will." Straight away she think's the worst, "oh my god he's lost his job, I bet that's why he didn't want to talk about his day at work when i asked him." "Ok.............Emma Ive met someone else, I'm leaving you and I'm moving in with her." She pull's her hand away from his and just stare's at him for a moment as if she hasn't understood a word he just said to her. "Emma? Did you hear what I just told you?" She doesn't respond she just take's her glass of wine and gulp's it down in one go again, then straight away pour's herself another. She take's just a sip of this glass and look's blankly at him as if he's suddenly a total stranger to her. All this time she's still sat in her chair, she hasn't moved, she's dumbfounded. Craig unaware that she's not even listening to him at this point is sat there rambling on talking about god know's what, probably trying to explain himself but she just didn't want to listen. She got up from her chair and walked over to the kitchen sink and stood there staring out the window holding onto the side's of the sink to stop herself from falling over, her leg's felt like as though they about to buckle underneath her at any minute, she felt like she was going to throw up and pass out all at the same time, none of this seemed real. She turned to look at Craig who was still sitting at the table and still talking to himself thinking that she was listening. Suddenly she couldn't keep it in any longer she just screamed as loud as she possibly could "SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" Craig just sat there with a shocked expression on his face, she'd never raised her voice at him before, he couldn't believe those word's had just left her mouth. He was to scared to say another word for fear of what she might do next. Emma looked toward's him with the most hateful look in her eye's, "So your telling me on our anniversary that you have been having an affair and that your leaving me to move in with this tart",Craig looking horrified just nodded his head slightly. "I cannot believe I'm hearing this" she said looking at him with the most evil glare. Deep down inside she was totally heart broken but she wasn't going to show him that, she was just going to show him all the anger she was feeling right now, she can do her crying once he's left, for now she's going to wipe the floor with him. And thats just what she did, she screamed obscenities at him, threw thing's at him, hit him with her fist's or any object she could lay her hand's on. Until eventually she was to worn out to do anything else except scream at him one more time to get out the house and never come back. As soon as he left she collasped on the living room sofa and cried herself to sleep, she couldn't believe that in the space of an hour her whole life had completely changed forever. How would she cope without him, he's been part of her life for over 25 years, now she's going to have to start her life all over again when she's over 40, never in a million years did she ever think that she would end up in this situation, over 40 over weight and single.