Story Of Another Us (Chaelisa)

13

"Lucy asked about her today" Lisa bounced her leg up and down, as she did when she was nervous or stressed. "She's still so young, it's hard for her to understand everything"

"What did she ask?" Dr Kim wondered as he eyed her bouncy leg.

"If they were going to the park after school, Irene used to pick them up on Mondays because I was working late...she was really good with them"

"But...?" He wondered.

"She lived with us for two years...but they act like it isn't a big deal. I know they weren't that close but it's just hard for me to understand" Lisa shook her head, there was a lot of things that didn't make sense to her lately.

"Did she try to get to know them better?"

"She did but they weren't interested and she stopped pushing it...but they had fun together, she cooked them food, played with them, helped with their homework and etc." Lisa sighed. "How can you just forget someone like that?"

"I don't think they forgot her" He said. "Kids act on emotions sometimes, even if they don't truly understand them"

"What are you talking about?" She relaxed her leg and looked at him.

"You replaced their mom quickly and as you said, they saw that she was sad and unhappy - "

"I never tried to replace her?" Lisa interrupted him.

"They probably didn't get close to her to protect their mother" He finished his sentence.

"Levi got attached to Josh quickly, I don't think that's the issue"

"The situation was different then...and you told me Roseanne met him from work and that they already was friendly with each other. Levi probably saw him more as a friend than a parental figure"

"So you think...that they think..." She struggled. "I replaced their mom?"

"I'm not necessarily saying that but you invited Irene into your home shortly after the divorce, they saw that you were happy and that Roseanne was struggling. It's a possibility that they acted on that, purposely taking distance from Irene"

"I don't know..."

"I've met a lot of broken families, sometimes it takes years to fully accept someone new to the family. They probably wouldn't have accepted Josh either, for what I understand they both want their parents to get back together, I'm just trying to make you understand what they might feel"

"Okay..." Lisa wasn't sure what to reply, he did have a point.

"Do you miss her?" He asked.

"Who?"

"Who do you think I'm talking about?" He smiled carefully.

"Irene..." Of course he meant Irene, that was the person they were talking about. "Honestly, of course I miss her in a way but I think she did the right thing. Leaving me...she deserves better, someone that truly loves her"

"Don't we all?"

"I suppose" She nodded.

***

Two years ago

"Is it suppose to look like that, the color looked more blue in the store?" Lisa studied Roseanne as she was painting the new nursing room.

"This is just the first layer babe" Roseanne chuckled. "Are you only here to complain or are you gonna help me?"