"Still Just A Screw Up, Carver" - Eddie Munson & Y/N Sequel

ONE ~ Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

The usual morning chaos is in full swing; Arwen is looking for specific toys and items of clothing she wants to take to her dads for the weekend, Ronnie is telling tales on Arwen for messing up her bedroom and JJ is sobbing his heart out about leaving his mommy. It's always the same when the kids are getting ready to go to Eddie's, leaving me no time to even get dressed before he gets here. "Arwen, you have toys at your dads. You don't need to take all of these, baby." I just want the chaos to stop for 5 minutes otherwise JJ will never calm down before he has to go and that just makes the handover so much harder for me.
"It's not all of them, mom! I'm just looking for Ozzy." she reasons, Ozzy was the little black bat stuffy Eddie and I got for her when she was a baby, it was her absolute favourite and she never sleeps over anywhere without it.
"He's at Pop-pops house, you left him there last week. You'll have to get your dad to stop by there on the way. Now pick this mess up and get your shoes on, please." I plead as JJ's sobbing starts to soften into whimpers as he calms himself.

Rounding up the kids like a sheepdog herding lambs with ADHD on a sugar rush, I finally get them all sat at the table for some lunch before they leave. Just like their father, the only time I get silence in when they're sleeping or eating, so the house is suddenly filled with a relieving calmness as they cram sandwiches and fruit slices into their faces. "Mom, are you gonna be all alone while we're at dads?" Arwens strength has never been tact, she's a sweetie, but her honesty and delivery has never been particularly sensitive.
"I'll be fine, baby. I'm gonna watch movies, have a long bubble bath, hang out with uncle Steve and Pop-pops, maybe even get take-out from that Chinese place you don't like!" I tease, sending the kids into a fit of giggles. It's was all mostly true, the part I missed out what that I was gonna miss them all terribly. I hated being away from my kids, they were my whole world after Eddie left and no amount of take-out or bubble baths would replace them, even for a couple of days.

Sitting them in the living room to watch some TV before Eddie arrives, I have the calm opportunity to get myself dressed but that chance is snatched away from me by a loud knock at the door. "Oh, fuck me!" I groan as I wander back toward the living room, brushing the bread crumbs JJ left on my sweatshirt onto the floor. I catch sight of myself in the mirror in the hall, grimacing at my unmade up, pasty face and loosely tied ponytail - Eddie turned into a fucking Adonis after he found fame, looked even better than he did when we met, while I now looked worse. I loved being a mom, but I hated looking like a fucking mom. Bracing myself as I know it's not gonna get any better than this, I open the front door to the 6ft god standing on the porch. "Hey Ed's." I breathe as I try not to look so flustered and exhausted,
"Hey, they ready to go?" he asks. Not even any small talk? Before the divorce I couldn't get Eddie to shut up about the band or music stardom, now I don't even get so much as a 'how are you?'

I nod lowly and gesture for him to come in while I gather the kids and their bags together, Ronnie catches sight of Eddie idling in the hall and leaps off the floor, hurtling toward Eddie. "Daddy!" he shrieks excitedly as he reaches out for his father, Eddie scoops him up in a hug and holds him tightly,
"Hey little dude! You ready for a great weekend?!" he chuckles as his nose connects with Ronnie's, making him giggle wildly. I watch JJ's eyes turn glossy with tears, he knows why Eddie's here, he knows that he's going to have to leave me soon and his heart already begins to break at the thought alone.
"Mom! JJ's crying!" Arwen calls out from the couch, I head into the living room and scoop my little man into my arms and try to calm him before he gets too distressed.
"Arwen, can you go make sure Ronnie has his jacket on, please?" she frowns at the little boy crying in my arms but does as I ask, heading into the hall toward her dad and brother. "Okay, JJ... No more tears, little guy. Shh shh shhhh..." I sooth but I can hear his breathing turn to hiccups as he keeps getting himself in a mess, feeling my own eyes sting with tears.