How to break a heart

Chapter seven

"When do I ever learn?" Rachel moans, walking down into the kitchen. She throws herself down in a chair and holds tightly unto her head. Rose laughs and switch on the kettle to make them some coffee.

"Dad asked if we'd like to go have dinner with him and Eileen at Barbara's," Rose tells her mother and takes two cups from the cupboard above her head.

"Oh shit, after last night?" Rachel shakes her head slowly and glances painfully at her daughter. "You can go. I'm just going to lie down the whole day feeling sorry for myself and trying to get through this hangover."

"I've invited Gerald and the girls," Rose smiles at her mother. Rachel dropped her face on her arm and reached out before her with her other hand. Rose shakes her head with a giggle and looks at her dad, who came in and smiles at her. "Oh hi."

"I figured you might need this," Garth says and puts a packet of painkillers down on the table. She ignores him and shows her thumb to him. He laughs and touches her back. "You weren't even that drunk."

"It's not how drunk I was. It's what I drank," she replies and finally looks at him. "You drank one glass of whiskey,  two beers, and had one shot. I drank something from the whole bar."

"You were together last night?" Rose asks, horrified. "Mom, I thought you went out with Aunt Marisa. Dad, does Eileen know? Was she with?"

"No, Eileen doesn't know, and I prefer to keep it that way," Garth says and starts approaching his daughter. "Your mother and I met at the bar. We didn't plan to hang out or anything. It basically just happened."

He looks back at Rachel. She grabs the pills and takes out two. Rose sighs and gets her a glass of water. Rachel looks painfully at Garth, who gave a chuckle, seeing her this messy.

"Now that is a morning view to die for," he chuckles.

"Fuck off, Garth," Rachel says annoyed and take the glass of water from Rose. "Thanks, darling."

Rose stands back and folds her arms, looking at her parents. Something is bothering her, and seeing them so calm with each other yet angry at the same time scares her.

"So will I see you girls later?" He asks. Rose nods and inhales deeply. Rachel shakes her head in denial and throws the pills in her mouth. She swallows it down with water and places her face on her hands. "Oh, come on, Rachel, you're always up for fun."

"Dinner with you and your wife isn't fun," Rachel mutters.

"I know, that's why you need to come. So that you can make it fun," he says. She rested her face on her arms on the table, trying hard to fight her headache. He goes to her and touches her back, leaning over to her ear. "If you come, I'll make it up to you. Chocolate, wine, and your favorite movie. Would you like that?"

"Wine?" She asks and looks up at him. "That's manipulation, Garth. I will come. On one condition, you keep your mouth shut about last night, okay?"

"I didn't think you'd remember," he chuckles. She rolls her eyes and get up from her seat, looking at their daughter.

"I'm going back to bed. Hopefully, this hangover will wear off soon," she says and goes back up to her room. Garth watches her leave before turning to his daughter.

"What happened last night?" Rose asks him, looking angrily at him. "And don't lie to me."

"Nothing. Your mother and Marisa had a fun time, I kept an eye on them, especially since I was alone. A guy became handsy with her, and she escaped by dragging me to the floor. We might've danced a little bit too rough, but that's it." Garth glares at his daughter, hoping that she won't take out the last bit of details put of him. "Oh, I dropped her off at home as well, but nothing happened. I promise."

"You two hate each other, dad," Rose says with a heavy sigh. "Eileen and mom... they never got along, and if she finds out, then..."

"Eileen won't," he assures her and inhales deeply. "Now I know your mother and I never saw eye to eye or got along well, but that still doesn't mean we can't try. Yes, she is wild and definitely not the woman I used to know. In fact, she is very wild. Well, she's almost too wild for me to handle, but the point is... I don't know what the point is."

"The point is, you two are divorced, and you are married," Rose finishes his sentence for him and gives him a serious look. "I'm happy you two are finally getting along, but that doesn't mean it's okay. You two give me anxiety each time you fight. If I were you, I'd be scared. You never know what goes on in a woman's head when she becomes nice to you."

"Yeah, too nice," he agrees and looks at the time around his arm. "Okay, I'm out. I'll see you two later, okay?"

"Bye," Rose says and waves at him. Worried, she runs her hand over her mouth and runs up to confront her mother. She knows how vulnerable her mother can be. It doesn't bother her that her mother is having fun and getting close with Garth, but it does bother her that her dad is married and that her mom will get hurt in the process.
Rose walks into the room, finding her mother on the bed with her head under her pillow.
"Mom, can I talk to you?" Rose asks and takes a seat on the bed next to her mother. "Listen, I tried to give dad a lecture, but you know that talking to him is like looking at a brick and telling it what to do. I know I'm going to talk to you, but you will end up doing your own thing anyway, but I don't want you to get too close with dad. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Darling, I'm already hurt," Rachel says and takes her head out from her her pillow and looks at her daughter. "Take it easy with Gerald, okay? Your wounds are fresh, and he seems like a good man."

"This is about you and dad. Not about me and Gerald. Besides, he's still grieving his late wife. I have no position in his life whatsoever. I'm lucky to even be called his friend," Rose says and lies down next to her mother. Rachel rests her head on her pillow and looks at her daughter's face. "I'm just worried, mom. I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Your dad is worth every pain," Rachel whispers with tears in her eyes. It only occured to her now that perhaps she could never allow herself to trust Garth with that much of life as she did with her exfiance. She was scared of opening up, even to her own hisband. "I love him so much, Rose. I never hated him. I just hated myself for... lying to him and never involving him in my life. I hate me for letting him go."

"You both chose to walk away, mom. You fought every damn night. Do you know what that was like for me hearing all the bad stuff coming from your mouths? You never had anything good to say to each other," Rose whispers and sighs. "That's why I'm... so picky over my men. I'm afraid of ending up like you two."

"I know," Rachels sighs and touches her daughter's cheek. "I'm sorry, love. Some things just aren't meant to be. When I go home, everything will be back to normal like it should be."

Rose inhales deeply and nods with a smile. Rachel takes her into her arms and holds her tightly. Her fingers brush over her hair, and she looks above her head at the boring wall.