In The End, I Lost It All

~Chapter 1 (Jake's POV)

In The End; I Lost It All

~Chapter 1~

-Jake's P.O.V.-

It's been a few days after Ella's and my divorce, and I am still in disbelief that she ended our relationship just like that. We have 10 children together; how could she just walk away from them all and from me? Well, now it is comes to the part I dread the most- having to break the news to our kids that she is never coming back home. When I open the door to my house, the first faces I see is my 1st oldest daughter Elissia and 2nd oldest son Asher walking up to me with a confused look on his face. "Dad, where's mom? We noticed the two of you leave this morning and only you came back home? Where'd she go?" I look up at them and call down all of their other siblings (Amber, Alec, Celeste, Jared, Diamond, Nathan, and Soluna (Aside from Noah who is now a married man to CC's oldest daughter Aurelia)) to tell them all what's going on.

"Alright you guys, listen up..." I begin "Your mom decided that she no longer wanted to be in my life, so she got a divorce." The kids all look up at me when Elissia then asks, "So how is this all going to work out? Are we going to have our visitations with Mom over in England?" I look up at her and sigh slowly, running my fingers through my long black hair. "Elissia, your mother is never coming back, nor does she want to see any of you kids... she wants nothing do with any of us at all..."

The looks on all their faces breaks my heart as Elissia cries into her hands. I hug her close as well as her other siblings. "We'll make it through this together, you guys. I promise. It won't be easy, but if we stick together we'll make it just fine." Asher look at me and says, "And maybe, just maybe Dad, you might find someone to love again over time... and she'll want to adopt us as her own..." I smile up at him and I hope it will happen.

*Skipping a few months* Trying to juggle both duties as a dad to 9 kids (well 10 including Noah, although he is a married man) as well as playing my music has been a little more difficult than I thought it would be. But the kids help out a lot by keeping the house clean and organized. And the guys and their girls also help out too since their wives send over food and other needed supplies sometimes. I hear my phone ringing and I answer it. "Hello?" I say. "Hey Jake, it's Andy... listen the guys are heading out to catch up and hang out. Come join us... it'll get you out of the house for a few hours." I sigh a little, replying "Sure man, what bar?" "Well actually we're going to meet up at Applebee's, we'll see you there." He hangs up and I touch the 'end call' button. I grab my car keys and wallet and yell to the kids upstairs "Guys, I am going to meet up with your uncles, don't make a mess!" Elissia yells back "Have fun daddy! Be careful with how much you drink!" I smile at her worrisome personality; she got that from Ella no doubt. She is the spitting image of her mother. I climb in my car and turn on my radio jamming out to what's on the radio. First song I hear is "Walk" from Pantera, one of my favorite bands of all time.

(Lyrics are credited to Pantera)

Can't you see? I'm easily bothered by persistence
One step from lashing out at you
You want in to get under my skin and call yourself a friend
I've got more friends like you, what do I do?

Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself by yourself, stay away from me

A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time
Respect, walk, what did you say?
Respect, walk, are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?

Run your mouth when I'm not around, it's easy to achieve
You cry to weak friends that sympathize
Can you hear the violins playing your song?
Those same friends tell me your every word

Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself by yourself, stay away from me

A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time
Respect, walk, what did you say?
Respect, walk, are you talking to me?

Respect, walk, what did you say?
Respect, walk, are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me? No way punk

Respect, walk, what did you say?
Respect, walk, are you talking to me?

Respect, walk, what did you say?
Respect, walk, are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me? Walk on home boy

I make it to Applebee's and park my car in an available spot and walk in getting a booth for 5 and wait for the guys to walk in. Soon enough, Jinxx is the first to walk in. "Hey Jake," he says while sitting down across from me. "Hey, man... how's everything going with you and Mae?" He smiles and responds, "We're doing just fine man. How are you holding up with the kids?" I sigh a little, replying "Well we're making the best of it; just trying to take one day at a time, ya know?" He chuckles a little, "that's good."

We make some small talk until everyone else arrives and we order some food and talk about possibly making a new record again. I smile, because I know I get to grab my guitars out again and start playing out some new riffs and write some lyrics too. The guys all pile in a few minutes later and sit down (CC and Andy on my side and Ash on Jinxx's). We all order our food; everyone else orders fajitas, so I order one of the healthier items on the menu; the Garlic Herb Chicken. Once we get our food and beers (which I only drink 1 so I can drive home sober) I begin chowing down, and can't get over how delicious the food is.

After about an hour and a half of crazy hootering and hollering from the beers we devoured, we all drive home semi-sober. I make it home and find the house dark aside from the one light in the living room, knowing that Elissia is waiting for me. I unlock the front door and she looks up smiling. "Good to see you came home sober, Dad..." she smiles and kisses my cheek. "Goodnight daddy, sleep well..." She trudges up the stairs quickly and I whisper "You too sweetheart" before heading to bed and passing out fast.