Detroit, MI:
Isabella tossed back another shot of Casa, Tory and Monica cheered her on as she picked up the next shot glass tossing it back, and then the next. She had been fighting for her husband's freedom for the past 3 months, providing evidence he had no knowledge of what was going on, while also trying to get Ben back to himself. She was starting to just be over her marriage to Ben, he was now without work and still didn't show up for the kids and it angered Isabella. She wouldn't say anything though, she didn't want him to feel any worse than he already did. They didn't sleep together anymore; he now spent his time getting drunk in the game room gaming all day. It was now to the point where Isabella seen him once, maybe twice a day and that was in the kitchen when he was either eating or getting more alcohol. This night out with the girls was needed, "I am fucked up you win!" Monica finally caved after Isabella threw back her 8th shot of the night.
"What's going on? Why cancel family game night for girl's night?" Tory asked Isabella.
"I just can't stand Ben anymore." She admitted truthfully, and maybe she would have kept this information to herself if she wasn't drunk. "All he does is drink and plays video games, we don't sleep together, he hasn't touched me in almost a year I'm 35 years old and I know my marriage is failing." She vented to her best friends. She'd been holding that in for months, she didn't want to continuously tell her friends how unhappy she was in her marriage, she just didn't want to be that friend. "He doesn't come to anything the kids are involved in, but you know who is there?" Isabella asked.
"Ambrose." Monica answered noticing it herself, she made sure to make it to her god children's games and or dance competitions whenever she wasn't working. She noticed that Ambrose was at all the games and dance competitions cheering them on, he was always helping them practice, he was good with all 3 of Isabella's kids it was hard not to notice how they'd clung onto him.
"Is it wrong that I still felt the same way I did in high school?" Isabella asked, she'd finally admitted it out loud and she knew for sure in that moment she was indeed still in love with him, and she fought this hard.
"Izzy, you still love Ambrose?" Tory asked, shocked.
"Yeah, when I seen him in his mom's backyard the day he came back I could barely breathe." Izzy spoke with a slight smile on her face.
"Damn, bitch you drunk and just letting it all out." Monica herself was shocked.
"Ben and I just keep arguing, and we haven't been in a good place in years and now this? I love Ben with all my heart, and that's why I'll do everything I can to make this work, but it just isn't working." Isabella admitted.
"What are you going to do about your feelings for Ambrose?" Tory asked.
"Nothing for now, and Daniel has been just popping up at the job with lunch everyday making me laugh." Isabella told her friends and both Monica and Tory's eyes widened.
"What you mean every day?" Monica asked.
"He told me if it didn't work out with Ben, he was still interested."
"Daniel ass is fine." Tory mumbled picking up her shot glass throwing her shot back.
"You don't like him do you though?" Monica asked.
"No, I just keep visioning this future with Ambrose and I feel so bad about it."
"So just be with him." Tory encouraged.
"I need to be super sure, and I'm not. I can't explain it, but I want this to really work with Ben. I just need him to go back to how he was, I don't know what to do with the person he's become."
"So, take some space, both of you see other people and if you come back together then that's that, if not then just divorce. I think a separation is needed, and it's the last resort if that doesn't work then you can legitimately say you've tried everything Izzy." Monica replied.
"I didn't think of that, I don't know if he'll go for it, but I'll think about it." Isabella spoke up, taking in the idea. Space may just be good for them, just to find out what they want and if this marriage is going anywhere.
"You know I'm all about you being happy, stop trying to make everyone else happy and just be happy. Start putting yourself and your needs first, in high school you'd put Ambrose first, and then college it was Ben first, and then after college it was Ben and the kids. You've done your part; the kids are older and don't require as much of your time anymore. So, live your life Izzy, go on vacations, eat new foods, meet new men if that's what you want but stop being miserable." Tory rubbed her best friend's arm.
"I agree, I'll get the separation agreement on paper so you both have a clear understanding of what the agreement is. It'll keep you protected in case things go left, make sure if you do decide to go this route you talk to him about it first because trying to talk to a stubborn Ben is impossible and I don't know how you do it." Monica joked.
"You know, Ben ran right into Ambrose's fountain drunk driving a while back and Ambrose went to the hospital with him, helped me get him into the house and then went and picked all the kids up from school for me while I took care of Ben."
"You're going to get back with Ambrose, aren't you?" Monica asked, and Tory then also looked at Isabella.
"No, I'm just saying he's trying to change." Isabela quickly replied, but both of her best friends seen the way her eyes lit up when she brought his name up.
By the time the end of the night came for the 3, Tory had only one shot, so she drove her two best friend's home. Once Isabella got into the house, she saw Ben sitting on the couch, "Where you been Izzy?" He asked, she knew he was just as drunk as she was the moment those words left his mouth. She'd dropped her heels onto the floor and decided not to answer him, she made sure the front door was locked and headed for the steps. "Izzy, you ignoring me?" He then asked.
"I went to Johnny's Bar and Grill with Monica and Tory I'm drunk and need to go lay down." She'd said hoping her husband wouldn't start an argument.
"Are you cheating on me? I don't have a job, so you don't want me anymore?" he asked.
"The opposite Ben, I love you. I want so badly for this to work, but you just don't care anymore."
"My life is falling apart and all you seem to care about is yourself."
"And how is your life falling apart Benjamin?" She asked laughing, she couldn't help how blunt she was, the liquor was making her be brutally honest. "I pay all the bills since all your accounts are frozen and I don't have an issue with it. I'm just asking you to show up for your kids, you've worked for 16 years take a break let me take care of us and just spend time with us."
"What kind of man would I be letting my wife do all the work? Pay all the bills?"
"You'd still be a good man, Ben." Isabella responded.
"You don't understand, and you won't ever understand." He grumbled waving her off before he laid down on the couch.
"I don't fuckin understand?!" She shouted tossing her heels at him making him sit back up.
"Yo what's yo problem?" He asked looking at her crazily.
"You Ben, you're my problem. Get the fuck up! Do something, I don't care if it's to just clean just do something!"
"Izzy I'm going through something, be a wife and stop nagging." He replied laying back down pulling the blanket over himself.
"Bet." Was all she said as her head nodded she walked upstairs.
YOU ARE READING
Residuals (COMPLETED)
Fanfic"I just can't stand Ben anymore." She admitted truthfully, and maybe she would have kept this information to herself if she wasn't drunk. "All he does is drink and plays video games, we don't sleep together, he hasn't touched me in almost a year I'm...
