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"The love is still there" Pulse by Toni Braxton
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Days later
Toni's POV
I sat on the couch, looking tired but determined. Kamari, laid beside me in my arms while Kari played quietly with her toys in the center of the living room. Today I had let Karri know that her father and I were not together anymore and she took it pretty well. It was so sad to say...Kamari on the other hand was okay..she just wasn't in the bed mood.
"I never thought we'd end up here, Kamari. But sometimes, things just don't work out the way we hope."
"I know, Mom. I'm here for you. Always."
"Thank you, honey"
"I can't help but feel angry at Dad. How could he just..walk away?"
"It's complicated, sweetheart. Your father and I... we just grew apart. It's no one's fault."
Karri looked up from what she was doing and asked me...
"Mommy, You and Daddy aren't married anymore but can you both be friends? Like me and my friends at school? We get mad at each other and stop talking then we talk again and we're best friends again"
I smile gently.
"We still care about each other, Karri."
I stopped mid-sentence and didn't know what else to say so Kamari took over.
"We'll be okay, Karri. Me, you and Mommy are friends... best friends...that's what matters.
"Okay, sissy."
She said returning to her playtime.
I over to Kamari and Kamari and decided that maybe we all needed a little break from the house.
"How about we go out to dinner tonight? Just the three of us. It might be nice to get out for a bit."
Kamari and Karri nodded, I told Karri to go put on her shoes and Kamari and I began to get up and do the same but as I stood up, I felt a sudden rush of dizziness and my heart started to race. I grabbed the arm of the couch to steady myself.
"Mom, sit down!"
Kamari said, her voice filled with concern. She guided me back to the couch and turned to Karri.
"Karri, go get a water bottle for Mom."
Karri quickly ran to the kitchen and came back with a water bottle.
"Here, Mommy,"
Karri said running in, handing it to me with wide eyes. I took a few sips and tried to calm my breathing.
"Thank you, sweetie. I think I just got up too fast."
Kamari sat beside me, her hand resting on my shoulder.
"Maybe we should stay in tonight, Mom. We can order takeout and watch a movie instead."
I nodded, grateful for her support.
"That sounds like a good idea. How about I order to the house?"
Just as we were settling back into the couch, the front door opened, and my ex-husband, Keri, walked in. He looked around the room, his eyes finally settling on me.
"Toni, can we talk about the divorce finances?"
I felt a knot form in my stomach.
"Now's not a good time"
"Hi Daddy"
"Hey, Karri..Uh.It's important Tone"
"She just said it's not a good time"
Kamari said in Toni's defense.
"Kamari and Karri, why don't you go upstairs to my room and decide what to eat for dinner and find a movie"
Karri cleaned up her toys and began to leave the room.
"Sissy? Are you coming?"
"Go Kamari"
Kamari went upstairs with her sister and she told Keri to sit down. Keri nodded and sat down in the chair across from us.
"I know this is hard, but we need to figure out the financial arrangements. We have to make sure the kids are taken care of."
Kamari and Karri watched us quietly, sensing the tension in the room. I took a deep breath and tried to keep my voice steady.
"I agree. The kids come first. We need to make sure they have everything they need..."
We spent the next hour discussing the details, trying to come to an agreement that would be fair for everyone. It wasn't easy, and there were moments when emotions ran high, but eventually, we managed to find some common ground. After he left, I felt drained but relieved that we had made some progress. Kamari looked at me with concern.
"Are you okay, Mom?"
I nodded, giving her a tired smile.
"I'm okay. It's just a lot to deal with."
Karri climbed into my lap and hugged me tightly.
"I love you, Mommy."
"I love you too, baby,"
I said, holding her close.
"We'll get through this. Together."
Kamari came back downstairs and sat beside me, She laid on my chest and wrapped my arm around me and Karri sat on the other side of me.
"Sorry for saying what I said earlier Mom"
"It's okay, I love you pumpkin"
I kissed their foreheads and took in the moment.
"We're a team, Mom. No matter what."
Kamari said..I felt a surge of gratitude for my daughters. They were my strength, my reason to keep going.
"Yes, we are. And we'll be okay."
As the evening wore on, we ordered our favorite takeout and settled in to watch a movie. For a little while, we were able to forget about the challenges we were facing and just enjoy being together. And in that moment, I knew we would be alright.
