2. Hate or Love

13

"You are not leaving and that is final," he said angrily as he followed me out of the room.
"Listen James, you can't force me to do what I don't want to do. I tried giving your aunt the respect she is entitled to, but I cannot take it anymore. I can't even have some alone time with my children in this house. Cooking two meals for dinner just to please one individual who criticizes everything I do is not my idea of living blissfully. I cannot ask her to leave, for she is family after all, but I and my kids can leave this house easily," I told him in a cool and calm manner.
"I have never known true happiness when I am in this house after all. And it's just a constant reminder of what I went through when we got married."

James just stood looking like he had taken a thorough beating. The house had become too quiet.
"Can I come by and see the kids?"
"Yes, you can," I whispered as I started walking down the stairs.

I said my goodbyes to Aunt Rebecca, who responded with a smirk on her face.
I found Jeff, Sammy and Joyce waiting with my children by my car.

"Pam please, I can fix us. Just don't go," James pleaded.

"There is nothing wrong with us baby," I said placing my hand on chest. "Just fix the problems that threaten, us. You know where I will be if you need me."
Leaning down he held me closer to him, not caring if we had an audience, knowing his aunt would not approve of such behavior.
"James, I need to go now," I sighed enjoying being in his arms.
He slowly released me so I could walk towards my car. Joyce was coming along also since I needed help with the children.

------------------------

Days turned to weeks, I couldn't sum up the courage to face James, not after the way we had parted I didn't want to be the reason rifts were created in his family. Getting my act together I stared using my gym to shed off the pregnancy weight. Every time James came by I was either in my office or in the gym, I just couldn't look at him knowing I would cave if he were to ask me back home.
Sammy visited me from time to time and soon joined me in my mission to lose weight. Jeff laughed at this notion, and we actually made a bet that in six months we would be back in shape.

"This I have to see. And you ladies don't even have a trainer."
"We don't have a trainer but we have everything we need. Don't we Sammy?"
"If we win this bet, you are on diaper duty every time you are around the children," I told him.
"No problem Pam, and what about you Sammy?"
"Give me time, I will come up with something," she said giving him a wink.
"Alright deal ladies."
"Wait what about you, if we lose what will you ask of us?"
"Oh I don't want anything, if you win I win," he said giving his wife a cheeky grin."

James stopped coming over regularly and chose to come see the babies during his free time over the weekends. He slowly stopped coming over even his parents were surprised by this. Sam and Tara were constantly over my house just to spend time with their grand-babies, this was also the same for my parents.

It was now 4 months since the little ones joined us, and I was enjoying every minute of my time with them. Their constant babble was a delight as they had their own conversation amongst themselves. I knew very soon I would need to baby proof this place as they would start exploring their surroundings soon. Sammy was happy that her son had playmates everything she came by for our daily workout.

Time flew by as the children learnt how to sit unassisted, very soon they would be crawling around. Maria and Thomas were glad to have the children around, but had been disappointed when they saw us return after the short stay at James's house.

James's POV

As soon as Pam left my house that day I headed straight to my father's house.
"Dad, I need your help. Aunt Rebecca has just destroyed my life."
Knowing his sister all too well, Sam sat down and listened to his son narrate the events that occurred. He then went with his son to have a talk with his sister, thus by the end of the week she had packed her bags and left.