The Closet(on hold)

Chapter 1--- Bittersweet Memories

Jessica walked to her son's room.

 "Luke! Honey, get up please." she yelled through the closed door.

She walked over to her daughter's door, knocking softly. "Kara, baby you need to wake up now!" she said. Something small, and brown haired moved under the blanket.

Walking down the hall towards the kitchen she unconsciously picked up toys and sport gear  strewn along the floor.

Sighing she threw the items in a large box near the kitchen entryway, then put her hand to the bridge of her nose, gently massaging her sinuses.

Always at least for a few minutes of each day she let her thoughts wander to memories of life before kids. Teenage years, with a teenage body. When someone else was responsible for her, when she could lay in bed all day with a good book.

Today was no exception, and she guilitly felt the slightest pleasure when she remembered all her good ol' times, but when she saw the state of the dishes she had left over from dinner the night before, her annoyance was brought back.

'Oh well,' she thought, 'back to reality.'

She could hear running around and laughing coming from the kids' rooms and the bathroom.

Josh, her boyishly handsome husband, walked into the room barely glancing at her before he grabbed the bowl she put on the counter for him, filled with cereal and milk.

She took the time to look at him, wondering when he had been so young and without small gray hairs popping out here and there.

When the kids had eaten and her husband gave the quickest peck goodbye, she let herself think about putting on real clothes to take the kids to the busstop.

At that moment the kids began to fight in the living room about their backpacks so she tuned them out. while quickly throwing on a shirt and some pants while running a brush through her reddish-brown hair she stopped for a moment to look at herself.

'What the hell am I doing here?' she asked aloud. There were bags under her light brown eyes, which used to be considered pretty when she was younger. She smiled, the reflection smiled back.

But she was older now, and wrinkles were forming along the sides of her eyes. And those laughing lines around her mouth were starting to stay longer when she stopped smiling. She threw the brush down in disgust and stalked to the front door where the kids were still yelling about their backpacks.

"Get outside now!" She yelled, "MARCH!" 

The kids walked outside slowly with their heads down. They were silent for a few minutes, their eyes wide eyed as they stole glances at their angry mother. Luke, the second eldest, who was dubbed the 'problem child' began to live up to his title when he pulled on his little sister's hair.

"Ahhh!" Kara, the baby of the family and the loudest of the bunch. screamed. 

Jessica sighed as she listened to the fight ensue around her. 

'If only I coud be some where else, anywhere else. I would be happy,' she thought.