love is not a victory march.
"So remember, meeting tomorrow at 8 am and then we're flying to New York for Kimmel, Conan, and Fallon," Wilmer listened to Natalie brief Demi on her schedule for tomorrow with a shake of his head, pushing his bar stool away from the island in the kitchen and walking out into the living room, just as Demi was saying bye to Natalie and locking the door. If she didn't have a meeting, she had an appearance. If she didn't have an appearance, she had a concert. If she didn't have a concert, she was taping for the X Factor, which she had stopped doing after two seasons but then when Simon asked her to return for the sixth season, she couldn't resist, and was now on the eighth season too. It was always something different with her and all of her career commitments left her no time for her family.
"Hey baby," Demi greeted, giving him a short peck on the lips before walking around him and into the kitchen. She set her purse down and ran her fingers through her long brown hair as Wilmer came in behind her after watching the fire in the fireplace in the living room burn out, not sure how to even start a conversation with her. That's how far that they had grown apart. He didn't even know how to approach her anymore without yelling at her for her neglectful attitude towards her family, whether she was aware of it or not. Their fire was dimming and he doubted that it could be reignited.
"You gonna eat? I already let Ariel eat because she was getting sleepy but I waited for you," Wilmer pointed to the meal and Demi chewed on her bottom lip, looking away from him and instead going to the refrigerator, grabbing a cool bottle of wine. The atmosphere around them was awkward and tense, something the two of them had grown used to in the past year of their marriage, which was falling apart with only one of them trying to save it.
"I grabbed Panda Express with my team, I'm sorry," Demi sipped on the red wine and Wilmer went to put the food away with an exasperated sigh. He couldn't take whatever he could even call their marriage anymore and he wasn't going to. He was done fighting, trying to drill it into her head that she had to set aside time for her family, that he understood that she wanted her career but she needed a balance, something her life lacked and the lack of that delicate balance was sending their marriage and her relationship with her daughter spiraling over the edge.
"Ariel asked for you today...a lot. Do you know how annoying it is to have to explain to your three year old that mommy is too busy to come home?" Wilmer started as Demi furrowed her eyebrows and set her wine glass down. It wasn't that she was too busy; she was just doing her job. She had taken a four year hiatus and she was in the middle of making her big come back and Wilmer had promised to support her through it all but lately all he had been doing was reprimanding her for wanting to be more successful than she had been before.
"Do you know how annoying it is to have you yell at me for the same thing every single day? I'll go up and see her when I finish my drink," Demi cooly replied as Wilmer set the tupperware container down and combed his fingers through his short hair.
"You're not a weekend mom, Demi! Everyone in the world knows you, the great Demi Lovato, except for your own daughter! I don't even feel like I know you anymore!" Demi's face flushed red as Wilmer yelled at her and she slammed her hands down on the counter, ready to defend herself.
"I stopped my life for four years while you got to keep going! We agreed that I could go back to my music this year, why are you yelling at me for it? Are you mad because I'm more successful than you'll ever be? What are you so angry about?"
"I don't care about your success or my success because unlike you, I would trade everything in for that little girl that we created out of our love for each other! I'm upset because I feel like a single dad! You might as well not even be her mother, you don't even act like it! She doesn't know you, Demi, because you're too busy being a celebrity to remember that you have a family right here!" he paused and harshly swallowed, cutting her off when she was about to talk again, "did you forget that we're supposed to take her to Disneyland tomorrow? That we're supposed to spend the day as a family tomorrow? Did you forget that you're a mother and a wife now? Where's the balance between your family and your career, Demi, we need you!"
"SCREW YOU, WILMER, YOU WILL NOT TALK ABOUT ME LIKE THAT. I AM A GOOD MOTHER. I STOPPED EVERYTHING FOR THAT LITTLE GIRL UPSTAIRS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO WRAP IT UP. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? SHE'S THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M STILL EVEN WITH YOU!" silence engulfed the broken couple as that last sentence left Demi's lips. She slapped her hands over her mouth and Wilmer lowered his hand, giving up the fight, the battle, the war. A white hot streak of pain panged in Demi's chest as she took in his hurt expression, the fire in his dark eyes dimming and his demeanor crumbling as they continued to stand in each other's silence, on the line of victory or defeat.
"Daddy?" both of their heads snapped towards the entrance of the kitchen where their three year old daughter stood, hair wild and eyes drooping, stuffed Minnie Mouse doll secured in her arms as she looked between her two parents but ultimately ran to her father.
"I can't sleep," she whined, resting her head on her dad's shoulder and glancing at her mom who was just watching the two of them, feeling left out of a moment that she knew she had no right to be in.
"Well we'll fix that, huh princess? We'll get you some nice, warm milk and then I'll read you a story and you'll be asleep in no time," he kissed the top of her head, walking over to the refrigerator and yanking it open, searching for the milk while Demi finally spoke up.
"She can't drink after her bedtime, she'll wet her bed," Demi reminded him but he simply ignored her and poured some milk into Ariel's sippy cup before setting it into the microwave and waiting for it to heat up.
"Hello, why aren't you listening to me?" she wasn't used to Wilmer defying her...at all. He wasn't exactly whipped but he knew not to question her or her motives. Their fight was just an example of how much they had truly grown apart.
"I'm sorry Demi but when you actually start taking care of your daughter and spending time with her, then you can make the decisions when it comes to her," Wilmer grabbed the sippy cup out of the microwave and handed it to Ariel who took it into her hands and observed it, looking at her mommy then her daddy before apprehensively bringing the cup to her mouth.
"We're seriously about to do this in front of her? Why are you acting so petty?"
"Jesus Christ, stop trying to pick a fight with me! I've been fighting for the past year, with or without you. I'm raising the white flag, Demi. I'm done," Wilmer exited the kitchen and began to walk up the stairs as Demi lowered herself onto one of the bar stools and rested her head on the cool surface of the marble counter. She remembered picking out the counter tops with him, arranging and rearranging furniture with him, painting Ariel's nursery with him. Almost every amazing memory that she had of the past eight years had been with him. Was she really ready to let that all go?
