When Worlds Come Together

Please, Don't Do This

"Annabeth, I just can't take this anymore. The constant bickering that used to be enduring, but now turns into full blow out fights between us. You're never home anymore, always at work, leaving me to take care of our two kids alone every night." He stops.

"Do you know they ask me when they're going to see you again? You're their mom, you're supposed to be there for them." Percy cries out, face bright red, eyes forming tears.

I try holding in mine, but I know it's no use as they coat my face in salty tears. I wipe the back of my hand against my cheeks and think of what to say next.

"I'm sorry Percy, but you know how much I love my job, how much it means to me. I know I should be home more often but you've known since we were teenagers how much I've wanted this career." I desperately say to him, trying to keep my voice from wavering. I know it doesn't help though.

"I understand that Annabeth, I do. But you need to be there for our kids, you need to be there for me."

I notice his voice tone down a little, I smile on the inside at that. I was always able to do that.

"And I will for now on, I promise." I say.

He shakes his head chuckling slightly, not in a way you would laugh at a joke.

"That's the thing Annabeth you always say that. I promise, I promise I'll spend more time with the kids, I promise I'll spend more time with you, I promise we'll go on that vacation we planned a year ago." He pauses to catch his breath.

"I promise I'll go with you to visit Grover and his new baby, which he had almost a year ago, I promise this, I promise that." He laughs, brushing a hand through his wet hair, dripping water on the floor to clean up later.

Looking up and into my eyes he says, "When are you actually going to follow through all those promises?"

My stomach tightens, my throat burns, I shake my head back and forth fastly. Tears running down my cheeks like waterfalls now.

"I'm sorry," is the only thing I can muster up to say. He shakes his head again.

"It's too late Annabeth."

He's walking away now towards our bedroom door, away from me. I rush after him.

"Percy, wait! Please stop!" I cry out to him. I step in front of him before he can go through the frame of the door.

"I'm sorry, Percy. I'm sorry I haven't been there for you and our children. I'm so sorry, I just want to make it up to you."

"Don't you get it Annabeth? It's too late." He says pushing past me.

I grab his arm, turning him to face me. His chest an inch away from mine.

"Please, don't do this." I say desperately, pleading to him.

"I'm sorry Annabeth." He says just before kissing my forehead and heading to the bedroom where he starts packing his bag.

I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Then I run into the bathroom and lock the door, sitting against the bathtub. I lay my head in my hands, trying to stop the pounding in my head.

How can you lose the most important people in your life in less than five minutes?