Too Perfect ✹ Shyland

2

Shane's POV

     I slept on the couch, but before falling asleep, I had to try to talk to him again. It hurt going to bed alone... for the first time in about three years, I was sleeping alone. Annie woke up and walked into the living room to wake me.

    "Sweetheart, why are you awake?" I asked.

    "I couldn't sleep..." She said. "Daddy, I'm scared..." I sat up and pulled her onto my lap.

    "We can talk..." I said, hugging her. "There's nothing you could tell me that would make me feel any different about you..."

    "Are you and Daddy getting a divorce?" She sniffled as she started to cry.

    "Anniebear....." I said. "Where did you hear that?"

    "I could hear Daddy talking on the phone last night..." Annie said. "What's a divorce?"

    "A divorce.... is when two people who are married.... are no longer married..." I said, trying not to cry. "But I don't want you to worry about it, okay? Your daddy and I love you so much.... and no matter what.... we will always love you..."

    "I don't want our family to break..." She said. "What about Bubba? If a divorce happens, where will Bubba and me go?"

    "You would probably live... with your mom for a while... and then get to see both of your dads, okay? But Annie..... I really don't want you to worry about this.." I kissed her forehead. "Okay?"

    "Okay..." Annie said. "Can I sleep here with you?"

    "Of course..." I laid down next to her, holding her small hand in mine as her head laid against my chest. "I love you.."

    "I love you too, Daddy..." She whispered.

~

     Once the sun came up, I woke up to find Annie sitting on the floor, watching Spongebob on the tv. She was drawing with crayons, and Cheeto was laying his head on her leg. Uno was barking at a closed door that led to the master bedroom, and Reid started crying.

"Daddy? I think Reid needs you.." Annie said. I rolled off of the couch and went to check on my son. He was still asleep. "Is he okay?" Annie called in.

"Yeah, he's asleep.." I said. "Uno, come here boy.." Uno wouldn't obey, and continued scratching at the door and barked louder. "Uno, what's going on?" I pulled him back and tried to open the door.

    "Daddy? What's going on?" Annie asked. "Why do I still hear crying?"

    "I don't know, sweetheart.." I said, then pulled Uno off the door again. "Ryland? Baby, are you in there?"

    "Go away!" He shouted, then continued to whimper. I managed to open the door and found Ryland laying on the floor in a pool of blood. "I said go away!" His arms were torn into, and he had a knife sitting next to him on the carpet.

    "Annie!" I yelled. "Call 9-1-1! We need help!" I managed to wrap his arms with my t shirt, and it stopped the bleeding momentarily, but he was already fading out of consciousness. "Baby.... Stay with me.... Please...."

    "I'm.... sorry...." He groaned, and his eyes closed.

~

    "No!" I sat up from the couch. Annie was playing with Cheeto, and it was all a dream. I felt sick to my stomach as I didn't see Ryland in the room.

    "Are you okay, Daddy?" Annie asked me. I nodded.

    "I... I had a nightmare..." I said. "Where's Daddy?" I asked, and she pointed to the master bedroom. "Is he awake?"

    "I think..." She said, but shrugged. "But he could be asleep still... I heard talking.."

    "Okay..." I said, then got up.

~

     I slowly opened the door, and he was awake.

    "Hey..." I said, and he turned to look at me, exposing a suitcase. "What's going on?"

    "I think we need to take a break...." Ryland said. "Just for a bit....

    "You said it yourself, Ry.... Annie and Reid need both of their dads...." I tried not to cry. "Can we just talk about this?"

    "I love you..." He said. "But things need to change... if they don't, I don't know if I can do this anymore..." I took his hands in mine.

    "I can't lose you..." I said. "I love you more than you know...."

    "Annie needs a stable environment.. and that means you need to be there for her more..." He said, after taking a deep breath. "Okay?"

    "I'm trying.." I said.

    "I know..." He said. "But it needs to be more. We're both working parents.... and we have a three-year-old... and a four-month-old.. What the hell are we doing?"

    "What every set of parents does..." I said. "We're feeling the pressure... of what perfect parents should be..." Ryland unzipped his suitcase, and took out the things he had packed.

    "I think we need some time to ourselves..." He said. "Outside of our normal lives.... away from work.... being parents....."

    "That sounds perfect...." I said. "Can I ask you something?" He turned to look at me.

    "Well, of course.. We kind of promised we'd share everything with each other when we were at the church..."

    "Why were you talking about getting a divorce?" I gulped. "And... who were you talking to?"

    "How'd you know I was talki-"

    "Annie heard you..." I said. "While I was sleeping on the couch, she came in and said she couldn't sleep..... and she asked me what a divorce is..."

    "I was talking to Joslyn..." He said. "I told her we were having issues... and she asked me what I was thinking about..." He hesitated. "I told her I was thinking about what kind of stress Annie and Reid would grow up with if our problems escalated to divorce....." Ryland placed his hand on my thigh. "I wasn't going to act on it.... I was just weighing out our options if things don't work out...."

    "So.... we're okay?" I asked.

    "As long as you've never stopped loving me...." He leaned in to kiss me, and pushed me onto the bed.

~

"Are you guys okay?" Annie asked when we walked into the living room together.

"Yes, sweetheart.." Ryland said. "And I don't want you to worry about us, okay?"

"Okay.." She said.

"We're a family..." I said, my hand on Ryland's back, my head on his shoulder.