"Look at me, please," I beg as I stand behind Nezther.
"I can't," she whispers, "I can't."
I sigh heavily. "I love you, Nessie. I hope you know that. I fucked up, I know. Does your head hurt?"
"A little bit," she murmurs.
My whole body feels heavier at her statement. "I'm so sorry. Fuck," I run my fingers through my hair. I pull at the ends. "Fuck," I collapse to my knees.
She turns to me, still avoiding my eyes. "Jason, please don't make a scene," she extends her hands to me.
"Are you going to leave me?"
"Jace–"
"Please don't. I love you," I wipe my eyes as tears threaten to spill.
"Jason, get up," she demands.
I take her hands and stand up. She pulls me into a hug. "I hate myself," I tuck my face into her neck. "I hate putting you through this."
"Nes," I hear Leigh's voice, "everyone finished eating so we're gonna go get in the cars."
I feel my wife nod. "You need to stop this, Jason. I won't put up with you hitting me anymore, I'm done. Clean your act up or I will leave you."
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Nezther places the kids towels on the chairs around the indoor pool. I hold Carson in my arms as I watch her. My son splashes in the water around us, whining.
"Use your words," I look down at him. He just whines and points to Jasper. "Carson," I say warningly. He splashes more at my warning. "USE YOUR DAMN WORDS!" I hold him out in front of me.
Nezther looks over. "Don't you dare yell at him," she growls, walking over to us. She walks down the first few steps of the pool and reaches out to Carson. "You're skating on thin ice, Jason."
I roll my eyes. "Because I was trying to get my retarded son to talk I'm on thin ice?"
Her eyes widen before a scowl crosses her face. "No, Jason, you're not. You just fell through and can go fuck yourself," she carries our son back to the chairs.
Leigh and Kinsley enter the area. They go over to Nezther, who is now crying with all the kids around her. I make my way out of the pool and over to the circle.
"Don't you dare," my wife snaps, "get away from my kids."
Carson wipes the tears off his mother's face. "M-Ma-Ma o-okay," he kisses her cheek.
Leigh rubs her stomach as she sits next to Nezther. Kinsley stands next to them as the other three kids make a barrier between Nezther and I. "What happened?" Leigh looks at Nezther.
Kinsley looks over at me expectantly. "Jason yelled at Carson because he wouldn't talk to him and then when I told him not to, he called him retarded," my- as of now- wife explains.
"What is wrong with you?" Kinsley shoves my chest.
I stumble back slightly. "Don't touch me," I shove her back.
This causes her to fall on her butt with a grunt. "JASON!" Nezther screams at me. She places Carson into Leigh's arms and walks towards me. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" She pushes me once. "It's one thing to hit me but to hit one of my kids is another thing," she shoves me again. "Stop fucking putting your hands on people."
I take a few deep breaths. "I'm sorry," I mumble.
"You're sorry," she laughs dryly, "you're fucking sorry!? Does sorry fix my headache? Does sorry make Jasper unsee you punching me in the face or smashing my head against the window?"
I look down at my feet. "No, it doesn't. But it shows effort on trying to make it better."
She pushes me again, this time as hard as she can. "ACTIONS SHOW EFFORT, NOT SAYING SORRY AND DOING IT AGAIN!"
"Nes," Kinsley grabs her waist and pulls her back. "Let's all go back to the room, yeah? Leigh and I can take the kids to our room or for a walk while you guys talk."
My wife stares at me. "No need. I'm done, we're done, go fuck yourself," she picks up Carson and leads the kids out of the room.
